Tools Of The Trade

Computer software and hardware for design work that I recommend.

Safari!

Published November 19, 2009 | By Sarah

So, as I was updating my QuickTime player today, I went ahead and installed the Safari web browser to my computer. (That’s what I’m using right now as I type this post, actually.) This is a super fast browser! It… Continue reading →

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Making the Most Use from Photoshop and Artisteer Part 1

Published November 16, 2009 | By Sarah

Backgrounds and Glare

I purchased Artisteer back in the spring, and it has more than made up the money I invested into it by the ease at which it allows you to create templates for WordPress, Blogger, Dot Net Nuke,… Continue reading →

Posted in Artisteer Tips, Recent Projects, Tips and Tricks, Tools of the Trade | Tagged blog design, Blogger, Design, Photshop, Portfolio, software | 12 Comments

Using WordPress for a full CMS Website

Published November 5, 2009 | By Sarah

Based on a comment I received earlier today, I thought I should do this post. Many people think that WordPress can only be used for blogs, or that you need to know some complicated code in order to turn your current WP blog into a full site. Both of these statements couldn’t be further from the truth. This site is a perfect example of that, and here are a few simple things you can do to turn your WP blog into a full blown site. Continue reading →

Posted in Artisteer Tips, Plugins, Tools of the Trade, Wordpress Tips and Tricks | Tagged blog design, Portfolio, Wordpress Tweaks | Leave a comment

Site Refresher

Published September 23, 2009 | By Sarah

As you can tell if you’ve been following me, I’ve just updated my site. I love the convenience of having all of my main site elements on WordPress, so I created a new theme design that has the look and… Continue reading →

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Great Source for Icons from Icon Eden

Published March 27, 2009 | By Sarah

I found this site just today and downloaded one of their free icon sets. These are some very clean and professional looking icons that I’m going to start implementing. They have tons of icons that you can pay for, but… Continue reading →

Posted in Free Downloads, Tools of the Trade | Tagged Free Downloads, great link, stock images | Leave a comment

Example of a Working Customized Blog Design

Published March 26, 2009 | By Sarah

This is a blog I designed and have been managing. The owner of the blog is very experienced as a teacher and story teller, but she has almost no experience with computers. She can add to, edit, and categorize her… Continue reading →

Posted in Tools of the Trade | Tagged blog design, photo-editing, Photshop, podcasting for blogs, quick designs, stock audio | Leave a comment

Good Printing Option

Published March 20, 2009 | By Sarah

We’ve used Vista Print quite a bit at Kids 4 Truth because they are pretty fast and inexpensive. I’ve even used them personally. They are especially great for greeting cards, announcements, business cards, etc. because their prices can’t be beat… Continue reading →

Posted in Recent Projects, Tools of the Trade | Tagged photo-editing, print design | Leave a comment

Stock Photos, Vectors, Audio, and Video

Published March 20, 2009 | By Sarah

I use iStock if I need to get just the right royalty free picture or image to use for design work. They use a credit system so you can purchase a certain amount of credits for downloading images, audio, or… Continue reading →

Posted in Tips and Tricks, Tools of the Trade | Tagged podcasting for blogs, stock audio, stock images | Leave a comment

Site Grinder for Quick & Stunning Web Design

Published March 16, 2009 | By Sarah

SiteGrinder has been a dream come true for me! Having a print design background, I needed something that would allow me to have complete control over my web design without having to be an expert on code. Now, learning code… Continue reading →

Posted in Tools of the Trade | Tagged Design, Photshop, software | 2 Comments

Free Password Management Add-on for Firefox

Published March 14, 2009 | By Sarah

My husband just recently introduced me to a great, free password security add-on for Firefox called LastPass. It also works in IE and some other browsers as well. It’s called LastPass, and I would definitely recommend that you check… Continue reading →