It’s beautiful, fast and flexible! The best thing is – version 2.7 allows you to upgrade your WordPress blog with the one-click-upgrade feature, like what you have been doing while upgrading plugins in the previous version.

I’m going to upgrade all my blogs to WordPress 2.7 now.

Download the latest WordPress version here.

This is a very simple plugin for all WordPress blogs! Unlike the traditional Javascript snowflake , all you need to do is:

1. Download the Let It Snow plugin.
2. Upload the let-it-snow folder and its contents to your blog’s plugin folder (wp-content/plugins).
3. Activate this plugin and you’re done!

If you encounter any problems, click here for support.

If you are using Blogger (blogspot) classic template, perhaps you would like to read this for adding Javascript snowflake to your blog.

Let your blog snows, spread the Christmas feel and have a great holiday season. ^^

Guess what? Some kind souls out there have made such simple and clean interface into a blog theme which you can use for your blogs! If you are a fan of 2 columns, white and clean layout, this is a theme that you will definitely suit your taste.

Take a look at this Google Chrome Wordpress theme. Isn’t it just nice and neat?

Common Features

• 2 columns fixed width
• Widgets ready
• Gravatar ready
• Works on Wordpress v2.5 and above
• Tested on IE6/7, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and of course Chrome
• XHTML & CSS Validated

Download Google Chrome for Wordpress.

Not a WordPress user? No worries, Google Chrome is also available in Blogger / blogspot blogs!! It’s pretty much the same like the WordPress version. This is a Blogger template which is available for XML new blogger layout.

Download Google Chrome for Blogger.

Have fun with the Google Chrome theme. All credits go to the original authors.

What is Word Press’d and how does it look like?

Directly quoted from B2L:

Word Press’d aims to give Wordpress users around the world the chance to make their blog look similar to the highly anticipated Wordpress Admin Theme release with version 2.5.

The theme tries to incorporate the best parts of the Admin theme while at the same time add customisability, compatibility and suitable to serve as a blog template while at the same time be visually attractive and have a light quick loading framework.

I really appreciate this theme. It is really similar to the new WordPress 2.5 admin control panel. If you are a WordPress 2.5 fan, you may love to turn your blog into a Word Press’d blog.

According to B2L, they are going to release version 4 soon.  In the upcoming version, they are going to include a Tabbed Sidebar Widget.

The below image is the screencast of Word Press’d v0.3

Word Press’d is fully compatible on WordPress 2.5+

[ Download Word Press'd v0.3 ]

[ Learn more about Word Press'd theme by Blog2Life ]

Please take note that I did not create any of these themes. Credits to all their original authors. All themes are widget-ready.

Books And Imagination

This is a nice theme for those who are into literature or writing.

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Download: Books and Imagination Theme

Dark Mood V3

The original theme is not widget-ready. However, I have made this time widget-ready for your using pleasure.

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Download: Dark Mood V3 Theme

KayuPress

This is really a splendid theme! I personally love it very much. The theme is designed to work with several WordPress plugins. You can check out the plugins you need to get the best out of this theme.

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Download: KayuPress Theme

Mag On Wood

This is a simple and neat 3 column theme.

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Download: Mag On Wood Theme

Marcus

If you are a fan of big header image, this theme may suit you. It’s simple and neat as well.

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Download: Marcus Theme

Papyrus

This is another splendid theme by SK Design Studio.

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Download: Papyrus Theme

Plant-a-Tree

This is another splendid theme originally by Igor Penjivrag, and the theme that I shared here is the one that has been modified by Noktah Hitam. For installation instruction, read this.

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Download: Plant-a-Tree Theme

Plasticine World

This is a simple theme featuring a “globe”.

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Download: Plasticine World Theme

Wood

A darkwood theme that look similar to Plant-a-Tree theme. Quite a nice theme if you favor dark theme.

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Download: Wood Theme

WP WoodBlog

WP WoodBlog theme is a nice theme with paper and wooden texture and some stationery, which is almost alike to Office Theme 1.0.

