Wednesday 31 October 2012

Blog Tips

I learnt a couple of new tips this week which hopefully will make my blogging easier and a little more fun.

1. How to add splashes of colour to Black and White Images

The older I get the more of a need I have to manipulate images. I have been looking for a program that would allow me to add splashes of colour to black and white photos without having to buy an Apple product or Photoshop.

And I found one. It's called GIMP which is free and safe to download. 



Original photo of my niece Erin
This is the image I converted to black and white with a splash of colour using GIMP (I need to work on the blue a little more to make it more realistic)
 
GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring.

It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert quality photo retouching program, an online batch processing system, a mass production image renderer, an image format converter, etc.

All I know is that it can do everything from the simplest task as above to the most complex image manipulation. I can envisage a dummies guide to How to look like Angelina Jolie in a few easy keystrokes - my book will be out soon.


This was made for me by Ugich at  Gappa

Of course if you know of any better program please let us know. And thanks to beautiful Erin for allowing me to use her image for a good cause and Ugich for my new book cover.


2. How to find out how fast your blog takes to load

My daughter told me my blog takes forever to load so I thought I better try and fix it otherwise first time visitors will not be hanging around to read anything. I was completely unaware that it takes 12 seconds for my page to download the first time and 2 seconds thereafter for subsequent downloads. That is way too long for first time visitors.

There are various ways you can check how long your site takes to download. Google has some great tips here how to optimise download times.

However, there are two sites I found really useful because they diagnose the problems. Websiteoptimization.com and Google's page speed siteBoth analyse your site and give you advice about which items need to be fixed as a priority.


I have a lot of work to do. It is a shame that I love using images on my blog.....but they take a long time to download...


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And finally, I hope all my blogging friends in the USA are safe and secure given the horrific impact of Hurricane Sandy. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.  Are you ok?

36 comments:

  1. Thank you High Priestess of the Blog, Guru Most Holy .. great info, especially the black/white with color tip. Can't wait to try it.

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    1. Helen, are you still blogging as I cannot find your blog.....please help.

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  2. I like the black and white images with a touch of colour. What gorgeous eyes Erin has, just beautiful. I will try this because I do have an app on my Iphone which is easy to use but I'm always wanting to try something new.

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    1. It takes a bit of getting used to and perhaps doing eyes was not ideal. It may be better with a single flower among many or something but like everything it is trial and error. Although one of my nieces showed me how easy it is to do on her iphone with an app that does the same thing. As a Blackberry user I dont have that option. Maybe I will have to sucumb to the whole iphone craze next time I upgrade my phone.

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  3. You really do have the best ideas, Lilly! I've been using Photoshop, but it's not all that easy a program to use.

    I use a lot of photos on my blog, but I'm been reducing them quite a bit so they aren't too big a file. Still... when I go on trips, it's rather difficult.

    I guess I should check and see.

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  4. OK... Just did the google site and I think it's OK. I'm not sure if I totally understand it, though. I got 81 out of 100.

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    1. Mine was 93 out of a 100 - it was less but I compressed my header making it more suitable for my blog and I am compressing as many other pictures as I can too. Also external links to other sites is an issue too I believe. It iwll tell you if anything is a high priority Kay. If not, I wouldnt worry.

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  5. wow you are really becoming a blog expert Lilly, very technical tips here! Good for you!

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    1. No, not an expert Christine, but it seems I am always looking for answers about ways to make blogging easier. I just thought I would blog about the tips I learn as I do them as that way I will be able to use them as a reference for myself in the future too. I just have to sort out a way to store them all in some kind of logical order.

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  6. She is vey photogenic your niece. I must try this tool for some of my photos. It looks good.

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    1. Yes naturally so, without the help of photo enhancing tools lol

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  7. Lilly, thanks for the info concerning page speed. I will be checking into that.

    I have been using GIMP for a lot of things for quite a while. I draw my cartoons in Gimp and then create graphics around them. For example, I may put my cartoon self in a outdoor scene and add my cats to it. (of course, I usually use GIMP to put little hats on my cats). It is a really fun and creative tool. There are limitations compared to Photoshop but it is easier to use, in my opinion.

