Owner: Diane Clancy's BlogURL:
www.dianeclancy.com/blog Join Date: Sat, 19 May 2007 20:40:35 -0500Rating :0 Site Description: Site statistics: Click here
online advertising
Flower Essence III 2007-06-07 20:38:10 This digital painting was created in Studio Artist. It has been one of those days of working hard but not having a lot to show for it. So I needed to have a change … so here is a totally different kind of image. I like the way this pink relates to the flowers in the top image (currently) in the “mini-shop” - the kitty in the flowers.
Flower Essence
III, Digital © Diane Clancy
Susan Elkin got her Etsy shop set up today and also got her blogspot blog personalized. She sat next to me and I guided her through the process. It was actually very gratifying because now she has a whole new appreciation for why doing all this online networking and figuring things out takes so long. I am extremely grateful!!
I have listened very carefully to the feedback I have gotten on the “looks” of the blogs and I am trying to find a theme for this WordPress blog that is conducive to a clearer look. I need one that can have my Conundrum I image in a banner (currently the Journey 2007-06-12 18:35:42 I am behind on just about everything - sorry about not reading your blogs the last few days - I will catch up!! Been mainly getting all set up with the technical changes and learning how to set up and use a discussion list.
Journey
, Digital © Diane Clancy
I am a chair and also do the minutes for the local Artists Group that is working to develop ourselves as artists and also develop the Creative Economy in Franklin County in western Massachusetts, U.S. Yesterday we had a fantastic meeting with several people who *really* want to make things happen and get going! I am thrilled. So there was a lot of set-up work today.
But I am learning so much in all this - very exciting to me! I am truly enjoying having access to lots of tools from the new host I am not hosting with (DreamHost). Setting up new things always (for me anyway) takes lots of time. Then I will get the hang of it and can help others.
Today I took time to post tips that Chris O’Byrne in WordPress help forums t Journey Within 2007-06-11 21:47:50 A quick question - does anyone know Chinese? Someone left a comment - that was very nice, it seemed to me - but it was picked up as spam. The link from the person (which is public info - I don’t share emails - the link is right there in the comment header) is malatown.com.cn/cities/wuhanxianhua.htm. If the comment was sincere, of course I would post it. Unfortunately, other comments flagged as spam turned out to be spam when I went to their site. If someone would take a peek, and could judge if it is legit, I would love to put up his post. Thank you very much!
Journey
Within, Digital © Diane Clancy
Does anyone else ever sort of notice something and think, “I will get around to looking into that sometime”? I have mentioned that I have a new host the last several days, but things just really got changed over a few hours ago. I have been noticing that perhaps I had 2 identities in my admin panel - because it wasn’t giving me credit for writing all the dr Flower Essence IV 2007-06-10 20:50:56 This is the last (for now) of the Flower Essence
series. Today Susan Elkin Photography blog has a new look! Susan has had a site in a section of my site for several years. Due to some changes in our hosting, we were able to set her up with a site of her own - Susan Elkin Photography. When you have a chance, I hope you will go over and welcome her. It is a gigantic step!
Flower Essence IV, Digital © Diane Clancy
This is the same blog info that Susan had before. But she used a new “theme” to change the look of the blog. In WordPress these simple changes are called themes. In Blogger the similar change in look is called a “template.” Same idea, different software.
But once Susan decided on the theme, I still needed to go in and make a lot of changes to her sidebar since her blog has some of the bells and whistles I so much enjoy. There is a price to pay for those enhancements though - those get put in by hand.
Thank you to Chris O’Byrne (onlineartsmarketi Flower Essence II 2007-06-09 23:18:37 I also want to figure out how to share in a particular personal way that Neda at Papiers Collés excels at. I truly enjoy reading how she shares her soul. Not every day, not every post, but I feel she brings in the personal in a very special way (and so do some of the other bloggers I read too - like Sue O’Kieffe at Sacred Circles Mandalas.)
Flower Essence
II, Digital © Diane Clancy
I read a post - right at the beginning of my short blogging life - that talked about how this person’s favorites blogs were the ones who combined information, techniques, thoughts and the personal - blended in a way that is interesting (I have no idea where I read that.) I guess I had that idea in my mind. Also, I see which blogs I enjoy reading the most and strive to do similar writing here.
