WordPress

I'm not sure if I should jump for joy or collapse in exhaustion but after over 2 months of grueling work I've finally finished my first WordPress custom blog template.

Much of the time was spent learning the ins-and-outs of working with WP themes and child themes, a lot of which was through online college video training (thank you Jordan♥).  I also had the occasional assistance of a techy who's help I could not have done without (thank you, you know who you are).

I ran into other issues with this particular project, in that this blog runs on the Genesis Framework. It's a fantastic array of built-ins but makes for some very complicated coding and dissecting too.

All-in-all I've learned so much it blows my mind and I'm really looking forward to transferring all of my prefab themes over to this new platform.  I've begun accepting orders from my previous customers who've migrated over to Wordpress and I'm looking forward to filling some long awaited custom orders too, as I've had so many requests throughout the years that it'll be nice to finally say "yes" to them.

You can check out the migrated theme at this link: http://thejohnsonfamilylive.com/

Best♥

Customer Shout Outs

Gee it feels like forever since I last wrote a customer shout-out. It's not that I haven't been swamped with work it just seems that so much of it has been related more to Helping Hands projects and helping customers set up their blogs.  The custom projects I've been working on have also taken longer lately as my creative envelope gets stretched further with each new theme.  Still, writing these shout-outs is always such fun because not only do I get to share some of my creative work but I get to introduce you to a great group of customers. So here's a smattering of some recent work and customers...

Snips and Threads

This theme took nearly a year ~ yes, it's tough to believe but some projects do take that long. We bounced a  lot of ideas back and forth and finally wound up with the perfect combination for this blog about quilting and other crafty projects.

Strange Vellum

This project was filled with fantastical imagery as we dove into the world of the macabre and supernatural.  The ogre was loads of fun to create as well as the other intricate details (note the swimming koi under spyglass) in this truly unique theme.
On a personal note, I feel bad as the customer took ill shortly after finishing the theme and hasn't had a chance to enjoy her blog yet.  I do hope she recovers quickly and am asking that you all send her some healing energy.

Crystal Tree

 This return customer was in need of an appointment card to coordinate with the business card I created for her a few months back so we wound up with this energizing set, just perfect for her Reiki sessions.

Glitter Tart Designs
This custom project involved creating two original images, the first was this social links bar with a vintage flair.  I chose to create what looks like a lovely piece of vintage jewelry to host her social networking links.

 The second piece was her custom blog badge which includes the customer's own artwork incorporated into some other images.

Green Witch with Sprinkles

I don't usually do shout outs for smaller image projects but this one was especially fun since we included one of her actual products in this custom post divider. It's always a challenge working with actual product images but the results can be so fantastic!


Oracle Reading by Kawehi
Language barriers can often prove a bit complicated and while several of my recent customers have not spoken English I thought I'd give a special shout out to this extended theme project.

 Kawehi began with one of my prefab themes and then selected to have me created a custom blog badge and coordinating business images including a business card and thank you card.  

She provide the text for her custom badge so her local visitors could understand and share.

So that's a sampling of some of the recent projects I've worked on ~ I do hope you'll take the time to click through some of the titles and images to discover some wonderful indie businesses and even make some new friends.  Meeting other bloggers and online indie venues is simply the best part of this online world we all share!

Enjoy~

More Newness

Just like my spring garden, we've got more newness popping up here at Plumrose Lane and that's in the form of some brand new blog themes (crowd goes wild!).*smile* These new themes are bursting with beauty and  gobs of intricate details... I love the darling little blue bird with patina-ed crown in Cotton Butterfly and how about those shells, feathers, and bones in Featherly? ~ sheer bohemian delight!

Cotton Butterfly

Waking Dream

Featherly

To view all the goodies for these newest themes and spruce up your springtime blog, just click the images or linked titles above.

These newest themes are also packed full of color which makes them a perfect submission for Creative Everyday's monthly challenge ~ "Color"!  Participating in Leahs's monthly challenges is my little way of stepping outside my busy custom-work schedule to create something "just for fun".  You can stop by Leah's blog to check out all the wonderful submissions for this month's challenge and be sure to look over her own artwork which always leaves me thoroughly inspired.

Enjoy~

On the way...

A funny thing happened on the way to the challenge ~ I missed it.  *frowny face*  Even in the midst of March's craziness I was soooo hoping to participate in Creative Everyday's Challenge. Leah chose "Black and White" for March's theme and it sparked such fun responses in my mind ~ none more so than the childhood riddle, "What's black and white and read all over?"

