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How to customize theme Twenty Eleven

  1. tracygracedesigns
    Member

    Hi
    I will start with an apology as I am a total newbie to creating a blog/website and definitely to WordPress.

    I have registered a blog with WordPress.com which is tracygracedesigns.wordpress.com and I have activated the Twenty Eleven theme which is pretty much what I want but there are a few things I want to change.

    I have spent the best part of a week reading tons of information that seems to say this can be done if you access the template files and the css in particular and create a child theme. Apologies again if I am not using the correct terminology!

    The first question I have is where are they and how do you access them? I don’t have a separate host service, WordPress.com seem to be doing this.

    These are the things for starters that I would like to change.

    1. The large white space at the top of the page:
    I want to get rid of this completely so that the header image starts at the very top

    2. The search box at the top of the page on the right:
    I would like to move this to the far right in black bar underneath the header image which currently has Home and About in it

    3. The header text (site title and tagline):
    I would like to have this text (which is currently in the top left of the white space) over the top of the header image

    4. The header text (site title and tagline):
    I would like to be able to change the font to Blippo Light

    Many thanks in advance to anyone who is kind enough to answer.

    Tracy

    The blog I need help with is tracygracedesigns.wordpress.com.

  2. justjennifer
    Member

    On WordPress.com we do not have access to the template and can only change the appearance of our sites via the Custom Design Upgrade. If you don't have experience working with CSS, it can be difficult. While there is staff support from time-to-time, most CSS questions are answered by one or two forum volunteers so there is often no immediate help available.

    If you have only just started here, may I suggest reading http://learn.wordpress.com if you haven't already.

  3. justjennifer
    Member

    Here's the link to the info on Custom Design upgrade

    http://en.support.wordpress.com/custom-design/

  4. tracygracedesigns
    Member

    Hi justjennifer

    A big thank you for replying. I have read through those links previously but it doesn't seem that clear (sorry).

    If I did up grade to the custom design, would I definately be able to do the things I have listed?

    Your help is much appreciated.

    Tracy

  5. thesacredpath
    Member

    1. Doesn't require CSS. Go to appearance > header and choose to not display the text.

    2. This will happen automatically when you do #1 above.

    3. Given #1 and 2 above, I suggest you Incorporate that text into the header image instead.

    4. Bippo light is not a standard font found on computers which means few if any people would see that font since the browser has to pull that font from the visitor's computer. This is another reason I suggest incorporating the title and tagline into the header image as this takes care of the font availability issue.

    All done with no CSS editing required.

  6. justjennifer
    Member

    Thank you, tsp. :) Time for me to go to sleep, I think.

  7. tracygracedesigns
    Member

    Hi thesacredpath

    Firstly, a huge thank you for helping me!

    I have just done what you have recommended and it has worked a treat. I am nowing 'playing' in Photoscape with some images and overlaying text.

    Your help is much appreciated - sending you a big hug!

    Tracy

  8. thesacredpath
    Member

    You are welcome Tracy, and thanks for the hug. :-)

  9. tracygracedesigns
    Member

    Hi

    Although the advice given above has worked perfectly when I viewed the blog on my laptop / desktop, when viewed on my phone (galaxy samsung II), the white space at the top is back with the site title and tagline text. It is as though the mobile app is ignoring the settings changed in dashboard.

    Any thoughts?

    Thanks

    Tracy

  10. thesacredpath
    Member

    Are you using the mobile app at appearance > mobile? If yes, turn that off. Twenty Eleven is a responsive design and automatically adjusts for different size screens, but from looking at your site, it apparently does not honor the settings you've made for the header. Not sure entirely why that is.

  11. tracygracedesigns
    Member

    Once again you have earned a big hug!

    Yes, mobile was turned on. Just had another look on my phone and hey presto....fixed.

    I am still 'playing' with the look and feel of the blog but am so much further on as a consequence of your advice.

    Many thanks

    Tracy

  12. thesacredpath
    Member

    You are welcome.

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