This is a follow-up to yesterday’s post about whether to start naming my posts based on content rather than image… But then again, often in comments, I (or someone else) have written quit Flower Essence I 2007-06-08 15:19:01 This is the second in a set of 4 - they should probably be a video - to have them progress from one to another … that is on the mythical list that I probably need 5 lifetimes to complete. But, I have another question for you … again …
Flower Essence
I, Digital © Diane Clancy
I am reconsidering my initial way of organizing this blog. I started out making the names of the posts the names of the painting I was sharing with you. Seemed reasonable to me. But then sometimes I have talked about a certain topic and then it is not so easy to find the post again. So I am thinking, perhaps I should (from now on end) start naming the posts more related to the content rather than the image.
At the beginning the names and content weren’t as different, because I shared a lot of info about techniques that I use to create images … but now that is rarer. And people have been asking me questions about how to do this and that - and I love that! So I am being drawn in Flower Essence III 2007-06-07 20:38:10 This digital painting was created in Studio Artist. It has been one of those days of working hard but not having a lot to show for it. So I needed to have a change … so here is a totally different kind of image. I like the way this pink relates to the flowers in the top image (currently) in the “mini-shop” - the kitty in the flowers.
Flower Essence
III, Digital © Diane Clancy
Susan Elkin got her Etsy shop set up today and also got her blogspot blog personalized. She sat next to me and I guided her through the process. It was actually very gratifying because now she has a whole new appreciation for why doing all this online networking and figuring things out takes so long. I am extremely grateful!!
I have listened very carefully to the feedback I have gotten on the “looks” of the blogs and I am trying to find a theme for this WordPress blog that is conducive to a clearer look. I need one that can have my Conundrum I image in a banner (currently the Animals II 2007-06-06 21:32:12 Good news on the painting front! I finished the pastel image that I have been working on … “Reflections in Blue IV.” No - this is not that image - it still needs to be photographed before I can show you. I have only posted Reflections in Blue I, if you would like to see the first painting in the series. Once I get the painting photographed, I will show them fairly close together so you can enjoy them.
Animals
II, Digital © Diane Clancy
I didn’t get any feedback on my question about the different WordPress looks for blogs … yesterday’s post has the details if you would like to check it out.
I also want to remind you of Chris O’Byrne’s request for feedback - with the offer of a free book for anyone who responds. Details can be found in this post.
A few days ago, Alyson Stanfield featured one of my images and also some of my information on her blog. Pretty exciting! Going to keep it short tonight … thank you for stopping by!
Flowers V 2007-06-05 20:13:34 I am curious whether you prefer the look of my WordPress hosted blog Diane Clancy or the look of this blog right here. I suppose they both look pretty nice, but I am lucky enough that several of you come and read and comment most days. So, I would like to know your input. I can’t do some of the fun whistles and bells on the other blog - and, obviously, I do like those extras!
Flowers
V, Digital © Diane Clancy
Switching blogs here, I like the clean bright look of the Blogger blog I started the other day - Diane Clancy Art. At the moment I have put my Esty shop on the sidebar. I like seeing the bright colorful images there! Between the banner, the Etsy shop, and the painting in the post, I love the look. I sort of hate to post anything else because it looks so pretty - to me, at least.
Yesterday, I added more complete search capabilities to this blog (this one here). It now searches tags, comments, everything - not only the posts. So if you want to look at an old post and ca Winterberry in Flowers 2007-06-04 21:07:15 Tonight I have an incredible offer for you that I don’t think you will be able to resist! Chris O’Byrne writes “I am writing a book that will answer all of your questions and everyone that adds their question in the comments below will receive a free copy when it is available later this summer.” The first part of the comment is below - but first I wanted to catch your attention - a free book!
Winterberry in Flowers
, Digital © Diane Clancy
Chris starts, “What is the number one most pressing problem or need you have related to selling your art online?” This post is What Do You Want to Know about Selling Your Art Online? He is letting us know that anyone who contributes a question will get a free book when it is available. So, let’s put on our thinking caps and go make comments!
