Well, you all know my little story. I went over to Pyzam, found a template I just loved, and added it to my blog. Poof! All my sidebar widgets disappeared, and I've spent a long time getting them back. I don't think all my links are up yet, but I have most of them, and acquired some new fun things as well.
When I went to make the change, I was warned that I would lose some information, and it was recommended that I save the template. I did, but it's all in code. I don't write code, so I was up a creek.
After loading the new template, I loved the look of the blog, but as time went by, I found myself unhappy with the fact that the words looked like they were written on vellum and you could see right through them. This made my pictures look odd, and some of the lettering was hard to make out. But I didn't want to change my template again and lose everything I'd worked hard to reconstruct.
I was also becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the idea that I couldn't go in and change the template whenever I wanted to. I don't know what's up with me -- I have to have something new from time to time. I need to change blog colors. I have to order checks in different patterns each time -- having the same check style for too long just rubs me the wrong way. My Christmas tree has to look a little different every year. I must have change, and the Pyzam template made me feel suffocated.
Tonight I decided to move everything back to Blogger. I started at the top of my sidebar and copied all the code from all the page element boxes into a Word document, which I know how to use, unlike all that html mumbo-jumbo. This way, I reasoned, when I leave Pyzam and go back to a Blogger template, I'll just copy and paste everything back in and I'll be good to go.
But then guess what happened? Blogger kept every single widget and moved them back over in less than five seconds. That's right -- my Christmas tree, my Bookshelf, my list of links -- all of it. Pyzam stripped them out, but Blogger kept every one of them. Thank you, Blogger!
So I didn't end up using all the code I'd saved, but I'm hanging on to the file anyway. Who knows when I may need it again. And in the meantime, I'm going to change my blog whenever I want to, skipping around between all the Blogger templates. It's true, they don't have as many as Pyzam, but you can go in and change the fonts and colors, and that makes it easy to personalize. Don't get too used to this navy blue -- now that I have options again, I might change the blog every single day, just because I can. You all know how that is, right? Sometimes we have to do something just because we can.
9 comments:
Tristi - You asked how I got a picture big enough to fill the top of my blog. First, I use the Minima template. Then I found a picture that I liked and changed the image size to 636 wide x 475 high. That size seemed to fit exactly. I just did a preview of my blog in the Rounders template. The picture wasn't wide enough to fill the entire space. So if you want to keep the Rounders template, you'd have to find a picture that's more rectangular in shape and have it about 710 wide.
Hope this helps.
I loved the look of your Pyzam template, but it was difficult for me to read sometimes. So I'm glad you're changing back.
As someone who has changed templates a lot, there are some that are wonderful and some that aren't. It's always a gamble. I have a "test" blog that I use when I'm thinking of doing a new template to see what will happen before I use it on my "real" blogs.
If you know a little html coding, you can do wonderful things with Blogger's basic templates.
New look, same great Tristi.
I've considered switching to a fancier template, but I'm too lazy to take the time.
Your other page was beautiful, but I admit to liking blogger better. The other template seemed to bog things down and I couldn't scroll down your page as easily as I can on blogger.
Coolness, Lynne! When I get around to trying the Minima template, which we all know I will, because I'm trying all of them, I'll use your tips and tricks. Your blog looks great, so I'm excited to give it a go.
Karlene, I code not, neither do I spin. I only know the most basic code to get my blogs up on Families.com, and beyond that, well, I just don't.
Thanks, everyone, for your patience with me in my bloggy angst. I don't know why this was all so important to me, but I actually feel a lot calmer now that I'm back on Blogger. I just felt so clausterphobic at the idea of not being able to change my look without losing everything.
Oh my. I'd really like to change my blog, but now I'm scared. I will have to wait for my son to help me. I love the blog that Susie designed for me, but like you, I like to change things up, especially for different seasons. Maybe when my son is done with school in three weeks, I'll have him walk me through it.
Blue is good! And whatever color you use next will be too.
I've tried a few different templates. matiekay.blogspot.com is where my current template is from. In her newer designs she's made it so that most all of those pesky little widgets stay put!
Oh you make me smile! :)
I buy new checks every time too.
But I haven't changed my template yet. We'll see . . .
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