Nerd Alert

We have been knee deep in all kinds of technical mumbo jumbo this past week, trying to learn new design programs, figure out some more advance HTML as well as RTML (which is even more confusing!) etc, all while trying to maintain a healthy attitude that we can and will design and run our own website and online store!

One fun thing I learned about are favicons, the little icons that appear in your browser window next to the url of the site you're visiting. Most of the time it's a little globe, but sometimes people post their own icons but I never knew what they were called, or how to do it. Turns out it's easy!!

Here's how:
-Create a .gif file that is only 16 x 16 pixels in size (which is soooo small that you can really only do very basic shapes if you want people to be able to tell what it is.) One color dingbats and letters seem to be good choices that don't degenerate too much when they're that tiny.
-Save the file as "favicon.ico". This is the default icon name that your web browser will be looking for when loading up the page.
-Upload your file to the root folder of your website (via FTP or however you choose to do it) and it should work!!! You may have to empty the cache on your browser if it's not loading up right away.

I wasn't able to upload one to this site, of course, because we don't have an FTP for this url. But check out the favicons at The Curiositiy Guild and The Curiosity Shoppe!

More info how on to create favicons at:
http://articles.pointshop.com/webdesign/48183.php
and favicon.com

Weaving Weekend

I just got back from a fun weekend of hanging out with parents and crafting. I visited my loom (which made the cross-country trip relatively unscathed and is now living at my parents' house) and began a new project. Fortunately, with the help of my trusty books and a fairly easy pattern, I was able to thread the warp without any major problems. It's always a little scary but once the loom is all set up, it's so much fun!

Here are some pics:

Winding the warp onto the warping board.

Spreading out the warp in the raddle.

Threading the heddles.

Sleying the reed.

Weaving!!

Cute Graffiti

Fun with Trees

The other day we were walking home from somewhere or another, and we came across the most beautiful and bizarre tree we had ever seen. It was loaded with clusters of small red, orange, green, and yellow fruit that looked straight out of Willa Wonka's backyard.

Coincidentally, (and luckily for us!) I had just bought a tree identification book from the thrift store the day before. It's the greatest thing ever...
It asks you a series of simple questions that you answer as you would in a Choose Your Own Adventure (i.e. "Does the tree bear cones? If YES go to diagram 7A, OR "Does the tree have scale-like leaves? If YES go to diagram 10D, etc, etc...). Following along, I identified the tree—with a novice/enthusiast's degree of certainty—as a Pacific Madrone.
Yay me!!
***UPDATE***UPDATE***UPDATE***
Looks like I may have let my enthusiasm get the better of me in my first foray into tree identification. Our friend Anton pointed out the possibility that this may in fact be a Strawberry Tree, and not the Pacific Madrone as I first reported. Strawberries?! On trees!?!?! Well, we know Anton's a smart guy, and word on the street is that he knows his trees, so I did a little research, and I think he's right!
Thanks Anton!

Business Cards in a Pinch

Since we moved, I've had to give people my new contact info every so often, and have usually ended up writing it on a scrap of paper or promising to email it (and then forgetting to).

The other day I was browsing some crafty sites and I stumbled across this great fill-in-the-blank business card PDF from The Small Object. (click on StenoPad and scroll down to the Downloads button at the bottom of the page.)

They are simple, cute and hand drawn, and very easy to download and print. Such a great idea!

I printed mine on some heavyweight paper, trimmed them on my new paper cutter, and wrote in my info (only the necessary stuff: name, email, website and phone) and now I'm all set!!

Also on the site are many items for sale, including paper products, totes, pins, dolls and many more "small objects". In addition to the free business cards, you can download mailing labels, gift tags and "thumb wrestling champion belts", which are adorable!