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CSS and HTML Tips

More Tips for Building Amazon Associate Links

Nov 21st, 2011
by Ellen.
3 comments

I’m always fiddling with ways to display Amazon Associate links with big bold images and appealing layouts so they get more clicks.

I’ve got a few tricks I use all the time. They’re fast, and I do them almost without thinking about it.

Unfortunately, when I try to explain them, they look scary, because the code Amazon gives us is scary, then I have to insert minor tweaks.

Which is why I’ve filed this Squidoo Tutorial under Advanced CSS. For old Squidoo hands, it may be useful; for new Squids, it’ll probably make your head spin:

My Amazon Associates Links Beat Squidoo’s Links

Hopefully they will prove useful to somebody.

 

 

 

 

 

Handy Squidoo Tip: Caption a Lens Logo or Text Module Graphic!

Nov 3rd, 2011
by Ellen.
No comments yet

Screencap from my lens

Eureka! Why didn’t I figure this out sooner? There is a fairly simple CSS way to force a caption (including an image caption with clickable link) to hang out directly under a Squidoo lens logo or an image uploaded into the text module!

Ta-da! Actual screencap of a lens!

Here. I have, of course, created a new Squidoo tutorial:

Squidoo Image Captions: Handy Tip

Of course, the easiest thing would be if Squidoo would add an optional caption slot for images.

But then, I suppose there’s no way to guess what height / style the caption slot ought to be. It depends whether you’re trying to make a photo credit or some kind of comment/description.

CSS, Graphics, and Lens Design: My Best Design

Jul 28th, 2010
by Ellen.
5 comments

I think that to date, the Squidoo Museum is my best lens as far as presentation, although the Fancy Table of Contents lens comes close.

I’d like to talk about how I put together the Squidoo Museum. It demonstrates everything I know about graphics, color, fonts, and CSS.

(more…)

Advanced CSS Tricks and Tips: Borders and Backgrounds and Captions, Oh My!

Jun 7th, 2010
by Ellen.
No comments yet

I finally got around to updating my Advanced CSS lens, where I used to post crazy “lab experiments” in CSS.

Now I’ve reorganized it and made it more dignified (slightly), and added all the tricks I tend to use most on my lenses: rounded corners, background-images for paragraphs, captions under aligned images, drop caps, dramatic numbered lists, and most of all, playing around with the introduction module to make the first thing visitors see look great.

I’ve moved the old lab experiments to page 2. There’s another use for a Page Break!

(My “crazy lab experiments” lens is now ZEE CODE SCRATCHPAD. Once I’ve got things working nicely there, I may move the “finished products” to the AdvancedCSS lens for prime time viewing.)