Put On the Kettle

Newest Logo for Bottled Sentiments

2011-09-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Lovin' this logo Bottled Sentiments approved this month —

First Day of Autumn!

2011-09-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

To acknowledge the first day of autumn, we broke out our Pear Ginger Tea from Eastern Shore plus took a gander through some of our old photos. We thought the perfect ones for such a dreary day would be an equally dreary October Graveyard. Enjoy!

New website launch!

2011-09-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

Recently we launched the new website for Waste Masters: headquartered in New Castle, Delaware. Slideshow, auto scrolling features,a much improved SEO and more. Check them out:

www.wastemasters.com

Bay Country Landscape - Website Launch

2011-09-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

We're thrilled to announce that Bay Country Landscapes website redesign has launched! We made sure they were covered with a refreshing new logo and business cards.

Visit them online @ www.baycountrylandscape.com.

New Launch!

2011-08-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

Check out the new site for a local Delaware window, door, siding, and garage contractor, Newark Door & Window...

www.newarkdoor.com

Freshly Launched!

2011-07-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

So excited! We just launched the new website for SSD, a Delaware IT Firm. It boasts 100% custom design, css3, and font-face, which allows the use of unique fonts.

Check it out...

www.ssdel.com

Latest Launch!

2011-07-09T05:47:00.001-07:00

Check out our latest website launch for the lovely Dr. Brenda Fairchild. She specializes in Chiropractic care for Women, Pregnant Women, and Children.

www.doctorfairchild.com

Like them on Facebook!

50 Clever Logo Designs

2011-06-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

I am completely in love with this logo featured in Joshua Johnson's article on 50 Fantastically Clever Logos.

Take a look at the other clever logos here...

Super Cool Comic: FREAKANGELS

2011-06-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a little while since I last posted. (Sometimes I'm a terrible blogger. What can I say?)

But, TGIF!

Since launching a website for my client Icons Comics & Games, I've been taking a peek at more comics lately. Check out this pretty amazing free, ongoing and weekly comic FREAKANGELS, written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Paul Duffield.

Waiting for permission to post some of the illustrations, but check out this super cool comic @

www.freakangels.com

MS Walks Saturday, April 16th

2011-04-11T06:01:00.000-07:00

Calling all Delawareans! If you know someone with MS, now is a good time to come out and support them.

Walk MS is a rallying point, a time and a place for us to stand together and to be together — to help raise critical funds that support cutting edge research, drive change through advocacy, facilitate professional education and provide programs and services to help people with MS move their lives forward.

On Saturday, April 16, Two MS Walks are happening.

Wilmington Riverfront (Starts 8 A.M.)

Historic Dover Walk (starts 9 A.M.):

We will be supporting good friend and Creative Image Associates Designer Lindsey McCloskey in Dover:

Historic Dover

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Starting Location:

Tatnall Building, 150 William Penn Street, Dover, DE 19901

This walk kicks off right on Legislative Ave in front of the Tatnall Building.

Time:

Registration and Walker Check-in opens at 9:00 AM. The walk will begin at 10:00 AM.

Parking:
Parking is available in the Tatnall Building lot and several other lots within walking distance of the walk kick-off. Handicap accessible parking is adjacent to the Tatnall Building.

Number of Walkers:
We are expecting between 400 and 500 walkers at this site.

Length of Walk:
This walk is approximately 2.7 miles long.

Rest Stops:
Rest stops are located on North State Street and Washington Street. These stops will be fully staffed with Walk MS volunteers and there will be bananas, water, and crackers at each stop.

Route Markings:
The walk route will be denoted with orange arrows and Walk MS fact signs. Follow these to the finish line!

Entertainment:
Tom-FM will be providing music at the start of the walk. Also, the Steppin’ Seniors will be performing at lunch.

Lunch:
Be sure to save room for lunch! We have several awesome lunch sponsors this year, including Chick-Fil-A, Tony’s, & Herr’s!

Volunteering:
If you have friends and family that cannot walk, but would like to join you on event day, let them know there is still a place for them! They can contact Ainsley Hertrich, Volunteer Coordinator at 302-655-5610 ext 129 or ainsley.hertrich@nmss.org to sign-up as a volunteer.

If you cannot make it but still wish to show support, please feel free to make your donations here.

See you there!

Highlights from Shenandoah, VA

2011-04-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaack! We went to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Virginia with some friends. From snow, to rain, to 80 degree weather, I feel like we've been through all the seasons in just 4 short days.

Between the 6 of use we've taken well over 1,000 photos. Here are just a few highlights and some of my favorites. Enjoy!

Photos and design by teakettica

Want more Pictures? See more on Facebook.

Philadelphia Skylines

2011-03-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

So I convinced my friend Mike Morris @designsophy to let me blog about these pictures he took of his hometown of Philadelphia. They are completely inspiring and the incredible skylines take me back to a time when I fell in love with my husband in NYC. (Unbeknown to me ‪‪— though I think everyone else knew before I did.) I was, ironically, also there on a business trip/cocktail party for Pneuma Books (owned by the awesome Brian Taylor) with Mike, who was my senior designer at the time.

Mike & Brian hired me right out of college after interning for them for a while. They pretty much taught me everything I know about good design and typography. Mike was shocked to know I didn't know what greeking was. I was shocked there was something called greeking. More like geeking.

They showed me the true elegance of the em dash and the importance of kerning.

Hard to believe it's been 10 years.

So, without further adieu ‪‪— ‪check these out. Nice work, Mikey.

Photos by Mike Morris @designosophy

Largest Design Show Yet - Middletown, DE

2011-03-09T09:51:00.001-08:00

I cannot wait! I did a search for the house on Google - I think this is it! Gorgeous!

The Designer Show House is returning this spring to Middletown, DE to the oldest house in Middletown, circa 1800s. 12 leading interior designers, including my friend Barbara Pettinella from the Decorating Den, are donating their time and resources to redecorate the house. A total makeover.

This stone house is 7,000-squarefoot, includes seven bedrooms, boasts five fireplaces, has 8-foot-wide pocket doors, a ballroom and original 10-foot fluted Corinthian pillars in the formal parlor.

Details:

The house will be open to the public Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from Friday, April 8 through Sunday, May 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

217 N. Broad St., Middletown, DE

Tickets are $15 and may also be purchased at the door. The house will be closed on Easter Sunday April 24.

The organization will also offer private garden tea, garden lunch, and evening wine tours. To make a reservation, call Barbara Cooper at 302-437-5640 before March 22 for best date selection.

See you there...

New Launch!

2011-03-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

We're happy to announce the new website launch for Refine Your Design - check it out below with some new business cards to boot!

www.refineyourdesign.net

Logo for Balanced Wellness

2011-03-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

We're lovin' this logo we did for Balanced Wellness. Organic meets Celtic five-fold.

