Big Announcement today!
Alright, this is a long post, but stay with me here!A few weeks ago I received a letter from Photobucket (the company who hosts all of my images). Like several other blog designers, I have used far too much bandwidth and that has created a bit of a problem. Leelou Blogs is one of their top 50 accounts out of Photobuckets 700 million! I think that's really awesome. You are the ones that put me there, as that account is linked to all of my free blog designs. The bad part is that each image is being viewed several million times a day, making the bandwidth go crazy.
Long story short, I have spent the last few weeks getting a new server and transferring every image and updating codes. OYE!
That's me for the last 2 weeks. I can't make this up.
My old image codes will expire THIS FRIDAY, so go take a look through my
free layouts and either pick a new one, or re-install the one you already have. Please spread the word and tell anyone that needs to change their layout!
We have made these extremely easy to load into your blog. It should take less then a minute. I have made several new tutorials to help anyone who might be confused.
You will notice that any free layouts made previous to 2009 are not there any more. I will be re-posting them starting in October or November. I am currently updating them to have the extras that the current layouts come with and it will take some time.
***UPDATE***
If you paid for a custom layout, your blog wont change! The images being taken down are only images from the free blog layouts!
If you have paid for a custom design and would like to host the images yourself, just send me an email and we can do that.
I'm so sorry for the hassle!!
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With these changes I did have to purchase quite a bit of server space.
For the first time in over 3 years I will have to start asking for donations. The cost of the server will continue to rise every few months, so if you'd like to donate any amount that would be amazing!
I'm so sorry I have to ask. It has never been my intention to make any money off the free layouts. I simply want to offer something fun that anyone with any budget can enjoy. If you've ever taken a freebie, please consider donating. I really hope to keep creating these for you!
I love to design and this has turned into such a great outlet for me. I have lots of new ideas, contests, drawings and free layouts coming soon. We are revamping Leelou Blogs and have a ton of changes in store. I can't wait to share them with you! Thank you so much!
What about those of us that have a custom-designed layout from you? How do we reinstall those or do we need to?
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're doing so well you need to purchase the extra space :)
What if we are using a blog header only?? Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI, too, want to know if it will affect the work you did for me on The English Kitchen (http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com) I paid your for it so am hoping that those of us who paid for the work won't have any hiccups? :-)
ReplyDeleteI love LeeLou Blogs so I would be thrilled to help keep you going! Thank you for all the designs you have created for me personally and the freebies I use each month! =)
ReplyDeleteI also had the custom work done for www.maggiesdinnerdatesdotblogspotdotcom about a year ago. Do I need to do something to my blog? If so... I am totally computer illiterate... I will need you to really walk me through it or have some good directions for me to reinstall it. Where would I even go to get the new code?
ReplyDeleteLeeLou, What a nightmare ordeal! I can't even imagine!
ReplyDeleteHooray for being so popular with Photobucket though!
We ALL need to donate. I know how expensive server space is! Even just $5 from EVERYONE will help!
I am in the same boat as the other ladies, I paid for you to design and install my layout. Am I affected by this and if so I have no idea how to re-install my layout. Please advise.
ReplyDeletejdunkin823@comcast.net
yep I paid for my design as well. Please clarify this for us! !!
ReplyDeleteI tried to upload the new template and this is the error message that I received for the Autumn Dreams template:
ReplyDeleteYour template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly.
XML error message: The processing instruction target matching "[xX][mM][lL]" is not allowed.
It's no surprise that you need extra bandwidth. Your layouts are beautiful and everyone wants them! I'm also wondering about the pre-made layouts...are those affected? How do we make the switch if they are?
ReplyDeletecassie_balser@yahoo.com
I am not seeing my layout on your page. Does that just mean that I need to take the same HTML that is in there right now and just delete it and then re-install it?
ReplyDeleteSorry if this seems like a dumb question. My blog is at www.dinnertimeideas.blogspot.com and my friends husband made header to match, so hopefully we can still get the same background.
If you have a blog design that you paid for (pre-made layout or custom design), it will not be deleted! You only need to reload your blog if you've taken a free layout.
ReplyDeleteIf you have paid for a custom design and would like to host the images yourself, just send me an email and I can do that.
Janis, I'm sorry but that layout is one made before 2009. I am going to update those as quickly as possible and I will announce here as I get them done.
The images for older layouts will not be deleted Friday. They will be deleted sometime later in the month. Hopefully I can get the layouts updated and put up here before that!
I'm so sorry for the hassle!!
Also, yes I see that there are some designs that have a couple coding errors. Thank you for letting me know. I will fix them today!
ReplyDelete-Leelou
Your designs are viewed several million times a day, that must feel fantastic. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteJess, I can not seem to find out why some layouts are getting an error code of "[xX][mM][lL]"
ReplyDeleteI'm looking into it, but in the mean time if you see that error code and just ignore it and click Save, your template will still be saved normally.
