Blogging 101: Removing Drop Shadows from your Images in Blogger

Are you using the "Simple" Template in Blogger? Have you noticed those annoying gray outlines around your images? Are you wondering how to get rid of them?

I tried forever to remove them in the template designer. I gave up convinced that they were an unchangeable part of the template, until my wonderful boyfriend found this super easy css tutorial. And now I don't have any shadows behind all my images!

Here's what you do...

1) Go to your blogger homepage, aka your dashboard.

2) Click on the "layout" tab.

3) At the top of the page, click on the link to "template designer". The template designer will open in a dark gray box at the top, and at the bottom you will see a preview of you blog. 

4) Click "advanced" at the top left, a list of items will open to the right, scroll down and choose "add css"

4) A blank form will open, just copy and past this exact text: 

.post-body img, .post-body .tr-caption-container, .Profile img, .Image img,
.BlogList .item-thumbnail img {
  padding: none !important;
  border: none !important;
  background: none !important;
  -moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px transparent !important;
  -webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px transparent !important;
  box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px transparent !important;}

5) Click "apply to blog" at the top right and your done!

Hope this is helpful to all you bloggers out there! 

Sponsor Calico Skies in July

Looking to advertise your blog, handmade goods, vintage store, or online business? Well, I would love to swap buttons with you in July! I've received a tremendous amount of interest in my sponsorship program, and I've had many lovely sponsors in the past.

Here are some stats (updated 6/21/2012):

Total pageviews last month: 144,988

Bloglovin' Followers: 240

Google Friend Connect: 373

Facebook Likes: 229

I make an effort to keep my sidebar tidy. So, in order to maximize exposure for each sponsor, ads are limited, and are rotated with each page refresh. Below are the ad sizes that I offer:

Currently, all advertising is free, and are first come-first served, but I do require that the content of your site reflects the aesthetics and positive values of Calico Skies. I reserve the right to refuse participation.  

Please email me with a link to your site at laurenteresa86 (at) gmail (dot) com for more information. I look forward to meeting you!

Changes

I've got some pretty exciting changes coming up. Realizing that I'll be teaching English & Literature to middle schoolers in just two short months, and getting closer to finding our new place, leaves me a little intimidated for a short moment, but then completely thrilled to take on these new challenges. I can't wait for all the adventures these changes will bring, as well as documenting them and sharing it with you all. I appreciate all your support, and all your encouraging words. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with blogging, and then I read a kind comment and I'm reminded. 

More importantly, how dang cute is this necklace? I won this little beauty in a giveaway from Geodora Designs. I just love it's simplicity and geometric design. It goes with just about everything.

PS: Don't forget to enter my $75 Shabby Apple giveaway!

Blog Love: April Sponsor Highlight

I'm so happy to show off some of my lovely sponsors from April, in my first ever sponsor highlight post! I've loved sponsoring all of them the past month, and let me tell you, these are some seriously talented girls. They sew, they paint, they photograph, they cook & bake, and have enough energy to share it with all of you. Take a moment to check them out!

Blog // Website // Facebook

Blog 

Blog // Etsy // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram

Blog // Bloglovin // Pinterest // Instagram

Blog // Etsy // Instagram

Blog // Twitter // Pinterest // Facebook

Blog // Facebook // Etsy // Twitter // Instagram

Blog // Instagram // Bloglovin // Facebook // Pinterest

Blog // Etsy // Twitter // Bloglovin // Instagram

Also take a look at my other totally awesome sponsors on the right! These girls rule!

Want to Sponsor Calico Skies in May?

I would love to hear from you! I am currently offering a free ad swap for the month of May. That means, you put my button in your sidebar and I do the same. Win-win right?  And May is an excellent month to sponsor with Calico Skies because in the last month alone, I've had over 230,000 pageviews! So, if your looking to advertise your online store or increase traffic on your blog, this is a great way! Below are the specifications for the the ad swap.

If your blog or store reflects the positive and creative message found at Calico Skies, send me an email at laurenteresa86@gmail.com for more info!

Blog Love!

Just wanted to share a post by Lauren, from the Lovely Tea For Owls. She featured me as her Blogger of the Week and I couldn't be more flattered. Take a moment to check out her blog, she has tons of awesome DIY's and outfit posts!

Finally!

I finally joined the rest of the blogosphere, and I started a Twitter and Facebook account for Calico Skies! Why did I wait so long?

Well, at first I was only silently blogging, so I didn't think that social media outlets were really that necessary. But, now I've met so many new awesome and talented blogger friends! I'm loving how through blogging, I can share what I love, and connect with other people who have similar interests. So, I figured why not jump on the bandwagon, and provide other ways to follow Calico Skies. Before, you could follow me by email, or with Bloglovin, and if your a google user, GFC. But now...

you can follow Calico Skies on Twitter here

or

you can like Calico Skies on Facebook here

It feels good to finally come out of the dark ages. All I need now is to dump my Blackberry and join the iPhone and instagram race. One thing at a time, baby steps.