Redecorating my blog

You know those moods where you want to redecorate? Even if your space is fully functional and looks pretty darn good the way it is? I'm like that with my blog. It's so easy (yet can be easy to mess up) to change the look of my blog that I have to resist temptation to constantly change it. Case in point, Shabby Blogs has this new background called Brooke.

It's just adorable. I'd love to have it. I love that it has a white middle where the text goes. I don't know if you noticed but mine is a graduated yellow. I don't like how graphics with a white background look on it. If that is something I can change I haven't figured out how to do it. Anyway, Love, Love, Love the Brooke background.

And then I think about the blogs that I love like How About Orange, Centsational Girl, Living With Lindsay, Poppies at Play, and Homemade Mamas. They have such graphic and clean lined appearance and are cute but not cutesy. They have lots of white space and aren't crowded. They appeal to my modern, minimal sensibilities. In reality, if I change my blog I should head more in that direction and away from the cute appeal of the Brooke background.

What do you think?  Is it time to redecorate my blog? Or should I just go find something to paint and leave the blog alone?

Well I wrote the above and then decided to change my blog before I even posted it!  I went with a more modern, graphic, streamlined look instead of cute and also made subtle changes to my layout. Tell me what you think! 

Technical Difficulties

I'm not sure whats going on. But if you receive updates via email I've noticed that they aren't being sent at 9:00 am anymore. Several days skipped and then you received one late last night with two days worth of updates.

Facebook updates are also lagging and then not showing on the Wall but appearing in Notes.

I haven't changed any settings but blogger is acting screwy. I'm looking into it and hope to find a resolution quickly. Thanks for your patience.

You can always get the updated content directly at my blog until the issues are fixed.

How to Leave a Clickable Link in a Blog's Comment Section

Do you comment on blog posts and leave your blog's address under your name? Want to learn how to make it a clickable link that takes people directly to your blog? It's super simple and just requires a little HTML code.

Type your comments and add your name. On the next line you want to type <a href="URL of target site">anchor text</a>

The word "anchor text" is a description (the title of a blog, post, anything you like) and is what will be displayed on a browser. For example, the HTML for the hyperlink to my blog should be typed as:

<a href="http://www.blackkatsdesign.blogspot.com">Black Kats Design</a>

And will display Black Kats Design

If you want to display your URL and have it clickable just type

<a href="http://www.blackkatsdesign.blogspot.com">http://www.BlackKatsDesign.blogspot.com</a>

And it will display http://www.BlackKatsDesign.blogspot.com

Told you it was easy peasy! Leave me a comment and try it out.

Edited to add: Linking up to these great parties! Come join in the fun.

Twitter has Arrived!

I set up Twitter tonight. You should (fingers crossed) be able to get tweets about my blog posts and little extra comments throughout the day. I hope you follow me for a fab time.

Oh No - Comment Replies Not Reaching You

** Updated ** I just learned some horrible news! Some of you who have been nice enough to comment on my blog are not getting my responses to your comments. I faithfully respond to each comment that is left within 24 hours.

See I get an email every time somebody comments with their name and their comment. I respond by hitting the reply button in the email, thank you for reading and type in a quick little note. I've been thinking that I'm developing a relationship with you, my readers.

Turns out that if your profile does not have your email address listed in it, you aren't getting my responses. They go into a blogger black hole. I did a quick little survey and out of the last 25 comments I received only 9 people actually received my response.

Ladies, update your profile and put your e-mail address in it! For me I go to my profile, click edit, scroll down 1/2 way on the page and under Identity there is a box for your email address. ** Also have the boxes show e-mail address and share profile checked. This only works if you have a Google account ** If you don't like having your "real" email address out there for everyone to see, create a new one that you use just for blogging in gmail or yahoo.

So for those of you who have been nice enough to leave a comment on my blog in the past, I sincerely thank you for it. I love reading each and every one of them. It means a lot to me that you take the time to visit, read and respond to my posts. Add your email to your profile so that we can get to know each other better!