Hahaha yeah I know exactly your issue. You're using opacity: 0.7; or whatever your value is, and it's also making your text lower in opacity. Easily fixed though, there's a code which allows you to choose the RGBA value (RGB and then Alpha, which is opacity) for your background colour. So you can have background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.5); which will give you a 50% opacity of black. Regardless, I'll help you with it properly when the time comes. I'd also recommend making a mock up of how you want your thread to look, in Photoshop or something. It's easier to code something based on a design, especially a layered one.
Funnily enough, I code the same way I do art or draw, I don't whip it all out together, I start with a base foundation, and build on it. The same way you begin with a sketch, fix up the lines, colour, shade, and detail. This is why the best web designers/designers I know are really good artists first.
I should really update that thread...it's so outdated. Ugh, glad it's helping though!
And shucks, I'm not the artist you are.