I know I have a lot of questions and I bet a lot of you do too. By the way, while you are there, you may want to check out the rest of his blog Online Arts Market Bucky in Butterflies 2007-06-03 19:35:19 Another day with the computer here … As you know, shortly I will be setting up blogs for a couple of friends. So I have to know what I am doing and what the choices are. Toady I set a blog up at WordPress - they are hosting it. The address is dianeclancy.wordpress.com and the other new one is dianeclancy.blogspot.com (yesterday’s work.)
Bucky
in Butterflies, Digital © Diane Clancy
It has actually been quite fun seeing the differences among the 3 choices. On this WordPress blog, that I host on my site, I can make lots of adaptations very easily because I can get right in to the guts of the code and tweak things to my heart’s content.
But on the Blogger blog, there are drop and drag templates that are quite simple to use. They have a lot of flexibility and you don’t need to know html to use this site. - (You don’t need to know html to host WordPress on your own site either - I want to make that clear.) - But I was frustrated at various times when I trie More Progress 2007-06-16 16:42:40 Today I made a lot of progress on redoing the theme for the blog. I am fairly pleased with how it looks now. Clearly, yesterday my question was not clear - Today’s question is “How do you like the way this blog looks now?”
Peeking Through, Digital © Diane Clancy
Two things remain that bug me - 1) trying to get rid of the underline on the links under “Diane” (on Firefox anyway) and 2) that yellow-green that loads up under the header. I have wasted a lot of time trying to get rid of that. I might ask the person who made this theme how to do it.
Susan has run into problems looking at the blog at work - it is too wide for their screen. I tried to use a “theme-switcher” so you could choose 2 or 3 columns, but I couldn’t get it to work. It is a WordPress plugin that did not work for me.
Thank you again for all your patience. So, it this good? Too bright? I am much happier with the header now.
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: theme, blog, Changing Direction Yet Again 2007-06-15 21:06:18 At least eventually I know when to stop and reassess. This is what I had decided to go do - keep a lot of the feel from my original blog theme (see post below). I thought it would look great to have a smaller header and have my links that I like so so much at the top. I struggled technically - but that is not why I stopped.
Diane’s Direction
Now Abandoned, Digital © Diane Clancy
All of a sudden, I realized that the changes in the colors that I had made in the sidebar headers were not there. I had originally changed to that fluorescent blue, but then changed them to this blue. I guess I forgot to upload the more subdued blue - so that was part of what was bothering me so much - and I think it was what bothered Chris too - but I am eager to hear from him what he says. Once I changed the header bars to the color I like, then all of a sudden I liked this look for the blog.
Original Theme, Digital © Diane Clancy
This is the theme (template) that I am working from. I like it, b Read more: Changing
, Again
Progress on the “Look” 2007-06-14 16:29:06 Be warned that the look is still “under construction.” I try to go in, check something out quickly and then put the theme back to a more stable version. I will leave this look up until tomorrow so you have a chance to look (and maybe comment) if you choose. So don’t be too surprised if the look is one way one minute and a different the next. Thank you for your patience!
Reverence, Digital © Diane Clancy
Thank you to everyone who gave feedback on the blog look. It was divided - and that helped me clarify what I thought too. About some things I know what I think, but I have always been one who listens to what people say and that helps me know what is true for me.
I often need time to know what I think. (Other times I have very quick, informed, definite, staying opinions - but they tend to be about other kinds of decisions.) I am a “feel my way into it” kind of person, try it on and see how it feels.
When I paint, I very much use my feelings as guides a Which Blog Look Do You Like? 2007-06-13 20:32:13 It is pretty simple tonight. Smart growth won 2 town election races and I am thrilled! Perhaps we can see some real healing happen. That would be great.
Old Blog © Diane Clancy
I am hoping you will take the time to look at my blog and tell me what you think. Above is an image of the top part of the old look for this blog. If you want to see my other WordPress blog that is similar (to help you remember what it looks like), please do. I can probably figure out how to put the little title type things over the headings in the sidebar. Also I can probably make it into a 3 column blog.
New Blog © Diane Clancy
I spent a bunch of time changing this theme (template) to be whitish on the sidebars instead of dark green and to be bright blue instead of bright green/yellow. Also, I put my own image in as the header … and made a bunch of other changes.
