Ch-ch-ch-changes

So you know I hate change. Really, I do. It took me four years to finally change my gravatar photo, for goodness sake, and it pained me to do so. Even when I know I’m going to like the new thing better, I’m still reluctant to let go of the old thing. (I was going to make a cheeky comment here about my marriage, but maybe we shouldn’t go there! *smooches to Beloved*)

Ahem, anyway, about change. I’ve been wanting to update the blog for quite some time now. I’ve spent hours scouring the interwebs for new WordPress themes, and, well — meh. I’ve found some that I *almost* like. Design Disease has some good ones (Andrea has a great one on her blog) and BlogOhBlog comes pretty darn close to what I want with a few of their themes… but not quite. I’ve downloaded more than a dozen different themes to play with, but they either don’t work properly, or I can’t figure out how to customize them to suit my needs. I even downloaded a little DIY theme designer program, but after toying with it a bit I’ve figured out that I have exactly the wrong amount of knowledge — just enough to know exactly what I want, but not enough to make it so. Sigh.

So here’s what I’m hoping. Either you know this really great site with just the perfect theme for me that I can download and use out of the box with breathtaking results, or you have this friend who does sensational custom blog designs and is just itching for a new, low-cost/high-affection client to add to his portfolio. Not too much to hope for, eh?

Here’s what I want:

  • Three-column (two sidebar) non-fixed format (do they call that “fluid”?) I’m not sure what the terminology is, but I don’t want it the way it is now, with a box around the text and sidebar. I want it more open – but boxes around the sidebar widgets is okay.
  • The design should tend toward the minimalistic — not a lot of graphics.
  • Must be colourful: I like the idea of multicoloured tabs across the top, and multicoloured sidebar boxes with rounded corners (or, at least, multicoloured title boxes.)
  • If you haven’t noticed (ha!) I’m all about teh Flickr lately, so I’d like a design that showcases my pictures either in the banner or the sidebar – or both!
  • It has to be fully widgetized, because I like the stuff in the sidebar and would probably add even more stuff. (Thus the need for two sidebars.)

Talk to me about blog design. How did you pick yours? What should I do with mine? What do you love and hate about blog designs you’ve seen? What should I make sure to do and what should I avoid at all costs? And speaking of costs – premium themes are not out of the question, but they have to be pretty damn good to get me to fork out any cash, so if you know of a good site, do let me know!

Author: DaniGirl

Canadian. storyteller, photographer, mom to 3. Professional dilettante.

8 thoughts on “Ch-ch-ch-changes”

  1. I can offer you no help, Dani. Just wanted to say that I have that song in my head now… ch-ch-changes…!! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  2. My blog design is completely standard. I have no idea how to do anything other than change the header picture and the colour – and here’s the ironic part – GUESS WHAT MY HUSBAND DOES FOR A LIVING?

    That’s right: he designs webpages. Oh, ha, me.

  3. Does wordpress let you edit the template you already have? In html? All I knew about html prior to this was how to make things bold, but I found a few good tutorials on how to make three columns and I found a great one on one of the links in WFMW this week. I’ll have to find it. Maybe tomorrow. I’m tuckered tonight.

  4. The first time I read your blog, your post pertained to all the technical mumbo jumbo of your site, and I was too inept to even comment. Obviously there have been no changes over here.

  5. You know I love you guys, right? But today, you are so *not* helpful! ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Amy, yes, most WordPress themes are fully customizable. I’ve taught myself quite a bit of html over the years, but most of the blog structure these days is written in php… a lot harder to learn!

  6. You lost me at php.

    Clearly you are more knowledgeable than me already, so I won’t try to add anything! ๐Ÿ˜‰ It took me H.O.U.R.S just to change my blog to three columns.

    I’m going to tackle a nav bar sometime soon. Likely with a glass of wine in hand…

  7. I pick my designs based on my husband’s ability to work out the kinks but I’m guessing that’s not going to do you much good unless you are in the mood to pay. I have to pay too but well..erm..anyway, I have learned a little along the way….

    Find something as close to what you like as you can find and then, do ONE THING AT A TIME. Make one change, refresh and look it, if it isn’t right, go re-do that one thing. That way you know exactly which change you made that caused it to go astray…….or you can pay for it, lol.

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