New styles, new words

[katiefoolery]

It's no longer Summer here in Australia.  That's right - for the next few months, you won't hear me complaining about spending forty degree (104°F) days in a house with no air-conditioner.  Instead, I'll be moaning on about rain and hail and thunderstorms and being caught in a combination of all three whilst waiting for a bus.  You might hear me talk wistfully of spending cold days sitting by an open fire, reading books as a child.  I may even throw in a mention of our lovely central heating system for no extra cost.

The reason for this lesson in Seasons of the Southern Hemisphere is all pretty much related to my previous layout, which featured a lovely beach and the words "Summer" and "sun".  And since I'm sitting here, surrounded by "Autumn" and "misty rain", I'm sure you can imagine that this image of sunny bliss was getting on my nerves, rather.

So I changed it.  It took a while to find the right image, but find it I did.  In fact, in an act of unprecented good luck, I found two matching images.  Not only were they perfect for my header, the finished result in which I smooshed them both together keeps inspiring me to write stories, whereas my old layout had a habit of making me want to go to the beach and leave my shoes on a stretch of pure white sand.

If you feel like having a look and giving me any feedback that comes to mind, simply click on this link.

Speaking of writing - I've been doing some.  It all started with that mini LJ outage the other day.  There I was, stuck at work with no LJ to muck about on, when I suddenly thought of dropping by FictionPress in the hopes of finding something to read.  I realised some of the links on my profile page were out of date, so I did a little updating there and inadvertently began reminding myself of how much fun FP used to be.  FictionPress used to be my main reason for being on the internet, before I discovered LJ... as a direct result of FP.

To cut a long and rambling story mercifully short, I have decided to write a sort of serial to put up on FictionPress.  It will be written for fun and for something to do during the long, boring days at work.  In fact, I've already written the first instalment, giving me a May word count of a bit over two thousand words.  It's so much fun to write something purely for the enjoyment of it.  I've actually stolen some characters from an old story and they're flourishing in their (slightly) new environment.

All in all, I feel very productive.

Comments

[peachynat3.livejournal.com]

How did you go about making the summer layout? Did you use S1 or S2 to create it? I'm thinking about making a new layout for my journal, but am just hunting around for ideas and working out which method is easier.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

If you already know HTML, then S1 is the way to go. You need to learn a new language for S2 and I really can't be bothered. I think it's much easier to make yourself an S1 layout, because you can use the skills you already have in HTML and CSS and you can come up with something that looks just the way you want it to.

All of my previous layouts were made using the S1 format. I got started with help from this tutorial from everything_lj. It takes you through all the steps and it's very easy to follow. If you like, I could temporarily make the Summer style public, so you can make a copy of it and see how I put it together. Feel free to ask me any more questions, too. I'm happy to answer them. :) (http://cp63testlj.livejournal.com/2020.html)

[peachynat3.livejournal.com]

Thanks for those links! They look to be pretty helpful, and is pretty much exactly what I'm after. I'm surprised that S1 can incorporate so much, I had initially though you might have used S2. Anyway, thanks again :)

[cat-eyes-el.livejournal.com]

Oooh... I like the new layout. I feel so uncreative for having the world's most boring damn-close-to-default layout...

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly, good Cat. You shouldn't feel un-creative though - when would you get the time to make a layout with all the homework you have to do? Besides, I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that I think words are most important thing any journal can have. :D

[cat-eyes-el.livejournal.com]

Have you seen my journal recently? or ever? Words don't really happen all that often either :P

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

Oh, Cat, don't worry, flists mean we never have to see your LJ :P

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Yes, so it's only Cat that has to look at it, really.

That's what puzzles me about people who design amazing main pages and neglect their friends' page. It's the page you spend the most time looking at: why spend that time staring at a boring default layout when your pain page is so spectacular?

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

pain page pmsl! Oh i love it *giggles*

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I can't even begin to explain that one. Those keys are no-where near each other... Maybe it's an after-effect of the panadol I took this afternoon?