Thanks!
-Leelou
Whew! Good news! Thanks so much for answering all us nervous bloggers! You are an amazing artist.. and as soon as payday comes I will make a donation to your blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your free layouts. I am using the spring colors 3 and when I reloaded it, I lost the colors in the main body. Did I do something wrong?
ReplyDeleteThank you, mine is all reloaded. I really appreciate all of your beautiful work. Can't wait to see what is to come!
ReplyDeleteOh, Leelou! You poor thing!!
ReplyDeleteHello! I am trying to change my blog to one of your Halloween templates from one of your fall templates that I just changed last weekend but keep getting this error message:
ReplyDeleteEdit Template
Edit the contents of your template. Learn more
We were unable to save your template
Please correct the error below, and submit your template again.
Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly.
XML error message: The processing instruction target matching "[xX][mM][lL]" is not allowed.
Help??
Scrap'N'Play, I see the colors when I look at your blog. I'm assuming they're fixed now. If you have any problems you can go into the new Template designer and change any font colors you want.
ReplyDeleteEulanda, just bypass that error and click save. It will still load correctly!
-Leelou
I really love your blog designs! thanks for sharing your talent with all of us. FYI: I tried loading "Amanda Fall 2-Column" but instead the "Amanda 2-Column" design popped up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know Michelle. I had to take it down for now until I have time to fix it.
ReplyDeleteIn all these there are so many things which is really great. If you have paid for a custom design and would like to host the images yourself, just send me an email and I can do that.
ReplyDeleteglad to know Leelou is continuing on! YAY!
ReplyDeleteoh wow, that stinks! Well, I still love your stuff! I currently have your September desktop photo on my desktop, I so love it! Will you be doing one for every month?
ReplyDeleteHey Julie! I've sent an email but you must not have gotten to it yet. I do understand you are busy with all the changes.
ReplyDeleteI have the Bright Smiles template that I re-installed, but when I did my custom signature was gone. And all my colors are messed up. How do I fix my colors and get my signature back?
Do I just need to start over with a new template design and if I do will I have to pay for another header and signature?
Jennifer
jenmom1707@yahoo.com
My blog: www.motheroftwo-jenmom.blogspot.com
jenmom, I'm the designer of Bright Smiles template and still have the images. I have sent you an email regarding your premade.
ReplyDelete-Heather from Leelou Blogs
Hi, Heather! Thanks for getting in touch with me so quickly & linking me to this post (I was in the hospital with my son all week, so I missed it - he's fine now).
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine what a headache this is for you. As soon as I get some $ back in my PP, I'll definitely pass some along. Excellent customer service for a FREE layout!
I've been using your flower power template. If I reinstall it will I loose all the the other changes I've made the html document? I've changed my fonts and a bunch of other things that will take hours to put back together. Please let me know if there is an easy fix so I can keep all my other changes in tact. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say thank you for explaining the situation and making it clear what we need to do to fix it. I ended up changing to a layout I like even better than the one I had! :-)
ReplyDeleteI had a similar thing happen with another free layout service, and I tried and tried to email them and get an explanation about what was going on and how to fix it. Nothing on their site, and no response. Ugh!
Thanks so much for your awesome free layouts!
Thank you for all of you free layouts! I have used them for over a year. I hope my small donation will help you.
ReplyDeleteYhank you Leelou!!! I was about to cry when I opened my blog today... but then I read what I should have read last week... All is fixed and well... I forsure want to donate... I love your site!!! Payday is around the corner :)
ReplyDeleteWow! One of the top accounts on photobucket, that's impressive!
ReplyDeleteI no longer get the button to publish on facebook. Does this have anything to do with the background change?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your beautiful designs!
These all are one of the great stuff. Here all designs are really very beautiful in all these there there are so many free layouts can be available.
ReplyDeleteI wish so badly that I could donate, but I'm disabled and have no income coming in of my own. We are living off of just my husband's disability check and we barely make ends meet. Please understand. I LOVE your templates - you are designing exactly what I've been looking for! Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteMissy Schranz
http://missyschranz.blogspot.com
Wow!! Your honesty just got you a new customer. I don't have time to pick one out at the moment but I am definately coming back and will gladly donate. Finally.. someone who spits it like it is!! Sure wish we could get some of that on the news ; )
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Dana
OK, so I am just now reading this and and I have one of your older templates. My blog is still up and running without a glitch so I'm thinking that you didn't yet delete the one I am using (obviously).
ReplyDeleteSO, my first question is, when do you expect that I will have to redo my layout?
Second question, I currently have a black background and white words....if I change to a template with a white background, will everything transfer OK?
Third question, I tried out one of your new templates (one with black that found) and it just seems like the side borders are really big so it doesn't give enough room for the blog content in the middle. Is there a way to change this?
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Awesome that you have such a HUGE following!
I like the both design and post of blog.
ReplyDelete