Finally Looking Springy: WordPress CSS

Ah, so pink is here on the blog! Sorry in advance for any male readers, but in your defense, there is a lot of green! The clean, simple, fresh, and feminine appeals to me in the midst of all this remodeling!

I thought of writing a WordPress tutorial for any beginner levels interested in CSS encoding because it’s really not as hard as they make it seem, we’ll see…

Design Note

Quick note:  pressing some limits with the new WordPress because I’m such a geek.  We were all maxing out one 3 column blog and I found another and wanted to see if it’s more flexible in tone than the demo.  Love the demo, but want more spring in there, so I’ll probably play with it again soon!  (I really just love changing clothes without having to do laundry!)

Live Full

I think of high gas prices.  I don’t know about you, but I keep letting my tank get closer to empty every time, hoping gas prices go down before I have to refill again! 

Thinking on this in spiritual terms, we are so blessed.  We don’t have to wait until we are sputtering, coasting into the station on fumes.  We can quickly “tank up” every day, every hour, every minute just by giving ourselves to Christ anew.  His energy, grace, passion, forgiveness, and purpose are not cheap, but they are free!  (Jesus already paid the price, once for all time.) 

Makes me want to get out extra containers and jugs!  Fill them up, being sure to have plenty to share.    ‘Freely you have received, freely give.’”

Join me in “TANKING UP” this week!  Hunt down all your jugs and containers and fill them up, too!  Let’s run on full, with plenty to share!  What we have access to is very expensive, but free!

Public Service Announcement

Hi guys!  It is indeed August again!  Thank you so much for contacting me about blog design!!!  Wow.

I actually was not able to get into my break until the second week of July–AND school starts here on Thursday!  Already!  Can you believe it!?  We do get a week long Fall Break we all love and cherish! 

I did not know the school schedule when I planned my break as we are switching schools.  I do now!   I plan to begin blog work in a dedicated way toward the middle of next week IF the kids settle into school fine.  I need to keep myself available over the course of the next week, establishing new routines here, getting school clothes and spaces ready for the Fall. 

Know that I am looking at your ideas, thinking, planning, and researching ideas you are sending me as time allows, but will not begin work in a dedicated, “paper and pen” way until somewhere around the 7th if all goes well. 

I have three full blog designs waiting for me for August.  That is plenty. 

I have jury duty in September, supposedly.  I’ve never done that and cannot know how much time that will take.  So, my plate seems just about full until October on full blog designs (I may be able to fit in one or two headers, just depending on the timing). 

Thanks for your understanding in advance.  

The LowDown on Free Work

I just wanted to share a moment my goals for blog design.  In my little break, I’ve had several questions about it. 

First, I do not charge for it personally because the work was a specific answer to a specific prayer…it is not an extra-ordinarily giving heart or great thing that I’m doing…it’s just that God answered my prayer.  There came a time to give, and our family decided what we could give to a ministry, and I was still sad that I had nothing of my own two hands to give, and I prayed, “Lord, if you will give me a way to have access to some resources that will help, any work I can do that won’t interfere with my family life or be too complex for me, it’s all yours.  All.”

So, a month later in a very low time for me personally due to some relational stress I was aware of that affected me, I designed some art that appeared on Beth Moore’s blog site for a few days.  I didn’t really know what the Lord was asking or wanting or working, and feeling my way through that was about more than I could absorb. 

But, people began to ask if I designed blogs, or would help them with blog work.  So, I took it that it was a way I could help people and bless them, and if they wanted to do something that would bless me, they could give to a charitable organization or ministry heaviest on my heart at that time.  I would send a link…and would not deduct their donation from my own taxes.  It goes straight from them to the ministry. 

So, that’s my heart.  I have taken July off to focus on some other ministry I was growing behind on, and to spend time with family, and to clean up some loose ends. 

I hope that gives you a little better idea of what has gone on and how good God has been to hear the desire of my heart.  It generally takes 4-5 days of full attention morning to late at night to do blogs as personalized as I like to work with people.  Headers take 1-2 days, depending.

I’ve did about 15 jobs in May and June.  God is good, and everyone I’ve worked with has been a blessing to me.

I’ve written three blog entries today with some loose ends I wanted to catch up on…read what’s relevant to you.  I’ll be out some this week celebrating my wedding anniversary, so you’ll have plenty to chew on here until I return! I always enjoy your thoughts as well. Feel free to let me know your impressions as time allows. Many blessings to you and yours,

TypePad Design

Ordinary Life Artist: 

Trish and I worked and worked to find the look and fit we wanted for this blog.  We finally settled, after many internet pictures that were so compelling and georgeous…a personal digital picture taken of an old slide she had using her lightbox!

