Custom Twitter Backgrounds

With so many bloggers joining the Twitter world, I thought I would write a post discussing Twitter backgrounds. If you have no idea what Twitter is, click here to be taken to my Twitter page and you will probably get the idea. It isn't complicated or too time consuming, but it is a good way to connect with other bloggers and to bring attention to posts, reviews or giveaways you have at your blog.

The standard backgrounds Twitter provides are perfectly lovely, however, if you would like to make yours a little more personal or add extra information to your home page then you need to either find a designer who offers custom Twitter designs or look into customizing it yourself. Either way is fine, and I wanted to share designers who can make something custom for you. Or, if you need something free, check out my post on free Twitter backgrounds.

Designers who can create a custom design for you:

• Adori Graphics
  
• Boutique Graphics
• Custom Blog Designs
  
• Delicious Designs by Trista
• Designed by Lara
• Designer Blogs
  
• Designs by Vhiel
• Graphically Designing
• My Pixel Creations
• Once Upon a Blog
  
• Restored 316 Designs
• Sweet Blog Design
• The Blog Cafe
  
• The Design Girl
• The Posh Box
  
• Twit Art
• Twit Design

Would you like to follow me on Twitter? If so, click here and click on "follow" below my picture. I am not quite the Twitter addict as many, but I do tweet many times during the day, and try to announce giveaways and helpful blog posts.

If you design Twitter pages, free or custom, let me know and I will add you to my lists.

Friends - Links and Buttons

After watching my SiteMeter referrals obsessively occasionally, I noticed that I had a some traffic coming from individual blogs. How could that be? Well, after heading over there, I saw that they had my button on their blog, or listed me in their blog roll. So, I decided to return the favor and I am creating a "Friends" page, which will also be listed on my sidebar.

If you would like to trade buttons or links, please leave a comment and I will add you to it. Starting small now, but got to start somewhere, right? If you already have me on your blog roll or have my button, please let me know and I will add yours here.

My button is in the left-hand side bar. Simply copy the code and paste it into a friends post like this or into a gadget on a sidebar.

Those without buttons:
Los Luceros de Arizona
Cheap-aholic
The Wonderful Wibblers
The Sweet Jelly Bean

Beautiful Blog Designs First Award!

Beautiful Blog Designs has finally received it's first award. Melissa, at Sweet Serendipity, blessed me with the One Sweet Blog Award. Thank you, Melissa!

While I know some don't care for awards, I think they are a sweet way to recognize fellow bloggers and make new friends. I believe you are supposed to bestow the award to 15 bloggers, however I am just doing five. I have too much going on in my Usborne business and personal life to follow through with 15. Pitiful, I know.

I am passing this award onto bloggers who are also blog designers. They have great personal blogs that are very lovely. Take a moment to stop by them, and then if you have extra time, scoot over to their design sites.

Summer's Nook
This, That and My Blog
Lamberts Lately
Southern Girl's Nest
Little House in Big Texas

Custom Blog Design Giveaways

Need a bloggy facelift? Well, there are several custom blog giveaways going on right now!

Head on over to Diana Rambles, to sign up to win this makeover from Custom Blog Designs. You can see a proof of the makeover here. Customization and numbered comments are included. Giveaway goes through May 31.

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Blog Makeovers by Tara is giving away a custom blog design over at Mission Mommy. Giveaway ends on June 15th.

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LeeLou Blogs is giving away a custom blog design at Fabulous Fun Finds. Giveaway ends May 31.

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This, That and Your Blog is giving away a custom blog design. Giveaway ends May 29.

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Remember - the best way to stay abreast of custom blog design giveaways is to follow this blog or become a subscriber, both found in the left-hand side bar.

Free Twitter Backgrounds

Twitter has some cute backgrounds available, but if you want something different here are places you can get free backgrounds.

• Adori Graphics
  
• Pretty Tweet
• Free Twitter Designer
• Split Decisionz
• The Posh Box
  
• Twitter Image
• Twitter Backgrounds
• Tweet Style
• Twitrounds
• Twitter Treats
• Twitter Patterns

Do you know another place that offers free Twitter backgrounds? Leave the address in a comment and I'll add them to this list. Thanks!

More Unbelievable FREE Designs!

I have twice before posted about this designer, but because of the service she does for the blogging community, she will be mentioned again and again. Lena Toews, who runs Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates, creates amazingly beautiful blog templates for the public to download - absolutely FREE! She has already has a huge number of designs available, but she has recently added even more.

When I first wanted to graduate from the generic templates Blogger provides, Lena's site is where I went. I was tickled to get such a pretty design for free. I did have to learn the in's and out's of changing my template, but her tutorials are very good and got me through.

Anyway, here are a few of her recent designs:




Aren't they awesome? To see more, scoot over to her site and search by date or by theme. You won't be disappointed. I outfitted my test blog with one of the new designs, and I love it so much I want to make another blog just to use it.

If you take a look at my test blog, notice the blog title font. If you download a free template, yours won't look like that, rather it will have plain, block text. I customized mine using PhotoShop Elements. Lena has a tutorial on how to customize your header, and if you don't have a photo editing program, you can download Paint for free.

If that seems too complicated for you, leave a comment here that you would like your header customized and I will do it for you - free. I need to know which template you are using, your blog title and tag line (if you have one). The only thing I ask in return is that you put my button in your side bar.

Blogging Tips at Sneaky Momma Blog Design

I found a very useful site this morning that I just had to share with you - Sneaky Momma Blog Design. No, she isn't a blog designer, but she does give you incredibly useful blog tips that will help you create and fix things for your own blog.

The site is extremely well laid out and organized, even breaking down the tips into beginner, intermediate and advanced. Some of the instructions she provides are how to create your header, making a button grab box, adding sidebar images and even adding screen shots (that is something i have been wanting to learn).

Here is my first attempt printing a screen, printing the very screen she is teaching the print screen trick (so predictable clever, I know).


I strongly recommend you go check out her site and if you aren't a problogger or a designer, you should bookmark her site, and follow it to hear future tips.


p.s. Be sure to stay tuned, because I am going to host a giveaway soon! The best way not to miss it is to subscribe or follow (both found on the side bar to the left).

Looking for Blog Design Giveaways?

Need a blog face lift but don't have the money right now? Can't figure out how to upload the free ones? Don't worry. There are always giveaways and sales going on, and because I subscribe to most of the designers' sites I can let you know about them.

Right now there is a giveaway going on at Finding Joy in the Journey for a custom blog design by Subjective Beauty. The giveaway ends May 18th, so don't delay.

Also, The Design Girl is raffling off a custom blog design to raise money for formula to feed babies in Chinese orphanages. You get tickets based on the amount of money donated. Definitely a worthy cause. I even donated and if I win I will give it away here at Beautiful Blog Designs.

If you do have a little money for a blog design, Southern Girl Blog Design is having a 1/2 price sale on all her design packages. She does beautiful work, so now is the time to get a great custom design for a lot less money.

I keep the various giveaways and sales going on in the side bars of my blog, so if you are a subscriber, make sure you swing over now and then to see what is available.

Blog Design Giveaway - Worth $100!

Blog Designs by Summer is giving away a Platinum Blog Redesign, worth $100! If you would like to enter go to Summer's personal site, Perfectly Provident. Summer does beautiful work, and actually created my header and button for Beautiful Blog Designs and my personal blog, Moving Forward.

This giveaway ends tonight. Summer emailed me about it several days ago, but I was out of town. So, if you would like to enter (and you should), don't delay.