So I am asking for advice - please! Which do you like better? Given that you spend time here reading, I want you to enjoy the experien Absorbing the Energy of Joy and Fullness 2007-06-19 19:45:18 Today is full of life and energy in the northern hemisphere. We are close to the longest day of the year. (Of course, in the southern hemisphere - and we do have some readers in the southern hemisphere - you are almost at the shortest day and soon the days will be getting longer.) I love the fullness of energy and life this time of year.
Terrain, Digital © Diane Clancy
Last night I couldn’t sleep until very late as I was absorbing and integrating the fullness of the life force that was pouring into me from the night. I had been dragging for a couple of weeks, and I think the summer energy has turned that around for me. The spring energy of “allowing” has transformed into the fullness and joy of summer energy.
In this country, June 21 is when we celebrate the Solstice as the longest day of the year (of course meaning the day with the longest daylight of the year.) And June 23 is my favorite day of the year - and this year it is Midsummer Night in Denmark where the Read more: Energy
You Can Search Everything 2007-06-18 20:43:20 How are you doing today - and what is on your mind? I am getting ready to get back into marketing mode. I want to go to CafePress and start a store and buy a few things (of mine) to see what the quality is like. I think that is one of the next steps for me.
Expansion, Digital © Diane Clancy
Also, I want to develop this mini-business of my “Fanciful Animal Images.” I think I might do a website just for these images. I have been reading Chris O’Byrne’s book that he has been telling us about over on Online Arts Marketing. A lot of what he says makes sense … and I have been thinking about developing this aspect of my business a little separately since he posted some comments on this blog.
By the way, the search function searches everything if you ever want to find out what I (and others) wrote about different topics. It searches tags and comments besides the posts.
Hopefully, tomorrow I will get back to the other business card also. Thank you again to e Read more: Search
, Everything
The Blog Not Taken 2007-06-17 18:28:19 With a tip of the hat to Robert Frost, I wanted to share with you “The Blog Not Taken
” - in case you didn’t visit when it was up and running. So I have a simpler interface, one I am happy enough with, and I hope you like it too. I tried to get the titles more vertically centered in the sidebars, but nothing worked that I tried .. so I made the bars narrower. So good - this piece is done - and thank you for all your help and patience.
The Blog Not Taken, © Diane Clancy
I do like the “About Me” on the top of the left bar on this “blog not taken,” but I spent (wasted?) a couple of hours trying to figure out how to do it. I couldn’t find simple code for it. That may be a future upgrade. But a simple one. I would like to get the last line higher up in the header, but I think that is not going to happen. So, let’s enjoy this evening and I hope everyone had a great weekend! Thank you,
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: blog, theme Learning More … Unexpectedly 2007-06-22 17:40:44 Doing some work for a client, I have learned a lot of new technical things today about working on the web. WordPress feels pretty familiar to me and regular website work is something I have done for years. I think I am in the process of learning about content management systems. But I am not sure yet what it is I am dealing with!
Emanate I, Digital © Diane Clancy
I am backing up some files for someone, and the whole system is very different from what I have ever seen before. So, something to learn! I have been wanting to know more about this content management thing, and I think I am on that journey.
Thank goodness I know something about Blogger and WordPress! It is amazing how every hosting system seems to be so so different. Just like most of life I suppose. Once again I have jumped in and I am not sure exactly what I am dealing with … it seemed a simple request. Even the ftp is weird!
But I feel sure that I know enough that I will be able to figure it all out. Hope you Read more: Learning
Which Direction to Go … 2007-06-21 20:39:48 Let’s get honest here … I don’t know what to do and which direction to go. Part of the problem is that I have been tired again the last few weeks - not as energized as I often am. That makes it harder to make decisions about where to focus.
Morning Reflections II, Digital © Diane Clancy
To rest some I have been reading some great blogs and other info - and feeling both excited about all the ideas and overwhelmed at how much there is to do. I am lucky enough to have a couple of clients. That is an easy and clear priority - clients come first before any other business projects.
I want and need to get back to finalizing the other business card. I am delighted at the quality of the first card (printed at www.gotprint.com) - great quality, decent price. I guess mostly I need to rest some and let the reserves fill back up.