I photoshopped it.  It was one Trish had of her and her mom when she was four.  I absolutely LOVE how it defined the theme for us.  Personally pictures do so much more when they are used well. 

The remake of the whole site was just utterly amazing–one I wish I had a before and after of.  She would agree that it went from button overload, to using the same content, divided thoughtfully to looking now like a tailored suit.  God is good!

So, I’m learning TypePad, and only pulled out a dozen hairs or so in the process. :)  Trish’s patient encouragement made it all worthwhile.   She had several blogs we worked on, and I was pleased at how all of them progressed for her needs.

These are actually purses Trish has made!  Aren’t they the cutest things?  Knit2gether (She’s just starting this one). 

In Memorial:  The flag was a picture Trish’s son took.  It looks awesome on the site dedicated to service members.

Now, you can go on over and and say howdy-do!

Checking Out…Checked Out

I’ve been doing some “minimizing” lately to refresh and replenish my little soul.  (I’m having a heck of a time.  God is so good.  More on that later.  But, I won’t waste time making you jealous–though you really should be if you are bored and have nothing else to do.  Rest is a good thing which I highly recommend.  All kinds of rest.  Every kind of rest.  All at one time.  Do it!),

If I gave you blog assignments to do before I could meet your blog requests, let me know when you are ready for me.  I’m not keeping lists for the next few weeks…on purpose. 

Thanks! 

Fashion AND Function

If I cleaned my house with the furry by which I just did the last web design, I’d be able to eat off the floor.   Lord, let it be so.

BEFORE:  (I know, you’re like me, asking “Why change?  It’s so professional and lovely!”

AFTER: 

WHY? 

 

Well, it just wasn’t working for her.  Leigh Gray wanted:

•  less “out there” with her own face
• to get out of Classic Blogger and into blogger beta so she could play!  No big html hassles.
• sidebars
• color control (background color, fonts, title colors…whatever she wants)
• to have fun with blogging!  It started to feel too “professional” to her, and less like what blogging should be.

Some Christian life principles emerged in that whole process for me…I’ll let you dig them out.

In any case, I was pleased to help.  Leigh is exactly what her blog title says, “Living out the joy of Jesus!”  Such a pleasure to meet and work with her.  She is full of enthusiasm and life and positive thinking–with clear direction.  There may be something to this joy thing after all. 

Leigh wanted to “bless me back” with a contribution to one of the favorite ministries I have a heart for.  Way cool.

All is happy in Bloggidy-ville today.  

God is good.

~Maggie

Impressions of Jesus

Have you heard of The Jesus Painter?   He does huge painting of Jesus during conferences, sermons, and events.  Very awesome.  His protegé of sorts, Ben Williams, is a younger version employing his talents for the Lord during youth camps and events with a similar concept.

I’ve been helping Ben get set up in last couple days.  With material this rich, it’s rather easy.  See Ben’s new blog of his works, and read of his new ministry at Impressions of Jesus.  

 

Impressions of Jesus

New Maggie Girl!

So, Charleston Yaya sent me this pic and wanted something along the lines of “The Notebook” for her blog (dreamy, marshy, the whole ‘hammock-and-tea-and-sea-thing” going on).

So…we got this:

courtesy of Photoshop SuperHero powers.  Man, I love “powers”.

I think it is totally incredible for her.  We’re still hammering out some of the finer details, but go say “Hi!” to the latest “Maggie-Girl”.  Let her know how awesome she looks for her new blog!  Charlestonyaya.blogspot.com.

Pumping Out Designs

 

I can hardly resist the desire to make Ms. Daisy a “Driving Ms. Daisy” header!  She is so sweet.  But, her husband has planted her daisies so that she can have flowers every day!  Isn’t that darlin’?   {Hear the collective “Awww!” whispers across Bloggidyville?}  The header is much more colorful at her site without the watermark.  Go say “Hi” at her fun and genuine little spot:  www.giveuadaisyaday.blogspot.com. 

This was a full template design using personal image of the ocean Connie had.  We had a challenge of pulling a “hearts from God” story and the ocean together into one composition, as God has done with her life so beautifully.

She explains her blog title in her sidebar (great take home idea).  You feel the Holy Spirit bouncing off her site, and now every element on her page pulls that together.  Aligning, designing, and organizing her site was a pleasure.   Her thoughtful and creative writing was such a joy to watch come up every day, ministering to me as I worked.   Her personality inundates every element.  Each day is a truly beautiful piece of writing:  www.littleredheartfromGod.blogspot.com.

Blessings,
Maggie