Sunday, March 28, 2010

Trying out a new look

I’ve been wanting a 3-column look for this blog for quite some time now. But it wasn’t until I tried Blogger In Draft, the new template designer that just came out from Blogger, that I realized I could possibly do this. So despite my limited knowledge of html coding, I’ve gone to a 3-column look easily with Blogger in Draft.

And it only took me three days to figure it all out.

DSC_0828 copy 2

It usually takes me awhile to figure things out.

I wanted the extra column to accommodate any future advertising I may want to install and the timing of my acceptance into advertising through BlogHer coincided nicely with the new template design offered by Blogger.

Can anyone tell me how many times I’ve said either the word Blogger or BlogHer because I’m going crazy here.

Regardless, I kept the background color and my banner the same. And I’ve placed all my YouTube videos at the footer. And this is my test post for the new look.

Respectfully submitted,

35 comments:

Cheryl said...

I love the new look.
HTML codes can be a pain when learning them. Just always preview before saving.

Michelle said...

I really do like the new look.

Caroline said...

Ohhhh...when did this happen??? Love the new look and how the photos go off the side with a little shadow effect. Very nice...gah...I may need to try this out! Does the madness ever end???

Pseudo said...

It looks lovely. Truely compliments your beautiful photography.

Hilary said...

Looking good, Kate. I changed mine over a few days ago too. It also took me a few days of playing with it in a faux account until I got what I wanted. Fun stuff. I might just do it more often. The three columns work out well for what you want.

Alli said...

Recently switched to 3 columns as well and love it. Like the look, a bit more of a modern feel to it yet the same timeless classic look as well. :)

Jen at Cabin Fever said...

I am going to try and move from two columns on either side to two on the left. It was such a pain to make the change manually that I really hope it's as easy as you make it sound to change it now!

Love the new page. very simple and pleasing.

Char said...

it looks like it works well and, if you like it, then it's all good with me.

i've been stripping down to as plain as possible because at work, i try to read blogs and all the html, music players, etc. bog me down or make it so i can't read blogs. and i figure if i'm having problems, then someone could have a problem with mine. *shrugs*

beth said...

i think i love the new look....
so you decided to go with the advertising then ?....i guess i was thinking that what i read, you had decided against it....

and 3 days to figure it out....ee gads !

i think i'll keep with simple and boring :)

RoseMary King said...

Dear Kate,
I like the new format, very cool. HOWEVER, the type is smaller, good googly-moogly!!!!!!! hugs and Kisses.

Caroline said...

had to came back to say I LOVE YOU!!! Holy cow I love blogger draft... Thank you for the heads up!

Country Girl said...

Thanks so much, all. And Alli, are you set up to receive comments on your blog? For the life of me, I cannot leave a comment. I tried on every post on your home page.

~ C.G.

tj said...

...[singing] "We're a movin' on up",
"To the East Side",
"To a deluxe apartment in the sky-y-y",
"We're movin' on up",
"To the East Side",
"We finally got a piece of the pie"...*giggle* ;o)

...Love the new look Kate! Very pretty. Very hip. Very, like now man. :o)

...Blessings dear...

Ann Marie said...

I do so badly with change :)
Looks great.. you did good.

Treasia Stepp said...

Love the new look Kate.

alphabet soup said...

What do you want Kate? The good news or the bad news? Thanks for the lovely Blackie post yesterday - that should keep me quiet for a while....
BUT
The new look. Yes, I like the three column idea, it looks great -however when reading from left to right it means having to look to the right of the page before reading the post, which for me is what your blog is about.
Yes, there's always some-one who can't go with the flow..... Or is it that old habits die hard? :-)

Ms Soup

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Looks great to me; I've been working on figuring out a new template out as well. I'd like to go for the three column look plus some other changes. I've been keeping a list so I can do this thing with some degree of order. For now, I've just changed the color to meld with the new header photo.
It's tough being a low tech geek.
-grin-

From the Old InkWell said...

Kate, love your new look and good luck on your advertising!

Low Tide High Style said...

I love it! And congrats on the advertising!

Kat :)

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

It's outstanding. Love it.

Country Girl said...

Thanks all, for the input. Ms Soup, I was trying to figure out why my eyes hurt and that was exactly it. And it wasn't bad news. Just some fixing to do.

~ C.G.

Brynwood Needleworks said...

Kate:
While I was reading your post, reading about George, and then coming back, you switched your post position from right to left. I like it better on the left. It seems more comfortable, because we read from left to right. IMHO.
I love the new look and have been contemplating a change since Blogger came out with their new posting goodies.
I'll be back to see what else you do! xoxo Donna

Marilyn said...

UMM, it's different again! I must have logged on while you were changing it....
Well done for getting it up so fast. I saw the blub about the new templates, but I mess around with mine so much, I'll give it a pass for now.
Seems it's a hit!!!

Marla said...

Awesome look. :)

Marla @ www.asthefarmturns.wordpress.com

Katie's Dailies said...

Looks GREAT! I used to be over on Typepad because they offered 3-column lay outs, but wasn't real crazy about that hosting site. I found out about Blogger making the switch, and so I switched over to here and am really happy with the move! Again, looks great!

Unknown said...

This is very interesting, but I had to giggle when you said that it took you three days to figure it out...well, that leaves me out.
hahahahaha
my question is about the version of photoshop you use, there are free downloads available, is that ok, or should I run for my life, I want more options than blogger gives...
I like your new look, I do like the wide open spaces of minima stretch...but there's a lot of wasted space...
I tinker with it all the time trying for the look I want..
thanks for the tutorial you did the other day, but I guess I need photoshop to use it..what to do..
glenda@serendipitycottage.

Country Girl said...

No, Glenda! It doesn't leave you out. It just takes me awhile. One of my readers, Caroline up there (see her), went right over to Blogger in Draft and in 10 minutes had designed a beautiful blog.
And she wrote and told me how to do the linkbar at the top.
What I am saying is DO NOT think you can't do this. If I can, believe me, you can.

~ C.G.

Alli said...

Kate, thank you so much for pointing that out to me! I didn't realize I was blocking comments! I think I fixed the problem now (hopefully).

Shana Putnam said...

I think it looks great!

BB said...

I think I agree with Mrs Soup... clean stuff on the left and busy-ness/business on the right? Just my opinion... oh look - you shifted it between clicks! Yep - like it better that way.

Can you 'texture' behind the ads? Just to set 'em apart a bit more?

I am about to change too (whenever I get a handle on my new setup) - scary, hey??
:-)
BB

Merisi said...

Simply love your new look!
The pristine white background lets your images shine.

Sweetpea said...

My dear CG, it is past midnight in my time zone so please don't accept my comment with very much weight at all since I am well advanced into tiredness...but my dear, on this end, all is pale. Background is white...margins are ochre...your header is quite reduced (loved a larger header)...and your lovely flowering branch (lead photo) is drastically reduced in size, thus impact while the Arm & Hammer ad is packing a huge punch on the right side.

And George is missing.

sigh. Very tired tonight. Forgive me.

Daryl said...

Looks great .. and with the Blogger in Draft dashboard you also get an easier way to upload photos stored on Picasa ..

The JR said...

I still can't figure out some of the stuff on blogging. Good for you!

Deb said...

I love the look, too. I tried to figure out the 3 column layout but gave it up. Perhaps now that I have a little more free time I can get it right.