This is the most complete Tumblr resource book I have seen thus far. No one else has even DARED to create a Tumblr Theme Tutorial because of how intense it can be. Not only do you need a clear understanding of HTML/CSS, you will need a firm grasp of Tumblr’s custom codes and some sense of design.

Is this book better than the NetTuts Tumblr Tutorial series?

Well … yes. My biggest frustration with the NetTuts Tumblr video tutorial series is that after I finished my theme and I tried to submit my theme to Tumblr’s Theme Garden I missed a few steps and custom codes which I needed to get my theme approved. Luckily I was able to fix the problems with my Tumblr theme because of all the great information Jeffery provided, but key parts were missing. These essential elements however, are covered in the book.

Also I like the fact that with the book you can follow along with the video. With the original Tumblr video tutorial I found myself pausing and rewinding frequently to help keep up with Jeffery. He moved kind of fast through the steps, which made it tough to follow along at times.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the book is $29. Yes, it costs a bit more than the How to Make a Tumblr Theme video tutorial (which only cost’s $9), but you also get more. You get the ebook, original source files to work from and the video series. So like I said, it costs a bit more BUT, you don’t have to sign up for a subscription at NetTuts to get the tutorial, especially if you are the type that will forget to cancel the $9 payment before the next billing cycle.

What else comes in Theme Tumblr Like a Pro tutorial series?

• The fundamentals: template tags, basic structure
• Blocks
• The various post types and variables
• Build a theme
• Working with the Tumblr API
• Passing Tumblr-specific values to your JavaScript
• Adding enhanced functionality with JavaScript and the API
• A plethora of miscellaneous recipes
• Working with custom meta types to create an options panel, which then provides maximum flexibility for the user of the theme
• And plenty more…

Did you buy the book?

Yes I did. I like to try out everything I buy before I recommend it. After I made my first Tumblr theme, I realized there was still alot more I needed to know about how to make a Tumblr theme. I have a few new ideas I’m working on and I’ll update this page, once I have something to show off! lol

Click here to buy your copy of the “Theme Tumblr Like a Pro” tutorial series.

Are there any other books you recommend?

Yes! If you are new to web design, Photoshop or HTML/CSS, you should strongly consider adding the following tutorial books to your home library.

• Photoshop to Html ($29) – In “Photoshop to HTML ”, Nettuts+ editor Jeffrey Way takes you through the entire process of converting a design from Photoshop into a complete HTML /CSS website! But this is NOT just an eBook. It also comes packed with extras! You also get a directory of Photoshop, HTML and CSS files for you to use as you work through the book AND a series of 14 screencasts covering the whole project from beginning to end.
• Mastering Photoshop ($20) – Mastering Photoshop is written for advanced and intermediate designers who want to brush up on their workflow and improve their Photoshop skills. The eBook contains 178 pages, explaining fundamental techniques that Web designers need to know to produce high-quality work in Photoshop.
• How to Build a Succesful Blog Business ($39) – How to Build a Successful Blog Business is a straight forward guide to building a publishing business online that covers everything from choosing a niche to hiring staff, registering a business to selling it, finding traffic to monetizing it.

I know you’re looking at the prices and shaking your heads, right? But consider this web design is a growing field (especially since I’ve been a successful designer for more than 10 years), Tumblr (and their themes) have grown and a newbie web designer can easily create a steady stream of income buy selling Tumblr designs. Designers on NetTuts can easily make a few thousand dollars a month selling themes. In addition, selling Tumblr themes has become so popular, that even Tumblr has created a premium themes section, where users can purchase top notch Tumblr themes.

With the unexpected popularity of my first Tumbr them “Be Original“, I’ve even considered becoming a professional theme designer myself!

So good luck! If any of you try out the tutorial and have a theme you want to share, feel free to contact me. I would love to post it in my Free Tumblr Templates section! (Even if it doesn’t make it into Tumbr Theme Garden!)

Sign up TODAY by using the ‘brandbuild‘ coupon and get a discount of $9.94 off the package price. With plans starting for as little as $4.95 a month, Hostgator is practically GIVING their hosting services away!

