Cute Blogger Templates

The standard templates for Blogger are venerable (that is, dated) and uninspiring. But there are some crackerjack templates out there by independent designers. Below are some good free blogger skins from BTemplates.

So adorable! Takes all the current design obsession with birds and zaps it with some kind of mutant cuteness ray gun.

Download here.


This is the only "notebook" software theme I've ever seen that isn't twee. I think it's the appealing textures, and the nicely contrasting florid background.

Download here.


Very dreamy, which I would like all on its own, but then there's that bit of toughening up from the tiny, brightly-colored Mexican oilcloth-style flower motif (reminds me of Isabella Fiore a little).

Download here.


This one is a little gooey, but for a girly or mommy blog, it would be thematically appropriate, and it's put together well. If you view the closeup, you can also see the illustrations are pretty as all heck.

Download here.


And there's lots to like here: the scrapbook-ness of it all, the nubby texture of the "paper" (see closeup), the cozy coffee-and-paper old-skool tone, and the three-dimensional feel.

Download here.

Ann Sacks Penny Rounds Tile

Penny rounds have been making a comeback lately, and it's easy to see why. Squares, hexagons, and other boxy shapes abound, but little colorful dots of tile are so weird and cheerful! And the netted sheets make installation a little easier. Pictured: one of my favorite penny rounds: a luminous seaglass green with a pale olive-y iris around the edges. This could be a gorgeous retro touch to a modern kitchen, or add an unearthly, lovely glow to a bathroom remodel.

See more at Ann Sacks.

The Ultimate Tiny Houses

Taking the tiny-house movement to its logical extreme, houses like the Weebee (pictured above) run around 100 square feet and can be purchased whole, rolled to your location (they come on wheels), and parked. Because they're considered travel trailers, the permitting process is simplified or nonexistent. If you need guest quarters or a little studio in the backyard, these would be a great solution, and they'd also make a fantastic low-maintenance country getaway.

At Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

Das Schwimmhaus

Okay, real people have more stuff than this (where do they keep their books? their little wheels that fell off of things? their sixth-favorite sweaters?), but this is dreadfully inspirational. Probably even more so if you can read German.

From Hausbootbau Oldenburg.

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Eddie Ross Goes To Goodwill

Eddie Ross, of Top Design fame, has his very own blog, and his latest post is a tour of the design possibilities at Goodwill. His blog has lots of good style suggestions, actually, and a friendly, down-to-earth voice that I wasn't expecting after the drama of the show!

At EddieRoss.com.

All About Repurposing: Unconventional Bulletin Boards & Office Organizers

DIYMaven has some advice on how to turn an old crib spring into a kick-ass office organizer / bulletin board. The picture she uses to illustrate is full of other dreamy repurposing ideas, too: part of an old table as a small desk, graters and tins as office supply bins and pencil cups—good stuff!

At Curbly.