There used to be a time when I relish my hunt for tips and tutorials on how to customize the WordPress Themes that I was using. Like most, I started with the Free Themes which were abundantly available and I practically forced myself into understanding HTML and CSS codes so I can do what I want. Eventually, I even created and released a few Themes of my own.
A couple of years later, I matured into using Premium Themes and the first Theme I bought was The Thesis Theme. From then on, my passion for changing things around progressed into hunting for tips on customizing the Thesis. It was also a very rewarding passion as each time I succeeded in creating something I want, the sense of accomplishment was quite immense.
Theme Customization Became Easy
Things changed when, through a rather unexpected but fortunate event, I got my hands on the Frugal Theme. It opened up a whole new window on WordPress Theme customization for me.
The Frugal Theme, which later was ported over to become what is known now as The Catalyst Theme made customization so easy that I sort of found myself in Theme Wonderland. Every thing and anything that I want to change can practically be done with a few clicks of the mouse.
Ease Of Life Breed Laziness
You know how it is when some rich men’s kids gets everything and every problem sorted out for them? They can get into all kind of problems and their old man will be there to fix it for them so that their kid will be the happiest kid in town.
However, what happens in the long run is they will end up with spoilt and lazy kids. When real problems cropped up and their old man is not around to help, they become lost.
With the Catalyst Theme, I became a spoilt kid. I became a lazy kid. I can do almost everything I want just by clicking my mouse and maybe typing in a few words. Everything else will be perfectly taken care of.
So when Thesis 2 arrived, I have became so spoilt that expected it to be the same and maybe even easier.
But no.
Thesis 2 is a whole new ball game. Whatever I have learned about the previous version went down the drain, never to be used again.
With no sweet daddy around, I am lost. I can’t even create a simple 2 column layout on my own. When I can confidently click my mouse once and simply get the kind of layout I want with the Catalyst Theme, I now have to go through a whole process of creating the columns on my own.
Getting the basic columns right is the first minor problem. There will be a host of problems coming after that. After living on the easy track for so long, I now find these problem very tedious. I would rather take the easy way out.
Looking For The Easy Way Out
So I went searching again. This time, instead of searching for tips and tutorial on customizing Thesis 2, which I know will also be tedious even if I find them and try them on my own, I went looking for ready made Thesis 2 Child Themes instead.
I am not going to wreck my brain trying to customize Thesis 2 on my own. I am simply going to get one that has been made by others. Preferably of course, it should be free. Otherwise, I might consider buying one that suits me.
Free Thesis 2 Skins
On the Search Engine again, I found a couple of sites that offers Free Thesis 2 skins. Most needs only your email in exchange, which I see no harm in giving. You are free to unsubscribe if they start spamming you with Marketing nonsense.
Legendary Skin For Thesis 2 by FamousBlogger
Nude960 from SkinMyThesis.com
BizLife 2.0 from iCustomizeThesis
Admittedly, there aren’t many free Thesis 2 skins available at the moment. None of the above caught my fancy. However, paid ones are a plentiful.
Premium Thesis 2 Skins
One of the most respectable one and one that I have been following from the day they started is Themedy Themes. The site concentrates solely on building Child Themes for Thesis and later on, Genesis only.
Themedy is endorsed by Brian Clark and Brian Gardner, both of them owners of StudioPress, the owner of the Genesis Framework. Their work is also recognized by Chris Pearson, developer and owner of Thesis.
Frankly, their Child Themes for Thesis and Genesis are beautiful creations.
One of the Thesis 2 Child Theme that caught my eye is their latest release. It has the looks and feel that I like. It’s clean but yet not spartan. It has good color combination. The Home Page is very nicely and neatly laid out and the excerpts display in the Blog Page is also quite unique.
It’s quiet difficult to describe but you can see for yourself a live preview here.
I’m into serious consideration mood now. Do I need to spend money on another Child Theme?
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