Category Archives: My Client’s Sites

Redefine, not retire

18 Friday Dec 2015

Posted by in My Client's Sites, Thoughts

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , ,

There’s nothing I would retire for,
so I won’t retire.
[James Earl Jones]

INSPIRATIONS

I started my adult work life as a caregiver (nurse) and, fifty years later, I spent this year working on a job for Willowgreen, Inc. (a publishing company) that is designed to inspire caregivers. Willowgreen’s owner, Jim Miller, writes this about Daily Inspirations for Caregivers:

If you’re a family caregiver, you can be encouraged and lifted every morning for one complete year with James E. Miller’s newest electronic resource. Each day you’ll receive a personalized email from him containing one of four offerings: a short inspiring video, a brief audio, a one-page writing, or a photo-thought, incorporating a striking photograph with a meaningful quotation.

I’ve been an independent graphic designer for thirty years, and I consider this to be at the top of my list of beloved products upon which I have worked. I was diagnosed with, and had surgery for cancer right before I started working on this project last spring. As I worked on the 365 items used in Daily Inspirations for Caregivers, I discovered that immersing myself in the positive thoughts and images bridged the time between diagnosis and recovery for me. All summer, I was filled with joy while I worked.

Now who in her right mind would retire from a job like that? I’ve decided to redefine my work toward publishing my designs and patterns, something I can do in my home office, but I’ll not retire while I can see, think, and draw on my new iPad Pro.

If you would like a free sample of Daily Inspirations for Caregivers,
you can sign up for it HERE.

The New Willowgreen

24 Monday Nov 2014

Posted by in My Client's Sites, Technology, Writing

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

 The meaning of life is to see.
[Hui Neng]

New Willowgreen Web site

 

Ten years ago, I designed and produced a Web site for one of my clients, Jim Miller at Willowgreen, Inc.; a publishing company that produces “meaningful resources for hope, healing and inspiration.” Since then, I have not only maintained his site, but I have also designed and produced print and electronic media for his company.

Having Jim as a client has been a graphic designer’s dream. He is a writer and an excellent photographer. His portfolio of breathtaking photographs assures me that I can hardly produce an ugly design. Also, I have been able to contribute hand-rendered illustrations to some of his publications, and spread my wings into electronic publishing.

Last spring, we embarked upon a complete redesign of the Willowgreen Web site. I produced a site plan and visual design which we turned over to a programming team who setup the store in Shopify. The redesigned site was recently launched.

What do I like best about the new site? In addition to Jim’s photography and insightful writing, I like that there is a balance between the commercial aspects (selling products in the new store) and free offerings. The homepage alone with its inspiring slide show and video is a place to go just to meditate. There are free eCards, inspiring blogs, and helpful writings for caregivers and those who are grieving.

One of the many things that I am thankful for this holiday is that I have had the honor of serving the kind and gentle folks at Willowgreen.

1-Minute Inspirations

11 Monday Oct 2010

Posted by in My Client's Sites, Ongoing Projects, Thoughts, Writing

≈ 3 Comments

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful,
for beauty is God’s handwriting.
[Ralph Waldo Emerson]

Late summer is my busiest time as I polish publications and the annual catalog for Willowgreen Publishing. This year has been especially exciting. We added two new printed books, 15 ePub eBooks, a growing list of MP3 audio books, and a new audiovisual production. We also started a new blog, 1-Minute Inspirations, that offers VideoPress videos of Jim’s photography and words.

Generational Sandwich

03 Friday Sep 2010

Posted by in Knitting, Knitting Sites, My Client's Sites, Thoughts

≈ 3 Comments

Sometimes I feel like a generational sandwich.
I’m an often-exhausted knitter positioned
in between two energetic, prolific, talented fiber artists—
my mother and my daughter.
Wonder if that makes me bologna or peanut butter?
[KMM]

Ellen's photos

My daughter, Ellen Roberts (Shepherd’s Moon), emailed me photos of her latest projects. She spun tie-dyed (grape and cherry kool aid) merino plied with tussah silk then knit the pinkish lace shawl. The pattern is based on Marianne Kinzel’s Azeala pattern, but Ellen took out one repeat, and knitted back and forth so it is a broken pentagon. She writes that she has now started on a scarf that is Bluefaced Leicester, tie-dyed green, plied with tussah silk. The pattern is Mosaic in the Marianne Kinzel book. I am tired just thinking about her flurry of work.

(The new masthead is cropped from another Jim Miller (Willowgreen Publishing) photograph. When I install a new masthead photo, I retire the old ones to the Masthead Page—see the tab above.)

Beauty

18 Sunday Jul 2010

Posted by in Favorite Things, My Client's Sites, Photography, Thoughts, Writing

≈ 7 Comments

Love of beauty is Taste.
The creation of beauty is Art.
[Ralph Waldo Emerson]

A photographer friend of mine. Jim Miller, is on a working vacation in Colorado. When I say working, I mean he is taking photographs for books and videos that he is producing. Some folks really do have dream jobs. Meanwhile, he emails postcards back to those of us who stayed home. I used the first one for his homepage at Willowgreen.com but when he sent this one, I went all soft and selfish, and displayed it here. Isn’t it beautiful? It is taste and art all rolled into one.

My Day Work

24 Sunday Feb 2008

Posted by in My Client's Sites, Other Favorite Sites, Thoughts

≈ 2 Comments

Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love.
[David McCullough]

Web Sites

I’ve been focusing on my day work and haven’t knit a stitch in two weeks. Good thing I like what I do for a living. In the past two weeks, I did a print layout for a 28-page newsletter. I rarely do print work now that electronic communication is so prevalent so this was more of a challenge than it was when I did it every day. I’m also doing website development and revisions.

I’m in the process of developing Bargello Rhythms for Bernie Miller. We have a start, but are adding to it soon. I’ve also added content to the Shepherd’s Moon website. Today, I plan to add new products and a PayPal shopping cart to Andrea Wong Knits.

Each media in which I work has its assets and liabilities. Print media is my favorite form of reading material, but websites are easily updated.

As an update on an old post, last week was my one-month measurement at Curves. I lost two and a half inches, two and a half pounds, and over one percent on my body fat ratio. I’ve gone three mornings a week for exercise, but haven’t changed my eating habits so those losses were just due to the weight training. My original reason for joining was to strengthen my muscles so I could shovel snow easier. I’ve had ample opportunity to shovel and it is, in fact, easier (or else the snow was lighter).