This is a set of hideous pink psychedelic dolphins with the phrase “hire us” written twice in the same size of comic sans. I hope it bothers you.

This is a St. Patrick background I created. The shadowy figure is my brother-in-law.

I just did a redesign of my wife’s blog. You can check it out by clicking on the image. Tell me what you think. I’ve really been into these swirlies lately. I will probably hate them in a year. As always it was built entirely with PhotoShop and Headway for WordPress. 

This is a project I recently finished for my wife. She wrote the text and told me what she wanted. Feel free to steal our ideas or take credit for this.

I was asked for an easy way to make rounded corners on a picture. Here is a tutorial:

We will turn this

Into this

1. First of all, download the free program Paint.net

In case you didn’t notice the words “paint.net” above are a link to the download screen. So are the ones I just typed. In fact, these words are a link. You can certainly do all of this in PhotoShop, but the people needing help needed a free solution, and Paint.net is so much less bulky than Gimp.

2. Install that and start the program.

3. Click File > Open > find the image you need to alter.

4. Create a new layer

There are a couple of ways you can do this. The easiest to me is press CTRL+SHIFT+N (N for New).

You can also click on Layers on the top bar. The first option is add new layer.

5. Make a rounded rectangle.

On the left use this tool

Make sure you have Layer two highlighted. You can do this by clicking on Layer two in the layers window to the right. Click on the image in the top left corner about 1/4 inch from the corner and drag to the opposite corner like this:

The color doesn’t matter.

6. Select the space outside of the rounded rectangle.

Use the magic wand tool. It looks like a magic wand. It’s fourth from the top on the left.

Click on the image just to the left of the rounded rectangle. This will highlight everything outside of the rounded rectangle like so:

7. Delete the edges.

On the layers window click on layer 1. This is the layer with the image you started with. Now press DELETE on your keyboard or CTRL+X.

Almost done!

8. Get rid of the rounded rectangle.

Click back onto layer 2. Press Ctrl+A to select all. Then press DELETE on your keyboard. Now that old rectangle is gone.

9. Save the image as a .png

You are done. Upload it onto your site.

I needed to learn how to make fancy Facebook pages really quickly, because I like money. Apparently you can make a pretty penny for them. Anyway. I thought it would be kind of me to give you the basic html to make one for your client. Charge them a few hundred dollars, and then thank me.

Here’s what mine looks like:

You’ll have to do your own graphics work, unless you are as good of a pirate as me. You can also beg me to make a post of how to create such beauty in PhotoShop. I will of course agree, but only if someone begs.

Here’s the html you need. Personalize all of the links or your readers will be very confused. If you get stuck, let me know. I may be of some help.

<div

style=”background-image: url(http://illmakeit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/fanpagebg3.jpg); height: 630px;”>

<div style=”text-align: center;”><a href=”http://illmakeit.com”><img

style=”border: 0px solid ; width: 421px; height: 54px; position:absolute; bottom:70px; left:60px;”

src=”http://illmakeit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/click-here.png”

alt=”"></a></div>

<p style=”text-align: center; position: absolute; top: 6em; center:0em; width: 525px; padding: 4px; background-color: none; font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px;”>

<a href=”http://illmakeit.com”>site</a> | <a href=”http://micah.illmakeit.com”>blog</a> | <a href=”http://illmakeit.com/?page_id=23″>contacts</a>  | <a href=”http://illmakeit.com/?page_id=265″>portfolio</a>

</p>

</div>

<p style=”text-align: center; position: absolute; top: 6em; center:0em; width: 525px; padding: 4px; background-color: none; font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px;”>
<a href=”http://illmakeit.com”>site</a> | <a href=”http://micah.illmakeit.com”>blog</a> | <a href=”http://illmakeit.com/?page_id=23″>contacts</a>  | <a href=”http://illmakeit.com/?page_id=265″>portfolio</a>

</p></div>

I hope it works for you. Post your links in the comments section, so we can all steal your ideas.

Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ill-Make-It-Design/114418445265192

These are some backgrounds I recently made. I considered putting them on Deviant, but then I would have to sign up for an account.

This is the first of a new category of post. I decided today that I want to offer my simple perspective on more than just graphic design. I will still primarily blog on design, but these posts on “life things made easy” will pop up as needed.

Now for the post. I recently started an herbal detox program. This was not for drugs or alcohol. Don’t get excited. I was all excited until I opened the box. If you read the post title you can probably guess what I found. GIANT PILLS!  I had to take TEN giant pills five times a day and two more for dessert. And by “giant pills” I mean the standard size vitamin pill which to me is giant. I struggle with the small ibuprofen pills — well, I should say that I used to struggle with pills. If you are still reading, you either love me or have the same problem.

I was about to spend half an hour googling for tips on swallowing pills. I thought that surely someone would have a magic trick that would solve all of my problems. The answer was, “Yes, but don’t call me ‘Surely!’” Here’s the deal. Before starting the Google process I decided to ask my wife how she did it. She could probably swallow five large pills in one gulp. She said, “I don’t do anything different. I just take them.” I pressed for more, “yeah, but how do you take them?” She told me. I said, “OHHHHH…really? Duh!”

It changed my life.

I started doing the Beth Pill Taking Method, and I am now five days and about 220 pills into my herbal detox. I have only struggled with about two or three of the pills. Not one landed on the floor like they used to.

Here’s how it works.

1. Hold your head level, chin parallel with the ground, staring forward.

This is the most important change for me, but I’ll include the rest in case it will help you.

2. Put the pill in your mouth at least half-way back.

My wife jerks her head back with one shake to push the pill farther back. I find that too hard to accomplish.

3. Put the water in your mouth and drink – WITHOUT tilting your head back.

The pill will straighten itself out and slide down with hardly a bump. Most of the time now I don’t even notice it.

I hope this helps you. If it does, please comment, and let me know!