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

subliminal, you understand the pain and frustration overrides can cause...

dude, get on MSN, i'm making you look way popular than you are :P

[cat-eyes-el.livejournal.com]

See? This is why it bugs me so much i'm so totally uncreative! I'm sick to death of this damn notebook!

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

if you don't want to do overrides, but want to change it, just so it's a little more personal, go to the S2 format, it's pretty easy to bung a background on it, and change the colour scheme so it looks a better :P

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

That's absolutely right - the S2 style was designed specifically to make it easy for people to customise their journals without knowing much (or anything) about coding. There are some really nice S2 styles.

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

Well, you want feedback, i'll give you feedback :P
The only thing that i have to admit I'm a little neh about is the background. It's a little too Grandma's Kitchen/Bedroom wallpaper for me. You know that scene in Garden State where Zach is wearing a shirt that matches the wallpaper? That's just what it reminds me of... It's not ugly, and it works, but i don't know if the colours are quite right... not, it's not the colours, it's the pattern, it feels a little at odds with the header pic. Though it does provide a nice contrast, and makes the text box writing thing feel as if it is raised above the surface.

But really, this is a small point. I love the header pic, but you knew that already, and your colour palete is as brilliantly selected as before.

I'm after your pinky, woman, you've gotta stop being so damn talented :P

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Oh, stop making me blush!

Thanks for your feedback, good Flit. I actually thought the background might be a point of contention. I had a couple of other candidates, but this one seemed to fit best for me at least. I just went and had a look at the background, and I think I like it because it suggests elements of the story I'm writing, which is a bit odd. Luckily, it can be easily changed if I start going off it, too. :) It's funny you should mention wallpaper, because I was specifically looking for something that looked like that! So I suppose I should be satisfied that it made you think of actual wallpaper. :)

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

You've actually started to make me hate my layout a little :P no, don't go :0 i have a very fast changing love-hate relationship with everything i create. I went too complicated, me thinks... i'm going to go something simple...

anyway, enough about me, well, it is wallpaper :P Something you'd find in one of those old victorian places that haven't been touched in years, and seriously need to :P

My Grandpa is a house painter, i think he's passed on his distaste for wallpaper :D

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Even better - it's reminded you of Victorian houses! The story that inspired the layout is set in a sort of quasi-Victorian era. I seem to have scored with my subtle hints and suggestions. However, you can assure your Grandpa that in any real houses, I prefer paint over wallpaper. :)

Yes - simple is definitely the way to go because you can do so much more once you've started. My first layout was ridiculously simple. Seriously. Have a look (http://buneater.livejournal.com/data/customview?styleid=595358). Admittedly, it was pretty much what I was after and once I'd mastered the basics, I went on to more complicated things.

[flippyfrog.livejournal.com]

oh, yes, lovely and simple... i need to do something simple. I'm currently working on it, but you would be amazed how hard it is to find the perfect frog picture, and it's not as if i can go out and snap a shot of one...

urgh, wallpaper irritates me. over the top painting effects irritate me. Then again, on big plain walls, i get crazy urges to paint murals on them. :P

[the-kaytinator.livejournal.com]

Ooh!!!

I love the blended togetherness of the two pictures! It looks awesome!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly, good Kayt. They're actually images of the same street, taken about a century apart. I wanted to do quite a different effect, but realised I couldn't because the photos were taken from different angles. So I went with this instead.

[violetcreme.livejournal.com]

Fandabydooza new layout, really lovely !

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly. :)

[bethamphetam1ne.livejournal.com]

Ooh, it's all Dickensian and chilly-like! Very fitting for today especially. Brr.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I'm glad the whole Victorian/Dickensian feel is coming across!

It was a bit cold today, wasn't it? I was very glad to be inside with the heating. :)

[gravityslave.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful!
The background made me think of wallpaper, too- the wallpaper that used to be on the walls in the manse we lived in for six years from when I was 5 years old. It was embossed, and frequently had pictures all over it.
Your layout brings back good memories and somehow also makes me think of Sherlock Holmes. :-)

[gravityslave.livejournal.com]

*the manse wasn't embossed, the wallpaper was.
Clearly, it is coffee time.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Aww, but I like the idea of an embossed manse with pictures all over it. :)

I certainly seem to have succeeded in evoking a particular era, which is very pleasing. Thank-you muchly for your kind comments.

