www.reflectingthedesigner.com

I’ve finally gotten around to posting another free theme! This one is a theme I just did for someone, so it’s WP 3.0 compliant. The image below is a screen shot of the working theme, and has the following features:

• Two Column Design
• One Column Page Template also included as a check box option for each page.
• Sidebars include right sidebar, top sidebar, bottom sidebar, and dynamically widgetized footer
• Valid XTML
• Horizontal Menu (works great with new customizable menu found in WP)
• Vertical Menu also available if desired within the theme
• Built in Social Icons
• Built in div for Header Logo or Graphic

Let me show you what you’ll need to know in order to download this theme and edit the Header and personalize your social icons. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve followed some of my posts about how to edit the code of Artisteer generated templates, you might be freaking out a little that the updated version is so much different. Don’t worry. Artisteer has actually made things a little easier for you. Let me show you how. Read the rest of this entry »

Even though it’s been around a long time, I have just started messing around with an iGoogle page, and I LOVE it! Read the rest of this entry »

I’m loving the newest version of WordPress and the newest Artisteer upgrade as well that perfectly meshes with WordPress! The new features that I especially like are the new Menu options as well as the new Featured Image option. Read the rest of this entry »

The deep woods was a perfect place for the forest animals to live. The trees were tall for climbing, the bushes were bushy for hiding, the overgrown grasses and wild berries were good for eating, the dead branches and dried leaves were used for making homes, and the lake and river were good places for the animals to play or get water to drink.

The main entrance was a path that was guarded by Mr. and Mrs. Owl. Mr. and Mrs. Owl loved the forest animals and were watching day and night to make sure no danger would come to them. They greeted new animals and asked why they had come to the woods. Then the owls explained the ways of the deep woods.

One day a handsome animal with beautiful light brown and red fur pranced into the deep woods. His tail was like a plume. It waved as he walked, and the fur on it was so long it almost touched the ground. He was quite a magnificent-looking fox.

When Mr. Fox entered the deep woods he was greeted by the owls, but he never talked to them. He nodded his head and quickly ran down the path where he disappeared into the woods.

It wasn’t long after Mr. Fox entered the deep woods when Miss Deer saw him breaking one of the rules of the woods. He was seen running after the other animals and frightening them. Mr. and Mrs. Owl did not have a chance to tell Mr. Fox the rule about chasing in the woods. The only time an animal could chase another was when they were playing “tag.” Now the animals wondered, “Was Mr. Fox playing with them, or was he hunting them?”

It was on a beautiful sunny day when a little skunk named Sammy entered the deep woods quite by accident.

Sammy and his mother and father had a beautiful little home outside of the deep woods. He went to school. He went shopping with his mother and dad. He had rules to live by. He had chores to do. He slept in a soft bed.

Sometimes he would look at the deep woods and wonder if there were skunks like him. No one that he knew ever went into the deep woods, and his mother and father told Sammy to keep away from it. Sammy wondered why, but did as his mother and father told him.

Sammy was playing outside one afternoon when a group of older animals, bigger and stronger, made fun of him because he was so small. They said he was never going to amount to anything and he would never do anything important in life. They ran after him and chased him to the edge of the deep woods.

“Oh, poor little Sammy,” they laughed. “Don’t go into the deep woods! A little ant may eat you up!” They ran away and left Sammy standing by himself. He felt very hurt. Big tears began to roll down his cheeks.

“Why do they make fun of me? I know I’m small. Maybe they’re right. Maybe I will never amount to anything.” He looked at the path leading into the deep woods. He took a few steps in, sat down, and put his hands over his head.

From the deep woods came a voice. “Who-o-o? Who-o-o?”

Sammy turned his head one way and then another. He wondered who was asking him his name.

Who do you think was asking Sammy his name? Click here to find out!

“Sammy. My name is Sammy,” he replied.

“Who-o-o? Who-o-o?” came the question again.

This time Sammy said a little louder, “I’m Sammy! I’m Sammy the skunk!”

Sammy looked up and saw two owls sitting in a tree, looking down at him.

Mr. Owl began questioning Sammy. “Can you tell us why you are here? Are you a runaway? We have many animals that come into the deep woods to get away from something. If you have a problem, we could help you out. We’re very wise, you know.”

Sammy stopped crying and wiped his tears from his face. “My friends make fun of me because I’m so—” Before Sammy could say another word, he heard a thundering noise. It was so loud he couldn’t hear the owls telling him to hide! The animals of the deep woods were hurrying to get away from something.

“Run! Run! Get out of the way! Oh, this is terrible! This is awful! I have no time to stop and talk! Mr. Fox is running after us! He’s coming!” cried Miss Deer.

