Blog Tutorial: How to resize buttons

 One of the blogs I follow did a post on what she should do to de-clutter her page. You know how it goes, you do some crafty things and you submit them to parties and FINALLY one gets featured (heck yeah!! Makes you feel good huh?). So you proudly add their button to YOUR page so everyone else knows that someone out there thinks your project(s) rock!

The problem comes in when you (are blessed to) get a few more... and they are different sizes, and they are big, and truth be told, it tends to clutter up your page. Instead of removing them and essentially throwing the "award" or "feature" back in said awarder or featurer... why not make them a little smaller and more uniform.
That's what I did; look at the right-hand column of my blog under "Friends".

So I'm going to explain this as best as I know how... but if it doesn't work... go ahead and drop me and email with the code you are struggling with and I'll see what I can do. The following buttons are the same exact size originally, I just used HTML code to resize them to 90 pixels (left), 100 pixels (middle), and the original size 150 pixles (right).

We will be working in the "Edit HTML" tab at the top of your new blog post.

Go get the code for the button you want to add to your page. I'll use my button as an example:








<center><a href="http://themoorebabies.blogspot.com"><img border="0" src="http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/StevieAlaine/blog-solidorange.gif" border="0"/></a></center>


Here is the code for the link - go ahead and paste in the button code where ever you want it on your blog; remember this goes in the HTML code, not the rich-text editor: (don't get scared... I'm about to try to explain what this all means)

There is also USUALLY code to center the button... lets just get rid of that now. If we are trying to align all of our buttons we do not need to worry about centering individual buttons.

These links have 2 parts to them:
1. The part of the code which links the button back to their blog. Look at the picture below. We do NOT want to change anything in here. HTML is very finicky, even one quote or slash or tag out of order will mess it up.

Click to enlarge

2. The part of the code that displays the image of the button. This code is between "&lt;img ... " and "/>". THIS is where we do our magic.

Click to enlarge

The image code has a few attributes:
src - the location where the image resides; photobucket, webshots, etc; the web location is surrounded by double quotes.

Click to enlarge

border - I prefer my buttons to not show a border so I set them to 0.
If a button does not have code for a border, you can add the following code in AFTER your src open and close quotes: * it doesn't HAVE to go after the src, anywhere between "&lt;img ... " and " />" is fine, I just find it is easier to always add to the end. *
border="0"

Click to enlarge

size - THIS is what we are going to change to make our buttons look uniform. Buttons are typically made 150 pixels by 150 pixels, but this is not always the case which is why out buttons sometimes don't "fit". So to add in the size attribute type in the following AFTER your src open and close quotes (and after border if you added that in there).
width="150" height="150".


Click to enlarge



For my blog, my column of buttons are actually 90, by 90, so I typed in:

width="90" height="90"

If a button is not a perfect square, this code WILL force it to be a perfect square and therefore will distort it.

Now I tried to make it easy to follow for non-computer minds... but no matter how long I have been a stay at home mom, I still have a technical mind. So if you would like me to clarify anything, or just help you out... feel free to drop me an email!

themoorebabies(at)gmail(dot)com

Good luck!!

Linking up: Creating my way to Success, The Girl Creative, CRAFT, Sarahndipities



Tutorial: Photo 'Things To Do' Frame

I borrowed this idea from the fantastic ladies over at eighteen25; if you haven't been there... you REALLY are missing out. Anyway, I started out with their the "to do" frame {printable}. I absolutely LOVED the idea. I have ALWAYS got stuff on my To-Do list, and I try to keep an up-to-date list, but either I throw it in the bottomless purse and lose it, or it gets misplaced in the kitchen. I used to have a white board for my fridge, but a family friend's son was ALWAYS stealing the marker, and when I took it down... I lost it (go figure!).

I decided to personalize the to do list by adding a picture to the background! Plus... if this actually turned out, it would be cute for gifts for the grandparents, and heck... maybe a cute wedding gift with their new monogram in the background... OK I'm getting ahead of myself. Back to the project at hand....
Just so you know where we are going... here is my final product:

And HERE is how I did it...
1. I opened photoshop and created a new document 8 x 10 inches with a dpi of 300.

