Make Your Own Blog Background

Aloha Folks!
 I'm not any sort of computer person and I'm still learning, but as I learn I thought it would be helpful to share this information with you. I wrote these tutorials for people that are just starting out, so I tried to add as much detail as possible.

Please read through each step before beginning.
 If you don't know how to make your own images or haven't prepared them yet, visit 
Easy Steps to Make Your Own Images for Blog Backgrounds, Headers and Other Projects

You can use anything to decorate your background, including images of crafts you have made, your dog, furniture, flowers, you can add color or a pattern. You name it!

Steps: In a nutshell for those who are familiar

1. Go to Picmonkey and click on "Design"
2. Resize your blank canvas. I use 1680x1050 as recommended on the web.
3. Click on the "Butterfly". Then click on "Your Own" and choose "My computer"
4. Choose the image you want and click "Open" 
5. Rotate and size your image as needed 
6. To make the other side of your blog background the same, duplicate your image and move it into position.
7. To make the image mirror your other image: highlight your image and then in the box click on the "up and down" arrows.
8. Save your new image: You'll have to save your image before you can try it out. Don't close Picmonkey and then you can make any adjustments needed. 

2. Resize your blank canvas. I made mine 1680x1050 as recommended on the web. 

3. Click on the "Butterfly". Then click on "Your Own" and choose "My computer"

4. Choose the image you want and click "Open"

5. Rotate and size your image as needed and put it where you want it.

NOTE: I eyeball where I want it. I do not use measurements for this. Instead I use a test blog with the same template and dimensions as my actual blog and upload the image as a background photo. I will show how to apply this to your blog or a test blog in the next tutorial. Even though you will only be uploading a photo and won't have to mess with code, I recommend a test blog for trials.

6. To make the other side of your blog background the same, duplicate your image and move it into position.

To make the other side of your background: Right click to highlight your image if it's not highlighted. Then left click to bring up the options menu. Click on "Duplicate overlay" This will bring up another image the same size and angle that will appear over your original image.

7. To have the image with the design mirrored on the other side, highlight the image and use the arrows.

8. Save your new image: You'll have to save your image before you can try it out.  DO NOT close your image on Picmonkey. Leave it open and then you can make any adjustments needed and save the new version.

For example, your borders may be too close together (below). With your image still open in Picmonkey you can easily and quickly make the adjustment and save over the first one. Adjusting the background is no big deal. To adjust it, all I did was move the two borders out a little. If you are going to add decorations to your background, I would advice placing some kind of border, stripe or object first so you know the limit to where your decorations can be placed. You can also adjust the width of your blog to fit your new border instead of adjusting the decorative background itself. What ever you choose to do, It may take you a few tries at first, but it will get easier with experience.

So here it is. Adjusted and perfect. 

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