how to make a custom blog header

So many of you have emailed and asked me how to make a custom blog header.  I've tried to respond as best I can, but without pictures sometimes it's hard.  I decided to just do a step-by-step guide here and hopefully it will answer many of your questions!  I'm sure there are several ways to do this and this may be the most complicated way, but it's all I know, so  here we go...

1. I use PowerPoint to create my headers.  I'm sure you can use other programs too, such as Photoshop, Microsoft Word, etc., but I think PowerPoint is pretty user-friendly so that's what I use.

Start a new project and go to the "Insert" menu then click on "Pictures".  Select the pictures that you want to use and then arrange them the way you want them to appear.  You will probalby have to resize them.  You can also do fancy stuff like change the borders, tilt, crop and so on.

2.  Next go back to "Insert" and choose "Text Box".  Draw your text box with your cursor and start typing.  You can use any font you want because you're going to make this into a JPEG so the computer doesn't have to recognize the font. The design below is actually 3 text boxes: 1.) home sweet home; 2.) there's just no place i'd rather be; 3.) the dots.  I made the dots by inserting them as a symbol.  You can do multiple boxes to create layers.

3.  Next select all of your pictures and text boxes by pressing Control A.  Go to the "Format" menu and then you'll see a sub-menu that says "Group".  Click it and on the pulldown menu select "Group".  This takes all of the picures and text boxes and locks them together.  If you mess up or want to change something, just go back to the "Group" menu and select "Ungroup".  Once you have everything grouped together, click on it to select the large grouping box and then press Control C (or right click and select "Copy").

4. Go to your start menu and under All Programs and Accessories, choose the program called Paint.  When that program opens there will be a blank white box.  Press Control V (or right click and select Paste).  Your new header should appear.  Now go to File and Save As.  Name the file and under the Save As Type, be sure to select JPEG.

5.  Now go to your blog and under Layout click on the "Edit" tab in the Header box.  Go to Image and select the new header that you have saved as a JPEG.  Be sure to select "Instead of title and description" and then click save.  You can preview before you save the layout.

6. YOU DID IT!!!!  It's that easy!!  I want to see your handy work so leave me a comment with a link to your blog or email me the link to your blog.  Can't wait to see what you create!!!  Comment or email me thehofmannfam@gmail.com if you have questions!

paperdolls step-by-step

So many of you commented and emailed me about the paperdolls that I made for Addi and asked how I made them.  It was easy peasy so here's how to make your own!

Step One: select your full body pictures (this was hard for me because I rarely take full body shots!)

Step Two: Open up PowerPoint and start a blank project.

Step Three: Insert your pictures and crop them so the bodies are about the same size.

Step Four: Print on regular paper not cardstock (it doesn't laminate as well).

Step Five: Cut around the bodies.

Step Six: Laminate.

Step Seven: Cut around the bodies again.

Step Eight: Attach magnets on the back.

Step Nine: PLAY!!!

because you asked - mack's

The things mom's pick up on amaze me!  Since I've posted a few bath pictures recently, I've had so many of you ask about Addi's earplugs!  As most of you know, she had tubes in her ears last October and our doctor recommended wearing plugs to keep them dry.  In the beginning we tried a few different brands before finding Mack's.  They've worked really well for us.  I think I bought the last package at Target but I know CVS has them too.  Here is what the package looks like:

I store Addi's in a contact case so there are seperate compartments for Left and Right.  Hope this helps!

Just because you've asked...

A few of you have asked what camera I use. When Addison was born, I just used a small pocket size Olympus. It was an okay camera for quick things, but when I really wanted to get some great images of my newborn, it really let me down! My dear friend Carrie talked me into purchasing Big Black. So for Christmas, my family pitched in and gave me a Canon XSi. It's truly wonderful!! I don't know why, but I was a little intimidated to actually own such a thing, but once I started taking pictures with it, I can't imagine anything else. Needless to say, the good ol' Olympus is now stashed away in a drawer. Just to clarify, I have no idea what the buttons actually do and I've been too scared to press them and mess up the settings. I bought a photography book in hopes of learning all about my new toy, but I haven't had the time to open it yet...maybe someday! For now, I just take tons of pictures, crossing my fingers that a few turn out. I have not been let down yet, so I'd say Big Black is a keeper!