It's been a busy year and I've had very little time for my artwork. When weeks turned into months, I began to really miss that creative energy. Towards the end of August, I finally got myself outside to paint … [Read More...] about Igniting a Creative Flow
Igniting a Creative Flow
It's been a busy year and I've had very little time for my artwork. When weeks turned into months, I began to really miss that creative energy. Towards the end of August, I finally got myself outside to paint at Mount Auburn Cemetery. I went to Willow Pond and immediately felt a spark of inspiration return. My connection to the natural world ignites my creative flow! The Scene I love Willow Pond. There are lots of birds and wildlife. Reflections in the water intrigue me with their colors and … [Read more...] about Igniting a Creative Flow
Displaying Category Pages in WordPress
Displaying category pages is a great benefit of using categories and tags to organize your content. A category page lists all of the posts assigned to a specific category. This is a nice assist to users who are interested in a particular topic, thus improving their overall experience on the site. In addition, category pages enhance the site SEO (Search Engine Optimization). View Posts from a Single Category When logged into the WordPress site, go to Posts > All Posts to view a … [Read more...] about Displaying Category Pages in WordPress
Benefits of Using WordPress Categories and Tags
Categories and tags are significant organizational features for your WordPress site. Using them enhances the ability of users and search engines to find your content. Once people find your content, categories and tags help them further discover related material on your site. In this post, we'll dive deeper into their similarities and differences. Taxonomies That Add Structure Categories and tags are default WordPress taxonomies that add structure to a WordPress site. Taxonomies are … [Read more...] about Benefits of Using WordPress Categories and Tags
Create an eBook with Kindle Create
Kindle Create Basics I encountered a steep learning curve when creating an eBook with Kindle Create. After sorting through a lot of information and trying various methods, I developed a process that works really well. This blog post takes you through my process and, hopefully, eases some of the pain points for you. Start by bookmarking Amazon's Getting Started with Kindle Create page and use it for reference. You'll get a good overview of the requirements, features, and troubleshooting. The … [Read more...] about Create an eBook with Kindle Create
Late Summer Painting of Zinnias
The Joys of Painting in Late Summer I had a wonderful time painting zinnias late last summer, in the Asa Gray Garden at Mt. Auburn Cemetery. So many flowers were cheerfully blooming and showing off their colors. Birds were singing and chipmunks were scampering. I could hear the gentle flow of the water fountain a few feet away. I got totally immersed in my surroundings, enjoying the sounds as much as the sights. Challenges of Late Summer Painting En Plein Air There are challenges, of … [Read more...] about Late Summer Painting of Zinnias
Painting in the Shade
Last summer, my friend, Dari, invited me to paint in her garden, which is full of attractive flowers and plants. How wonderful it is to have friends like her! On hot, sunny days, I prefer painting in the shade to stay cool. Yet, the change in light and temperature do alter one's perceptions. The primary challenge on this July afternoon was to capture the colors of Dari's beautiful hydrangea which lives in the shade. I didn't want the painting to be too dark. Work in Progress Initially, I … [Read more...] about Painting in the Shade
Learning Opportunities in Web Redesign
In this web redesign project, the client requested that I update their site with a fresh, new look and a parallax scroll effect on the home page. Parallax creates a 3D viewer experience. The use of movement gives the illusion of depth and space. As this would be my first parallax design, I relished the opportunity to learn more about it. Brainstorming Phase Brainstorming for me is a process of taking notes and drawing thumbnails while researching. For this redesign, I spent several hours … [Read more...] about Learning Opportunities in Web Redesign
Favorite Books of 2022
I read 43 books this past year. It was a great mixture, too. Some I loved, some I disliked. I am a member of two book clubs, which provides me with ample variety: UMass-Boston and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Then, there are the recommendations from friends and family. Keep them coming! Here are my favorite books of 2022. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane THE BACKDROP is two NYPD cops working together briefly as partners. They have very little in common, and aren't … [Read more...] about Favorite Books of 2022