Since the new year, I have launched two new client web sites that I wanted to mention here: a redesign of an existing site for a retail store and a brand new site for a local law firm. I learned some new techniques, partnered with a new graphics design agency, and had a really good time (as I always do) building sites that make my customers smile.

Simply Scrapbooks

For this retail store’s web site redesign, I partnered with a new graphics design agency, J. Riley Creative, started by my friend Julie. She did excellent work on this project. I took her designs and converted them into a WordPress theme using XHTML, CSS, and PHP. Working with Julie was seamless and enjoyable, and hopefully we’ll get to do it again soon. (Take a look at her other work and contact either of us if you’d like her to design and me to build a new web site for you.)

In addition to using WordPress to manage the main site content, I integrated WordPress with two external web-based systems: OnlineITools for managing email newsletters and Google Calendar for managing classes and events.

Rogaliner Law Offices, P.C.

I started with this local law firm’s logo and created a web site design to match it. I learned about grid layouts and Blueprint (a CSS framework) at a conference a few months ago: I wrote some of my own code for a grid of sorts and used some of the files from Blueprint. I also finally found a good reason to use Cameron Adams’ script for resolution dependent layouts: if you make your browser window smaller on the site, the border will disappear and the page content will expand.

I built both of these web sites with WordPress. I have been working with it heavily for over a year now, and I really enjoy it. It works very well for building sites that clients can maintain themselves. I have found some useful plugins for expanding its functionality and making it easier for me to manage multiple installations:

• Page Excerpt: add excerpt field back to pages
• Page Link Manager: exclude specific pages from navigation
• Open ID: log in to multiple WordPress installations with a single password
• Contact Form: add a contact form to a page
• Disable Update: hide update notifications from clients (I handle the upgrades)
• Admin Favicon: icons, even small ones, make a big difference

(I have written a few of my own plugins as well, which I hope to release soon.)

In addition to these two clients sites, I have been working on two new designs for myself. Partly in response to reading Pathways to Bliss, I have decided to separate the content from this site into two: one for my freelance web studio and one for my personal interests (myth, movies, and the web). I have a new company name, logo, and domain for the studio; and I have been working on a fun and casual new design for the personal site. Something new should be launched in the next few weeks: stay tuned!