August 23rd, 2006
We bought a house and it closed on August 1. It is a fixer-upper that we got for a very good deal and it sits on over half an acre in the north end of Welland, Ontario
For the past 3 weeks we have been cleaning and renovating our new house…and it’s almost ready to move into. The big move is this Saturday. Already? Oh my, I have so much packing to do.
Anyway, that it why I haven’t been as active online lately.
From this Friday through to Monday evening, I will be without internet access. The local cable company will be over on Monday afternoon sometime to hook us up. I guess I’ll be doing some reading before bed instead of spending time online for those days…that is if I’m not too exhausted from the move. 
What’s in the works for September:
- I will be creating a couple more free XHTML templates which will also be ported into WordPress Themes
- a new Bryce 3D art gallery
- A poetry contest with prizes…(huh?…isn’t this a web designer’s site? yes…but I love to read and write poetry and so I’m supporting amateur poets!)
Stay tuned!
Posted in General, Site News - 4 Comments »
August 17th, 2006
Many visitors to this site have downloaded my XHTML templates and then email me to show me how they are using my work.
Some are less-experienced coders or do not really know how XHTML differs from HTML.
Here are the most common errors I’ve come across:
- Not closing empty elements
- Wrong: <br>
- Right: <br />
- Not closing non-empty elements
- Wrong: <p>This is a paragraph.<p> This is another paragraph.
- Right: <p>This is a paragraph.</p> <p>This is a second paragraph.</p>
- Improperly nesting elements
- Wrong: <em><strong>This is random text.</em></strong>
- Right: <em><strong>This is random text.</strong></em>
- Nesting block-level elements within inline elements
- Wrong: <em> <h2>About Us</h2></em>
- Right: <h2><em>About Us</em></h2>
- No alternate text for images (using the alt attribute, which helps make pages accessible for devices that do not load images or screen-readers for the blind)
- Wrong: <img src="images/logo.jpg" />
- Right: <img src="/images/logo.jpg"
alt="Company Logo" />
- Not putting quotation marks around attribute values
- Wrong: <td colspan=2>
- Right: <td colspan="2">
- Using the ampersand outside of entities (use & to display the ampersand character)
- Wrong: <title>Love & Marriage</title>
- Right: <title>Love & Marriage</title>
- Using uppercase tag names and/or tag attributes
- Wrong: <BODY><P>My Web Site</P></BODY>
- Correct: <body><p>My Web Site</p></body>
By making sure you don’t make the above mistakes, you are well on your way to having an XHTML website that will validate.
Posted in Web Design, XHTML and CSS Templates - 2 Comments »
August 15th, 2006
Creating landscape images with Bryce can become addicting. With scores of sky presets and the ability to create your own unique sky using the Sky Lab, you can create any mood you want. Adding 3D meshes of trees, buildings, etc and choosing the right material preset for the ground layer is all I did to create a unique scene. This image is about finding refuge in a busy city. The picnic table is calling out for any passerby to sit and enjoy the scenery and maybe have a relaxing lunch.
I think I will soon set up another gallery with some of my Bryce images. I’ve been creating some pretty interesting images late at night to help me relax.
Posted in Graphics, Web Design - 4 Comments »
August 6th, 2006
Since my good friend Sean has been helping to approve designs over at OpenWebDesign.org, the place is hopping. Over 40 new XHTML web template designs have been approved in the last week. There is literally something for everyone. Whether you need a business site, blog-style site, or a personal home page, I’m sure you will be able to find something that you can customize to your liking.
Don’t have the time or know-how to customize one of the many templates available? I charge $50 to insert your content, your own graphics, and your own color scheme to up to 3 web pages of any existing xhtml template at OpenWebDesign.org. I will also insert meta tags and upload everything for you onto your web hosting account. You can find out about my other services and fees here. To order this service please use the contact form here.
Posted in Web Design, XHTML and CSS Templates - 2 Comments »
July 31st, 2006
I did something I haven’t done in a long time. I have an older version of Bryce 3D and so I decided to play and the image on the left is what I came up with. I used to use this software a lot a few years ago, but I just haven’t had the time to mess with it lately.
The latest version of the Bryce software I’ve come to love is now available from DAZ Productions. You can purchase it half-price right now at $49.98 according to the product info. That’s a good deal, I think.
Posted in Graphics - 4 Comments »
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