Blogging: Resources for getting started

I've learned a lot in my first year of blogging, and although my blog still isnt quite where I want it to be, for the most part it looks how I want it to look! That look took a lot of work! If you just make the random decision to start blogging (like I did) without any research ahead of time, chances are you have no idea what you're doing or where to even start! As you can imagine, my blog wasn't so pretty in the beginning. In fact, here's a peek at what my blog header looked like when I first started....

Yikes. I was proud of my ability to draw straight lines in MS Paint ;)
Needless to say, I quickly realized I had some work to do. I started looking at the blogs that I read frequently and learning how to do things they had on their blogs. For instance, I noticed everyone had a signature at the end of their posts. So I researched it and implemented it. Or I thought, how do I get a picture next to my blog name on the millions of tabs I have open at the top of Google Chrome? I learned it is called a favicon, and I made one. Or how do I create a pretty navigation bar across the top of my page? How do I get a hover Pin It button on my images? How do I add social media icons to my side bar? Lots of research later, I slowly learned these things and my blog started to come together. And here we are now!!
If you're just starting out, I thought I would spare you all that research and list some of the resources I found. Some of them are great compilations of tutorials and some of them are specific tutorials. Almost all of the blogs listed below have other information about blogging on their sites, so be sure to browse around! 
Resources A-Z Blogging tools & resources | The Blog Stylist Blogging and social media resources | Writing-Wishing 50 online tools to better your blog | IFB
Design & HTML Tricks 58 tips for transforming your blog | BoostBlogTraffic.com How to make a blog header | The Anti June Cleaver Move the date below the header in blogger | xomisse Adding a custom menu bar | Living, Laughing, & Loving Add social media icons | Bonjour, Blogger! 10 tips on sizing images for you blog | One Dog Woof Creating a navigation bar | Honeybear Lane How to make page buttons | In Which A Girl Reads How I made my blogger my own | The ngnrdgrl Personalize your favicon | Sycamore Street Press
Important Pages How to Revamp Your About Page | The Thinking Closet Must Have Blog Pages | The Flourishing Abode
Growth How to start and grow your blog | Liz Marie Blog How to grow your blog and love it too | Post Cards From Rachel Why you need a facebook fan page | The Daily Post How to increase blog traffic | Carrie Elle How to increase blog traffic and make friends | Cropped Stories 6 tips for growing your diy blog | The Girl Creative
Blog Planners Organized blog planner | Organizing Homelife Where to find free blog planner printables | Wondermom Wannabe Free Printable Blog Planners | A Well Crafted Party <----- the one I use!! Free Printable Monthly Blogger Checklist | Play, Party, Pin Free Blog Planner Printable

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