As promised, here is the Blogs By Heather Weekly Q&A. Every week to recap all the questions and answers as I feel many would benefit from the answers and appreciate the questions.

Discussion This Week: 

1. Creating a Notes Typelist in TypePad 
2. How to change the font size and color in the sidebar (TypePad)
3. How to create a printer friendly blog
4. Creating a dropdown menu

Creating a Notes Typelist in TypePad

A customer of mine is working on her sidebars and wanted to know how to be able to insert an image in the sidebar as well as have text underneath it.  I asked if she was using a Notes Typelist for that is what she would need.  So if she was not, to delete the old typelist and create a new one.  Then shared these instructions on how to setup the sidebar item with the image and text.

• First, go to your Typelists (under the Library Menu) and then Create New Typelist.
• Make sure to choose Notes as the Type, and then give it a Name (this will appear as as a title in your sidebar).

Then upload a picture of your item to your file manager (the File Manager is also listed under the Library menu).

• Then right-click and get the URL of that image (meaning Copy Link or Copy shortcut – that is the image's path).

Then you need to go to your new Typelist and in the NOTES are you will use this:

<img src="path to your image">

such as

<img src="http://www.astampabove.com/kits-available.jpg">

Then if you want to link that to a page on your blog….Create the page on you rblog and get the URL to that page.  Then modify this code to be like this:

<a href="URL to page on blog"><img src="path to image"></a>

Then if you want text under it as well, no problem:

<a href="URL to page on blog"><img src="path to image"></a><BR>Click here to view all my available kits for sale!

And if you want it centered…..
<center><a href="URL to page on blog"><img src="path to image"></a></center>

Remember to click SAVE to save your changes. And if you are using a new Typelist, you need to click PUBLISH as well:

• Then check off your blog and click Save Changes. 
• Next, click Organize Content, 
• Then Content until you end up in the layout of your blog where you see the newly added item listed at the bottom of your sidebar.  
• Drag and drop where you want it to be and then save changes.

Related articles

• Creating a sidebar item to link to existing post (using Notes Typelist).
• Creating a sidebar w/o having to use a TypeList!

Change the font and size

Again, this is a TypePad question about how to change the size and font of the sidebar titles.

• Go to Design, then Theme Builder.
• Go to Sidebar settings (at the bottom).
• And change the size and font of the Sidebar Title if you'd like.
• Save changes.

How to create a Printer Friendly post

I loved this question and wanted to experiment with it.  TypePad and WordPress.com already have it covered and your post area is printed only (no sidebars); however this is not the case with Blogger or privately hosted WordPress blogs…so here is the article on that.

Creating a Dropdown Menu (NavBar)

I had a customer post a question to me if it is possible to have a dropdown in Blogger. I said "Yes", and its the same code I use for TypePad blogs.  WordPress has a built-in ability to create a menu-like system when you create pages – you can set it to be a sub-page and create a hierarchy that way. Anyway….

Here is the code I use, but of course have modified it for my clients…but it's a starting point.  You will soon see a new Dropdown menu on this blog as part of my Reorganizing Your Blog series!

I also offer this as a service from $25-$40 depending on the complexity. If you are interested or need a dropdown menu for your blog:

Until next week….

Happy Blogging!

Heather Wright-Porto
www.BlogsByHeather.com