Help

I can't figure out how to make my blog look as nice as those that I read.  I'm sure if I asked my children they could help me in about 5 minutes but I don't want them to know what I'm doing.  One of these evenings I guess I will try to spend some time figuring this out.  I don't know how to get those tools off the side and I'd like a snappy background.  I was so pleased when I uploaded some pictures but am not sure how to do anything else.