How you can create unique images for your blog using Microsoft PowerPoint

Especially handy when you don't own or know how to use Photoshop!

As a blogger, you understand the necessity to include images with your blog posts and the importance in making sure that the images you use are free of copyright restrictions. I know, I have accidentally included images that I thought I was permitted to use, only to realise a few months later that I was mistaken!

Since I discovered my monumental mistake, in the interests of not wanting to be sued for infringing upon other people's copyright, I now create my own images using Microsoft PowerPoint. I actually have Photoshop installed on my computer - my son purchased a student version when he did a Digital Media course - but although I have it, I find the program too confusing to use, and I don't have the time to do a course in order to learn how, so I needed to find an alternative way, and I realised I could utilise my Microsoft Office suite to greater usage than I'd previously given it.

I'm not the best image creator by any means, but I'm not the worst you can find either.  Check out some of my recent creations, each of which supported the blog post I was writing for my resume and jobsearch training blog:

"Fonts" accompanied an article about the types of fonts to use and not use in resumes, cover letters and applications.

I started by making the PowerPoint slide background the lilac colour you see, and then adding a white rectangular Shape over top. Then I added a Text box, and wrote the word 'fonts' before changing the font for each letter so that I used a few different styles: serif, sans serif; scriptive, decorative and commercial.  I used a darker shade of the lilac for the 'o' and later added the star shape over top.

I added a Glow effect to the word 'fonts' and arched it too, then added another text box with my blog details and so that the original works, if shared, remained attributed to me as its creator.

Because I have found that PNG images seems to have more durability when used on the different social media sites, and JPG often loses some of the images sharpness, I 1. Save the PowerPoint presentation as a PowerPoint presentation - so that I keep the original in case I need to go back and make changes to the original (after learning the hard way that I had to start from scratch one time when I didn't) and 2. Save the Image, usually with the same name, as a PNG image, which Blogger allows me to upload.

With this second image, I used it for a post aimed at giving advice to returning to work mums.

Once again, I used a standard size default slide and changed the background colour, and I found the image in Clip Art. I added a Text box and wrote the words 'Interviews Here today' and then angled the text box over the bus sign or whatever used to be underneath.  I wanted the sign to look like that it had been stuck up over top of an existing signage - like a lot of employers stick up in their offices to tell people things like 'come this way' or 'lift out of order' etc.

This road map took me hours to create. I used the freehand drawing tool to create a couple of squiggly lines and then formatted the lines so that they became as thick as they are and then copied the original narrow line and pasted it as the dashed yellow or white lines over top of my 'tar' road.

I added lots of clip art, text boxes and shapes to create the water, trees and map markings.  I saved the files again as a PowerPoint presentation and as a PNG file and then I found the cute little guy in the sports car and just had to go back and add him starting out on his journey, at a point before he could 'do it right' or take a wrong turn (as a subtle reiteration of the blog post).

Not all graphics you create have to be time consuming though.  I created this resume graphic to advertise my business on a Facebook group, and this image generated a lot of enquiries for me for a couple of weeks, as members who had seen me comment on people's posts suddenly realised I offered paid services that they were in need of - despite my mentioning that I am a private resume writer and jobsearch coach frequently. This simple graphic was, again, a standard slide with background changed to one solid colour, with a Text box that was later angled and colours changed to make it look like a sheet of office paper.  In hindsight, I could go back and make the background be a wood texture, so it looks like a resume lying on the desk of a hiring manager!

What I love about PNG images, is that in PowerPoint you can place other images over top of it, so you can build a unique image by creating 'layers' just like you would using Photoshop.

As you can see, if you are able to Insert and Format Shapes and text boxes in Microsoft PowerPoint, then you are able to create some decent looking original images - and that way, you will never be without an image for your blog posts ever again.

You Tube to my rescue!

On Friday night I discovered that my home television allows me to watch You Tube videos - I'm not sure if one of my tech savvy children added the television to our broadband internet or whether now that Sydney has gone 'fully digital' this is part of it, but either way I have a feeling I am going to spend a lot more 'television watching' time over at the You Tube videos than the television stations.