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    1. Thank you so much for visiting Cheryl. That is interesting that you use GIMP for your cartoons - wow!. Although something tells me I wont be making the standard of art you do. Your cartoons are amazing and hilarious! I acutally should give you a look at mine sometime - look like the work of a self respecting five year old!

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  8. Excellent tips. Haven't tried GIMP. For a free graphics program, I've been using Paint.Net otherwise its PS...

    BTW I'm starting a one-man crusade against Choice for saying Toblerone is a shonky product!!! How dare they!

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    1. I will look at Paint.Net too.

      I wondered that about Toblerone as well. So much so that I had to go and look it up - apperantly they said they had 16 pieces not the 15 that was in the pack. Geez it is not like there is a problem with the chocolate. And my backside can testify to that!!!

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  9. Always pleased to learn new blog tips Lilly especially ones that are free and recommended!
    Many thanks
    Peggy ♥♥♥

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    1. Thank you Peggy, I am just including them given I have to find them out too. If I blog about them I will always be able to find them again on my blog for a quick reference. I dont know how many times I have had to look up the one about leaving a link in a comment. Practice makes perfect.

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  10. I don't have a blog but just read them and I do like the look with the splash of colour used on the black and white image. Although I am not sure I would look as good as young Erin of course. I will download it and find out. Glad its free. What is the one you use for Ipads and Iphones though, may also try that if it doesn't cost too much.

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    1. Actually one of my other nieces told me that the app is called colour splash. She showed me and it looked very easy to use as she was just doing it on her phone.

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  11. May be I should try and make another book titled "How to look like Angelina Jolie etc ..." ?

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    1. LOL yes, you are now officially my book cover designer. Now I just have to get cracking on the contents.

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  12. Hi again ... I let go of Living Boldly several months ago ... too much effort maintaining that and my poetry blog. You can still find me at
    http://woonietest.blogspot.com/

    ... and thank you for asking!!!

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    1. Thanks Helen - so glad you popped back i have been wondering about that for months!

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  13. Oh my! I love how her blue eyes pop on the second picture! Just beautiful :)

    I have a lot of relatives that live in Maryland. They had scary winds, nasty rain, no snow and they didn't lose any power. Thank God.

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    1. It is quite fun doing this so expect some more photos aleta. Glad about your relatives in Maryland, such a sad situation in New York.

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  14. Hey I love Macs. You get more than photo tricks. Yes to buy one just to fix a pic or two is a little silly. Thanks for the page loading tip - I will be checking that out.
    My tip of the month - don't play in the street.

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    1. Thanks for the tip Bill - don't pay in the street - you know how to ruin a gir;s' life dont you? I know Macs are great and I worked with them for years - the computers that is - I just am not ready to get a new one yet. I could use my Ipad but want to do it on my computer.

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  15. Your niece is beautiful. I'll check out some of the tips. I look forward to your book!

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    1. Yes she is and sweet inside and out too. Wouldnt that be a funny book hey?

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  16. I like that i'ts free - PS is great but so hard to use for a novice like me.

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  17. I like the back and white image look. Does it hide wrinkles too?

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  18. These are helpful. I'm bookmarking this page so I can come back and try them out this weekend. Thanks!

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    1. That's ok Secret Agent Woman, hope they are helpful.

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  19. Thank you, thank you so much.. your tip on webpage loading speed has fixed a slow load problem that was bugging me for ages!!! Now why didn't I think of that!! :)

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    1. That is great Ruthie, glad it helped. Now I have to do something about mine as well lol.

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  20. We're fine in Boston proper - thanks for asking. Friend in Jersey City and relatives in Staten Island have been without power 5 days and counting.
    Love the blog tips - I am picture-adverse on my site and I know I shouldn't be. Your tips are helpful because one day soon, I'm going to bite the bullet and commit to having images that support my blog. Your niece is gorgeous as is my niece. Young and beautiful - ah yes, I remember it well except I didn't know how beautiful I was. (Modesty...ha! ha!)

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Thanks for your comments.