web design

Behind the Scenes @ TammyCardwell.com

Tammy M Cardwell2 Comments

Terry Cardwell, PixelDrip

I’ve mentioned before that my web designer (Actually, all things internet) son and I are working on my new website. We’ve both been crazy busy, and he’s had to wait on me quite a bit, so we’re behind. But I took a few days off to spend with my granddaughter and her parents (Grandparent priorities, right?), promising myself I would also get caught up on my end of things, or at least significantly further along in the process, before I left to head home.

So here we are in his office. He’s working on parts of my site and soon-to-be newsletter while I work on others. There is so much to do that, honestly…

One of the reasons I’ve been so behind has less to do with being crazy busy and more to do with intimidation. I’ve been learning new skills in new apps and, to be honest, I let one facet of the project overwhelm me to the point where it locked me down. When I say that, I really do mean I shut down. I stopped working on that part of the project, other parts of the project, and even this blog. I felt like I had no right to write anything if I weren’t going to get these other foundational details taken care of first. Irrational? Absostinkinglutely!

His reaction when I told him what I’d done? “Mom! All you had to do was let me know. I could do that for you.”

If you recall my August 10th post, God Has a Reason, you may remember lesson #2. 

When you know you need help, ask Him.

I didn’t ask. If I had, He probably would have told me to get on the phone. Terry’s the owner of Pixel Drip so yes, he totally could have taken over that part of the project and done it in minutes where it took me hours and multiple video tutorials to even feel like I was speaking the right language. I still haven’t actually “done” that part, but I’m back to writing and getting closer to taking those final steps.

Last night, after my angel granddaughter’s bedtime, we went over the basics of the website design and how it will flow. He wanted my input, but I had nothing beyond a few questions. While what you see right now is pretty much exactly what the simple WordPress blog has looked like for years, once we complete the site redesign it will be very different and more completely reflect who I am and what I’m trying to accomplish. For instance, want a peek at my primary logo?

I really like everything Terry’s done so far and I’m enjoying catching glimpses of what he’s working on right now. I hope to launch the newsletter (Which will be entitled Eternally Planted) very soon, and while I’m typing this post I’m also glancing up to see him playing with possibilities for that logo.

I’m loving what’s coming and am getting excited all over again. Taking this time away and getting with him face-to-face instead of relying on text messages has made all the difference. Truly, I feel like I’ve taken a breath of fresh air and am ready to put my head down and get back to work.

And that feels really good.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Back in the Saddle?

Tammy M CardwellLeave a comment

I wish I didn’t have to put a question mark on this title, but life is an odd thing. It can throw you.

In many ways, things have been intense since Jack passed away and I entered widowhood. I spent weeks working on the apartment, adapting it to me-only living, and then I spent weeks going through decades worth of records and papers and…stuff. Losing my husband made me acutely aware of what my kids would be dealing with if something were to happen to me, so I set about ensuring that transition would be as easy as possible. Just today I put the finish to the last piece of the puzzle: The Book. It contains pretty much every legal and informational paper they might need at my passing. Except all my passwords. I do need to work on that.

All that to say this. As of now, with that last task complete, I feel like my brain is my own again. (Happy Birthday to me!) Starting today, Son #2 (Owner of pixeldripstudio.com) has begun planning a new website for me, one that will help me do so much more than simply blog, and it’s got me excited and fired up all over again. We’ve been talking style and options and possibilities, and I’m thinking in terms of articles and blog posts and freebies…

I’m also working on converting Experiencing the Bible to ebook format. It’s a challenge for two reasons.
1. While I read ebooks all the time I’ve never learned about their formatting. (I am now!)
2. Part of the print book’s power is the built-in journal. I have to do a bit of rewriting and adjusting to compensate. It won’t be a huge deal for the reader; they’ll just want to invest in a journal to write in. Maybe I’ll even create a matching one myself? Maybe.

So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I’m back in the saddle and back at work. And it feels GOOD.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C