Protecting Endangered Species — Animals that Need Your Help Now

2011-02-24T08:06:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks like the WWF (no - not the world wrestling foundation) put the word out that we're interested in protecting wildlife and endangered species. This week we received 4 pleas for donations from 4 different wildlife organizations. All sent free stuff. Maps. Decals. Address labels. Stickers. Calendars. We felt pressured to donate to them all! But we felt our dollar would go farther if we chose one. So, we did our research and chose the organization we felt aligned with our own agenda.

That's why we chose the Sierra Club. They are addressing the animals that need our help now — and they are doing so through land conservation and more than taking donations — they are sending petitions to our Congressional leaders to work with the Obama Administration to restore and strength Endangered Species Act protections. (The free rucksack is a bonus.)

Animals that Need Your Help Now:

Yellowstone Wolves: The wolves in and around Yellowstone have been hunted, nearly 200 killed who wandered outside the protection of the park. Sierra Club helped reinstall federal protection for the wolves in the region.
Polar Bears in Alaska: This threatened species has gone without assistance for over 3 years due to the protection act's inability to stop the oil drilling in their habitat.
Florida Panther: Fewer than 100 left due to highway accidents and loss of habitat.
America's Grizzly Bears: Previous protection lifted, the bear's habitat is also being destroyed by the pine beetle, which is consuming one of their main sources of food: the whitebark pine. 40% of the grizzly's habitat is without protection, only surviving in the lower 48 states due to the protections afforded under the Endangered Species Act.

For more information or to help with this cause, visit www.sierraclub.org.

(Photos from Sierra Club)

It's February! You know what that means...

2011-02-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

It's teakettica's two year anniversary!

(We know — not as cool as Black History Month, but still pretty rad, right?)

As a special thank you to all of our clients,
we are offering a 20% discount on anything you order this month.

Thank you x 2!

www.teakettica.com

Misty Travel - Delaware Travel Agent Website Launched

2010-12-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

Super excited to finally release Misty-Travel's new logo and website. Still in development, but up and running!

www.misty-travel.com

New website launched!

2010-12-22T13:28:00.000-08:00

We're happy to announce the new Tom Spadea logo and website. Check it out...

www.tomspadea.com

A Shabby Chic Christmas

2010-12-06T07:41:00.000-08:00

Alices Looking Glass has to be one of the most gorgeous Etsy shops I've stumbled upon this year. Totally feminine and beautifully crafted, this shop has everything you need for a shabby chic Christmas.

Photos by AlicesLookingGlass, used with Permission, designed by teakettica.

Swing by her shop and bath in the stunning shades of beige and light pinks.

Nina Simone & Night Owl Tea

2010-11-15T12:08:00.000-08:00

Blue skies, cool weather, and splendid colors means autumn is in full force. Here are just a few of my favorite things I'm enjoying in preparation for the holidays. Really digging Nina Simone's I Put a Spell on You as well as my highly caffeinated Night Owl Tea (with honey).

What inspires you this autumn?

No more Arial, Georgia, or Times New Roman!

2010-10-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

That's right, guys - you aren't stuck with Arial or Times New Roman anymore. We've implemented font-face technology into our website which allows you to download a particular font from your server to render a webpage if the user hasn't got that font installed. This means that web designers will no longer have to adhere to a particular set of "web safe" fonts that the user has pre-installed on their computer.

Great news, right?!

Our site features Droid Serif — made by Google Android. Check it out on our site and download it for free @ Font Squirrel.
www.teakettica.com

Read more about font-face technology @ www.font-face.com.

September in Virginia

2010-09-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the photos from our vacation to VA this month. We stayed at Skyland Resort, 3750 feet up. I completely unplugged and it was oh-so-fabulous. The only source of entertainment in the evening was the mountain tap room with life bluegrass. The temperature in the mountains ranged from 50 to 85 degrees, beautiful sunrises to breathtaking sunsets. From Natural Bridge, Luray Caverns, to Shenandoah Vineyards, it was truly an awesome time.

From top left to right: View from our cabin at sunset, Luray Caverns
(dream lake), Black-Eyed Susan on Skyline Dr, View from Betsy's Rock,
Natural Bridge

Photos and layouts by teakettica

From top left to right: View from Stonyman Point, Trail at Natural Bridge,
Shenandoah Vineyards, Me and the Husband, wax figures during the tour of the
Natural Bridge Wax Museum

A trip he can't possibly refuse

2010-09-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you put Wine, Frank Cappola, and The Godfather all in one design.

Okay. This is a blatant attempt to get my husband, who isn't the biggest wine fan, on board to visit a vineyard while we're on vacation in Shenandoah Valley, VA.

So, I did what any woman would do. I created a featured design with Wine, Frank Cappola and his lovely vineyards, and pictures of The Godfather.

Now, he can't possibly refuse...

Queens Closet by Richard Cleaver

2010-08-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

I am completely excited about this piece from the Delaware Art Museum: The Queens Closet by Richard Cleaver. I have always been a huge Tudor buff and this has got to be the coolest thing I've ever seen.

Fascinated with history this artist creates elaborate cabinets to capture the lives and secrets of historical figures. King Henry VIII, famous for beheading his wives when they failed to produce a male heir, reveals portraits of his six wives when compartments are opened.

Pictures courtesy of Debsteinberg; Designed by teakettica

Medium: Mixed media (ceramic, wood, and beads)
Creation Date: 1995

New website launch!

2010-08-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

Delaware Real Estate Girl - New website Launch

Check it out...

www.delawarerealestategirl.com

Trip to Terrain

2010-08-23T05:40:00.000-07:00

Terrain was so incredibly amazing I have to share with you some photos that were taken (as well as my new favorite things). As my husband would say, this place preys on women, especially the crafty, nature-loving sort. Consider me one of them... also a huge thank you to my friend Joy for getting us there in the rain.

Photos & design by teakettica

My new favorite tea cup and hand soap.

Boulder Mugs - $10 (Photo Courtesy of Terrain)

Terrace Wrapped Olive Soap (Photo Courtesy of Terrain)

Save the Whales

2010-08-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

For my whale lover clients and friends — feeling especially inspired to save the whales by donning this amazing whale dress.

Want to help Save the Whales? Check out this Letter Writing Campaign sponsored by www.savethewhales.org.

Blue whales on the surface - Credit: Dan Shapiro - NOAA, Killer Whale earrings, Whale dress

For more information on what actions you can take to help marine life, visit: www.savethewhales.org

I ♥ Tea

2010-08-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

A little inspiration for my tea-loving friends. I love these adorable teapots from Christine Misiak and the submarine tea infuser by Scott Beale is even more awesome.

Just a few of my favorite things

2010-07-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

As we're getting closer and closer to buying a house, I can't help but feel inspired by modern Italian design. These are just a few of my favorite things...

Amazing textures and patterns
A beautiful, airy room
Gorgeous views
Everything green and leafy - with a modern twist
Punchy colors

New business cards!

2010-07-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! My new business cards finally arrived today. I'm really digging the rounded edges...

