Needful Blog Things

Site of the Week

2009-08-15T16:47:00.001-04:00

This gal here works much harder than I do at posting to her blog. Good stuff here. Full photo tutorials on adding things to your blog, fonts... the works.

Template Tips

2009-03-06T09:56:00.003-05:00

I know I haven't been around posting much. Life is a roller coaster. I hope to be back around soon posting. In the meantime, I have been dedicating what time I do have available to the Freebie Vault and Totally Templates.

Anyway, I wanted to give all of you a tip on making headers. You can always take full scrap page templates, keeping your items in one general area, then crop it down to a size that would fit on a header. Or you can take the template, move things around, crop, then scrap the header.

Filefront Links

2009-01-20T14:55:00.001-05:00

While I was offline, Filefront chose to delete all of my files. Actually, I didn't even get an email warning this time. Usually they do. I apologize. When I am able to I will restore everything, mostly the templates. If there's a dead link, please make a comment to that post because then I'll know what you want and what is missing. Just when I thought I was getting ahead on the other dead links people helped me find. Gheesh!

Header Template 5 - CU

2008-12-19T21:28:00.003-05:00

DDNBTHdrTemp005.zip

Check out this site

2008-12-19T21:20:00.002-05:00

The Cutest Blog ... has tons of really cool things for your blog. Go check it out. Beautiful backgrounds, which is the page I linked to.

Noteworthy Site

2008-12-10T22:02:00.002-05:00

Obviously if you are here you are blinging up your blog, looking for new ideas or are new to the whole kit-and-kaboodle! I do my best to help out in your endeavor with tips from myself, but since I don't know everything, I will post sites that I find worthy of mentioning - maybe because I learned something or because they said it better than I do or could or saved me the time having to mention it at all.

Without further ado... here's a site that found me and I found her site awfully cute and chock full of great how-to blog tips:

Easy Custom Blogs

She's a work in progress, yet has a great firm grasp on hot topics.

Header Template 4 - CU

2008-12-07T06:32:00.002-05:00

This 5 layer, 800x300 pixel template would look fantastic with a floral print background. No completed elements included.

Here's your download:
DDNBTHdrTemp004.zip

Header Template 3 - CU

2008-12-06T06:37:00.000-05:00

A simple layout. The darker pink is actually beneath the brighter one. This was lifted from a scrapbooking template I had done not so long ago. I didn't include rivets this time.

Here's your download:
DDNBTHdrTemp003.zip

Header Template 2 - CU

2008-12-05T06:15:00.000-05:00

Another fairly simple header. This one has 3 layers of finished metal elements, detached so you can delete any you don't want. If you want a colored chrome look, see my tutorial blog on how to recolor elements. To see how these look colored, see the Freebie Vault's Christmas header (December 2008 only).

Here's your complete download:
DDNBTHdrTemp002.zip

Header Template 1 - CU

2008-12-04T17:29:00.002-05:00

I know you love my templates, so here are some for your blog, and it's commercial use friendly!! Gotta love that, right?

For those that are not familiar with my templates, your zip file will include a handful of files: png, psd, xcf (for Gimp) and jpg. You use these to create headers for your blogs or webpages. Occasionally, as with this one, there will be parts already finished and ready to go. Other parts are just shapes that you have to recolor or attach to papers and photos, add text and miscellaneous embellishments.

If you don't know how to use a template, google "how do I use a digital scrapbooking template" and the instructions will be the same for these. The only difference between these and a scrap page is merely dimensional. You can always use my scrap templates and just crop and rescale to your header size, usually 800x200 or 800x300.

About this template:
It's the 1st one. The white fuzzy part is a snowy-confetti like finished element. There's only 4 layers and it's 800x300 pixels. Spice it up by putting the right photo within the stripes!

If you use one of my templates for your blog, I'd LOVE to see it. Post your site in the comments under the post it matches. No need to give credit, but that would be sweet of you.

TIP: Scale it down and use as your blinkie or siggie.