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Download: WP WoodBlog Theme

Hope you like my collection of Wood Theme.

Posting up your email for readers to contact you is the most basic way of letting your readers contact you besides leaving comments/feedback in your blog (comment section or chatbox widget). However, it will be much more easier if you can provide a “contact form” feature in your blog.

This will facilitates your readers to contact you just by filling the contact form.

Why Contact Form?

[1] Readers can contact you easily.

[2] Ensure the message is successfully delivered to you.

[3] Having a more professional feel (impression wise).

Adding a contact form nowadays is not difficult at all. You don’t need to have HTML knowledge to have this done. There are free services or plugins available to help you add a contact form to your blog.

How to Add a Contact Form?

For WordPress user, you can install the Enhanced WordPress Contact Form plugin. Once you activate this plugin in your WordPress blog, you can set the configuration under the “Settings” tab (for WordPress 2.5). The settings is quite straight forward. Take a look at the sanpshot which is quite self explained below.

Then you will have to create a Page, and add in the following code and publish your page.

For more support on this plugin, click here.

For Blogger (Blogspot) user, you can add a contact form to your blog too! No, you don’t need to code the contact form yourself. All you have to do is to sign up for a FREE account at WebFormDesigner. Follow the instructions and you can get a simple yet functional contact form like this:

I will not go into detail on how to generate a contact form like the above. Instead, you can read read this detail tutorial on adding a contact form in your Blogspot blog.

Do you have a contact form in your blog? If you haven’t, try to add one now.

Last Update: 24th September 2008

With the green awareness round, there are lots of ways which we can echo the green environmental issue. Literally, we can also make our blog a “green blog” by using nature theme. I found the nature theme soothing for the eye.

Below is a collection of nature theme for WordPress platform. Downloads are available.

Green Grass Theme

This theme very much looks like the default Windows XP Luna Blue theme. Green and blue is always a good color combination.

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Download: Green Grass Theme

Eco Blog

This theme gives people a cool refreshing feeling with the watery background.

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Download: Eco Blog Theme

Frozen Lotus

This is a soothing blue theme with flower lotus as the main focus. A big RSS button is embeded into the theme.

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Download: Frozen Lotus Theme

Funky Lilly

A green theme with lilly as the main focus.

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Download: Funky Lilly Theme

Lilicious

Another lilly theme but in icy blue this time. Big RSS button is embeded in this theme.

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Download: Lilicious Theme

Sugared Spring

Leafy spring theme gives people a happy feeling. Great color combition of green and orange. Big RSS button is embeded in this theme.

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Download: Sugared Spring Theme

Lady Bug

Do you like cute bugs like the red lady bug? Leaves and lady bug theme.

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Download: Lady Bug Theme

Peaceland

If you like dark theme with 3 columns, this is definitely a good one for you.

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Download: Peaceland Theme

Maple Valley

If you like dark theme and prefer something browish, perhaps this maple theme with the autumn feel will suit your taste. Big RSS button is embeded in this theme.

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Download: Maple Valley Theme

Organic

Another dark nature theme with watery leaves. Personally love this theme very much.

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Download: Organic Theme

How do you like the nature theme? Give your blog a “green” theme today and help spread the green awareness around the blogosphere.

There are plenty of free themes available for downloads and most themes allow you to modify to suit your own taste, but giving credits back to the creators (at the footer), which is pretty fair.

Here, is a collection of 10 elegant Wordpress themes that you may consider using them.

Olive Theme by Chris Niedojadlo

I personally like this design. It’s a 3 columns design and widget ready. The default colors is well blended into the theme.

[Download Olive Theme]

Danika by Cyberwire LLC

This theme is similar to the previous Olive Theme. 3 columns and widget ready.

[Download Danika]

Office Theme 1.0 by Greg Ponchak

I like the stationery theme and wood texture behind, really looks like on your working desk. 2 columns and widget ready.

[Download Office Theme 1.0]

RedBlue by Themey

This is a 3 columns, widget ready theme. Red and blue blended nicely.

