Making Blog Button with Grab Box ~ 3 Ways to Make a Blog Button in PicMonkey

 

Every blog needs a button with a grab box, even if you don’t think anyone will grab it, make it anyway, cause someone will.

One day you will stumble across a blog which has your button and you will be pleased as punch, so let’s make a button!

I’m loving’ PicMonkey at the moment so I’m going to show you how to make a blog button using PicMonkey.

Using PicMonkey you have 3 options to make a blog button

1) Using your own photo / image

2) Using only PicMonkey accessories

3) Using PicMonkey collage

First of all I shall show you how to make each button image, then go through the whole grab box code malarkey!

 

How to make a blog button using your own photo

Open up PicMonkey

Upload your chosen photo.

You can use the tools to add various effects to you photo. If you don’t like something you can always hit the undo button {the arrow pointing to the left in the left hand corner} and try something new.

You will most likely want to add some text, use the {P} tab to access the available fonts. The style and text is entirely your choice, but I would suggest you choose a font which is easy to read!

Next thing to do is resize your button, this tool is available on the main menu, keep your button somewhere between 150 x 150 and 200 x 200 if possible.

Save your button.

 

How to make a blog button using PicMonkey accessories

Upload a blank image to PicMonkey, you can make one in Paint.

Use the images available all in the {speech bubbles} image. It is entirely up to you, but you probably don’t want your blog button too busy, nor do you want the images so small that they can’t be made out!

If you don’t like something you can always hit the undo button {the arrow pointing to the left in the left hand corner} and try something new.

Once you have the image or images you like, you need to add some text, use the {P} tab to access the available fonts. The style and text is entirely your choice, but I would suggest you choose a font which is easy to read!

Next thing to do is resize your button, this tool is available on the main menu, keep your button somewhere between 150 x 150 and 200 x 200 if possible.

Once you are happy with your blog button, save your button.

 

How to make a blog button using PicMonkey collages

If you are a fussy bunny, and just can’t decide on one image, then a collage is for you!

Open PicMonkey collages, and select the layout you would like to use, remember that a blog button isn’t normally more that 200 x 200 in size, so you don’t want to use too many images or anything too detailed.

Add the images you want to use in your blog button.

Once your photos are uploaded, you can drop them into your collage.

Using the {paint pallet} tab you can add background colours, adjust the size of the boxes and round corners.

Now you have the images where you want them you will need to save the collage. To add text to your blog button you will need to reopen it regular PicMonkey.

Use the {P} tab to access the fonts, remember you can resize and change the colour of the fonts to match your blog header.

Next thing to do is resize your button, this tool is available on the main menu, keep your button somewhere between 150 x 150 and 200 x 200 if possible.

Once you are happy with your blog button save it.

So, there you are, 3 different ways to make a blog button in PicMonkey!

Now that your button is designed, very nice it looks too, you want to add the {grab} element of your button.

 

Making Your Blog Button Grab~able

If you haven’t already, you need to set up an account with Photobucket.

Once you have uploaded your blog button, it will appear in your Photobucket album.

Selecting your blog button from your Photobucket album will display the various codes for the button, for the purposes of creating a grab button you want the {Direct Link}.

Now you need the {grab} part for your blog button

<center><a href="YOUR WEBSITE URL HERE">

<img src="YOUR DIRECT LINK HERE" border="0"/></a>

<textarea rows="4" cols="15"><center><a href="YOUR WEBSITE URL HERE">

<img src="YOUR DIRECT LINK HERE" border="0"/>

</a></center>

Copy and paste the above code in to Word.

Replace the pink text with the URL of your blog, mine is citygirlgonecoastal.blogspot.com yours will be similar.

Replace the blue text with the direct link for your blog button, you can obtain this from your Photobucket.

Make sure you only replace the blue and pink text, ensure you DO NOT remove any thing else, if any extra spaces appear either side of the text you copy and paste REMOVE THEM!

From the {Dashboard} on your blog, go to the {Layout} tab, select {Add a Gadget}.

From the list you want to open a {HTML/JavaScript} widget.

Copy the code you amended in the Word document earlier, paste the entire thing inside the {HTML/JavaScript} box.

Hit {Save}, use the {Preview} button to see how your snazzy new button looks.

If you are happy with the way it looks, and there is no reason you shouldn’t be, click on the {Save Arrangement} button.

Your button and the grab code are now visible on your blog.

Now you can invite people to grab your button and add it to their blog!

Linking up to some of these blogs