New Free Blogger Background

I changed my background for my Blogger using a free template from Sugar and Spice using the "Tied To You" format under the "Love Is In The Air" collection, although there are several other holiday and seaonsal collections to chose from.

http://mysugarandspicecreations.blogspot.com/2009/01/love-is-in-air.html

Unlike many where you have to change the HTML code in the layout and mess up other things on your page, for these templates you change it through "Add A Gadget" instead.

It was super simple; just click on the name of the layout you want and click on the name of the link and it will take you to a page that will give you the code that you will need to copy and paste into the "'HTML/JavaScript'" under after clicking "Add A Gadget".     It is also super easy to change back to your old blog - just go in and delete the code, or if you want to try out another layout at that site, just copy and paste it in what you have deleted.

If you have a Blogger account, I would highly recommend going over and playing around to see if you like any of the layouts that are there better than what you have now.

Disclaimer:  I have not received any compensation for recommending this - it was listed in a Valentine's Day Roundup of templates over at Love Actually

Adding Translation to another language in Blogger

Add script to blogger to translate your blog into 54 different languages by clicking on the country's flag.

I am trying to become more blog literate and when I had trouble with getting pictures to upload I got tips from  The Real Real Blogger Status.   There is now code and instructions on how to add a translation option to your blog here:

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2008/02/make-your-blog-speak-more-languages.html

Pictures always help me with trying to learn something new, so I will include some.

Before you do anything to change your layout ever (and one I learned the hard way) go to the Layout tab, then click "Edit HTML" and highlight and copy everything in the box and save it to a text document and save it.  If something goes completely awry because you have gotten distracted and deleted/added something you can copy the original layout back and start over.

Click on the "Layout" tab in Blogger (is the third tab over) then click on "Add A Gadget"

It will take you to another screen, click on the  "HTML/Java Script" option.

It will take you to the Configure HTML/JavaScript screen.   I titled mine "Translator" and typed that it, but you could type in what you want.

Go to http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2008/02/make-your-blog-speak-more-languages.html and highlight and copy the text indicated exactly indicated in the post and paste into in the box.

The only thing you need to change is a few lines down you will see

Delete what is highlighted in red (it will not be red in the box, this is just to show you the text to delete) and where that text was insert your blog's web address.

Save and go check out the new tool for your blog.  Click on the flag and it will translate your blog into that country's language.   To check the language, hover over the flag and it will come up. I played around with and so far have found the links on all of the flags to work.  The only thing is that you cannot jump from one flag to another, you have to hit the back button and go back to your blog to try a new flag/language.