Knit1blogtoo CLOSED

Following on from my previous message, the Knit1blogtoo netring is now closed.

Members will no longer be able to:

1) post to the k1b2 blog
2) add comments
3) navigate from one members blog to another

Please delete the Ringsurf navigation code from your blog as it is no longer valid. You're welcome to leave the blog button and a link to the blog if you wish.

Ringsurf has recently gone through some changes so if you need to log onto your account you will have to follow the instructions on the new Ringsurf home page. I am unable to help with this as I simply don't have the time.

I will leave the blog online and all information and tutorials will remain live.

Thanks for taking an interest in the ring over the past couple of years. It's been a great learning experience and I've enjoyed watching & helping many of you progress from novice to expert bloggers. Happy blogging!

Knit1BlogToo NETRING closing down

Hi everyone

I am closing the Knit1blogtoo netring at the end of May 2008.

The blog will remain online as will the various links and resources. But I will not be maintaining an up to date database or providing tutorials. The ability to post to the Knit1blogtoo blog or to leave comments has been removed with immediate effect.

If any member is interested in running the ring themselves, please feel free to email me and we can discuss it.

Thanks...Bernie

Craftybernie unavailable for a week...

Hi everyone.

Just a quickie to let you know that I am going to be away for a week.

If you're a newbie and you've just joined the ring, I will update your membership upon my return. In the meantime, if anybody has any problems or questions, or you're waiting on a reply to any comments or email from me, I'll catch up again next weekend.

Unfortunately I don't have internet access where we're going so no email for me. I'll be in touch again next weekend when we return.

Have a great week folks!!!

Team Blog Invites & more UPDATE

Wow you guys are fast! I had in excess of 40 invites pending yesterday and only 18 this morning. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to get these out but I'm glad we're almost up to date.

Just to reiterate what the Team Blog is for:

It's not intended to be used as a forum for ongoing discussions, but it is a place where team members can:

1) Introduce themselves to the other members, thus encouraging visits to their blog.

2) Ask questions about Blogger and blogging in general - I do encourage you all to look to the blogger forums for help but it's also worth asking any questinos relating to POSTING, LAYOUT or SETTINGS questions you have here, in case other members have experienced the same problem or query before you.

3) Advertise their wares for sale, with prior consent. It is at my discretion whether I choose to allow members with shops to join the team blog in the first place, and whether they are allowed to post an advert for their shop (be it Etsy, Ebay or other). Just a reminder that I don't endorse any products sold by members, unless otherwise specified.

4) Receive updates or news relating to the Knit1blogtoo ring.

5) Access many useful Blogging links and resources in one place. The list is never going to be 'complete' but it's enough to get most newbies and experienced members on the right track.

I hope that clears things up. Thanks.

Blogger Invites for Knit1blogtoo

Well I finally caught up on most of the invites for the Knit1blogtoo blog. I think we have 50 confirmed team members, and a further 30+ awaiting to accept / decline their invites.

Just a few points of interest:

1) if you don't include your e-mail address on your Ringsurf account, you won't receive an invite. I use Ringsurf to mail the group and if your e-mail is missing, you won't receive any updates, invites, nothing.

2) if you don't have a Blogger blog and have received an invite to join the team blog, please either DECLINE the invite or set up a blogger account. It's not compulsory to join the team blog - it's just an extra feature of the ring.

3) if you haven't received an invite and you think you should have, please check your Ringsurf account and make sure your e-mail address is typed correctly on your account. I can't invite you if I haven't inserted your e-mail address or if you have done it incorrectly.

I'll be back again soon with a further update regarding membership numbers, FAQs and details on the forthcoming quiz/competition. It will be a simple competition rather than a treasure hunt as I simply don't have the time to do anything else. Prizes will remain the same as previously stated.

Blogger Invites for Knit1BlogToo Team Blog

Just a note to say that members who have joined the Knit1BlogToo ring in the past few months will shortly be receiving their invite to join the team blog. I will post an update here in the coming days. Thanks ....Bernie

Poll: Is this blog helpful?

It's feedback time.

This blog is almost a year old and now it's time for YOU to tell me what you think of it. Take a moment to answer the poll in the sidebar. Use your vote wisely - you only get one!!!

No information is gathered by entering the poll.

If you would like to supplement your vote with comments then please feel free to do so on this post.

Thanks for your time....Bernie

Beta Blogger Template simplified

If you want to understand how the beta templates are contructed and what the heck a widget is, then check this out. It's written by the same guy who gave us Blogger for dummies and now beta blogger for dummies. It's an excellent source of information.

Oh, and don't forget to check out the blogger help group on Google Groups. If you have any technical questions or need pointing in the right direction, guaranteed you'll find someone over there who can help you. I know I keep repeating this but it's really worth a visit if you're ever stuck!

Members list updated - new members added!

Hello all!

I just wanted to tell you all that we now have 95 Members in the Knit1BlogToo Ring. This includes the members in the queue who have already been approved.

The Members list is constantly has been updated so feel free to check it out when you have a mo - you never know who you might run into!

Thanks...bernie

Templates available at Blogcrowds

If you haven't done so already, you've got to check out this site. !!!

Blogcrowds.com has loads of regular blogger templates that have been converted to 3 column templates.

In order to retrieve the HTML for a template you like, you do have to register. But as soon as you register, you can access the site immediately. If you fancy a particular template, simply copy the code and paste it into your blog.