2. Then, I created the header:

layer 1 for header

To make it looked "scalloped" I'm sure I did it the hard way... but I didn't feel like googling "how to make line of dots", so this is how I did it. (It was probably quicker than googling).
- I used the pencil tool at size 343, and eyeballed it to dot across

3. Once I was done, I merged the 2 layers together by Layer --> Merge Down
4. I added the text "Things to do" using pharmacy font (it's a free downloaded font)
5. For the lines, I took the pencil tool at size 8 or so (or however thick you want the line), and drew a straight line across. (Hint: click where you want your line to start, then holding the ctrl key drag across to the end... you will get a straight line)

6. From here I just right clicked the layer and selected Duplicate Layer. Then I moved the line down to where I wanted it. I did this one more time so I had 3 layers, each with a line, at the distance apart I wanted them.

Then I merged all 3 layers together and called it "Lines". I did this so the lines were each the exact same length.

7. Then I did the duplicate Layer process to the layer called "lines" (with the 3 lines on it) a few times until you have lines going all the way down. Then merge those layers together into the one layer called "lines".
I set the opacity to 29% (circled in red) because I didn't like the harsh black.

8. Now for the boxes. I found the box by using my Character Map (this comes with your computer, go to Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Character map
I found the box I wanted in the font "Wingdings", then I clicked "Copy"

Back in photoshop, I selected the wingdings font and pressed ctrl-P to paste.

Right click the layer and select "Rastorize", this way we can duplicate the layer and merge down.
Do the same process with the boxes as you did with the lines (duplicate layer, move to where you want it, duplicate layer, move, merge down, etc).
Rename your layer boxes (I set my opacity for this layer to 29% again)

9. Now for the picture/design.
Create a new layer, and copy and paste in any picture you want.
I set my opacity to 51%

10. The next step is optional - I wanted to print mine out at home on normal 8.5x11 paper, so go to image - canvas size and change it to 8.5x11 (which is the white border)

Otherwise you can go and sent your 8x10 off to get printed somewhere.

Voila! Here is my brand new to-do list.

PS - I did have to tweak my size when printing on my computer; also don't cut off ALL the white border. Initially, it was too big and the boxes were cut off, then after I resized it and made my White border, I cut off too much and it was too small for the frame.

Hope this wasn't too confusing! Enjoy!

Linking up: Keeping it Simple, marvelously messy, A round Tuit, Lamb Around, Making the world Cuter, Running with Glitter, Sarahndipities, Nifty Thrifty Things, Vintage Wanna Bee, Homework, Not Just a Housewife, Someday Crafts, Sweet Peas and Bumble Bees, handy man crafty woman, Sew Much Ado, a bowl full of lemons, Gluesticks, Momnivores Dilemma, Finger Prints on the Fridge, Ladybirdy Ln, Bacon time with the hungry hypo, CRAFT

Baby Leggings from Socks... FINALLY!

I have had this pile of argyl and solid colored knee high socks for, like... 5 years... or more! It's not like I wear them regularly, but I have in the past, worn them:

This was bachelorette party that I hosted for one of my best friends at my house... I gave her a HUGE list of items of clothing to bring and then I told her we would put her outfit together with what she brought (HUGE hit, by the way because she brought clothes that looked cute on her). I took the theme from The Wedding Date and did a golf attire theme. So here is me with the bachelorette:

And here are some ladies on stage (the faces have been blurred to protect the... guilty -- not me... I was pregnant at the time... what timing huh?)

Also, some of our friends here throw a Masters Party every year... so they are perfect for that.

But other than those select events, these socks just don't get much use, ya know what I mean?
However,I just could not get rid of them because a few years ago I saw a How-To on making knee high socks into baby leggings. Ever since that day (like 2 years ago) I have held onto these socks saying that I would make them one day. Well that one day FINALLY came!

Now, this isn't going to be a real tutorial because there are some out there, like here, here, or here.

But here are some quick steps that I took.
1. Get knee high socks, scissors, and thread (or sewing machine... "my" sewing machine is 20 min away at my mother in laws).