I hope you don’t mind if I talk out loud with you over the next couple of days to try to sort things out. You also probably figured out t Read more: Direction
Reassessing Time and Costs 2007-06-20 19:08:14 Today Lisa Call writes a post called “What am I doing?” on her interesting blog, New Work and Inspiration. I second what Lisa says - What Am I Doing?? I have been very busy today going out locally to my stores that sell my cards and marketing these cards. A lot of my cards have sold at these stores and I am getting some more reorders from these places.
Morning Reflections I, Digital © Diane Clancy
But then there are a few more parts to this equation - one being costs of production. A few days ago Sue O’Kieffe wrote a post called “Considering Production Costs
” on her inspiring blog, Sacred Circle Mandalas. Sue and I both sell a similar product - beautiful (if I do say so myself), inspiring cards.
Selling them wholesale is great - but the costs are high for the materials (and that isn’t thinking of the time). Tying both of these blogs together - I need to keep figuring out what direction I should be going on some of these things …
All thi Art Biz Card Revisited 2007-06-26 17:23:33 One of my images was featured in Alyson Stanfield’s newsletter yesterday. You can see the newsletter here and also sign up for this free resource. I am very excited to have one of my pieces featured!!
I had planned to upload these new versions onto the other versions but apparently my server is having problems this afternoon. Like the rest of us. So eventually I got that I could just upload them in WordPress. So I did.
Art Biz Card © Diane Clancy
So here are the latest versions taking into account what others have said. At least to my brain. It has been a discouraging day waiting forpowerbook cord and trying to get things done without my tools.
Art Biz Card Back © Diane Clancy
I sure hope the cord comes tomorrow - this is all very wearing on me. Hope you are surviving the heat well for those who are in the heat wave. I appreciate greatly all your feedback!! Please let me know if you think this is it!! Thank you again!!
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: WordPres Read more: Revisited
Susan has Emerged! 2007-06-25 11:39:13 The illusive, almost mythical, Susan
has posted on her blog, Susan Elkin Photography. She has a much smaller request than I have been making of you - Susan has only her own business card. So she is hoping that you will take a hop, jump and a skip over to her blog to welcome her back and to give your input. She has been touched by people’s concern here … Thank you so much!
Reflections Below I, Digital © Diane Clancy
Thank you for your help in working on my business cards. At some point today I will have lightened up the middle image on the Art Business Card to see if that speaks to Sue O’Kieffe’s concerns. (By the way, thank you so much Sue for a birthday mandala at Sacred Circle Mandalas!) I tried several other paintings in that spot, but I think that will be the best … I think it shows a different style that is very popular. But I am hoping that my lightening it will make it work for you.
And Soul Fish, thank you for your comment about the littl Business Card for Paintings 2007-06-24 09:36:40 I am posting early today in hopes that you will have time to look at the posts from today and also from yesterday. I hope you are up for one more round of feedback on these business cards - please, please! I think this one might be pretty nice and unusual in a way that works. But I want to hear from you! People have been incredibly helpful in this process so far. Thank you again!!
Art Biz Card, Digital © Diane Clancy
I am wondering if this works or if it is a little too odd. I feel so much better about the card since taking out the Fanciful Animal Images. So much better. This one you have given me a fair amount of feedback on wording - though I am very open to hearing more about what you think now.
Art Biz Card Back, Digital © Diane Clancy
The business cards for the Fanciful Animals I am not so certain about. So, if you are willing, please take a close look. Of course, the resolution and such will be correct when I send them off to be printed. I just took screen shots to Read more: Business
, Paintings
, Business Card
Fanciful Animal Images Business Card 2007-06-23 18:42:02 It’s that time again … Today is my birthday and it gave me time to work on the business cards that I haven’t had time to get to. So here are some results. I started with trying to do the card that you have seen before with “Conundrum I,” this image and an animal design. But it never really worked for me.
Biz Card for Animal
s I, Digital © Diane Clancy
After a bunch of struggling, it seemed to make sense that I should make 2 cards instead of the one. So I have done a “Fanciful Animal Images
” card. Today I also registered the name www.fancifulanimals. It seems to me to be the best name for a mini-site for just the animals. And here is another version that the mythical Susan came up with - is this enough evidence she exists? (joke by the way).