I haven't spent much time over there but from what I've seen briefly, I think I'm a gonna change my blog, again (and again.... and again.....)

PS Please please please remember to download your template before making any changes! Don't say I didn't warn ya!

How 3 col templates affect the Page Elements Screen

Many of you are no doubt aware how easy it is to add and delete page elements on your blog thanks to those clever folk at blogger. No more faffing around with templates and dreaded HTML code (actually, I quite enjoyed that part but that's another story!).

Some of you may not have had the chance to play with a 3 column template while using classic blogger, so it may seem even more daunting now to switch to a 3 column template in blogger beta. But honestly, it has never been easier! And when you switch to a 3 column template, here's one of the fun things that will change slightly but thankfully continue to work.

Adding a 3rd column has an obvious but interesting effect on the Page Elements Screen. For example, look at these screenshots:- the one on the right was taken while using a 2 column template; the one on the left was taken while using a 3 column.

Immediately you can see from the screenshot on the left, that the Page Elements Screen picks up the 3rd column. Thankfully this facility will function as normal and you can continue to use the Page Elements Screen as before by simply dragging and dropping the elements with your mouse.

So I can happily report that there's nothing to be scared of. Although the Page Elements Screen looks a little funky with the extra column, it works just fine!

Bernie

Knit1BlogToo Upgrade to Beta is complete.....

.... or at least I think it is. If you spot anything which you think is out of place or missing, I would appreciate it if you could please let me know. Feel free to share your favourite Beta friendly sites which I will add to the sidebar.

I'm sorry I haven't been around much to support you guys with the upgrade to Blogger Beta. I do hope you are all coping well. If you have any specific questions, feel free to post them and I'll see if I can help.

Right now I'm off to bed!

Enjoy the new site.

Ring Update (Ringsurf Groan more like it!!!)

I'm really ticked off with Ringsurf at the moment. I think I must have had nearing on 100 new members join the ring, 90 of which were totally bogus.

I mentioned in a previous post that Ringsurf is currently being bombarded with spam. It's so bad they've closed down their forum (not that it was anything special in the first place!) But it's especially annoying and time consuming to manage the ring with these eejit spammers joining all the time! Groan :(

Ah well, at least I know that I'm fixed for Viagra, Tylenol, Diflucan and endless Ringtones should the need ever arise.

So, apologies to those who have joined the ring and have been waiting to be added as members. You'll be added as quickly as possible. Honest!

Note for New Members to the Ring

I'm sorry if you've been waiting for an acknowledgement regarding your site submitted to the Knit1BlogToo Ring. However Ringsurf is presently being bombarded daily with submissions from spambots and it's been difficult to pick out the 'real' people amongst all the junk.

If you are in the queue and haven't heard from me, please be patient. You'll be getting mail from me very soon. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions in the meantime. You can do this by clicking on the 'Contact Me' heading in the title bar of this blog.

Thanks & best wishes..Bernie

Switching to BETA help - Update

I know I've been very slack on the blogging front lately. Not sure why but I've been really lacking motivation to do much since Christmas. However, things are looking up.

As promised, I'll be posting my notes on how to switch to BETA etc... for those of you who would like a little assistance.

I'm sorry it's taken so long to get myself organised. I feel like a naughty school girl who didn't hand in her assignment on time, with a really bad explanation on why it's late! You see, my note book got misplaced in the post-Christmas tidy up... blah blah blah blah .... but I found it again last night. I'll be typing up my notes this weekend come rain or shine!!!

Best wishes everyone!!

Beta Blog & 3 Column Template

Ta-da! Here's a piccie of my new 3 column template. This is on my test blog at the moment but I will hopefully copy it into my other blogs after the weekend. "Isn't she pretty?", she said, shamelessly flaunting but definitely not gloating.
As I am learning how to use blogger beta, I am keeping a record of how I did what etc... and I will be posting about this in the coming week or so.

If it will help at least one member of Knit1BlogToo to switch over to Beta with confidence and perhaps even get themselves the coveted 3 column template, then I'll be happy. (insert big cheesy grin here!)

So, if you want to check out the new layout, click on the screenshot and you'll be redirected. Oh, and if you run into any problems over there perhaps you could let me know? Thanks...Bernie

Happy Camping Folks!

Knit1BlogToo on Beta

Sound out the fanfare. Ring out the bells. Knit1BlogToo has arrived on Blogger Beta! Yay!!!

Actually it's a lot less exciting than I thought it would be but perhaps once I start messing about with the HTML on this template things will get a bit more interesting.

I have just this minute sent an e-mail to all Knit1BlogToo members to let you know that I've changed over. If you haven't seen it yet, please check your spam folder or let me know if I missed you off the mailing list.

I'm a bit under the weather at the moment so I'm off to bed. In the meantime, don't panic if you have trouble accessing this blog. I'll be back on tomorrow to sort things out and give you all an update.

Best wishes...Bernie

PS If you absolutely cannot wait, then check out Blogger Buzz for more information on Team Blogs and how access will vary from classic blogger users to beta blogger users.

I'm an SOB!

What is an SOB I hear you ask? Good question. It's not rude. It's quite fun actually. Maybe you will be an SOB one day.

Knit1BlogToo has been given a Successful Outstanding Blogger award.

And I've claimed my badge to show off to the world. How cool is that?!?

Thanks Liz! Do I have to give a speach?