I remember getting my first riddle book ~ how much fun it was to tell jokes and how patient my parents were listening to them over and over again, always as though I was telling them for the first time.

I've wanted to do a newspaper theme for quite awhile now so this was the perfect tie-in for that and the challenge sparked this new theme ~ "Read All-over"...

I enjoyed coordinating a collection of printed objects and making the faerie ~ see her there, sitting on the swing inviting visitors to read the accompanying blog?  She was a bit of extra work but I really love how she came out.

So even though I missed this month's challenge there's a new one already posted for next month and heaven knows I should be able to pull that one off. So, what's the theme you may ask? Why my favorite thing of course... "Color". *smile*

Wishing you all a wonderfully colorful weekend!

Enjoy~

Celebrate OZ - Altered OZ 2013

My goodness time is flying by so fast I nearly missed this wonderful event, Oma Linda's "Celebrate OZ - Altered OZ 2013" ~ my sweet friend over at Olde Baggs 'n Stuft Shirts holds an annual shin-dig celebrating all things OZ!  Fortunately I'm flying in just in time to participate.  Since things have been so hectic I've just got a short little post to share and a fun new theme that's perfect for the OZ lover ~

Great n' Powerful

It boasts loads of elements from the new movie which I actually haven't had a chance to see yet but can't wait to!  I studied the online imagery a bit and tried to pick up some key aspects to this new (an visually stunning) OZ movie.  To view the new theme just click the title or image above and be sure to hope of over to Oma Linda's blog to find more wonderful Oz giveaways and goodies ~ here's the direction link for those of you using mobile devices: http://lindaomasoldebaggsnstuftshirts.blogspot.com/

Best~

A Gremlin's Match for Centering Banners

While working on several customer blogs recently I noticed that the "center banner" code from my tutorial How to: Center a Blog Header, really wasn't working very well.  It's not that it completely malfunctioned, it's just that sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. This is something we like to call the Blogger Gremlins.  Those pesky little hiccups that pop-up randomly and interfere with how things are supposed to work, only not all of the time.

I thought it was about time to put an end to this little bit of nonsense, so I went on the hunt for something better and happily I found it!  It's an easy process for "pushing" a blogger banner over to the right and I've put the instructions together in one of my easy to follow step-by-step tutorials titled: How to: Push (or Center) a Blog Banner.  I left the previous tutorial still posted, since the glitchiness comes and goes, so you can try them both out and see what works best for you.  And for now, maybe that gremlin will go off and play somewhere else... I hear Tumblr's a fun place to visit.

Enjoy~

New Themes ~ Nuptials & Garden Party

With all the extra work I've been doing lately; revamping blog themes, keeping up on custom orders, and working on challenges, it's been a struggle to get in here and post as much as I should.  So I'm happy when I do have something completed and ready to place in the spotlight. Today I'm focusing on a couple of new themes I recently created ~ Nuptials and Garden Party.

Nuptials

Nuptials just kind of fell in place with it's soft hues boasting an elegant yet natural wedding theme.  I love this color combination, they blend so beautifully together ~ I can't help but think of a beautiful afternoon in the countryside with flowing white chiffon.  And it's nice to finally have an addition to stand along side my Cherish theme which up until now was the only marriage theme I offered.

Garden Party

Garden Party was a different story in that I've had this theme in my mind's eye for quite awhile now.  I knew I wanted to create a theme that set a stage for some enchanted yet cozy event, filled with whimsical elements and adorned with glowing lanterns.  I'm really please with how these sets cam out and I hope you enjoy them too.

You can view all of the elements for each set by clicking on the titles or images above.

Enjoy~

Creative Every Day Challenge

For the past several years I've posted about participating in the Creative Every Day Challenge and had set out with the best of intentions to actually participate. I'm not sure why I never did, whether it was feeling that my world of digital creations didn't quite fit into the other beautiful artistic imagery or if I was just too swamped with work, but whatever the case each year the badge remained a part of my Inspirational section, nothing more.

This year Leah of Creative Every Day is back again with more challenges and it's a really great way to work through a creative block or two.  Who wouldn't be inspired simply by Leah's gorgeous creations alone, as in the case of her painting for this month's challenge shown below?

I've decided to push through whatever fears or preconceptions I may have had and actually follow along this year and so this is my fist posting for that.  Participation is open to anyone and you can find out more by clicking the images or links above.