Here's your download:
DDNBTHdrTemp001.zip

[DDNBT = Ditters Doodles Needful Blog Things, Hdr = header]

Neglected Needful Blog

2008-10-15T12:50:00.004-04:00

I get going with a project, then off on a tangent somewhere else! I'm mainly a digi-scrapper, so there's where I spend most of my time. But I love my little bloggie here and want to add some more things.

Anyway... I have some headers I have been working on, including header templates. Exciting, right? I have some things in line before this but look for some new goodies starting at the beginning of November. Basically, once I get November's templates completed and scheduled for the scrapbooking, I'll be working on them for here. I think I'm going to add some basic background templates as well. I tend to favor headers of 800x300 and backgrounds of 1280x800. Most people have larger screens now. If you need them smaller, then you can downscale. I'm offering the max size since upscaling an image usually provides bad results.

I think many of you would prefer templates so I'm leaning in that direction. If you are not a digital scrapper and came here from some other source, I will still have finished products. I suggest googling for a tutorial about how to use templates for digital scrapbooking and make sure you add your program for specific tuts. YouTube has some, as well as the scrapping forums. This way you can use tagger and scrapkits to create your webset/blogset and have it unique to you.

I'll repeat what I say everywhere else, save your project in layers for altering later. Especially for blog headers, you can tuck in seasonal and holiday themes to a standard blog header without redoing the whole entire header each time.

Blogger's widgets have improved since my post about inserting headers. Blogger via Picasa Web Albums, will host your header image. It also has options allowing you to fix the title being stamped over top of your header, a common problem.

If you want to delete the box around the header, you have to alter the HTML code. Find the text that talks about headers and then borders (there's two of them in most of bloggers templates). Simply change the pixel number from 1 to 0. Use your preview button, when it goes away, hit save changes. Add your header image afterwards so your borders are easily seen to remove. I also make the color of the border something I can see when making sure it's gone. It's easier than it sounds.

I get asked from time to time about my blogs having visited links crossed out. In the HTML editor part of your blog, find where it has the code for visited links, it'll be under 'a link', scroll til you find visited and change text decoration from normal to line-through. IMPORTANT! Spell it as I did. If you put linethru it won't work. The hyphen has to be there.

My terms of use haven't changed. Just refer to the chip that was included with your download. When in doubt - personal use only and put a link somewhere on your site where people can find me. Simple as that. I do offer for my other items a lifetime commercial use (CU) license. Email me if you have questions.

Header How-To

2007-04-11T10:23:00.001-04:00

A link from someone else's blog about deleting title code from blog and a link about inserting a header image.

Dummies Guide to Google Blogger Beta

And another that shows how to add headers:

Testing Blogger Beta

Note: Above link says something about the show add elements tag, my template I was using didn't have that tag so I tried it anyway and it still worked. If it didn't I think I would have just added that line to the code and see if that worked.

[UPDATED 10-15-08] Blogger has improved the widget that allows you to add a header, so the problems that the above links helps to solve might no longer apply. See today's post (above) for more tips.

Baby Feet and Frog Blogs

2007-04-05T10:13:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

A pink and a blue baby feet header with a plaid background for your baby's blog. Or if you have a Frog Blog, there's two styles, one with the title beveled and one without. 800x200.

Download Baby Feet Headers
Download Frog Blog Headers

Crystal Header Set

2007-04-05T10:11:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Seven colors with three styles each make up this collection, all included in the one zip. 800x200.

Download Crystal Header Set

Autumn Crystal Header

2007-04-05T10:10:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Seven different styles in an autumn color palette. Add your text and other items in a photo editor. 800x200.

Download Autumn Crystal Header

Beer Blog Header

2007-04-05T10:09:00.002-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Five solid headers with a "mug of beer" on the sidebar. Open in a photo editor to add your text. 800x200.

Download Beer Blog Header

Office Deco Header

2007-04-05T10:09:00.001-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Four textured headers with a top edge and stapled tag. Shadowing for dimension. Colors are blue, purple, green and gray. Open with a photo editor to add text.

Download Office Deco Header

Plaid and Ribbon Headers

2007-04-05T10:08:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Five headers mixed with plaids, ribbons and solids in a variety of colors. Open in a photo editor to add your text. 800x200.