[sirgallivant.livejournal.com]

It looks plendiferous. :)

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly, good Gally. :)

[naelany.livejournal.com]

job well done, as usual ^_^. Looks very cool (no pun intended, I assure you lol)

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly, good Naelany. :)

[dizzy-liz.livejournal.com]

Hey! I just um... friended you. Because? First of all, I saw a comment on a friend's journal (blackswans) and I think I became interested because it sounded like you were Australian. So I went to your journal and wow! You are. (You know, it's always exciting considering the shortage of Aussie LJers). And then, I saw something else: you're a writer. That got me excited;-)

I'm a young writer, and still very amateur though I've been at it since I was four years old. I'm almost finished a year long creative writing course which has been amazing. Blackswans and I (we're cousins, and good buddies) have set each other writing tasks in the past, where we've had to write a short story based on ideas the other has given us etc. and we've critiqued and discussed writing together to the last degree. She totally rocks, and it's partly due to her that I'm still writing today:-) Now that I've told you how cool my cousin is (when I'm sure you already knew) I'll say that I'm very much looking forward to reading your journal, and see ya around!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm very happy to meet you and thank-you for writing such a lovely introduction to yourself. I look forward to reading your journal, too.

[pet-hypothesis.livejournal.com]

Shortage of Aussie LJers? I could swear there was a plague of them...

Your layout is of much gorgeousness, Bunne, I'm not surprised it's inspiring you. I kind of agree with Flit about not being in love with the wallpaper - it feels a bit busy to me - but I didn't even notice it until she commented :p

And yay for new writing... but what about The City? *Pines for Lenore.*

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I'm still working on the background, although I haven't found the perfect one yet. There are so many choices out there and none of them are just right.

Never fear, The City is on the list. If I keep up this positive attitude towards writing, then I'll probably return to my old familiar state where I'm working on about six projects at once. I definitely haven't forgotten about Lenore. :D

[rigel-7.livejournal.com]

It looks lovely Bunly one!

I must confess I saw your layout right after you put it up :P
It's lovely and simple.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank-you Rig. I was definitely going for a more simple layout this time. No more sidebar for a while, I think.

And now I shall wonder what you were up to, trawling around on my journal... :D

[tangledtale.livejournal.com]

I always love your layout, they're simply but individualised. This one is just as lovely as the old summery one, the default icon with its awesome border, the wintry colour scheme, it's all good. I love your header most of all though because the blend of it looks so nice and flow-y (ergh! Vocab, where did you go?) and the lamp post! It's like Narnia! I fully expect Jadis to turn on on the internet any day now.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly, good Galli. I had a lot of fun with the header - it felt more like I was creating a story than just making a banner. And it was fun to get the black & white lamp to glow. You probably won't be surprised to hear that I was thinking very much of the Narnia lamp-post as I was working on it. :)

[cornish-pixie87.livejournal.com]

OH Bun, it's LOVELY! For me, summer's only starting, but i'm always in love with the subtle shades of winter. One of these days I'm going to teach myself how to create a layout. Because this just makes me jealous :P

Good luck with all your writing!

<3 Teacup

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly, good Teacup. (I have a three-quarters-full teacup at the moment - 'tis lovely.)

I'm terribly fickle when it comes to loving seasons; I love them all, except spring, due to the pollen. They all have different charms, don't they? Even though I don't like the cold, there's nothing like being rugged up inside, watching through the window as rain fall gently outside. It's so cosy!

[blackswans.livejournal.com]

Ooh, likey the new layout!

And I like productivity. It rocks. :)

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly, good Danielle. Productivity is great, isn't it? I'm very happy with how my writing is going at the moment.

[blackswans.livejournal.com]

That's exciting indeed! I must do more. Life has been crazy, but I must write again!