Today it's raining outside, but I am singing in the rain with some new blog background designs that I love and I have just used to create some pretties on my other two blogs...
Karen's Sketchbook and For The Love of Old Books.
I remember in 2007 when I first started blogging.
I searched the book stores for books that would tell me how to make a pretty one. It was like dancing around a maypole...
True, there were web designers out there who would do it, but back then it would cost upward of $1,000.00 to create a beautiful web site.
I would try all kinds of things to make my blog pretty, but it seemed there just wasn't much to satisfy what I wanted to achieve. I did purchase lots of swirls and pretty things to make my photos look pretty from Rhonna Designs.
Slowly sites emerged with beautiful backgrounds, buttons and doodads, and the best part...
many of them were free.
I watched as Karen from The Background Fairy changed the look of the blogs I visited. 
All of her backgrounds are free, and they are some of my personal favorites.
along with The Cutest Blog on the Block,
and
A lovely friend of mine, who is also named Karen just started her new blog called Creativity Cake. She found some wonderful pretty blogging resources and sent me a link to a new one called Elegia's Background Garden.
I changed the look of MY SKETCHBOOK blog and updated that blog,
and also changed the look of For The Love of Old Books.
Karen also sent me a link to another one called Blog 4 Art, itkupilli has many beautiful digital artwork, free backgrounds and all kinds of blog stuff.
The Shabby Shoppe sells lovely affordable Blogware, which are cute doodads and things that make your blog lovely.
I purchased my lovely tabs at the top of my blog from Memories By Design.
Another lovely, Karen...KarenValentine from Valentine Design offers some lovely affordable pretties for your blog, which she will install for a small cost. Karen hosts the party, Beautiful Blogging each year.
Pretty Blogging is here to stay and with the talent out there and the generosity of some of the designers will continue to help all of us have the prettiest blogs throughout The Land of Blog.
The name of the song for this post is Singing In The Rain, sung by Gene Kelly. I saw this movie in the movie theater with my mom when I was little. She said that I danced all the way home splashing in the puddles. Some things never change.
Today Claudia from Dipity Road, celebrates Finding Beauty. Please join her and the many bloggers who share beautiful things.
Your suitcase background is wonderful Karen! Thank you for all of the great links too. I just finally figured out how to ad tabs to the top of my blog and create those extra pages! You are way ahead of me....
Hugs,
Penny
Oh Karen, I almost couldn't read your commentary, because I was so enjoying all of these wonderful picturs you posted! You are just so talented! I studied each of the photos and mosaics on this post, and I felt like singing in the rain when I was done! (I also love the stack of suitcases behind your header). I'm going to go check out your other blogs. laurie
Wow, I had no idea there were so many options for decking out one's blog. You've made lots of good finds.
Wow, thanks for all the sites with pretties for the blog. Have a great weekend.
Karen I think you have a lot of talent for making your blog beautiful all by yourself.
What fabulous images you shared today! Thanks -- much inspiration and information, I appreciate it. My blog is rather Plain Jane, someday I will be brave enough to gussy it up a bit!
Cass
Karen, you have been with me since the beginning of my blog journey, and I hope that we will never lose each other...your blogging style and images have influenced my mission to encourage, inspire and write. Blessings to you my dear friend. Anita
Oh Karen, I love 'Singing in the Rain'. Love the movie and the song. Each year I take a day off on my b'day and this year I started the tradition of watching "Singing in the rain" on my b'day.
Oh Karen, I love 'Singing in the Rain'. Love the movie and the song. Each year I take a day off on my b'day and this year I started the tradition of watching "Singing in the rain" on my b'day.
There is just nothing like a littel freshening up of the blog to make us smile. Your websites look beautiful and you have shared the tools and links to enable us all to add a little something special....now all I need is a little more time:>) Have a great weekend friend!
Good Morning Karen Sweetie...
As always sweet friend what a beautiful share. I just love the photos today. So beautiful and so inspiring. I continually love changing my blog and finding new doo-dads and happy buttons to shine, shine and shine some more.
Your post today is so inspiring. You always encourage me to create and be better. I thank you so much for that. Your blog home is so welcoming and beautiful. I love to see your paintings and the beauty that you bring to life on pages each and every Saturday. Thank you SO much for sharing with me each time I stop by.
Many hugs sweetie and SO much love, Sherry
Thank you for all of the links Karen! You have one of the prettiest blogs in blogland!
Yes, it's amazing how many gorgeous sites there are out there. I'm relatively new and would love to learn more but I spend my time blogging, and seems like there's no time left over to learn something! Great post!
Karen,
This was so incredibly lovely. I kept going back to look at the images again and again. I LOVE pretty graphics so very much and this had them all.
I got my background from itkupilli and my banner from Vintage Susie. The first was free the second was $35...so reasonable for the work she did. I had no idea this was how "it used to be" as we are only about five months old.
I have learned so much but today my blog will not upload my photos. I do not know why. Maybe because I am in Croatia. Maybe because it is raining. It was flowing like a song. I am sad because there are so many pictures I want to share.
I think I will go back and read again and think about a way I can make things pretty again. That is a big reason that I enjoy blogs so much...I love the beauty.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and your knowledge.
Hugs,
Suz
P.S. ...and thank you for stopping by!
Hi Karen,
What a wonderful post and thank you for sharing all this information with us. There are some lovely blog backgrounds out there and love your pretty blog.
Happy weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
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