Challenge Theme Submission for "Dark"

The theme for January is "Dark" and I was surprised to find out that some people are uncomfortable with that word.  Personally I like the word dark because it makes me think of deep rich jewel tones and starry night skys filled with stars. 

In keeping with the later I've created a new blog theme titled Night Vision.  This theme is in a new style I'll be working with this year and while I'm still planning on creating the scrappy realistic themes I'm best known for, I also plan on incorporating more of these surreal themes into my repertoire.  I'm really excited about this new style and all the fun possibilities it holds. 

Leah breaks the challenges out by week and so this is my submission for this week, December 31st - January 6th.  I'm hoping with the addition of painting in my life that I'll also have a chance to play and submit something in paint for this as well.  To view the theme and all the goodies included just click the image or title link above.

A big thanks goes out to Leah for providing such a wonderful source of inspiration.  I can't wait to see the creativity unfold throughout the year!

Best,

New Prefab Themes

As I've been working through my prefab themes to switch everything over to work with the newer Blogger templates I've also been taking the time to create a few new prefab themes. This was one part of my work that I let fall to the side with the increase in custom projects last year. I'm happy to be putting more focus on this part of creating ~ I always have so many ideas flying around in my head that it's nice to let a few out.  So here is a sampling of some of the new themes you can find under the Themes section...

Cotton Delight

I originally created this theme as a subtle backdrop for the blog I use to create screenshots for my tutorials.  After several requests from followers I've now published this for public use.

 Fanciful Filly

 I've wanted to do a horse theme for such a long time and am happy to finally have a start. I'm looking to add more color selections of this in the near future.

Winter Wonder

 I was a bit ashamed of the meager offering I have for winter themes so this is hopefully the first of several new ones to help us warm the winter months and chance those wintery blues away.

Providence

 This theme was a custom reject ~ yes, I actually get those from time-to-time.  A giveaway winner decided to keep her own blog theme so all of the elements are free including the banner.

I'll have more coming in the future as I continue to work my way through the sea of themes and backgrounds.  I hope you enjoy these new looks and all the goodies they include!

Best,

Customer Shout Out!

Once again I have the pleasure of giving a few shout-outs to some recently completed projects.  These are always so much fun because not only do I get to show off some fun themes I've been working on but I get to introduce you to some really wonderful creative souls!

Projeto Corujinho

First up is this theme created for Projeto Curinho.  Now if htat title sounds a bit foreign, it's because that's Portuguese.  Not many of you may know that I lived in Brazil many years ago so this project was extra special to me.  This blog theme was created around a charitable cause ~ offering golfing lessons to underprivileged children in Brazil.  Visiting the blog you'll see photos of the children having fun and it's easy to see how much this special project means to all of them!  I was honored to have an opportunity to work on this theme.

The Johnson Family Live

Next we have The Johnson Family Live ~ a delightfully homey blog centered around family, fun, and food.  If you've ever had a project just flow then you'll understand how happy I was when this one simply fell together at every turn.  The end result is a wonderfully elegant yet down-to-earth theme that offers a cozy backdrop to this fabulous family's life and adventures.

Bonnie's Heart & Home

Lastly we have Bonnie's Heart and Home ~ it's funny how some themes just seem to take a bit longer, not because of any one particular aspect or cause but simply how putting the individual theme plays out and this theme was one of those. Starting on our journey nearly a year ago, Bonnie and I worked together to bring her personal vision of home and spiritual beliefs together in one lovely theme.  The outcome was a multifaceted theme that fits her lovely style to a tee.

As always a huge thanks to my wonderful customers, not only for selecting me to create for them but for allowing me the honor of bringing their personal visions to life ~ it's always such a pleasure! I do hope you'll take the time to visit each of these wonderful blogs and comment and Follow ~ it's one of the ways we can reach out and make this blogging community a little more friendly and personal. 

Enjoy~

New Seasonal Themes

There must be a good 25 themes roaming around my brain at any given time.  It's not that I don't want to set them free, it simply boils down to a lack of time.  So you can imagine the resounding cheers from my muses as I've finally created some new themes ~ what a delight to finally set a few free. Themes that is, not faeries.  And it's just in time for holidays too which is great since I can't remember the last time I created a new prefab holiday theme!?!

So here's the new assortment of seasonal goodies, just in time to spruce up your blog...

