Sunday 10 May 2015

7 Design Resources I Can't Live Without

designresourcesyouneed

Designing a blog isn't easy. There's a lot of trial and error, there's a lot of research that goes into getting what you want, and there's a lot of finding the right tools for the job, and trust me, it's a headache if you don't know where to look, who to go to and what to use, so today, I fancied giving you insight into my tools of the trade and how you can get your blog looking slicker, quicker.

XOMISSE - Web and Blog Design Services

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Elaine is without a doubt one of my go-to bloggers when it comes to design tips and tricks. I could name any number of features in our design that I learnt with the help of her highly detailed, easy tutorials. She's always coming up with the smallest of tips that can make your blog look and feel exactly how you want it, without taking you hours to do so. A lot of what I've learnt and been inspired to create has come for her work, and the best thing about her advice is that once you've cracked it, you can easily recreate, edit and add to the tutorials to create the exact look your wanting. I couldn't imagine not using XOMISSE when I'm looking for inspiration and how-to's when designing and neither should you.

Nosegraze - Blog like a Boss

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Fellow periodic book blogger, full-time blog and web designer Ashley is just as fabulous as her blog makes her look. There's any number of tips and tricks I learnt from Ashley, from the little things like blockquotes and post header designs, to our navigation and feature buttons - her design also inspired our current cleaner, more professional look. I'm always reading and using Ashley's tips and tricks, she was the mastermind behind how we starting rocking our about pages, she's a blogger that always has me asking myself questions, and she's fabulous with the tutorials she hands out. She's always concise, but clear, and they're always practical and things you never knew you wanted, or needed. If you're not a regular visitor of Nosegraze, you need to reconsider.

These Paper Hearts - YA Book Reviews

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Stephine is fabulous and while I use her blogging tips and tricks a little less than I do Elaines and Ashleys, I still utilise them a lot. Previously a blog designer herself, she knows her way around the little details and she's always designed sites I've loved the look of. Now she focuses more on HTML and CSS tutorials and little tricks that get your blog looking and working better, and I've got to say, I love her work. Without her, we wouldn't have search and subscribe buttons I'm really pleased and proud of, neither would we have our commenting look as it is and these are the little details that to me, matter a lot, and they've been the details that I have bugged most. The best thing? When Stephanie isn't helping me design, she's posting all things books which is something I love too.

PicMonkey - Free Online Photo Editing

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I genuinely have no idea what I would have done had Picmonkey not existed. I'm a photoshop girl. I don't have the money for it, and the free alternatives just confuse the hell out of me. I like simple. I like easy. I like something that just tells me what I can and can't do, and the best part? What isn't free, you can just find somewhere else on the internet. It's my favourite program to use. I've made all of our graphics, both past and presents on Picmonkey (and Paint), I've made other people's graphics using PicMonkey too, and I'm always turning to it when I'm creating our Who Wore It Better collages. It's my universal image editing tool.

Free Online Image Editor

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While Picmonkey is usually my go-to, Online Image Editor is my second in command. I tend to use this program much more when I want to make a background transparent as it is possibly the easiest tool I know of that succeeds in doing this, but I've also used it to create image ratings and used it to create images inside of text and so much more. It's just as easy to use as Picmonkey and yes, it looks worse than it is, but I definitely use this program too often not to mention it here.

Photobucket - Photo and Image Hosting

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Most, if not all of our images used when we're blogging go are hosted by Photobucket and it's been the most reliable site I've used. It doesn't just act as a host for your images though, while I don't use these features, you can edit photos through their program and you can purchase images as prints straight from their website. I can't vouch for the latter two features, as an image hoster goes, they're great and they've just made my blogging and designing experience much easier and much less stressful. Not to mention they've been life savers when I've deleted images from my laptop or phone. Talk about a close call.

