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Free blog template or your own design?

Posted by graphicidentity • 8/22/07 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: blog, blog template, design, template

I modified my Blogger default template (Tic Tac) since I like the design simplicity..I replaced the header image with my own design..I heard that wordpress template design frequently got much reviews from designer experts..so how you landed to your recent blog template..

User Comments

8/22/07

tetsujin

I took a template called Andreas09, and then did a lot of color and header work on it.

Cameron

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1. 8/23/07
  
  graphicidentity
  
  interesting..what is your blog platform? Is it wordpress?
8/23/07

bromoluz

both, in my case I've pimped "the Denim" a blogger template, and its results very different. Check this out:

bromohv.blogspot.com

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8/23/07

bnsullivan

I'm hand-coding a new blog at present. It will be on blogger, so the widget part is "borrowed" from a standard blogger template, while the CSS is my own. It's not yet ready for prime-time, but as soon as it is I will add it to BlogCatalog.

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8/23/07

lupideloop

I would love to be able to design my own, but I am not that well read on css and stuff so I don't dare!

I am on the Minima basic template!

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8/23/07

NINE

I designed my own, and I am lucky enough to have a brother like Daniel to code up my blog.

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1. 8/23/07
  
  crkian
  
  That is good, all my brother is good for is smoking pot and a punch bag for my kids
8/23/07

graphicidentity

Hi Chris you are such a funny man just joined ur FM tune blog..

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1. 8/23/07
  
  crkian
  
  Thanks not sure about the man reference especially if I have to wear my wifes knickers because mine are.... actually forget what I just wrote
8/23/07

graphicidentity

Aww ok Chris back to the topic now.. Has anyone created multiple blogs on Blogger to create menus? I would like to see if there is..

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1. 8/23/07
  
  lupideloop
  
  what exactly do you mean by this?
8/23/07

Norski

Right now, I use templates for the blogs.

Eventually, I'll modify or replace them with a more personalized design, but that can wait.

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8/23/07

robinj

I know my limitations and just play with the free ones....but hats off to anyone clever enough to build their own that would be very cool

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8/23/07

lisamcglaun

I'm using one of the free blogger templates and I'm ready to switch. Is there anywhere to get free templates on the web that are unique and fun?

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1. 8/23/07
  
  graphicidentity
  
  Lisa you can go to templatepanic.com and isnaini.com for free Blogger template..but lots of them using frame, no css code..
8/23/07

monkeytale

I started out with the minima template on blogger and a friend modified it for me since I have little to no understanding of coding and such.

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1. 8/23/07
  
  graphicidentity
  
  New Blogger is easy than the old Blogger..if you join Blogger hack forum it would be fun to know how to modify your template..and installing free widget..be addicted to hack
8/23/07

graphicidentity

Lupideloop..I think you will understand what I mean if u see my blog..I created 4 blogs in one Blogger account..and linked them together so it would have 4 diffrent web pages for menu navigator ..I made a change on my templates to make this clear, but still in draft..will let u know if they are ready

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8/23/07

Zmoney

I wonder if you can help me out with editing my theme CSS. I just want to change some text colors can you help me out? Basically I changed my banner recently and now I'm trying to change the sidebar colors but I'm not sure what to do. Do you have any contact information?

Heres my blog: www.zm0ney.com

You go str8 on the blogroll if you help. Thanks

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1. 8/24/07
  
  graphicidentity
  
  Hi, I was checking your website, but unfortunely it is in maintenance mode..so I can't figure out which sidebar that you want to modify.
  I think I can only refer you to my fav Blogger Hack : purplemoggy.blogspot.com for more information..see ya!
8/23/07

ladyinfluence

i tried to design my own template but i just can't understand how dreamweaver works. i thought it was easy but i was wrong. when i inserted the code for my blogger blog, i ended up with these lines of code upon preview. i do tweak pre-made blogs, change colors and headers. but to make my own template is something i will have to figure out.

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8/23/07

Zmoney

would you offer me a hand?

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8/23/07

ender

my template is mostly home-made at this point. the content "parchment" came from a free template, and i think a few of the colours came from that originally.

basically, i did the same thing with the blog template that i did with plain HTML coding back in the mid 90s ... borrowed until i understood what i was doing and then designed my own.

while i might like another's template, i'm constantly wanting to tweak it or disagreeing with another's choices ... i want my template to more reflect me. so i tinker.

as soon as i finish the 18 other projects i've got going, i've gotta come up with a decent template for my other blog. (ain't listing that one here until i make a decent template for it)

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8/23/07

Carleenp

I modified free templates for both of my blogs. Beauty and Fashion Tech also required fixing a bunch of things that were broken in the the one that I chose, such broken widgets and feeds. I learned quite a bit from doing that. My other blog was more cosmetic changes, but not a whole lot of tinkering with the code.

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8/24/07

cooper

z money your blog is on maintenance mode. If it is a self hosted wordpress i might be able to give you a hand. I'll be around tonight.

