Beautify Your Blog Part 3: The Header

I get lots of emails and questions about my header. Glad everyone likes it! As you probably noticed, I just updated it for spring with some fun colors and lots of flowers :) Anyways, before we get started, just want to remind you that my disclaimers from Part 1 and 2 still apply:

Huge Disclaimer: I am not the most computer savvy chic. I dropped a basic photo editing course in college after the first class because I was so overwhelmed. So needless to say, all this html and photo editing business scares the socks off me. I really don't know what I'm doing half the time. But I like to share how me, a computer handicapped person, pulled off a few blog design elements that worked for me and my blog.

2nd HUGE DISCLAIMER: (please read!) this is how I did it. I know there are plenty of better, easier, and faster ways to do this. I'm just sharing what worked for me. I make no guarantees :)

To create my headers, I use picasa, the free photo editing software from google. It's free and very user friendly. It does have limitations, but has worked well for me.

First, you'll want to have downloaded picasa and have all your photos uploaded into it. {it does this automatically when you download the software.) Now go through your photos and select several you'd like to put on your header.To select the photos, click the green "push pin" looking button in the bottom left corner. I recommend throwing in a couple extra photos to play with.

After you've selected your photos, click the "collage" button to start your collage. Now is the fun/hair pulling part. Now you get to arrange your photos. You want to have a long rectangular shape when you're done, so keep that in mind.
**added later: I used the "Picture Pile" setting in picasa for this collage.**

This is what my header looked like at this stage. If your header is like mine, you'll want to be careful and line up the bottom of the pictures as best as you can. You'll be able to crop the tops to line them up nicely, but I haven't figured out a way to crop the bottom yet. You'll see why in a second.

Add your text where you want it.

 

Next, you'll crop your header making sure to include your text. It's all down hill from here. yay!

Now click "export". A box will pop up, click the circle next to "resize to:" and then you'll want to resize your collage. Mine is 800 pixels, but depending on how wide and long your collage is and what type of blog layout you have will determine what size you'll want. So, my suggestion is to play around with different sizes and see what you looks best on your blog. 

To add your header to your blog, click on the box next to "Instead of title and description" to select it and then unclick "Shrink to Fit." 

Last part is to find your exported picasa file and upload your brand spankin new header. And you're done! You did it! YAY! 

*I can't wait to see all your fab new headers! leave a comment with a link to your blog if you used this tutorial to create a new header. I'd love to swing by and check it out ;)*