W3Schools - Web Development

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When I first started out learning code, W3Schools was a place I spent (and do still spend) a lot of time on. The in depth tutorials, the information they provide, the amount I've learnt just from spending a few hours on there is enough to get you the information you might need to start out coding. It's a great place to start picking up on the important things to learn, it covers Bootstrap and Javascript, basis HTML and CSS formats and so much more. It's been almost like a parent to me, guiding me through my coding journeys, teaching me the basics so that not I understand and create code that works with me and for me. I'd never call myself a professional, but I'd definitely say I'm talking the same language as some of the more talented code writers.

What Are You Waiting For? Getting Designing!

Do you have any resources you think I should be using? Any you would recommend to people yourself?

23 comments:

  1. I cannot, cannot, cannot, cannot live without PicMonkey! I do about 90% of photo editing and whatnot on it. It's brilliant, and I would be soooo lost without. Thanks for this post - I'm definitely going to check out some of those other resources.

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    1. I honestly have no idea what I'd do without Picmonkey, it's crazy, but it's my go-to completely! Thanks lovely!<3

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  2. The only design resources that you've mentioned I've heard of before is Nose Graze, and I love the stuff that she's come up with, so thanks for linking the other resources up, I shall definitely check them out! :)

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    1. You're welcome Jasprit, anything that might help people!<3

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  3. Thanks for these sources. I use PicMonkey a lot, but I've never used Online Free Editor and I haven't been in Photobucket in ages. I do follow Ashley, but these other bloggers are new to me as well.

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    1. You're welcome Elizabeth! Have fun browsing!<3

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  4. Wow! Thanks so much Amanda, I really don't know what to say. Reading that has just made my day, you're so sweet and I'm so happy to hear that you find my blog helpful!!

    Great list - I also love Ashley and her blog, she's awesome! Hope you had a lovely weekend, thank you again :)

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    1. I would definitely be a little lost and wouldn't have learnt a lot of what I have without you, so thank YOU.
      Hope you have a great upcoming week Elaine :)

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  5. I'm definitely going to look up that last one! I've tried to follow tutorials and learn a bit of coding but? NOPE. It just goes over my head. Still, I'm kinda determined to work it out someday because I'd looooove style my blog better. Picmonkey is life. xD And I haven't heard of These Paper Hearts so I'm off to check her stuff out too! YAY THIS POST IS EPIC.

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    1. I do think with time it becomes easier to absorb, but it does take dedication, and a lot of it. PICMONKEY IS FABULOUS, I wouldn't have gotten the designs I have without it, I couldn't imagine not using it. Thanks!<3

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  6. This is a fantastic post Amanda, I'm definitely bookmarking it for future reference! Apart from Picmonkey, I haven't really used the other tools you've mentioned, but they all look like a real help. Thanks so much for sharing :)

    Eugenia @ Genie In A Book

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    1. Thanks Eugenia! These are definitely my tools of the trade, hope you'll get great use out of them too!<3

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    1. Thanks lovely. I definitely think it's time I shared some of my secrets.<3

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  8. Thanks for these resources!! I have a lovely blog designer, but I can't go running to her for every little problem or thing I need. Now I have the resources to attempt on my own. Thanks :)

    Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books

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    1. You're welcome Rachel! I do think it's good to have some knowledge under your belt, some problems are easy<3

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  9. I agree with Picmonkey.com I mostly use that as well :) I love Ashley's blog from the NoseGraze, I find her blogging and lifestyle posts very helpful, it is depressing her themes are only for wordpress though Feminist Reflections

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    1. I agree, if only Ashley's themes were available for Blogger, damn!<3

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  10. I used to use Pic Monkey a lot (and I did use it for the design of my blog) but now not so much. I'll wait till I get a job to actually pay some professional to re-design my blog and make it more... ''serious,'' maybe. Nose Graze sounds awesome though!! :)

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    1. That's not a terrible thing Lola, I think making sure you get exactly what you want is important, and if you're not feeling too confident and feel it's better by someone else, go for it girl!<3

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  11. Such a helpful post! Thank you for this!

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    1. Thanks Kristin, hopefully these little tricks help others!<3

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  12. I read Nose Graze religiously. And I love PicMonkey! Thanks for the list of other great resources.

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