2. Cut at the ankle, after the heel, and before the toe.

3. Discard the heel and toe.
4. Fold over what used to be the part under your foot (right side out -- seam on the inside)

5. Put folded "foot" piece around the cut ankle part and line up all 4* edges.
* 2 from the folded over "foot" piece, 2 from the cut ankle part.
6. Open it up and you will have 3 edges that you need to pin around -- 1 from the cut ankle part, and 2 from the folded over foot part. Ok, that sounds much more difficult than it really is. Maybe I am not explaining it right... hope the picture helps.
7. Machine or hand stitch around your top - sewing together 3 sides all around the sock... are you with me here?

8. Once you are done... "unfold" your "foot" part and you end up with...
The sewn part is at the top of the picture and the grey part is what used to go around your calf.

Looks like my new few nights of movie watching are going to be busy...

Looking back, I should have kind of measured my little(st) ones legs before sewing because these are kinda, sorta long on her and after 10 minutes of her wiggling, rolling, and scooting on the ground they are at her ankles. 
Oh well, you live and learn.

Charlotte let me put them on her for last nights walk -- which works out well because this child falls down just about every night while running!

Linking up: Making the World Cuter, Keeping it Simple, Marvelously Messy, The Girl Creative, CRAFT, Creating my way to success, hazel and honeysuckle, {Dot}{Dot}{Dot}, Vintage Wanna Bee, Not Just a Housewife, A Bowl Full of Lemons, The blackberry vine, Sweet Peas and BB, Someday Crafts, Women Who Do it All, momnivores dilemma, Sun Scholars

.:: Tutorial ::. Ribbon & Pearl Necklace

What a week!

My mom has been in town visiting on her Spring Break so we have been BUSY! Between the mall, park, pool, shopping excursions (mom doesn't have any fun stores near her so it's a treat to go to Target, BBB, Old Navy, etc when she visits) and playing with 2 kids, we haven't had a chance to relax.

HOWEVER, last night during MOVIE NIGHT (Aristocats) I finally did my ribbon and pearl necklace tutorial (and got my gameday necklace made!) I hope this tutorial is helpful and not too scattered.

Supplies:
Needle & thread
Pearls
Ribbon - i used 3/8 inch -- about 52 inch
pencil
measuring tape/ruler

1. You want to leave a bit of ribbon on either end of your necklace so you can tie it... so I started 16 inches in and using my needle and thread, made a stitch in and back through the ribbon to secure your thread.

1. The way this works, is you thread ribbon, pearl, fold ribbon over pearl, thread the ribbon, then another pearl, etc.
1. Now here is where I varied from my 1st necklace: Originally I threaded on a pearl and then each time I eyeballed where the ribbon should go through so it covered half of a pearl. I got gaps in ribbon and it took a while.
2. THIS time,  at the beginning, I held the ribbon around the pearl and stuck my needle through to see the distance halfway around the pearl.
   
3.  I then measured from point to point and I got 13 mm, give or take
4. Then I measured down the ribbon marking off each 13mm mark with a pencil (a pen bleeds... I know from experience).
5. Then it was simple to thread front of ribbon, pearl, back of ribbon, pearl, front... et
6. Periodically push the ribbon/pearls down on the thread to see how long it is and test it out around your neck
   
7. Keep threading until you have at least 16inch or so ribbon left (or more if you are satisfied with necklace length.
8. Finish off necklace by making another stitch in the ribbon after your last pearl so it covers half of the pearl (sorry I forgot to take a picture here).
9. Tie your ribbon in a knot (or two) on either side of your pearl 
10. You have a necklace, voila
    

And now for a close up

Hope you enjoy!!

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Linking up: CRAFT, The DIY Showoff, Lamb Around, The Girl Creative, Marvelously Messy, Keeping it Simple, Dot Dot Dot, Blackberry Vine, Not Just a Housewife, Vintage Wanna Bee, A Bowl Full of Lemons, DIY By Design, Women who do it all, Sew Much Ado, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Naptime Crafters