Friday night, and Saturday evening I learned new blogging skills: I downloaded a few social media buttons a number of weeks ago and finally with the help of one of the You Tube videos guided me as I added them to my Char Mesan Job Training blog. For someone 'old' I'm slowly catching up to being as tech savvy as they are - and my business blog is starting to look and feel more the way I imagined it would be!

MayYou Tube always be around to help save the day :-)

Allowing my mind to wander

Even though I get eczema, I have recently started washing up the dishes by hand again rather than using my dishwasher because I find it relaxing and it gives me time to let my mind wander. I've semi given up on novel writing at the moment because having started up my own business I need to spend more of my free time on building up my business.  I have the novel's storyline clear in my head, and have a master outline recorded electronically (yWriter is FANTASTIC!) so now I can put the project on hold for a while knowing I will be able to pick up where I left off when I do get the time in the future. I'm still 'keen' on the project, even after five years, but I have other priorities at the moment.

I still love writing (I am not abandoning this in the slightest) and this has proven itself to me over the past year where I have spent a great deal of my time novel writing and blogging.  I'm really loving blogging though, probably because you can write in small bursts and the post is done, whereas with novels you are only chipping away s s l o ow l l y at a larger project.  I'm thinking the smaller projects end up making me feel more successful for having achieved completion, so I am more encouraged to do another one, and another one to keep this positive feeling alive. So, I intend keeping my 'writing muscle' strong and healthy by continuing to write blog posts for this and my other blogs.

Anyway, allowing my mind to wander has given me opportunity to come up with ideas for blog posts and given me ideas for my business; ideas that just don't come to me when I busily doing other things.

New Blog

Sorry I have been really quiet on the blog post front over the last two months. I became inundated with work which was not good for my health in the slightest. I have now finished up with that last employer and after spending two days at home catching up on sleep and housework, I am feeling rather revitalised, and have embarked on the journey of working for myself again doing what I love: teaching and inspiring jobseekers and encouraging people to gain necessary skills.

I'm pleased to report that I am already starting to pick up contract work as a Typist, Resume Writer and Contract Vocational Trainer.

The most page views on this website have been in relation to my book and product reviews, and any time I relate things to Harry Potter.  But the pages that are most returned to are the ones where I share my knowledge and insights for job seekers.  And this got me thinking...

I've accumulated a lot of valuable knowledge about resumes and job searching over the last ten years, so, I decided to create a blog which I have entitled Char Mesan Job Coaching to help people with their job search.  Let's face it, people will always be looking for work at some point in their lives, and not being experts, often make all manner of mistakes trying to figure things out on their own - many times getting things wrong which stops them gaining work.  I've only just created the blog yesterday, and some of its pages are still under construction, but if you want to check it out, you can find the blog here.

Update 25 August 2013.  I have just written my first real post for the Char Mesan Job Coaching blog.  You can check out my post "3 Application Mistakes Job Seekers must avoid".

Fantastic Blog Resources

As a new blogger I am always on the look out now to read posts that will help me build a blog that is useful and entertaining to my readers.

Late March, I came across 30 day Blog Challenge and signed up, fully eager to try to publish a post a day throughout April. I signed up to receive email tips and downloaded a side-gadget to show my participation.



Well, I got distracted with so much happening in my non-electronic life and am not going to come anywhere close to publishing 30 posts in 30 days, but I wanted to share with you how much I am grateful that I found this blog challenge site and the website of Michele Shaeffer (co-partner of the 30 day Blog Challenge site). Both websites have been so helpful and packed with useful, practical tips and advice.

Michelle's emails have really helped me with ideas for posts when I have been stuck, and the posts on her website are fantastic reads - which is one of the reasons her website is so popular.



Anyway, I'm learning lots of new things and just wanted to share great resources I come across on my blogging journey.

IF you are interested, you can visit the 30 Day Blog Challenge here at http://ultimateblogchallenge.com and Michelle's website here at http://michelleshaeffer.com.  Hope you find them as aspiring and useful as I have!