Photobucket & Sizing

I have seen a lot of bloggers have issues with Photobucket sizing their backgrounds correctly, and buttons as well. I learned something recently when I was trying to first upload buttons, then trying to upload a background image. The buttons were too large no matter how many times I checked the sizes. I finally had to log out of Photobucket, then log back in to get the sizes right. Here's a good rule of thumb when using Photobucket: TINY and SMALL for tabs and buttons, and 1 megabyte file size for blog backgrounds. Here’s how you change the sizes in Photobucket.

Once you CLICK MORE OPTIONS, you will see the popup window. Then you will make your selection of size you would like.

It seems to me the trick is to log in and out of Photobucket to get the size you want. I believe there is a glitch in the system. When I was making buttons the other day, I  finally had to log out and select TINY for my buttons. No matter how hard I tried the button size would not come out right. I think this is something relatively new because I never had this issue before.

Just as a side note: Scrapbook Flair allows you to upload any pages full size (up to like 250 images) before you have to buy their more premium service. If you keep the resolution at 72 or 96 pixels for webbing viewing, it lowers the amount of space you use. I also love Scrapbook Flair for the free downloads and the awesome community of scrappers! Click here for the latest FREEBIES.

Creating buttons

To create buttons is so much fun. That's one of the reasons I created Easy Custom Blogs. I wanted to share AS I LEARN. So much of this is by experiement. If you are checking back with me, my goal is to post one new lesson per day in Easy Custom Blogs. First, we will add buttons (pictures with hyperlinks) to the side bar, then we will add buttons within our posts!

Easy Custom BlogsSide Bar Buttons Instructions:

I recommend that you Backup your template, HERE are the instructions, before beginning.

1. Create a button. If you want to put it on the side bar, then your final dimensions should be no larger than the following:

1.52 x 1.06 inches

228 x 159 pxl

150 Resolution

I prefer to make my buttons larger for details, then resize for posting. If you save the button as a PNG or PSD then you can make changes, and if you post them, the background appears to be transparent, allowing for unique shapes. You can save your image on your computer or with an image host (links to free image hosts can be found on the sidebar).

2. Go to your blog and select the LAYOUT tab.

3. Select PAGE ELEMENTS.

4. Select Add a Gadget from your side bar.

5. A window will popup with various choices, select PICTURE.

6. A new window will popup that says, CONFIGURE IMAGE. You will have a choice of where to get your image, and you can upload from your computer or the image host.

7. Within that window, you may add a Title, Caption, and LINK.

8. Click SAVE, then VIEW BLOG.

Easy Custom Blogs Buttons WITHIN THE POST instructions:

1. Create your button. I chose the following dimensions, but you may make them whatever you like.

2.0 x .75 inches

600 x 225 pxl

300 Resolution (I can use the higher resolution because the button is so small)

2. Type your post, and add your image (button) by clicking on the picture icon in the posting tools and add it where you like.

3. After you see your image, you will highlight it, and select the hyperlink icon on the top of the window. It looks like two chain links hooked together.

4. A hyperlink window will popup, and you will add your URL (Uniform Resource Locator) to the box and click OK! Your image will be linked!

You should receive a message when you click on my sample button.