[Download RedBlue]

iTheme Clear Blue

This is a very “Mac” feel theme. I like the smoothing blue theme. 2 columns and widget ready.
[Download iTheme Clear Blue]

PinkLove

This is a very pretty theme which is suitable for girls. 3 columns and widget ready.

[Download PinkLove]

Div Ice

Looks similar to the previous PinkLove theme but in cool ice blue. Suitable for boys, well, of course girls can use it too. 3 columns and widget ready.

[Download Div Ice]

Div Black Theme

If you are a fan of dark theme, this is quite a nice one. 3 columns and widget ready.[Download Div Black Theme]

Notes

This is really a plain white theme with little colors here and there. Looks like using a highlight pen. Yup, it has a notebook layout. A 2 columns theme. The original theme is not widget ready, however, I’ve converted it to a widget ready theme.[Download Notes]

TV 6Th Feeling

A very contract theme, light comfortable background with dark foreground. 2 columns and widget ready.

[Download TV 6Th Feeling]

Hope you enjoy these themes. Happy pimping your blog.

Not enough, hunger for more options? >> Check out TopWPThemes

Extra reading >> Skin Your Blog

Before the widget ready version was released, the Illacrimo theme was not able to support widgets in Wordpress. Who would not love the widget ready version as it makes life much more easier when you want to customize your blog arrangement? However, this theme is not working well with the current Wordpress 2.3 and above version.

The similar common errors that one (Wordpress 2.3 and above user) will encounter are likely to be:

Getting a blank page after every process upon completion. Such as, a blank page occurs after you publish a post, manage or update a post, etc.

Getting an error message of “ERROR: Wordpress requires Cookies but your browser does not support them or they are blocked“, even though all cookies has been enabled in your browser(s).

How can we resist not to use this splendid theme, right? So, a fix is here to solve the problem. Eventually, it’s just a small “bug” that cause this problem. All you need to do is to change a small part in your functions.php of the Illacrimo theme.

Look for the following code and change it accordingly.

Before:
?>

<?php

After: (Solution)
?><?php

Conclusion: REMOVE the space between the 2 lines, and make it appear in one single line (like the one shown in the “After” section). Remember, you should modify this piece of script in functions.php.

After that, just remember to save/update your changes and you’re done. You can now enjoy this wonderful Illacrimo widget ready Wordpress theme.

From time to time, Wordpress will release new version with bugs fixed of the previous version. If you are a Wordpress.com user, worry not as they will do any necessary updates for you, if needed. But if you host your own Wordpress blog in your own domain, you must update your Wordpress blog all by yourself, or the so-called “admin” of your blog.

But when?

When you see the above message appears in your Dashboard, you know that there’s a new release. By clicking the “Please update now” hyperlink, you will be directed to the download page.

How?

[1] Download the latest Wordpress version from Wordpress.org. You can choose to download either in .zip format or .tar.gz format.

[2] Backup critical files such as your theme and plugins. (Disable your plugins first)

[3] Extract and upload all content of the downloaded Wordpress file to your host. Overwrite everything. You can use FTP for easier upload.

[4] Login to http://your-domain/wordpress/wp-admin/upgrade.php (this is just an example) to upgrade your current Wordpress and follow the instruction to finish the upgrade process. (optional, especially for minor changes. ie. update from version 2.3.1 to version 2.3.2)

How to know whether you have successfully update your Wordpress? Scroll down to the end of your Dashboard and you know you have finished updating (look at the Version) once you see something like this:

*From the above message, I know that my blog is currently Version 2.3.2*

Why?

You think it is troublesome to update Wordpress? Maybe you need to know why is an update important.

• New release normally fix bugs that were found in the previous version. Be it a security hole or syntax error.
• Usually more stable.
• New features or bonus features may be introduced in new release.

However, before updating your Wordpress, you need to bare in mind the followings:

• Plugins compatibility.
• Backups of critical files such as your blog theme, plugins and database (especially for major updates such as upgrading from version 1 to version 2)

Have you updated your Wordpress?

Happy blogging =)