Website Launch for ex Dallas Cowboy, Erik Williams

2010-07-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

teakettica is super excited to announce that e-daptive media just launched the website for ex Dallas Cowboy Erik Williams, Erik Williams Foundation, a project we had the honor to help produce.

Check it out...

www.erikwilliamsfoundation.org

Shenandoah Valley, here we come.

2010-07-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, our parents used to take us on vacation to Virginia, typically the Shenandoah Valley / Skyline Drive area. I have a ton of fond memories (including my sister and I marking our territories in the back seats of my dad's super tiny truck. It was awesome when they finally got the mini van.)

Sometime this year, the husband and I are off to revisit! I really want to share with him the awesome times had at the wax museum, Lurray Caverns, and the Natural Bridge!

Tell us about your past and future vacations! Any great plans?

Four Websites Launched in Four Days!

2010-06-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow!

We've just had an uber productive week and we're happy to announce our fourth website not only launched this week, but our fourth website within four consecutive days! Our newest launch is Christiana Spine Center.

The Christiana Spine Center is a widely respected group of board-certified and fellowship-trained Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physicians, and Orthopedic Spine surgeons serving New Castle, Cecil, Delaware and Chester counties.

Check them out!

www.christianaspinecenter.com

You've got to be kidding?!

2010-06-16T05:48:00.000-07:00

We kid you not; we just launched a third website in three days.

Artworks & Metalworks is over 10 years old and actively promotes local artists of superb quality. Located in the quaint borough of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, they draw most of their artists from the rolling hills and villages of Southern Chester County and Northern Delaware. The mix of history, agriculture, industry, horse farms, and mushroom houses provides a hot house environment for a plethora of artists in all mediums.

Take a peek and let us know what you think!

www.art2luv.com

Launching Party!

2010-06-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

We are jazzed to announce that e-daptive media just launched another website we helped produce, The Wilson Law Firm. It's a launching party!

Check it out...

www.wilsonfirmllc.com

Check out the launch of Actor Jamie Johnston's Redesign, launched 6/14/10.

Actor Jamie Johnston Website Redesign

2010-06-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

teakettica is thrilled to announce that e-daptive media just launched the redesign for Canadian Actor Jamie Johnston, www.jamiejohnston.com, a project we had the honor to help produce.

Check it out...

www.jamiejohnston.com

Vintage Beach

2010-06-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

I love the colors wheat and teal in this vintage beach composite.

Why we present one concept instead of several

2010-05-17T06:28:00.000-07:00

When I'm not designing for my clients, I'm talking shop with my design posse, the Motley Design Crue. One of my twitter buddies, @sarahcamp, sent us a link to an article featured on intuitivedesigns.net on why we present one initial web concept as opposed to several. It's a really good read.

We're not being lazy — honest. There is a reason why we only want to present one main design concept.

I definitely recommend you check out this article written by Naomi Niles — Hit me with your best shot: Why we present one concept instead of several.

Just a few highlights:

Time and Cost Savings: We want to make sure that the website provides a good return on investment and wasting precious time and resources
Avoiding sub-par solutions: In our eyes, when we work on several design concepts, there is one that is always clearly the strongest solution.
Avoiding Frankenstein solutions: The natural reaction is to pick and choose one thing from one concept and another thing from another and so on. This ends up creating a final solution that doesn’t have the original impact and is also not totally cohesive.

Read the full article here.

Have questions or want to get a quote? Contact me.

Lavender & Bluebells

2010-05-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this hot spring: lovely photos of lavender of bluebells. Summer isn't too far off.

Photos by David Clapp, Kane Cunningham,

Another Site Launched

2010-04-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

teakettica is happy to announce that e-daptive media just launched www.merrittservices.com, another project we had the honor to help produce.

Check it out...

www.merrittservices.com

I ♥ Retro

2010-04-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

One of my clients asked me to do a retro-style logo and web site and my answer was heck yeah! Sometimes I think that I was born in the wrong decade because I absolutely ♥ this style.

Hatched!

2010-04-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

After only a couple of weeks, the birds have come out to play; I can't believe how pink and fluffy they are!

Check out the previous post on the nest's discovery

I thought Easter was over?

2010-04-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

So it just occurred to me that it's April and I STILL have the winter wreath on the front door. But wait — it gets better.

I'm one of those people who insists on putting up the Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving. By the time the holiday rolls around, my floor is covered in needles and the tree is out the door before New Years even rolls around. However, for some reason this year, I neglected to take down the wreath until just a week ago, every time we approached the front door a bird would come tearing out of it.

I was pretty sure the birds were pulling the twine from our wreath to build a nest somewhere. But wait — it gets even better.

I went to take it down, and to my surprise, a bird had built a nest directly in the wreath, tucked back in the left hand corner.

But wait — it gets even BETTER:

I guess that wreath definitely won't be coming down for a while...

Walk for MS

2010-04-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

teakettica has registered for the National MS Society Walk Event on April 17th at the Wilmington Riverfront. I will also be there with Creative Image Associates. Please feel free to donate for the cause or come out and walk!

Why We Fight MS

Having multiple sclerosis means that you may not be able to walk when you wake up. Or that you may suddenly have impaired vision. Or that your memory will fail you for no apparent reason. The symptoms of MS are different, and devastating, for everyone - the only certainty is that it will affect yet another person every hour of every day.

Why I Walk

I've registered for the MS Walk because I want to do something for the people who have been diagnosed - and because I want to do everything to prevent more people from learning what it means to live with this disease. Today, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, and with a diagnosis occurring most frequently between the ages of 20 and 50, many individuals face a lifetime filled with unpredictability.

Why You Should Sponsor Us

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society will use funds collected from the MS Walk to not only support research for a cure tomorrow, but also to provide programs which address the needs of people living with MS today. Because we choose to walk for those who sometimes can't, because we choose to donate to the MS Walk, we are getting closer to the hour when no one will have to hear the words, "You have MS."

New Website Launch!

2010-04-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

teakettica is happy to announce that e-daptive media just launched www.betterhomescontractors.com, a project we had the honor to help produce.

Check it out...

www.betterhomescontractors.com

Business Cards — More Than Just Contact Information

2010-03-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

Business cards are more than just contact information; they are a marketing piece that leaves an impression. Give me a ring to discuss just what you can do with them.

Some great ideas:

Images Courtesy of Logo Designer Blog

See more at Logo Designer Blog: 400+ Creative Business Card Designs

1 Year Anniversary

2010-03-01T07:54:00.000-08:00

We are totally jazzed! As of February 27, 2010, teakettica web & graphic design studio had it's very first birthday.

Thanks so much to all our clients, partners, and friends for their support and business. Here's to an exciting and creative 2010!

teakettica (pronounced tee-ket-icka) is a woman-owned business, led by Jane Clark (left), a graphic designer with over 10 years experience, a strong photography background, and a passion for tea. We specialize in website design, graphic design, and company branding.

Servicing: Elkton, Maryland (MD), Newark, Delaware (DE), Bear, Delaware (DE), Wilmington Delaware (DE), New Castle Delaware (DE)

Need a website, company branding, or graphic design work? Contact us here.