Download Plaid and Ribbon Headers

Rugged Leaf Header

2007-04-05T10:06:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Four solid colored headers with a leaf sidebar. Customize with your own text with any photo editor. 800x200.

Download Rugged Leaf Headers

Spring Dreams Header

2007-04-03T10:36:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Three spring colored blank headers for you to add to. Size 800x200.

Download Spring Dreams Headers

Pastel Striped Header

2007-04-03T10:21:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Four pastel striped headers ready to be customized. Size 800x200.

Download Pastel Striped Header

Ice Cream Dreams Header

2007-04-03T10:09:00.000-04:00

Click on image to view larger.

These 8 headers match the Ice Cream Dreams Scrapbooking Kit I uploaded on the Freebie Vault back in March 2007. If you haven't already, you can download the kit and add to these headers or just open with a photo editor and add your own text and items. Size 800x200.

Download Ice Cream Dreams Headers

Mosaic Tiled Headers

2007-04-03T09:59:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Three mosaic patterned headers, 800x200 pixels. Personalize with a photo editor.

Download Mosaic Headers

Rippled Dash Header

2007-04-03T09:54:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Three solid colored headers with a rik rak effect to the dashed stripe. 800x200 pixels. Add your text with any photo editor.

Rippled Dash Headers

Dashing Striped Header

2007-04-03T09:49:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Six solid color headers with a dashed stripe on top and bottom. 800x200 pixels. Open in a photo editor and add your text and embellishments.

Download Dashing Striped Header

Duo Wave Headers

2007-04-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

Nine crazy wave designed headers at 800x200 pixels. Open in photo editor to customize, flip it around for a different look.

Duo Wave Headers

Single Flower Header

2007-04-02T11:01:00.000-04:00

Click image for larger view.

Single flower headers with a striped edging. 800x200 pixels. Six headers in zip file. Open in photo editor to add your text or other customization.

Single Flower Headers

Blog Addict

2007-04-02T10:51:00.000-04:00

Click image for larger view.

Kilroy is a Blog Addict! "Typing until my brain goes numb" is the quote. Four headers 800x200 in dimension in this zip file. You can alter this by opening up in a photo editor, paint over the quote and add new text. Pica font was used.

Blog Addict Headers

Spring Stripe Header

2007-04-02T10:31:00.000-04:00

Click on image for larger view.

These match the header used on this site, with the bottom stripe raised above for adding a site description or some quote. Dimensions are 800x200. The zip file contains all items shown in the preview.

Spring Stripe Headers

Terms of Use

2007-04-02T09:48:00.000-04:00

All items are Linkware, meaning on each page you use something from this site you must post a link somewhere on that page, either in your list of offsite links or at the bottom. It can be a text link or you can grab one of my buttons from the bottom of this page. If you use a button you can use it's URL but you cannot direct link to anything else on this site, you must host it on your own site or with your own photo host. There are many good free ones out there.

You are allowed to alter the images to suit your needs but credit still must be given to Needful Blog Things.

Some template codes and a few images may not be mine but I did get permission to use them, so credit must also be given to them if you happen to use something of a "joint venture". In the case of the Jolenex codings, I cannot get a response from her email and her Diaryland site is gone, including her redirect link.

Disclaimer

2007-04-02T09:20:00.000-04:00

I will on occasion offer coded templates on this site. I may or may not have time to help you with any coding or altering of the template. I apologize if this offends anyone, but I am involved in many things besides offering free blog images. Over time I will have some good links to the right where one can go to learn how to tweak their own templates as I have. None of the codings are mine but have been given permission to use here, although their credit must stay intact or it violates both my terms as well as theirs. In some cases their terms may be included in the zip file you downloaded. I am not guaranteeing any of the coding to be coded correctly, accurately or up to the current internet standard. I have found many templates I use myself fail new blogger's template editor. I get around this by using the classic editor. I highly suggest checking your template on different browsers and resolutions. Using friends as guinea pigs does work well, especially if they know what they are doing.

Basically, I am saying use the templates here at your own risk, as with any templates you may find on the internet.

Good luck and happy blogging!