I’ve been working for the past few weeks on a new look for this blog. I get bored with the same old look, plus I enjoy fiddling with how the blog looks and works as much or more than actually writing anything for it!
This time, after admiring Pauline Kenny’s new blog Slow Travels, I purchased a theme from Woo Themes instead of using one of the many free ones available for WordPress. Since it’s the same theme Pauline uses, it was fun to set it up so that I took advantage of its cool features without making it too obvious that I was copying her! The header photo and perhaps the colors will change occasionally according to season and my current preoccupation.
I also wanted to redo my look now because I wanted to set up a quick and consistent way to show photos and easily include photo galleries in each post, something I frequently want to do when I travel. The idea is that I can have a large photo at the top if I want one, one or more smaller photos wrapped by the text, then a gallery of photos at the end of the post. Clicking any of the photos will open the gallery so that you can watch the entire set in slide show format. (The slide show does not work if you are looking at the blog in a reader–you’ll need to go to the blog directly to get the full effect.)
I’d appreciate any comments you have about the new format, especially if you notice problems. I’m especially curious about whether it’s easy to figure out how to move through the slide show.
I’ve chosen my cats, Carlos and Lizzie, to illustrate this scheme, with photos showing their occasional bickering over territory around my desk. When I’m at the computer, Carlos is usually in his bed to my left, and Lizzie in her bed to the right. The beds shown in the photos here have been replaced with identical fleece beds to try to minimize the arguments over who has the best spot.
The header photo was taken in Provence in October 2005, looking down into the valley from the village of Menerbes.
Ooohh.. I really like the gallery feature. I could really use that. Maybe it is time to play with WP.
Thanks, everyone!
Jane, it’s probably very easy to import a blog into WordPress from Blogger. As for the rest, it’s hard for me to answer. WordPress is maddening at times, and customizing a theme to get just the look you want, at least for me, involves hours of trial and error as I try to figure out what I want.
If you just choose a theme and go with it, it’s not terribly difficult. Since I haven’t used Blogger, I can’t really compare.
I love, love, love the new look! And the way you are doing the photos. The large one at top and then the thumbs – perfect. And doesn’t Carlos look like a little King sitting there.
I spent the last week trying to get my photo software (WebAssist PowerGallery) to work within WordPress, but gave up because it conflicts with the Lightbox2 plugin and I can’t figure it out – and you spent the time making your blog BEAUTIFUL!
Chris, this is terrific. Is it hard to learn? Can I move a blogger blog over to this or is it a matter of starting completely over? I love this.
Hi Chris,
I love your new blog setup. I like the tabs at the top, the colors, the simplicity of the setup, the box at the top right with the different options, and especially the slide show photo gallery! I wish I knew more about html and blog setups and word press. I would love to make some of these changes for my blog, especially the option to use the photo gallery.
Also LOVE your kitty photos
Your new look is beautiful! I love the header photo – where was it taken?
Good job, Chris!