Beware of scammers

2010-02-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

My client brought this Asian domain name scan to my attention this morning. Emails like this (bottom)certainly catch you off guard. The scammers are getting smarter and smarter.

Upon first inspection this actually appears somewhat legit, but there are a few factors that prevents me from replying - like it is:

No company name
web url in signature does not work
What registrar actually researches domains in the name of company branding and turns down sales? None!

After 5 minutes more research we discovered it was definitely a scam. Take a look at the link below:
http://tim.safitech.com/2008/07/asian-domain-name-fraud-warning/

If you want to protect against scammers, talk to me or your web designer about private registration.

Here is the original email:

(If you are NOT CEO,please forward this to your CEO, because this is very urgent.)

Dear CEO,

We are the department of Asian Domain registration service in china, have something to confirm with you. We formally received an application on February 22. 2010,one company which self-styled "Fed Investments Co., Ltd" were applying to register "yourdomainname" as Network Brand and following domain names:

yourdomainname.asia
yourdomainname.cn
yourdomainname.com.cn
yourdomainname.com.hk
yourdomainname.com.tw
yourdomainname.hk
yourdomainname.in
yourdomainname.net.cn
yourdomainname.org.cn
yourdomainname.tw

After our initial checking, we found the brand name were similar to yours, so we need to check with you whether you has authorized that company to register these names. If you authorized this, we will finish the registration at once. If you did not authorize, please let us know within 7 workdays, so that we will handle this issue better. Out of the time limit we will unconditionally finish the registration for "Fed Investments Co., Ltd".

Best Regards,

Nicholas Lee

Senior Consultant

Room520,Unit A,International Shoes City,No.1775 CaoAnRoad,Jiading District,Shanghai,China

Postal Code: 201824
Tel : +86-21-69106-991
Fax : +86-21-69106-670

P Please consider the environment before you print this e-mail.

Anthem Blue Cross Raising Rates Up to 39%

2010-02-16T07:02:00.000-08:00

We hear all the time about rising health care costs, but this really takes the cake.

I believe in free enterprise. Everyone has the right to make a profit. However, to raise rates this high in a time of financial turmoil should be no more legal than the price of goods raising in a time of crisis. (Think Katrina)

Blue Cross has just announced that it's immediately raising premiums charged to hundreds of thousands of individual customers by as much as 39% -- even though their parent company's profits soared to a record $4.7 billion last year.

Even worse, the insurer has so far refused to explain why they're increasing their rates, and warned that they might do so again this year without warning. I wonder how the CEO can sleep at night raising rates this high in a time of financial turmoil.

The Obama administration is demanding answers from Anthem Blue Cross, and Congress has opened an investigation. But Blue Cross is only going to respond if this story becomes a major public-relations problem for them.

So it's time to turn up the heat. I just signed a petition calling for an explanation from Blue Cross -- will you join me? Click here to sign the Anthem Blue Cross Petition.

Thanks!

-teakettica

Designers! Get over your hate of IE

2010-01-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

I get into this a lot. Is Internet Explorer terrible? Truthfully, it's irrelevant — it's the #1 browser.

I get into debates on whether or not it's even the #1 browser. I say yes, according to Wikipedia and a lot of other sources. Some swear by w3schools.com, like my twitter buddy @pissmeoffand, (after all, it does come up #1 on Google. coincidence... probably not), but if you look in the fine print, it states: These statistics are based on W3Schools users.

Wikipedia takes the data from 6 reliable stat services. There is a discrepancy between the two sites, but honestly, I'm more inclined to go with the majority on this one, and all say that IE leads by quite a bit. Some designers are down right shocked that IE is the #1 browser. Why? It's been that way for over 5 years and Windows is still the best selling OS out there, of which IE is packaged.

So, it's probable that w3schools.com stats don't match the others because a lot of developers do in fact hate IE. Again, totally moot.

But, for the sake of conversation, let's assume w3schools.com is right and that IE is the #2 browser.

If you're a front or back end developer, and you don't design for the #2 browser, and yes, I've seen sites simply not work at all, you're alienating almost 40% of users. This isn't good for your client's SEO and their users certainly can't get their information. Of course, if you're targeting designers and you know that most of them are on Firefox, you may be able to get away without optimizing for IE.

Honestly, it's a mistake either way. If you hate IE, get over it. This is business; it's not personal. Design for your client's target audience and be sure your design can be viewed decently across all the major browsers.

Happy designing!

Simplify

2010-01-15T18:54:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of my favorite quotes of all time, from Henry David Thoreau:

"Be true to your work, your word, and your friend."
~ Henry David Thoreau

"Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something."
~ Henry David Thoreau

"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify."
~ Henry David Thoreau

I think the last one is my favorite of all time, and absolutely applies to design of all types.

Simplify.

New website launched: Interiors Revisited, servicing areas in and around Newark and Wilmington Delaware

2010-01-07T15:26:00.000-08:00

We launched a new website today for an interior design company, Interiors Revisited. It was such a pleasure!

www.interiorsrevisited.com

With matching business cards to boot!

Web Design & Font Selection

2009-11-30T08:25:00.000-08:00

Some people are tired of the same old fonts on web sites.

Fonts were created for particular purposes, either for print or on screen viewing.Verdana has great on-screen visibility (of course now we know it is being redesigned for print media also) and that is why it has always been a great font to use for the web.

On the other hand, we know that if we use fancy fonts, most consumers won't be able to view the site as intended without downloading them. People actually did download fonts in the '90s, but as you know, consumers don't want to be burdened with that; they want information fast. We are limited in what fonts we can use to make sure everyone is getting the same user experience across different platforms. I have seen fonts used online and elsewhere that are so fancy I can't even read what it says. Sure, it lends itself to the overall look and feel of the design, but it lacks function.

Here is a great chart that shows the percentage of web users who have what font: Font Reliability.

Of course, we can use fonts for headlines and what and make them graphics, but then that puts the site at a SEO disadvantage.

Click here for another great article about web & type.

New website launched: DMS Solution, Wilmington Delaware

2009-11-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

We launched a new website today for an accounting company, DMS Solution, located in Wilmington Delaware. Take a look!

www.dmssolutioncpa.com

Logo & web design by teakettica

A Plea to All Creatives: Stop Going to Work

2009-10-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

A twitter friend of mine, AdrianaMullen, tweeted this article called A Plea to All Creatives: Stop Going to Work by Joe Duffy. It was just posted today.

Joe challenges us by asking if we are happy, when we feel most inspired, and what generates new ideas and energy into our lives.

He then encourages us to find those things and to nurture and respect them.

"Being someplace, like in the office, for appearances sake is futile."

I highly recommend his article, especially for anyone going freelance.
Read more here.

15 Fonts I Love

2009-10-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some fonts I've collected over the years that I absolutely love. Most of them are free, so I encourage you to download them and keep them in your back pocket. My favorite is http://fontfreak.com/.

