Curtis & Meredith Hannah are in the process of adopting their first baby. I created a blog for them to share their story with their family & friends.

This site was created using the WordPress blogging platform.  I created a custom plaid background and header to match the color scheme of their nursery.  All graphics were created using Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8.

Visit the site: CurtisJHannah.com

Head on over to check out the set of Birth announcements that I created today: Photo Cards & Announcements.

The series is based on a list of choices that need to be made when you are choosing to have a blog or website created for you.  If you make your decisions before contacting the designer(s) of your choice, the process should go much smoother and quicker.

I create custom designs here at Designs By Gypsy; no two website will look just a like. There are a few basic elements that most every website has. I have created the following images to help those who maybe having a website created for the first time and to allow them to simply tell their designer how they would like the basic elements laid out in their design.

Basic Elements of a Website

Header Can consist of graphics and/or text, logo and navigational links

Content This is the main part of the site where your content will be placed.

Sidebar This is optional. You can have one sidebar on the left or right side of the page; or you may have two sidebars with one on each side of the content section.

Footer This usually contains a copyright notice, credit links to web designer, quick access contact link, etc.

Examples of a few Layouts

2 Column, Left Sidebar	2 Column, Right Sidebar
2 Column, Left Sidebar w/ Footer	2 Column, Right Sidebar w/ Footer
3 Column	3 Column w/ Footer

The series is based on a list of choices that need to be made when you are choosing to have a blog or website created for you.  If you make your decisions before contacting the designer(s) of your choice, the process should go much smoother and quicker.

1. Design Worksheet – Layout Options

2. Design Worksheet: Color Scheme Options

3. Design Worksheet: Branding & Logo

4. Design Worksheet: Navigation & Pages

5. Design Worksheet: Hosting & Domain

6. Design Worksheet: Maintenance

7. Design Worksheet: Content

The following tools are for Windows users (some can be used for Mac users as well, just check out the specifics on the websites before downloading).

HTML Editor

Crimson Editor is a professional source code editor for Windows. This software offers many powerful features for programming languages such as HTML, C/C++, Perl and Java. Other features include undo/redo, user tools, macros, spell checker and more.

FTP Program

File Zilla is a full featured, high quality FTP program. If you plan on uploading things to your website (like images, music, movies, wordpress, anything) you need a FTP client. Using your web-browser is not a good idea. This program works on all three platforms, and works very well.

Image Manipulation Programs

GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages.

For the Photoshop lovers, there is a Photoshop Mod at gimpshop.com.

Web Browser

If you are going to be doing anything on the web, you will need a good web browser. Something other than internet explorer. I highly recommend firefox, which you can get by clicking here www.GetFirefox.com.

Make sure your website looks good in all web browsers. The easiest way to do this is install several web browsers on your computer. If there is a browser you cannot use, just check out the following site when you are done: www.browsershots.org. The browser shots website will show you what your website looks like on multiple operating systems, with multiple browsers, and with different versions of those browsers.

KY Homeschool is a resource blog for homeschooling in Kentucky. Site includes links to curriculum, printable worksheets / coloring pages, planners / to-do lists, record keeping and more. General homeschooling information such as Kentucky requirements & laws, getting started and other faqs can also be found there as well.

This site was created using the CMS tool Wordpress. Graphics created with Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7.

Launch site: KY Homeschool

Web Design

We create individually designed websites specifically for your band/business and are able to hand over the designs in .PSD or .PNG format. The conversion of your design to XHTML & CSS (hand coded) is not included in this service.

Template Design

A Template Design is a front page design of your website, coded in XHTML & CSS. No dynamic functionality (Web Development – see below) is included in this service. This service is ideal for those of you who know XHTML & CSS and are just looking for a design for your personal website or blog to develop.

Web Developement

Using languages such as PHP, MySQL, XML and Javascript, we are able to transform your static website to a fully functional dynamic website, including elements such as a CMS, feedback forms and search facilities to name a few.

Domain Registration

A domain for example is www.YourSite.com. This is the address your visitors type in the address bar to go to a desired webpage.

Website Hosting

Once your website is complete you still need a way for the public to view it. This is where a web host comes into play; a web host simply serves a “space” for your website design and content to be uploaded and is then viewable to the visitors.

Website Maintenance

Just as you maintain your automobile. You also maintain a website. If you want to update your contact information, add photos or change the layout around a bit; you are maintaining your website.