Miss Deer pranced past Sammy and shouted, “Oh dear! Oh dear! That is all I have to say! Oh dear! I must go fast! Mr. Fox is after ME!” She glanced back at Sammy, who was standing and not knowing what to do or where to run. “Follow me! Follow me!” she cried. Instead Sammy stepped behind a tree, so the other animals wouldn’t run over him. Then he did something very brave.

He peered into the woods and saw a sleek-looking animal coming toward him. Sammy stepped out from behind the tree and didn’t move. The fox stopped and smiled. He leaned down and whispered in the ear of Sammy, “My, but you’re little.” Mr. Fox laughed out loud and started running after the other animals.

Sammy wasn’t very happy about what Mr. Fox said to him. He had heard those words too many times before. He called to Mr. Fox. “Mr. Fox, oh, Mr. Fox, I have something for you.” Mr. Fox stopped and looked around at Sammy. Sammy stood firm and glared back at him. What could this little skunk have for him? Mr. Fox didn’t feel he was in any danger, so he began to walk back to Sammy.

What do you think Sammy was going to give Mr. Fox? Click here to find out!

Sammy stood like a statue waiting for him. As soon as Mr. Fox stood in front of him, Sammy sprayed Mr. Fox with everything he had! Mr. Fox yelped and turned around in circles before he took off down the path. Sammy started to laugh as he saw Mr. Fox running away. He shouted, “Mr. Fox, you’ll never be able to sneak up on any of the animals in the deep woods again! They’ll smell you before you can get close to them!”

The forest animals were watching from a distance and now began to come out to see who this very brave animal was. Miss Deer was the first to speak. “You weren’t afraid of Mr. Fox! What is your name? We have never seen you in the deep woods before.”

“My name is Sammy,” he replied.

Miss Deer bent her head down, and Sammy began to back away. She was very big compared to him, and for a moment he was afraid. Miss Deer sensed he was scared and lovingly said, “Oh, don’t be afraid, Sammy. We want to thank you. Have you come to live with us? We’d love to have you.”

“No, not exactly,” said Sammy. He hung his head and began to tell them what happened.

“I was chased to the edge of the deep woods by some friends who said some bad things about me.” He paused for a moment and, with a slight smile, raised his head and said, “I believe I’m already beginning to feel better! I know I’m small, and maybe I’ll hear hurtful words again, but today I actually did something to help all of you.”

“Sammy, real friends don’t make one feel bad,” said Miss Deer. “If you spend some time with us, we’ll show you what true friends are really like. Stay with us today and I’ll introduce you to the other forest animals.”

Mr. and Mrs. Owl smiled as they saw how the animals surrounded Sammy and showed their appreciation and acceptance of this little skunk.

Throughout the day the animals introduced themselves and took Sammy to their homes. They showed him all the fun places in the deep woods.

Every once in a while, when the animals were running and playing, they would smell a skunk and think they saw Mr. Fox watching from a distance.

Sammy wondered what Mr. Fox was thinking and feeling. Did he do the right thing by spraying Mr. Fox? Did that hurt Mr. Fox’s feelings just as much as words had hurt his?

How do you think Mr. Fox was feeling? Click here to find out!

I decided to give my blog a much needed face lift. However, now is really not the best time for me to do this as there are a million other projects to be done right now. So, this will be a slow update. I definitely need to simplify things on the site, and aim to do that. Some recent design projects I’ve done are the following:

Read the rest of this entry »

It was getting darker outside, and it was time for Sammy to leave the deep woods. As he bid farewell to Mr. Owl and Mrs. Owl, Sammy listened to their encouraging words.

“Sammy, you may be small, but you used what you had today to help others. You are very brave. I’m sure Mr. Fox isn’t happy about what happened to him, but I think you taught him a lesson. He’ll never run after the forest animals again, and we’ll always know where he is.”

Sammy was happy to have new friends. The animals followed him to the edge of the deep woods, and he turned and waved at them as he walked home.

Sammy’s mother and father were waiting for him. “Where have you been?” asked Mr. Skunk. Your mother and I were worried about you.

Sammy told them about the fox and how he had helped the forest animals. “The deep woods is a wonderful place! I found many friends. Do you think I can go back again?” he asked.

Sammy’s mother and father nodded their heads yes, but warned him to be very careful.

As he lay in bed that evening he thought about Mr. Fox. He knew that someday soon he would go back to the deep woods. He wanted to visit his new friends, but he also wanted to see Mr. Fox. He fell asleep thinking about what he would say to him.

Do you think Sammy will ever see Mr. Fox again? Click here to find out!

Sammy had become well known by the animals in the deep forest. He had sprayed Mr. Fox as only a skunk can do, and the fox stayed away from the other animals and the animals stayed away from him. Once in a while they would see Mr. Fox in the river washing, and the animals would grin and walk away. Read the rest of this entry »