Two New Sites Launched!

2009-10-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to announce the launch of two new sites. Pay them a visit and check them out!

#1 PTM Video
Wedding, Family & Corporate Events

#2: City Shoes Plus
A Women's Shoe Boutique

My Website is Done! Now What?

2009-10-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

Many of my new clients assume that SEO is the one and only solution for your website. I'm afraid this isn't so. Although SEO can bring you the traffic you may have been missing and giving to your competitors, your site still needs ongoing attention to grow.

Repeat After Me: My Website is a Journey — Not a Destination.

Here are some things you should consider.

Social Media & When to Use it

All the social networking tools below are great, but only if you are consistent and check & participate often. See which ones are right for you and your business.

Facebook

The #1 social site and pretty sweet if you are looking to target college students, moms, and other consumer types. Facebook has pages for businesses in which people who dig you can become a fan and receive updates. Read more on TopTenReviews.

Myspace

#2 next to Facebook, Myspace is great if you are targeting a younger audience or if you are targeting business owners who are targeting a younger audience. Not for the professional blogger, but great for networking. Read more at TopTenReviews

Blog (Wordpress vs. Blogger)

Wordpress has more capabilities like an internal username and password system, but Google owns Blogger and is undeniably biased in the search engines. Pick which one is right for you. Check out this comparison.

Twitter

I was late to jump on the bandwagon, but this is an awesome business tool to network with those in your industry, get followers, and spread the news. You can also install widgets on your website that shows your twitter status updates. Less than 14% of children use twitter, so this is certainly a more mature networking tool. I highly recommend it.

Linked In

If you are a business owner, you should be on Linked In. It's is an interconnected network of experienced professionals. You can find, be introduced to, and collaborate with qualified professionals that you need to work with to accomplish your goals.

Online & Advertising
Pay per click ads, banner ads, etc. If you are a woman, you should look into advertising on women network sites and join women groups. If you are a restaurant, think of advertizing on your local city website.

Email Signatures for All Staff Members

This seems like a no brainer, but you would be surprised at how many people don't have email signatures. Put in your name, company, phone number, email address, and yes — your website!

Link backs
The more sites that link to you, the better. Find reputable sites in your industry and have them link to your site. Don't forget to link back!

Update Your Website
Keep your website recent and fresh. The search engines will find your site more credible and will thank you for it.

Send Email Blasts
Update and provide your clients with interesting and up-to-date information. Don’t forget to draw them to your website for more information! Try to be consistent and not overload them with an email every day. The rule of thumb is twice a week, max.

Hold a Contest or Giveaway
Hold a contest or giveaway a prize to one lucky winner. This will get people talking and get people to come to your site.

Offline Advertising

Consider these offline advertising options to spread the word. Everything you do is an opportunity to market your website.

Voicemail
Signs
Business cards
Letter head
Newsletters
Fax cover sheets, etc

Announce the Launch or Redesign of Your Site.

Write Press Releases

Got questions? Please don't hesitate to contact me for more information!

Decisions, Decisions...

2009-10-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

Having a hard time choosing a designer for your website or company brand? Check out 10 Things to Expect From Your Designer by David Airey:

A strong portfolio
Excellent communication skills
Attention to detail
Great customer service
Trustworthiness
Good time management
.Positive references
Flexibility
An informative website
Common courtesy

Check out more here.

10 Awesome and Unique Halloween Costumes

2009-09-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

Hahahahaha!

Pirates of the Caribbean.

Flying spaghetti monster

One of these days, I need my friend Kati to find the real picture of this Lobster costume.
She made it with success and it was hilarious.

An octopus made of tull

A really awesome... dead... zombie thing.

Betty Boop!

Jack & Sally

Mother nature

A tornado

Stock logo product line. Gross!

2009-09-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Istockphoto.com wants to create a stock logo product line. What do YOU think? Click here to participate in the discussion.

Some of my favorite things

2009-09-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

A collection of some of my favorite photos from my college days.

Oak Moss & Clary Sage

2009-09-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

I have this great, clean-burning soy candle called Oak Moss & Clary Sage that I picked up at a local shop. I often wondered where they found the inspiration for the fragrance:

William Manning/Corbis

by Derwin Landis

New Laptop to Arrive Today

2009-09-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

My new MSI laptop is coming in today and I can't wait:

Yes I design on a PC. Check out Jacob Cass' article and poll on the ancient-long debate.

Retro Red

2009-09-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

I am so jazzed because my videographer client approved their retro red logo today. We were torn between a more earthy color, but this one had much more of an impact:

My mother just bought this candy apple red mustang, which I have to admit, played a little bit of inspiration to the color choice:

Pumpkin Cures a Rainy Day

2009-09-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

There is only one thing that can cure a cold rainy day: pumpkin spiced coffee in a pumpkin mug... and maybe a few other things :)

Back from Vacation: the Highlights

2009-09-03T14:22:00.001-07:00

Went to the beach and had the best time! Here are the highlights…

On the way to Lewes, DE on Saturday, we had to stop at IHOP for lunch…

The hilarious thing is that when we entered the town, we passed a speed limit sign that read 80mph instead of 30mph. I found this incredibly hilarious considering all the speed traps…

Then, we lounged around all day on a private little beach. For some reason, there was a TON Of jellyfish. It looked something like this…

My husband has an obsession with grottos pizza. I have an obsession with skee ball…

Saturday was super packed with people, so we waited until Sunday to shop. I got the best hoody and sweater at the Vans outlet. When I was a kid, I used to love Vans; however I had a bionic big toe and poked a hole through my brand new pair. My parents never bought me them again. I remember they were super ugly green and blue. On sale no doubt!

Another beach trip, of course.

Sunday night was a night on the boardwalk where I managed – somehow - to get off the Gravitron & the Pharaoh without throwing up. (I still haven’t recovered from my last episode on the helicopter with my friend Kate, who, unfortunately, was locked inside with me…)

The pharaoh, when going backwards, must have literally been 3 feet above someone’s house. I have no idea how those people live there…

Thrashers. Enough said.

A cute little bar called the Frogg Pond Tavern; there was a duo covering The Beatles.

Monday we relaxed, and we came back on Tuesday to recover. A great time!

Back to work… :)

Prevent Carpel Tunnel

2009-08-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

Attention all computer users: this is a true story.

My father is a computer network engineer. We had a computer in the kitchen, one in the family room, one in my sister's room, one in my room. Plus the servers and the laptops. Basically, I had my own personal computer when I was in the womb.

Through all of this, I'm not at all surprised that I am getting carpal tunnel at age of 26. As a designer, I am on the computer anywhere from 8 to 12 hours a day.

It started with tingling in my arms and pain in my wrists. I was totally fatigued and the constant pain was distracting and would cut my work hours short. Then I realized I simply couldn't see unless the distance was exactly 1-2 feet away. It took me 6 months before I realized what was happening.