Biz Card for Animals II, Digital © Diane Clancy
And … surprise … here is the back. I would love input on the design and the words. This has not gone to press yet (except the domain Read more: Business
You Can Search Everything 2007-06-18 20:43:20 How are you doing today - and what is on your mind? I am getting ready to get back into marketing mode. I want to go to CafePress and start a store and buy a few things (of mine) to see what the quality is like. I think that is one of the next steps for me.
Expansion, Digital © Diane Clancy
Also, I want to develop this mini-business of my “Fanciful Animal Images.” I think I might do a website just for these images. I have been reading Chris O’Byrne’s book that he has been telling us about over on Online Arts Marketing. A lot of what he says makes sense … and I have been thinking about developing this aspect of my business a little separately since he posted some comments on this blog.
By the way, the search function searches everything if you ever want to find out what I (and others) wrote about different topics. It searches tags and comments besides the posts.
Hopefully, tomorrow I will get back to the other business card also. Thank you again to e Read more: Search
, Everything
Light in Art 2007-06-29 19:48:02 This is the last of this Gold Leaf series. I had a lot of fun making them. I think they should be rugs or wall hangings. But they look so rich and sumptuous to me - very luxurious.
Gold Leaf III, Digital © Diane Clancy
In the post yesterday, Sue O’Kieffe of Sacred Circles Mandalas said “My art, at its core, is about the Light piercing the darkness. My intent is to find new ways to let the Light shine through !” I love her mandalas and to me her art is about piercing light - the light piercing in many different styles and feelings and outcomes … but all about light and energy.
Even though our work is very different, that is what I want my work to be about too. “Enhance Your Spirit” is my slogan - it is the effect that I want my art to have on people. To me, the uplifting comes from light or love or energy.
Some of my work has specific aspects of light (Conundrum I, the Luminous Angles series) and others I think are more light-filled by th Promises Extended for Another Day 2007-06-28 18:31:21 My promises for today are going to be moved until tomorrow or Saturday … I will get to the blogs soon. I worked with a couple of clients today and our house is now summerized.
Gold Leaf II, Digital © Diane Clancy
So there are lots of things that need to be followed up on … but they will be.
I think of Neda when I see this series … I don’t know if she would agree … but that is what I think of.
I am mainly saying “hi” and talk with you soon … I am delighted to read what you have to say. Thank you!
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: Neda Read more: Promises
, Extended
Depending on Perspective 2007-06-27 20:36:25 Today is a hot, sticky day where I live. Yet as I sit here thinking about that, I also think of our Neda who is in a place where safety is uncertain. As always, people here are thinking and caring about you!! Then there are the other people who may not have posted, but are living in other places too. I hope you are all safe.
Gold Leaf I, Digital © Diane Clancy
And some of our readers are in the southern hemisphere … so might welcome a little weather of the mid-90’s right now. After all, in the southern hemisphere it is just turning from the shortest day of the year - just as here in the northern hemisphere we are turning from the longest days … So much depends on one’s perspective!
The powerbook cord came today and it works!! So that is done. I am back in business and can get more work done again. Tomorrow I am going to work toward finalizing and preparing for printing the …. I bet you can guess … business cards.
I appreciate you a Read more: Depending
, Perspective
Play It Again, Sam 2007-07-03 16:03:41 Good news!, Susan has posted More on My Business Card. Susan has put up some versions of her card as we are getting close, so close - yet so far - from the goal - PRINTED business cards. Your help has been so incredible!! Thank you!
Art Biz Card Buddha, Digital © Diane Clancy
Alyson Stanfield had a post the other day about If 2 heads are better than one . . . as she is asking artists for help in designing her new book. So I guess I can ask too … thank you!! At least you know that I really listen to your advice AND heed it. Sorry, Soul Fish, others pinpointed the intensity of the cat business card that bothered me so much. But there was plenty of feedback toward simplifying it again. So here goes …
Art Biz Card Conundrum, Digital © Diane Clancy
Aaron and Chris had been encouraging me (if you remember) and probably Soul Fish too … to get more creative and unusual. So that is part of where this journey has come from … also I wanted (obviously) to show Read more: Again
Recommend Site To A Friend