Search Engine Submission & Optimisation

When you search Google, Yahoo!, MSN or any other popular search engine; you are searching billions of WebPages for the information or services you are looking for. Just because your website has been submitted to all the major search engines, doesn’t mean you will get a top ranking position. While no one can guarantee your website will make a #1 position on a search engine, we can guarantee that we will help your website achieve the highest possible position for the keywords you have selected.

Open Source Web Design

A collection of web designs created by designers that the general public can download free of charge. These designs can be customised to fit your needs. If your site has a low budget and the deadline is short, this may be in your best interest. Changes in the color schemes, content and the addition of your logo is all it takes.

AVG

Anti-virus & anti-spyware ( http://free.avg.com )

AVG is a completely free program that offers real-time protection, regular updates, and scheduled scans.

C Cleaner

System Optimization, Privacy and Cleaning Tool ( http://www.ccleaner.com )

C Cleaner removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner.

Garrard web designer eyes San Francisco

LANCASTER – A freelance Web designer in Lancaster is helping the public watch over one of San Francisco’s grittiest neighborhoods with the hope of making it a more peaceful and livable place.

Gypsy Nicole Betty completed the design of a Web site for her friend, Adam Jackson. The site, called Adam’s Block, can be found at www.adamsblock.com.

Using two Web video cameras, it documents activities that take place at the corner of Ellis and Taylor streets, showing violent acts such as street fights, break-ins and high-speed chases. The views shown are from Jackson’s apartment in the Tenderloin district.

“It’s a gritty dose of reality from what Jackson calls one of the worst neighborhoods in San Francisco,” Betty said.

According to a posting on the Web site Saturday, Jackson has received death threats and has suspended broadcasting images from his cameras on adamsblock.com. He said he may have to move from the neighborhood for safety reasons.

The site, which also has an interactive chat section, launched Dec. 1 and had 80,000 views and 25,000 visitors in its first three days. Forty percent of the site visitors were from outside the United States.

Betty found out Jackson was looking for a Web designer in late November when she was reading a news article about Web cams. The article identified Jackson’’s Web cam as one of the top in the nation and Betty was able to connect with him in a chatroom shortly after reading the article.

Betty, the mother of two young children, said she and Jackson discussed ideas for the Web site and she compiled it quickly, “while my kids were sleeping.”

Jackson decided to use the widespread publicity the site has received to hold a 24-hour Internet fundraiser Saturday for Glide Memorial United Methodist Church (www.glide.org), which sits on the corner of Taylor and Ellis streets.

Jackson and Betty hope to raise $5,000 for the church, founded to help San Francisco’s poor and marginalized populations overcome the barriers of poverty, violence and addiction.

In addition to having his own site, Jackson is willing to help others in San Francisco put video of their blocks on the Internet.

Copyright:The Advocate-Messenger 2008
[Source: amnews.com | Full Article]

Adam, from www.AdamsBlock.com that was designed by Gypsy, was interviewed on December 1st by the local San Francisco’s Channel 2 news station, KTVU. You can view the full article as well as view the news segment that was aired nation wide at http://www.ktvu.com/news/18184320/detail.html. Here is an excerpt that explains what his web cam is all about.

San Francisco’s Tenderloin has long been considered one of the city’s grittier neighborhoods, but now an intersection in that area is receiving new notoriety on the internet because of a web cam set up by a local resident to stream images live on the net.

Adam Jackson, the creator of the web site, held a fundraiser at Lefty O’Doul’s Monday night to try to raise money to get a better camera to show the world what happens outside his apartment window.

The site is called Adam’s Block. It documents 24-hours-a-day the activities that take place at the corner of Ellis and Taylor streets. From Street fights to break-ins to high-speed chases, it’s a gritty dose of reality from what Jackson calls the worst neighborhood in San Francisco.

SF Gate: San Francisco Chronicle by C.W. Nevius

Front-window spy cam puts Tenderloin on the Web

The results have been pretty dramatic. In three days, adamsblock.com has had 80,000 views and 25,000 visitors, a remarkable 40 percent of whom live outside the United States.

Excerpt from:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/05/BANM14ITI9.DTL&tsp=1

Tenderloin Webcam Project Turns into Online Craze

KRON Channel 4 news segment:
http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=3946838001

Future Tense, Public Radio Interview by John Gordon

Web cam shines a light on a seedy street corner:
http://www.publicradio.org/columns/futuretense/2008/12/web-cam-shines.html