There aren’t many hosting that have a FREE online chat customer service 24 hours a day. I don’t know how many times I’ve have issues with my sites and have had to contact someone at Hostgator in the middle of the night to fix the problem. It doesn’t matter what time of day or night you need the, they are there.

But don’t let me convince you. You can go over to Hostgator right now and ask them any question you have WITHOUT even being a customer. Try them out or you can read more about why I love Hostgator.

Well What if I Hate Them After I Sign Up?

Yeah, I’ve been there. You sign up for a service thinking it’s gonna be great and it turns out to be a bunch of crap. Well Hostgator is different, plus if you don’t like their hosting service EVERY web hosting plan comes with a 45 day money back guarantee, 99.9% uptime guarantee, and is fully guaranteed by the owner, Brent Oxley. Click here to sign up today!

I’m not interested in building a huge list of Facebook fans, a ton of Twitter followers or an unbelievable amount of RSS readers. I like new visitors from sent to me directly from Google, Yahoo or Bing (MSN). If this site somehow grows into a community, that’s great. But that’s not my ultimate goal.

My only goal for this site is to finally give people a honest answer about how to make a website, with little to no fluff. Just truth.

With that being said. I liked this AddThis Sharebar. Why? It’s unobtrusive and it took me only about 3 minutes to install. So why not try it?

Trust me if I see that it becomes annoying, I’ll delete it just as fast as I added it on.

Now about the bar.

The AddThis Sharebar is a different way of making your content shareable using the AddThis platform. As a persistent utility at the bottom of your pages, the Sharebar keeps your users’ favorite services front and center to help increase sharing.

It’s a handy little bar that has irect links to Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, Tumblr and many more social networking sites to allow users to share your content with their audience. The Sharebar is a AddThis labs project so they is no support for it and they suggest you submit any technical question to their forum.

Add Sharebar to your Site in 3 Minutes

To install Sharebar, copy and paste the following Javascript and DHTML code into your page – it can go anywhere in your page template. An AddThis username is only needed if you want tracking/analytics. You can use your current AddThis username, create a new account, or ignore the username setting.

If you feel this will add value to your site grab one here, then feel free to send me a link to your site if you are using it and or give me a feedback if your like it.

A few weeks ago, was invited to speak at a social media workshop, so I finally decided to put some effort into designing a business card – just in case someone asked. I have been asked this in the past and NEVER been prepared. This time I was determined to leave a lasting impression – and boy did I ever!

I decided to order a fabulous set of Moo business cards. Trust me, the pic below only highlights about 60% of the amazing-ness of the Moo.

About Moo

MOO is a printing business, creating products from your online content. Partnering with a variety different communities and networks, from Flickr, to Second Life, to Fotolog and Bebo.

The MiniCard product is delivered in a biodegradable plastic box. Each MOO partner has a custom-designed paper wrap, featuring elements of their brand and linking this in with MOO’s own. As we are increasingly aware of the MOO community, and the love they have for photographing products we always create more than one designed version of each partner wrap. It gives the unwrapping a little something extra, and is another small element for people to talk about.

MOO also prints Sticker Books and Postcards. Ninety different Stickers printed on 15 individual sheets, bound into a pocket-sized book. Users are able to select the color of their book at the end of the ordering process, and the full range of colors can be seen above. As with all MOO packaging, there are hidden messages inside. (Source)

The Crowd Reaction

Was awesome! Even though, the point of the workshop was social media, my business cards definitely took center stage. Attendees were pleasantly surprised at how nice they were. The cards are made of 16pt, sustainably sourced, matte laminated paper, which is smooth to the touch. They also offer a recycled option for the environmentally conscious. I ordered 100 cards which cost around $40  (with a sweet discount code I found online), and it was well worth every penny. I have used other online printers before (who shall remain nameless), but Moo is the best BY FAR!

Their business cards allow you to create up to 50 different back-side options, so your cards can have tons of different looks. I only choose three to coordinate with the theme of my site. Moo also offers some of the best pre-designed cards in the business. The designs are fresh, clean, new, trendy and honestly just FUN. Say goodbye to those stale business cards with the same old boring logo and contact info. Spice up your life and and taste the Mooooooo!