The new owners of the Park asked me to design and deploy a website for them. How web design and the rules for that have changed since I last designed a site!
The trend in 2016 is flat or one page design, which is so changed from 2012, where hierarchical page design was still the norm. As well, HTML 5 and CSS 3 are quite different from what was current a few years ago, so some brushing up was necessary.
Definition and purpose. Flat design is a style of interface design emphasizing minimum use of stylistic elements that give the illusion of three dimensions (such as excessive use of drop shadows, gradients or textures) and is focused on a minimalist use of simple elements, typography and flat colors.
Flat design – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quite a bit of studying and video courses were required to update my skills to 2016, but I have so been energised by the challenges. I forgot how much I loved doing web development.
The most challenging part of the web design was the need for a booking plugin. It was much trial and error finding the right plugin for booking cabins and sites. After trying many, I settled on the one which delivered ease of use as well as functionality.
The new site design starts with a one page template, OnePress from Fame Themes, and is customised by me to a very large degree. The single page scrolls through many sections. While there are a some individual pages, most of these are linked in the section settings.
David, the owner, is so impressed that he said it was maybe too flash for them! Of course it’s not!
The front (almost only) page of the site:
I have been helping to produce a small (4 page) in house newsletter for a local aged care centre. The centre is called ada cottage, so I called the ‘paper’ Cottage Capers.
I have since become the editor, as it is a good way for me to continue in a volunteer role, without the 60km return trip to Kandos, where ada cottage is.
Here is the masthead:
Challenging for the grey matter again, but enjoyable.
Artists use hake brushes in different ways, but I was impressed with how it was used to re-wet areas that were drying and to dampen areas that are next to paint, while watching a video boxed set course by Paul Taggart, Learning to Enjoy Painting in Watercolour
Paul showed how to use a hake brush in several ways:
Of course I had to go straight away to the art supplies store, Express Hobbies to buy myself one.
The hake I got from Bob at Express Hobbies was like the largest one in this picture. It has soft goat hair bristles packed thickly together, which makes it a ‘thirsty’ brush which will hold a lot of water.
Dry the brush on a towel by stroking it across the towel, and then stroke across the painting where the run is, and blend it awayWhile I painted Cudgegong Afternoon, I used a large squirrel hair mop brush but wasn’t able to get it flat enough to do what the hake will do.
Now that I have my own hake brush, I will get more control of the wetness, an issue for me as I paint on the verandah outside the cabin.
I will let you know how I fare with it.
I painted a watercolour close focus picture of a beautiful rose from my friend’s garden, and presented it to her for Christmas.
Loved doing all the glazing in this one. 8in x 8in Fabiano cold pressed paper and Art Spectrum paints.
Remember my replacement acrylic painting of the lotus made for my friend? She insisted that I put it into Rylstone Agricultural Show.
Lotus Blossom which I entered into the acrylic painting section, was hung in a really prominent position. On Saturday it won a first prize. Very chuffed.
The judge was impressed by the way the background created reflections in the water.
Also entered was a watercolour of Lake Windamere. Used Art Spectrum watercolours on Arches cold pressed A2 paper. No prize, but may be sold.
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Hard to believe isn’t it? My darling husband gave a surprise 70th birthday party (because when you turn 70 years old that is a milestone), that wasn’t a surprise because he couldn’t keep lying to me.
The girlfriends from here and in town — even one husband who is also a friend — were all here and we had a lovely afternoon.
The girls referred to on the cake are Daisy and Poppy, not my daughters!
Bob lights the candle. Only one, so we didn’t burn the house down.
Cutting the cake.
Since I was two and a half years old, my life has been fill of loss and sadness. The black areas of the work symbolise this darkness.
But there have been many bright times, happy and joyful. Colour fills my days, as in the painting.
Threaded through all this has been my strong faith, which helped me cope with the really bad times, and rejoice in the great times — thus the cross.
I asked friends to give me a word to describe me. Some said they needed more than one! These are the words in the painting — me through their eyes.
Lastly, the eye is others seeing me and my life in colourful detail.
Mixed media on canvas
Here’s our new, smaller than Daisy, four months old dog, Poppy.
Poppy never keeps still long enough to have her picture without blurring!
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