Take a moment today and check out OH LOOK, A SHINY! the combined blog of Placid09 and Dohickey, a couple of NInja type people doing interesting Ninja type stuff.
Not all blog banners and whatnots have to be complicated, in fact some of the best designs are simple and elegant. Typically I let the content and message speak to me and try to find the best possible way to deliver, accent and enhance that message. This one may look simple, but it took a heck of a lot of layouts and discarded ideas before I landed on this one. Sometimes your mind gets in the way of your heart and you think bigger than you need to think. It's hard to describe to anyone, but in the end it comes down to a process.
For those of you still waiting on your shiny, thank you for your patience. This past weekend kicked my ass in ways that will become apparent in the blog over the next few days I'm sure. But your friendly neighborhood blogger is trudging right along.
Keep the courage.