Glitter and Ice

Country Christmas

Blitzin'

 

...and hopefully I'll have a chance to set a few more free in the very near future, we have to beat Santa's sleigh now! To view the individual themes simply click on the images or titles above.

Enjoy~

New Tutorials

Sorry I've been a bit MIA the past few days ~ what with class finals, work and trying to catch up on everything else there just hasn't been much time in the day for blogging.  Any free time I've had has been focused on trying to get my Tutorials section a bit more up-to-date for the new Blogger interface.  I'm happy to say I beginning to make a dent in that list and have a few new tutorials added including:

How to: Install a Decorative Blog Background

How to: Install a Blog Header

How to: Center a Blog Header

How to: Add a Favicon

How to: Add a Post Signature

with more on the way very soon.  You can click this link to be taken to the entire list.  I also figured out how to delete a blog, as many of you have asked about that one, and there are other new goodies and tricks I've learned, so just as soon as these little fingers can them created they'll be published.

I've also had several recent requests for my Tutorials Book which is in the process of being updated as well so I'll make an announcement just as soon as that's completed.

One tip I would like to mention ~ for any of you who have signature images installed on your blogs, I've found they're behaving very oddly when writing a new blog post, so if you've experienced a broken image and/or an annoying "skipping" behavior, simply delete your signature code for the meantime until Blogger gets that issue straightened out.

The last thing I wanted to mention is that I finally found the "Send feedback" link I had heard so many referencing ~ if you go into the back area of your blog, on any page, you'll see it showing in the bottom left hand corner...  

Simply click that link to open a small window where you can leave feedback about a specific page or feature.  I encourage any of you who are having difficulty with your blogs to let Blogger now ~ the more feedback they receive the better change we'll have of things improving.

Wishing you all a wonderful start the week!

Enjoy~

Oops~

Don't you hate it when you make a mistake, I know I do?! And of course there's nothing worse than making one in public. *sigh* It seems my most recent mistake was while creating the Return to Oz theme I completely forgot about Mr. Scarecrow, sheesh! I mean really... poor guy, completely left out in the cold. And the irony is he's my favorite character ~ who doesn't love to "...while away the hours and consulting with flowers..."!? Funny story ~ that song used to pop into my head whenever I went through something in my last marriage, I'm not sure if I wished I had a brain or wished my ex did. I digress....

Anyhoo, for all of you who picked up a free copy of the Return to Oz banner, you can grab the newer version which now includes the Scarecrow. Just click on the title or image above to view the theme page ~ the banners are posted at the bottom. The free versions will be available under Sunday, August 5th.

Enjoy~

Return to Oz - blog party & theme

Today I'm celebrating the second annual Return to Oz hosted by my dear friend Oma Linda of Olde Baggs 'n Stuft Shirts (such a cute title isn't it?)! There are loads of participants and it's not too late if you'd like to join in too and to help you get in the mood I've created this new Return to Oz blog theme!


It features all sorts of Oz goodies ~ from an emerald green motif with sparkling gems, to a set of ruby slipper sidebar tags ~ what fun! And as a special gift to all of you for visiting, I'm offering the banner for free for a limited time. The festivities are running from now through July 26th so I'll keep the freebie banners available until then ~ just click the image or title above to see the entire set and download all the goodies.

And... as an extra special prize, I'm giving away this lovely handmade key holder to one lucky winner. It features a shimmering green color scheme with a selection of whimsical charms to help you on your own journey back to Oz!

To enter for a chance to win simply hop on over to Oma Linda's blog and become a Follower, then come on back here and leave a comment on this post that you've done so. That's it! This giveaway will end on July 26th and the winner will be announced in a follow-up posting.

Here's wishing you all wonderful travels on your own yellow brick road~

Enjoy,

Effervescent ~ new blog theme

I'm excited to share a new blog theme with you titled Effervescent...


This was one of those themes where the idea just 'popped' into my head and I love when that happens. It includes a collection of bubbly images with fairies, butterflies and my favorite flower ~ Hydrangeas.

This theme also offers a new intro because I'm currently working on a new tutorial covering how to use the "Template Designer" and the "Simple" template with my themes. It's a tough tutorial to write, I'm currently at 7 hours of work and over 35 images but I think it's important to work with these new aspects of Blogger. I'll make the announcement once the tutorial is completed and I hope it will be helpful to all of you who want to give these Blogger features a try.

So hope on over to view this newest theme and all the goodies that come with it ~ simply click on the title or images above and as always...

Enjoy~