diy blog design: adding a unique blogger background via html

But first...
I think Oreo is happy her mom (or mom's shoe) is back from vacation.

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If it weren't for the handbags, I'd be designing graphics, blogs, and websites - maybe only for myself, but hey. It's my part-time obsession. With that in mind, I hope you can use this tip to add some creative uniqueness to your own blog.

Adding a Unique Background Pattern:

1) First, find a beautiful pattern using bgpatterns.com, squidfingers, or simply Google "background patterns". Download your chosen pattern then upload it to a server such as Photobucket.

2) In another window or tab, go to your blog dashboard, then click on Design, then Edit HTML. To be safe, click on "Download Full Template" just in case (although you'll be fine. this is easy peasy stuff).

3) Time to look at the HTML in "Edit Template". Scroll down (past the CSS styling) until you see this code:

body {
background: $bodybgColor;
text-align: center;
color: $textColor;
font-family: arial,verdana,helvetica,tahoma,Sans-serif;
font-size: 100%; width: 100%;
}

4) See the highlighted red area? Copy and paste this section to Word or TextEdit (just in case you don't like your new design).

5) Next, you will want to replace the red section with: background: url(Direct Code);

6) Go back to Photobucket and pull up your uploaded background pattern.

7) The picture above says to click on the direct link. You do NOT click on the box. Actually click on the words "direct link" and it will copy the code.

8) Go back to blogger and paste that code into the Green Direct Code section.

Now it should look something like this:

body {
background: url(http://i745.photobucket.com/albums/xx91/loriplyler/129-2.jpg);
text-align: center;
color: $textColor;
font-family: arial,verdana,helvetica,tahoma,Sans-serif;
font-size: 100%; width: 100%;
}

9) Click the "Preview" button to see how it looks. If you're happy with the results, click Save and you are done. Enjoy your new background.

Questions? Feel free to fire away and I'll do my bestest to help.