Lisa Dowdell http://www.lisadowdell.com Web Application Developer Thu, 10 Feb 2011 02:55:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Decorating Your Website or Blog for the Holidays! http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/12/07/decorating-your-website-or-blog-for-the-holidays/ http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/12/07/decorating-your-website-or-blog-for-the-holidays/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:09:46 +0000 Lisa http://www.lisadowdell.com/?p=130 Originally published on ITGeekGurl.com

After you’ve festively decorated your office area, don’t forget about showing that same holiday spirit with your electronic media.

Start off by downloading a very festive holiday wallpaper to your computer desktop(s). I tend to lean toward the more contemporary wallpapers so here are a few of my favorite resources:

Next, decorate your website or blog to show your spirit and wish your visitors a Happy Holiday. I used to work for a government agency that every Christmas, I would have a snow scene that would replace the header section. On their timekeeping application where I had branded a little man running with a giant clock in his hand, I replace it with a similar image but the little man had a santa hat on. If your website uses a photograph of your city or some other landscape, replace it with a winter scene with the same focal point — unless you live in California or somewhere else where Winter looks like Summer.

Here are a few resources to give your website that extra seasonal flair:

If your website or blog uses the WordPress or Joomla platform, try out one of these Xmas templates to replace your current design during the holiday season:

Wait, what about your social networking site, you definitely have to decorate it as well using these resources:

Perhaps you’d like to make your own holiday design. Here are some tutorials and tools for assisting you in doing so:

Don’t forget about your mobile device. Show your holiday spirit with these mobile wallpaper and themes:

Last, when you’re sending out those Christmas cards through the US Postal Service, don’t forget about sending special holiday wishes via e-mail using some of these resources:

]]> http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/12/07/decorating-your-website-or-blog-for-the-holidays/feed/ 0 Workshop Panelist at the NABJ 2010 Convention http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/07/12/workshop-panelist-at-the-nabj-2010-convention/ http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/07/12/workshop-panelist-at-the-nabj-2010-convention/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:31:47 +0000 Lisa http://www.lisadowdell.com/?p=116 Lisa Dowdell will be one of the panelist appearing at this year’s National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention and Career Fair to be held in San Diego, California. She will be sharing with journalist, information and tips to launch their own website or blog, and turning it into an effective and profitable business at the workshop, “Making Your Website or Blog Your Business” .

The convention will be held from July 28 – August 1, 2010. http://www.goeshow.com/nabj/Annual/2010/index.cfm

]]> http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/07/12/workshop-panelist-at-the-nabj-2010-convention/feed/ 0 Beautiful Backgrounds and Patterns http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/07/beautiful-backgrounds-and-patterns/ http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/07/beautiful-backgrounds-and-patterns/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 07:01:34 +0000 Lisa http://www.lisadowdell.com/?p=109

Background LabsIn my search for a nice background to use for a twitter site I came across this really cool website, BackgroundLabs.com. It features a wide variety of seamless backgrounds, patterns, textures and graphics for use in customizing your Myspace pages, twitter, blogs, and websites.

Some folks are really surprised by the fact that professional developers use third-party designs, so me pointing my clients to a different website to sort through backgrounds might seem a little wierd, but I am totally a practical developer/designer. Why re-invent the wheel and charge your clients for it, when you can find such nice resources such as these. The retro styles are really my favorite.

]]> http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/07/beautiful-backgrounds-and-patterns/feed/ 0 New ITGeekGurl Gear Store! http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/07/102/ http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/07/102/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 04:35:15 +0000 Lisa http://www.lisadowdell.com/?p=102 Just created a new merchandise store from Zazzle.com to promote my ITGeekGurl.com website. The different “Geek Gear” will consist of mouse pads, mugs, bags, t-shirts and much more. Visit the store at: http://www.zazzle.com/lisadowdell.

]]> http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/07/102/feed/ 0 Project: Membership Site http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/04/project-membership-site/ http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/04/project-membership-site/#comments Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:30:51 +0000 Lisa http://www.lisadowdell.com/?p=49 Vishwa Gujarati Samaj USA provides platform for the interaction amongst Gujaratis residing in the United States. They wanted their website to be an online community for their current and potential members to get the latest event information and news. The site was integrated with their PayPal account to accept membership applications online and allow payment.

The site uses a content management system to allow the organization to add and modify content, view responses from the membership form, add/modify and delete photographs in their gallery, and update news and events. http://www.vishwagujaratisamajusa.org

]]> http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/04/project-membership-site/feed/ 0 Visit ITGeekGurl.com for Tips and Tools http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/03/visit-itgeekgurl-com-for-tips-and-tools/ http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/03/visit-itgeekgurl-com-for-tips-and-tools/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:21:22 +0000 Lisa http://www.lisadowdell.com/?p=65

Lisa Dowdell as "ITGeekGurl" - artwork by Glenn Gibson

I created ITGeekGurl.com as my way to share the knowledge I’ve acquired over the years and hopefully years to come. I’ve received so much assistance from other programmers through their websites and resource recommendations that I thought it was time I ‘gave back’. For so many years in my development jobs I felt like an island because there weren’t any other programmers in my section to ask, “How do you make this … do this?”

The Internet and the ability to search out a solution became the most powerful tool I possessed. Through ITGeekGurl.com I plan to share my knowledge, my resources and Internet business know-how.

This site will not only be for the web developer, but the individual just trying to get their Internet presence off the ground.

]]> http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/03/visit-itgeekgurl-com-for-tips-and-tools/feed/ 0 Project: Online Portal http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/03/project-online-portal/ http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/03/project-online-portal/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:22:18 +0000 Lisa http://www.lisadowdell.com/?p=45 4BlackYouth.com is a web portal that provides information about careers and colleges by createing a platform where knowledge and opportunity are seamlessly transferred from talented individuals and good willed institutions to eager young minds.

The site was developed using ASP.NET, and the site’s content is managed by a customized CMS. http://www.4blackyouth.com

4BlackYouth.com was feature on NBC as a “creative approach to mentoring is helping minority kids reach higher in their lives”. http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/4blackyouth-mentor-site-115684919.html

]]> http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/03/project-online-portal/feed/ 0 Project: Online Magazine http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/03/smoothjazztimes/ http://www.lisadowdell.com/2010/06/03/smoothjazztimes/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 04:29:38 +0000 Lisa http://www.lisadowdell.com/?p=1 SmoothJazzTimes Web Magazine™ offers up close and personal interviews with recording artists from the world of Smooth Jazz. The website feature local jazz bands that have a major impact on the jazz scene from coast to coast. The latest in jazz news, reviews, concerts and events are offered here – in addition to segments surrounding the importance of music education and fine works from musically influenced illustrators. 

The site was developed around a news-oriented CMS using customized layouts in ASP.NET. For multimedia , we integrated YouTube videos and utilized PodBean.com for embedded podcast players. The website launched May 2010 and already has several followings. A branded twitter and FaceBook page was also designed. http://www.smoothjazztimes.com

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