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8/24/07

graphicidentity

Mike, Ive made changes to my blog layout. I added menu tabs below the header so you would better understand what I was trying to tell (linking multiple blogs in one account as menus)

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8/24/07

graphicidentity

@ladyinfluence: I think to understand basic HTML and CSS would help you better. Dreamweaver is good since you can see your template in code view and layout view in one window. Means, if you go to the spot you need to edit in layout view, at the same time your code view related to that spot will be highlighted. So you can see the HTML and its relevant CSS structure.
@ Ender: trust me..you couldn't get enough to tweak.. I do hundreds of tweaking and never sure if it is perfect enough to my blog LOL

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8/24/07

lisamcglaun

I'm a little nervous. What happens if I put these template codes into blogger like it says to do on templatepanic.com? Am I going to lose anything in the process? My archives, and sidebar info will still be intact?

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8/24/07

graphicidentity

Of course Lisa, u see..if you are not sure to change your template, have a back up file before you apply new template. Go to your blog html edit page. Copy and paste the old template code to a notepad then save it. In the case of error, back up file still available to revert. Or you can click preview button before saving your new template code so you can easily revert to the old template right away if something goes wrong.

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8/29/07

hbixler03

I designed my template.

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8/30/07

PetLvr

MEMO: Regardless of what your template or platform is - before you make ANY changes .. it's a good idea to make a clean backup. In Wordpress, just create a folder in your FTP account called backup-yyyymmdd (to keep track) and copy files over in your theme folder to there. In Blogger, before you make changes copy the entire text and place it in a .TXT file on your desktop just in case.

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8/30/07

PetLvr

MEMO: Regardless of what your template or platform is - before you make ANY changes .. it's a good idea to make a clean backup. In Wordpress, just create a folder in your FTP account called backup-yyyymmdd (to keep track) and copy files over in your theme folder to there. In Blogger, before you make changes copy the entire text and place it in a .TXT file on your desktop just in case.

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8/30/07

PetLvr

hiccup

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8/30/07

morinn

I've modified the 565 blogger template and it became what it is now. removed lots of things to simplify matters and I made the body and sidebar larger.

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8/30/07

shaydelgado

a dose of originality pays off in the long run...

www.shaydelgado.com

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8/30/07

graphicidentity

Bravo Shay! I see your blog clearly includes Web 2.0 standard and armed with cool Web 2.0 widgets hard work of originality paid off!

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8/30/07

graphicidentity

Blogger default templates are designed in simple style..but most people are not comfortable with the header size for further modification..Morinn I see your header and the body in your blog get along each other - nice sunset mine was set in 3 times before I got a perfect size header.

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8/30/07

graphicidentity

Hiccups are welcome here..well, I edited my Blogger HTML template yesterday..and found that I don't need to make back up file to revert to my previous d'sign if I made small changes. It is saved automatically from your last account signed out. But I won't recommend this for major modification you made in your design template..since it would go back to the last set. Backing up file still needed for this action.

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8/30/07

therealshari

Of my three blogs I promote seriously, two are on blogger. One is a stock free template from blogger, and the other is a free template from someone else that I modified substatially, including my own header.

The last blog is hosted on my own server and is a wordpress script. The template is a very recent free design which I've not modified at all.

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9/14/07

MidoriX

if you can imagine it, you can code it.

midori-x.blogspot.com

made my own.

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1. 9/14/07
  
  crkian
  
  Nice layout, are those your feet
9/14/07

MidoriX

thanks, crkian.:)

I wish they were mine, crkian! haha!

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9/14/07

Kamal911

Im using a template from Gecko & Fly.....but almost 60% ive edited (header, fonts,format etc)

since that I'v done so much now Im not able to switch to the new blogger

www.jommonline.com

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1. 9/14/07
  
  MidoriX
  
  you could do that same template in new blogger, kamal. just be sure to save a copy of your old one.
9/14/07

Anniepooh

Both--- I tweaked the blogger template with my own header and little extras like the tomato on each post and the favicon tomato.

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9/14/07

Kamal911

MidoriX - yeah, buh ill have to do all those editing all over again
maybe later on when im ready...

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9/14/07

graphicidentity

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9/14/07

graphicidentity

I never touch or tweak any new Blogger template before..wonder how it works anyhow..whats the main differences with the old Blogger template?? Anyone could help?? MidoriX maybe??

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1. 9/14/07
  
  MidoriX
  
  it's the same with coding any template only it's easier now coz in new blogger, you're working with widgets or elements(or whatever they call it.)
  
  The simplest way is to click and drag those page element/widget thingies around and position them to wherever you want them. But if you're comfortable with coding and want more control with the design, you can always dive into the "edit html".
  
  there are just a few bunch of code differences between the old and new blogger templates.
  
  hope that helps.
9/14/07

crkian

I think its the elements that are new Im not sure

If anyone needs a logo graphicidentity is the person to contact check out these

blogsrecord.com/content/view/16/48/

[reply]
1. 9/14/07
  
  graphicidentity
  
  Hi Chris! you are the fastest blogcatalog users..how is your BlogsRecord doing?? Hope you will get more visitors everyday..and thanks for the links he he..
2. 9/14/07
  
  crkian
  
  No problem, hope you get some business out of it
9/15/07

keelwong

im working on a blog thats looking like website template.

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9/15/07

KashmirZ

i use minima black, personally for a blog like mine thats main focus is content content content, i appreciate the slick black look, it doesn't distract people while they are reading, and i write VEEEERY long articles they seem to be getting longer by the day hehe

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12/26/07

PastExpiry

missing piece template rules! LOL

www.pastexpiry.blogspot.com

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