Using the Black Box Themes on Squidoo

Want the "black box" modules on your lenses to coordinate with the lens's theme?  Now, in one simple step, it can!

Just edit your "black box" module and choose "theme" instead of a color.  When the lens is published, the black box background will coordinate with the lens theme itself. 

I've done this on several of my lenses and just love how it looks.  Today I updated a lens using the "clouds" theme and updated the black boxes on that lens.  Love how they look and wanted to share one here just in case you haven't tried doing this yet.  Isn't it pretty?  (You can see it on the lens here.)

Have you used the "theme" option for black boxes on your lenses?  Which is your favorite?

Totally In Love With Autumn

Fall has always been my favorite season and this year, following a long, hot, dry summer, I've fallen absolutely in love with autumn. 

Squidoo loves autumn, too, and is celebrating with a new lens theme. It probably goes without saying that I love it!  I've switched over some of my seasonal lenses to the new theme and they look so clear and crisp and fresh, just like I feel this time of year.  I'm feeling so inspired, in fact, that today I made a new lens for the theme (and, I confess, to satisfy a Squidoo quest while I was at it). 

The Razorbacks lost today, the truck repair came to a screeching halt when the part didn't fit, the new part for the riding mower didn't arrive, in fact in many ways this has been a bust of a weekend . . . but I don't even care. 

Did I mention that I'm in love with autumn?  I hope you love your autumn, too.

Happy Flag Day, USA!

June 14th is Flag Day in the U.S.  Are you flying the American flag today?

Ever wonder why the American Flag is red, white, and blue?  Ah, I've got a lens for that!

How about you.  Do you make patriotic lenses?  If you do and you've always wanted a patriotic lens theme, be sure to vote for the 25th Squidoo lens theme!

After you do, feel free to post a link to your favorite patriotic lens right here in a comment.

Choosing a Squidoo Theme - Which is More Readable?

Squidoo offers some awesome themes for our lenses and they're adding more and more.  Specialty themes for holidays and seasons are great for certain lenses.  I've discovered that on some of my lenses, though, especially those that are more "wordy" and educational, I really want to emphasize module titles - and sometimes it seems that the ads get in the way.

Recently I've been switching some of my lenses from a standard theme (such as Big Lucid) to the Highlighter theme.  This makes it really easy for visitors who are scanning through to see the main parts of the lens.  Also, at the top of the lens, it brings the eye to the module titles rather than to the ads.  Earning money with ads is great, but I really do want people not to miss the contents of the lens because it blends in with the ads.

Here's an example.  Look at these two pictures of the same lens, one with Big Lucid as the theme, the other with Highlighter.

 

See what I mean? Do you agree that it's easier to see what I've written when it's highlighted and that the ads get in the way of my text otherwise?  

I'd like to know what you think.  Which themes are your favorites?  Do you vary your choice of theme depending on the lens topic?  Let me know in a comment below.  

New Themes on Squidoo!

I'm tickled pink about the latest new themes on Squidoo.

There are four of them, announced here with samples linked here.

My Think Pink lens has been waiting for years for the bubblegum pink theme and I'm very happy with the way it looks.  

Next task will be to go through my list of lenses and see if any others might be candidates for an easy face lift.  I like the timing - pink in time for Valentine's Day and all the rest just ahead of spring cleaning and spruce-up time!

What do you think?  Like the new themes?  Which is your favorite?  Leave a comment to let us know.