I have been wearing a wrist brace for about a month, and I can honestly say that it's made all the difference in the world. Practically all the pain is gone, and I can work more efficiently. The wrist brace coupled with eye exercises and daily walks has really helped me work more efficiently and my body is thanking me for it.

If you are a hardcore computer user, I highly recommend you check out this article and start with that wrist brace now to prevent damage to your wrists.

Carpal tunnel is a repetitive stress injury that affects hands, arms, wrists and shoulders. Find out its causes & symptoms as well as preventive techniques and exercises.

Check it out…
How to prevent carpel tunnel

The crazy stuff my husband does

2009-08-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

So, about 1-2 months ago, I was having a Starbucks meeting with a colleague of mine, John Cattermole. We are sipping our coffees, talking about how we can do business. He finally says, "We are wondering what your husband is like."

By we, he means our small business organization at the chamber. I'm one of the youngest members and I think some are still finding it impossible that I am actually married - or, perhaps, maybe I am so quirky that they are imagining my husband to be the most interesting guy on the planet.

Well, my husband IS the most interesting guy on the planet. He does some crazy stuff.

As you can see, we are made for each other:

I wake up, stumble into the kitchen, pour myself some coffee, open the fridge, reach for the half and half... Instead, I grab a hold of a cold ceramic surface. Oh, it's the sugar bowl. Wait, what?? Yes. He put the sugar bowl into the fridge.
I am running late for an engagement party. I ask my husband if he could put away dinner and clean it up. He says no problem.

Later That night...

I come home and the kitchen looks pretty good. I open the fridge and see he did a nice job putting foil over the lasagna. Okay... but for some reason, he put the leftover lasagna noodles... in the fridge... in a colander... uncovered. They feel like rocks.
You should see this man load the dishwasher. There are no words; you just have to be there.
He says things like, “What if I gave your cat laxatives?”

He still doesn't know how to make a pot of coffee.

When I upgraded to vista, my video driver kept blacking out, so as a quick solution, I reverted back to my really old video card. A while later, my husband offers me his really nice video card and he will take my old one. At first I am weary… maybe he won’t go through with it. Well, he did, and it was awesome. Less than a week later, he asks me if he can buy a new video card. I should have known!
He thinks this is epic:

To the Beach!

2009-08-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

I'm quite excited because starting August 29th through Sept 1st, I will be at the beach on vacation. Mark your calendars!

For those who can't make it to the beach this year, I am bringing the beach to you. Plus, I will have photos when I return. Enjoy!

Back Roads

2009-08-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

A really hot day here, but it did cool down a bit this evening. The DH and I took the top off the jeep and went driving around the local back roads, ending up in PA.

Other back roads all over the world:

Kennett Square, PA

2009-08-04T12:24:00.001-07:00

Visted a client today up in Kennett Square, PA to discuss redoing his website. They have an amazing gallery! Check them out here.

The 45 minute ride was beautiful. In case you've never seen it, here are some attractions.

I Love Marushka

2009-08-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

I love Marushka, even though I can never find any information on the artist. This print is in my bathroom, stretched on canvas:

Marushka has been respelled as Marooshka for I believe copyright issues. Other great work:

Reverse Talk Logo

2009-07-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

We created the logo for ReverseTalk.com, a twitter site for REMALO: Reverse Mortgage Association for Loan Officers. Take a peek at their site.

Thunderstorms

2009-07-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

If you're on the east coast, you're more than likely experiencing a few thunderstorms right now. Check out the Weather Balloon on Facebook.

In the mean time... pictures for your enjoyment!

New Launch: Seniors Right to Know Network

2009-07-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Just redesigned and launched the Seniors Right to Know Network website. They specialize in assisting Seniors by providing professional advisors and accurate information on reverse mortgages.

Before...

After!

[Check them out!]

I suddenly want to start baking

2009-07-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love to cook; it's almost therapeutic.

Baking, however... is another story. Everything I make either gets burned or falls apart.

Yesterday I simply could not stop watching Paula Deen. She was baking this awesome plum cake with caramel syrup. Yes. I was actually considering baking one.

In the quest to find this recipe, I stumbled upon a ton of awesome cakes I though I'd share!

Get free recipes @ foodnetwork.com.

15 Minutes of Fame (And More)

2009-07-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

I am incredibly excited!

A colleague of mine, Jennifer Bagley from Aflac, introduced me to News4Women.org. After contacting the Chief Visionary Officer, an extremely awesome woman named Carol Arnott, within days I was featured in the limelight! Check it out!

News4Women: Success can be defined in many ways. How do you define success?
teakettica: I don’t ask myself if I’m successful; I ask if I’m happy. It makes everything less complicated.

News4Women: If you could have a conversation with a particular individual, living or dead, who would it be and why?
teakettica: Definitely Queen Elizabeth the First. She was born out of the greatest scandal of the 16th century and still managed to preside over England's Golden Age while not even taking a husband for support. She's my hero!

News4Women: Tell us about your favorite book or author.
teakettica: One of my favorites is a poetry book written by Susan Minot: Poems 4 A.M. It's falling apart and the pages are out of order — that's how good it is.

News4Women: What is something readers of NEWS4Women would be surprised to learn about you?
teakettica: I have a degree in professional photography.

News4Women: Confess a guilty pleasure- come on, we all have them!
teakettica: I love video games — MMOs especially. I'm a total nerd.

News4Women: If you were given $10,000 to make a difference in your community how would you spend it?
teakettica: Teenagers need safe places to hangout besides fast food restaurants or the movie theater. I would look to invest the $10,000 into creating a local internet cafe, arcade, sports, or music facility.

A Day at the Spa

2009-07-17T08:59:00.001-07:00

Feeling stressed? A colleague of mine, John Cattermole of John Cattermole Jewelry Design, is giving away a certificate for a treatment at the spa. Check it out!

I have never found spas relaxing. Instead, the colors, smells, and modern furnishings leave me wanting to remodel my bathroom or redecorate a room with the inspiring colors of pale blue and green.

Hope you find these pictures just as uplifting…

Just Creative Design by Jacob Cass

2009-07-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

I am really digging the Just Creative Design blog of Jacob Cass. He also has a project called Logo of the Day which I find not only incredibly inspiring, but keeps me on my toes.

Jacob has an article called Why Logo Design Does Not Cost $5.00.

In summary, he explains everything that goes behind a professional logo design vs. a $5 logo.

The Design Brief: questionnaire or interview with the client

Research: research focused on the industry, history, and competitors

Reference: research into successful logo designs in the above industry
Sketching & Conceptualising: developing the logo design around the brief and research. They use creativity and know how to design a logo.
Reflection: They take breaks throughout their design process. This lets their ideas mature and lets them get renewed enthusiasm and receive feedback.
Presentation: They then choose whether to present only a select few logos to the client or a whole collection.

Celebration: They then drink beer or eat chocolate or sleep or start on next logo design. Or a combination.

These are just a few points why you should invest more than the lowest bid. I highly recommend taking a look at Jacob Cass' blog. It's loaded with awesome tips and information.

