Updating your blog - for DUMMIES

Good morning everyone!
I had a few emails asking me if I could give a tutorial on how to give your blog a face lift -
which kind of makes me want to spit my tea out all over the keyboard in laughter every time I see one - because you have no idea how " stupid " I really am when it comes to these things............
The first email I received I actually panicked - " Oh my God - how DID I do it - I can't remember - it
was so much trial and error - and back tracking - and cursing - and pulling a few clumps of hair out of my head -
By the 4th or 5th email I decided it was my " duty " to break it all down for you -
God help you all -

And by the way - I know most of you know how to do this - I know it comes easier for you than it does for me - ( and I can say that safely - without a doubt - knowing it to be 100% true ) but for those of you that are as clueless as I am - I hope this helps a little!

Step one...............
Sit down at your computer and start talking yourself into this
You can recite Winnie the Pooh if it helps - repeat if necessary..................

" promise me you'll always remember - you're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem - and smarter than you think

I personally went with the line from " THE HELP "

" You is kind, You is smart, you is important "

Ok - once you've done that - take a deep breath - and let's go

The first thing I did was go to DESIGN - and click on TEMPLATE
There's many options - I chose the TRAVEL one
You can try them all out - as a small section appears to show you what it would like as you click on each one.
Once you find the one you like - you're ready to start customizing by clicking on DUH -
CUSTOMIZED ( on the top of the screen )  and then clicking on ADVANCED - which allows you to personalize to your heart's content - fonts - background colors ,
WARNING - you can end up playing around on this for hours until you find the right fit -

If you want to incorporate your own photos this is how that step is done.

Download your photo.
Go to PIC MONKEY and do any of the changes you want to do to it there - if you want your header to have several photo - click on Create a Collage instead of Edit a Photo -
Choose DUCKS IN A ROW - you have the option of 2 photos - 3 photos - 4 photos etc............
I chose 3.
Once you have the look you are going for - save it - ( another DUH moment ? )
Now you come back to your blog - again go to DESIGN - and this time you click on LAYOUT -
and you click EDIT on  your blog name - the window that opens will give you an option to upload your photo - once you've uploaded it - you must go to PLACEMENT - and choose BEHIND TITLE
AND DESCRIPTION................don't forget to scroll down and click on SAVE................

And there you have it - faits accomplis mes amis!

Now that I'm looking at the above I'm even more embarrassed that it took me as long as it did - this really should take you no longer than 20 minutes tops!

To create a blog button for DUMMIES refer to my post HERE

Hope this helps someone out there - ( please drop me a line if I can help in any way )

you is kind, you is smart, you is important
you is kind, you is smart, you is important
you is kind, you is smart, you is important

God didn't make little green apples ( how love is shown )

And I wake up in the morning with my hair down in my eyes and he says hi
And I stumble to the breakfast table while the kids are going off to school, goodbye.
And he reaches out and takes my hand and squeezes it and says how you feeling hon?
And I look across at smiling lips that warm my heart, and see my morning sun.

Now picture the song coming to a scratching screeching stop

THAT'S HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO WAKE UP ( well except my kids are grown - but you get the picture, right? ) 

Instead I get this

JOHN YELLS - WHERE ARE MY KEYS?  I KNOW I LEFT THEM ON THE TABLE LAST NIGHT
Suzan mumbles - I didn't touch them
JOHN YELLS - WELL I HAVE AN EARLY APPOINTMENT - DAMMIT IT - WHY ISN'T ANYTHING EVER WHERE I LEAVE IT
JOHN YELLS - DO YOU THINK YOU COULD HELP ME FIND THEM SLEEPING BEAUTY?
JOHN YELLS - THEN YOU CAN SLEEP ALL DAY IF YOU WANT 
Suzan stumbles to the breakfast table - They're right there on the hook where they're supposed to be - 
JOHN says - thanks babe

And off I go back to bed and 5 minutes later the phone rings 

JOHN SAYS - I LEFT THE BLOODY SAMPLES ON THE DINING ROOM TABLE 
JOHN SAYS - DO YOU THINK YOU COULD BRING THEM TO THE BACK DOOR?
Suzan stumbles to the dining room table and brings them to the back door
JOHN says - thanks babe - you're the best

And off I go back to bed and 20 minutes later the phone rings

JOHN SAYS - SOMETHING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT WITH THE CAR, CAN YOU CALL GORDIE
( my son is a mechanic )
JOHN SAYS - SEE IF HE CAN FIT ME IN SOMETIME TODAY?
JOHN SAYS - thanks babe

And off I go back to bed -  and just when I'm finally drifting off to sleep John walks in and the back door closes with a bang - and I can hear him kicking off his boots - and Soda is barking her head off - and I'm about to scream - at the top of my lungs - when he walks into the bedroom  with a fresh apple turnover - my all time favorite breakfast pastry - AND a hot chocolate.........
And serves it to me in bed......................
John says - Here you go sweetie

Suzan says - Do  you think you could pick up something on Sunday for me?
John says - Oh no, not again
Suzan says - Come look, I'll show you 

John says - ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME - you know that's too big for the car
Suzan says - But I told them I don't want the mattress and they're disassembling everything
so really it's just the 2 ends
John says - It's too big - what part of that don't you understand? I got a ticket picking up the 
dresser.
Suzan says - But you can tie these on the roof - no problem
John says - you've got me running around like the " carry on " gang
Suzan says - I have no idea what that means
John says - google it - 
( but I'm too tired - I have a vague memory - maybe they were a little like Ma and Pa Kettle - the British version? )
Suzan says - it's really cheap - and I can do something with that
John says - THE ANSWER TO THIS ONE IS NO, UNDERSTAND? NO - N.O.
Suzan says - You're always commenting that my blog is supposed to be a furniture makeover blog 
well I need FURNITURE for that to happen!

and an hour later - 
John says - Where is the bed located anyway?
John says - This is the last piece, understand?
John says - I can't pick up anything anymore that doesn't fit properly in the car
John says - The things I do for you - do you tell your blogger friends about everything I do?
Suzan says - Yes John - in fact I do - I tell them EVERYTHING you do honey.............

and so - I will finally have a furniture makeover - 

Apple turnovers - hot chocolate and a furniture pick up?
WELL............................

If that's not loving me, then all I've got to say,
is God didn't make the little green apples, and it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summer time.
And there's no such thing as Dr. seuss, disney land and mother goose, no nursery rhymes.

God didn't make little green apples and it don't snow in Minneapolis when the winter comes
There's no such thing as make believe, puppy dogs or autumn leaves, no b.b. guns
God didn't make little green apples.......................

Partying with!
Setting for Four
Life on Lakeshore Drive