David J Nightingale

2009-07-02T19:08:00.000-07:00

One of the best photographers I've seen since Roman Loranc, David J. Nighingale has completely blown me away.

I stumbled upon this little beauty while searching for fireworks...

Check out his iblog here. His texures are just incredible.

Inspiring Artwork & Arrangements

2009-06-29T06:20:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of dropping artwork or mirrors behind sofas or beds to completely change the look and feel of a room. These are the arrangements that I have recently found inspiring:

Cozy meets industrial. I love it!

The desaturated blue of the painting really ties this room together.

Gorgeous gold back splash.

Absolutely adore this mirror and what a great piece of furniture!

I love this. My good friend Kati's dinning room was featured on Design*Sponge

I'm a minimalist at heart...

I love these paintings because they are super quirky and jump out at you.

This is probably my most favorite arrangement: simply beautiful.

Don't have a window? Bring nature to you!

Getting Creative in the Home

2009-06-25T05:20:00.000-07:00

by Interiors by Decorating Den

Speaking of design and getting creative, I know a fabulous interior decorating company that I highly recommend checking out if you need something done with a room, or even something as small as a window you aren't quite sure what to do with.

Interiors by Decorating Den
Some tidbits...

Their ultimate goal is to design spaces that reflect your lifestyle
They will do everything within your budget
Will come to you and create a design plan
Everything is completely custom with you in mind
They offer an initial complimentary design consultation

Visit their site and give them a call! Ask for Barbara Pettinella.

Rain or Shine

2009-06-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

If you live on the east coast, you probably have just survived the rainest three weeks of your life.

I have to admit, I was thoroughly enjoying the weather. I like the humidity, lack of sun in your eyes, and the mild temperature.

For those who didn't mind the rain either, I've included photos of the oh-so-lovely-and-hazy England...

We love it rain or shine.

Free Alternative to GoToMeeting: Fuze Meeting

2009-06-19T13:15:00.001-07:00

I love online meeting software. Some of my clients are a few hours away, so these are a real time and money saver.

The leading provider currently is GoToMeeting.com; however, it's about $30 a month to have, and their free trial needs a credit card to activate. It's truly a powerful tool.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon an alternative, free online meeting tool called Fuze Meeting.

Share your desktop with your participants for demonstrations
Provides a toll free number for audio
Upload up to 1gig of content to share such as video, images, and documents
Invite people to your future meetings via email or schedule on the go
All you need is the latest version of flash

I don't currently see a way that you can transfer the host control to a participant, but if all you need is to show your desktop and give a little training session of some sort, I highly recommend checking this one out...

Less is More: Writing Effective Marketing Copy

2009-06-18T09:34:00.001-07:00

Less is more. Everyone is familar with this expression — except when they are writing marketing copy.

This comes in handy when a client brings me a novel that needs to somehow fit onto a postcard.

I really dig this article from Lynda Partner at One Degree written last month about trimming off the excess fat in marketing copy. She talks about the difference between writing (which she hilariously calls blah, blah, blah) and writing copy that people will actually read!

Linda put together these 10 tips to help you when writing marketing copy for your company in an article called: Cut the Blah Blah Blah – When Less is the New More.

Here is the abbreviated version. For the full tips, visit Lynda's article above.

Start with what your company does and describe your company’s focus in no more than 3 words.

Before you start writing your next piece, write a summary using less than 100 words.

After you’ve done your summary, go back and highlight the one thing that you want your reader to remember after reading your piece.

If your document is going to be more than 500 words, write an outline before you start to keep your thoughts organized

Use simple words. If you make software, say you make software.

Once you’ve written your piece, cut at least 1/3 of the words out.

Count how many times you used your product or company name or the word “we”.

Find a way to add words that complete this sentence “what this means to you is.....” after every statement you make.

Let your words sit before you finalize them.

Go back and chop some more – yes you can do it!

[Read more here]

Still need help? Contact us and we will gladly put you in touch with our social media and copywriting partner.

Mad Teapots

2009-06-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

For the tea enthusiast — check out these mad and highly creative teapots...

Global Telecommunication Website Launched

2009-06-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Awesome news! After months of preparation and implementation, the Jen-esis website has finally launched! It was a fabulous project to work on...

This is stage one. We will soon be adding a merchant cart and a secure login section.

http://www.jen-esis.com/

Inexpensive Online Advertising — Banner Ads

2009-06-09T11:18:00.001-07:00

I love banner ads because it's completely inexpensive online advertising. This is a great article on how banner ads work.

An animated banner ad created by
teakettica for a book producing firm:

Design & production by teakettica, creative direction by Pneuma Books

Free June Business Cards!

2009-06-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

Know someone who needs web design, graphic design, or company branding? How about someone who could use some business cards?

Spread the Word!

For the month of June, teakettica is thanking clients and friends with 100 free business cards for warm referrals. This includes custom design, printing, and shipping!

Here's how it works:

Have a friend or colleague desperate for web or graphic design? Send them our way.
If they turn into a client, we will contact you to get started on your design.

Have a referral or need more information? Contact us here.

Hiring a Professional Web Designer vs Building Your Own Website

2009-06-07T04:41:00.000-07:00

Ah, the endless debate. The question of whether it's better to hire a professional website designer, or build your website using free online templates, comes down to these considerations:

Cost
This is everyone’s #1 motive for using template websites, which are unusually much cheaper up front. The options are:

Do-it-yourself Templates

Free websites with ads
Free websites with a yearly charge to get rid of the ads, which I have seen as low as $15
Template websites that have all the goodies: Google Adwords, contact forms, lead capturing, etc for about $30 a month

Hiring a Designer

Website designers generally charge you for their services upfront or over the course of your project and depending on its complexity, the fees will vary from designer to designer.
The only other out of pocket expensive is to pay for hosting and your domain every year.
If you choose not to pay for hosting annually, you can get your website hosted for as little as $5 a month.

It is more expensive over a short period of time to hire a web designer, but you get what you pay for, which leads into my next consideration:

Your Company Image
For me, this goes far beyond having a unique image, which you won’t receive with template websites.

Do-it-yourself Templates

Businesses have limited options as to what templates they can use and how they can modify these templates.
It is not uncommon for several companies to have the same website, sans of course what’s written on the pages and the name of the company.

Hiring a Designer

Some website designers do offer template-based websites because it allows their clients to see the end result, plus it cuts down their labor costs. And naturally, they are less expensive. The one thing these companies can provide you with that the do-it-yourself templates can’t is actual marketing. They will edit and format your content so it gets attention.
And, of course, you have your fully customized website. Web designers will usually research your industry and come up with a unique approach that will not only best represent you, but will be memorable in the minds of consumers. The overall appearance and quality of these websites are undeniably superior.

Site Ownership
When you create a do-it-yourself website, you are basically bound by the terms of use of their hosting website.

Do-it-yourself Templates

If you do decide to host your website elsewhere, you cannot take your website with you; you cannot use their graphics elsewhere.

Hiring a Designer

A good web development company will provide you with all the files you need in order to edit or transfer your site as you see fit.

Whether you should choose a template-based website or a professional designed website is all about what you feel comfortable with. I urge you to review your options before making a decision and hope that no matter what choice you make, it’s one that allows you to maintain your company brand no matter what web service you are using. Goodluck and happy hunting!

Have questions? Contact teakettica here.

Google Wave: Revolutionary?

2009-06-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Kati Driscoll, a friend & colleague of mine who specializes in social media, posted this video about the new Google Wave. This is actually a rather impressive demonstration that I thought I would share with you all.

Basically, a "wave" is equal parts conversation and document, where people can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.

For a full explanation on exactly what this product is, go here. For a lengthy video preview, go here.

For those who are still a little confused as to what this is and why you would use it, here are some issues that Google Wave addresses:

Why do we have to live with divides between different types of communication — email versus chat, or conversations versus documents?
Could a single communications model span all or most of the systems in use on the web today, in one smooth continuum? How simple could we make it?
What if we tried designing a communications system that took advantage of computers' current abilities, rather than imitating non-electronic forms? (Aka, Snail Mail)

I have to say, very little impresses me these days when it comes to technology because new products are simply ideas recycled. Google Wave, however, appears more revolutionary... and it's open source to boot.

This is currently only open to web developers, but definitely worth following.

Study: 95 percent of all e-mail sent in 2007 was spam

2009-06-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about spam.

Not that kind of spam — the email variety.

A found a very interesting article:

There was a time--2004 to be precise--when spam "only" consumed 70 percent of all e-mail. Those were the good old days. Today, as Barracuda Networks' annual spam report shows, upwards of 95 percent of all e-mail is spam. In 2001, the number was 5 percent.

[read more here]

This could explain that no matter how hard we try, no matter how many times we change our e-mail address, we are still getting spam.

If you have a website, one way to really cut down on spam is to not post your e-mail address.

Instead of posting your email address for spam bots to find, you could use a spam-proof web form like this:

teakettica can also install a security feature that will prevent spam bots from auto-filling your forms:

Please don't hesitate to contact us for more information on how you can control spam.

Where do you rank on the search engines?

2009-06-03T10:17:00.000-07:00

As you know, we specialize in organic search engine optimization (SEO) — in other words, search engine optimization that is displayed naturally as opposed to paid advertising.

Want to know how it works? Take a look at two of our clients:

Go to Google and search for custom built garages Delaware The #1 website is Newark Door & Window.

Now go to Google and search for printer Wilmington Delaware

The #1 site is Small Associates.

If you are interested in higher search engine rankings and being found by prospects on the internet, please don't hesitate to contact us here.

website + business card

2009-05-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

About a month or so ago, my client needed a website in a hurry for his daughter as a graduation present. The challenge: She is a health & wellness coach/instructor who loves both red and purple.

Red makes me think of food, or an emergency. Purple reminds me of flowers or something of the noble-variety.

How exactly was I going to pull this off!? If you've ever researched the health & wellness industry, everything is pastels and spa-like colors.

Solution: I decided to tone down the red and the purple and soften the colors with some blue...

A few hours later, the site was done — with a matching business card:

Creative Brochures

2009-05-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, when I was a little teakettica and a production artist for a book producing firm called Pneuma Books, we put together these adorable media kits for our clients.

I accidentally stumped upon this while looking for other samples to mail a prospect. I wish I could take all the credit for this creative genius, but although I designed and laid out some of these, I was working under the creative direction of Pneuma Books. If you haven't already, check them out.

I wanted to post this for those who want to start promoting their company but don't want the usual, and sometimes horribly boring, tri-fold brochure. You have so many options, including specialty paper (even recycled!), awesome folders, consistent company branding, or even brochures with a custom shape.

Don't hesitate to contact me for ideas at www.teakettica.com.

We have something for every budget!

And, without further delay... check out this media kit:

Closed...

Open. Notice the business card on the bottom.

All the materials inside

Half-fold brochure...

... that also doubles as a mailer.

teakettica now on Facebook.com

2009-05-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

Check us out! teakettica web & graphic design studio is now on Facebook!

website design, graphic design, search engine optimization, custom projects, company / corporate branding (logos, business cards, brochures, letterhead, etc), project rescues, and industry research.

Become a fan or just browse our online portfolio.

One Space or Two?

2009-05-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

The endless debate: one or two spaces between sentences? Although we were all taught to put two spaces between sentences in typing class, I have become accustomed to following the Chicago Manual of Style from my days working as a production artist for a book producer.

I think this article from the CMOS is really convincing, and most importantly, practical:

The view at CMOS is that there is no reason for two spaces after a period in published work. Some people, however—my colleagues included—prefer it, relegating this preference to their personal correspondence and notes. I’ve noticed in old American books printed in the few decades before and after the turn of the last century (ca. 1870–1930 at least) that there seemed to be a trend in publishing to use extra space (sometimes quite a bit of it) after periods. And many people were taught to use that extra space in typing class (I was). But introducing two spaces after the period causes problems: (1) it is inefficient, requiring an extra keystroke for every sentence; (2) even if a program is set to automatically put an extra space after a period, such automation is never foolproof; (3) there is no proof that an extra space actually improves readability—as your comment suggests, it’s probably just a matter of familiarity (Who knows? perhaps it’s actually more efficient to read with less regard for sentences as individual units of thought—many centuries ago, for example in ancient Greece, there were no spaces even between words, and no punctuation); (4) two spaces are harder to control for than one in electronic documents (I find that the earmark of a document that imposes a two-space rule is a smattering of instances of both three spaces and one space after a period, and two spaces in the middle of sentences); and (5) two spaces can cause problems with line breaks in certain programs.
So, in our efficient, modern world, I think there is no room for two spaces after a period. In the opinion of this particular copyeditor, this is a good thing.

Read the whole question/answer here:

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/CMS_FAQ/OneSpaceorTwo/OneSpaceorTwo03.html

go humans go

2009-05-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

I saw this billboard while driving to meet the creative director of Pneuma Books, and I thought it was one of the best advertisements I have seen in at least 5 years. I have to say, this is the first ad that has ever touched me.

There is a pretty decent article about it written by the New York Times (a media source I’m not too fond of with only a few exceptions)

Down Economic Times Elicit Upbeat Campaigns
By STUART ELLIOTT
Published: March 9, 2009

SAY goodbye to the dutiful Quaker Man who declared of his namesake oatmeal, “Nothing is better for thee than me.” He and the Quaker Oats division of PepsiCo are clambering aboard a fast-moving marketing bandwagon by offering upbeat exhortations during these tough economic times.
“Go humans go” is the theme of a major campaign getting under way for Quaker Oats. The theme acts as an umbrella under which all the division’s oat-based products are being peddled; as an announcer in a commercial declares, “The power of Quaker is in everything we make.”

Read rest of the article here…
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/business/media/10adco.html