Competition time!

It’s time for another giveaway!  On offer is a 16″ x 12″ rose montage print in your choice of colour or black and white, printed on premium semi-gloss photgraphic paper.

Who wouldn't want to receive more then 2 dozen pink roses?

Who wouldn't want to receive more than 2 dozen pink roses?

To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is tell me what other montages you’d like to see, but please be aware I can’t create a montage from items that are copyrighted without prior permission.

They don't even need water!

They don't even need water!

You can enter the competition by leaving a comment on this post, through my facebook page or by sending me a DM on twitter.  The competition will end at 12:00 on 20th September.  I look forward to hearing your suggestions :)

September 2, 2010 , 1:38 pm | Competition, New Products, Products | Tags: , , , , , , , |

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A year on…

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to me!

It’s been so busy in my little office recently, I’ve not had enough time to write a blog post, let alone update my website with all the new items for my portfolio, hurrah for my facebook page where I can add them all so quickly!  Joining my wall of clipboards today is a new project with a therapist in The Netherlands, she needs a full logo package as well as complete website!  This latest project will probably keep me fully booked until September, I’m genuinely not sure if I can fit anyone else in!

I can however still fit in some printing work while waiting for feedback etc. from clients and I may still be able to fit in the odd design job or two depending on the week ;)

What a great position to be in a year on from launching the business I’ve spent 5yrs planning!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone for your support over this hectic year and when I get a chance, I’ll be announcing a birthday competition/draw for an Online with Design montage!

July 2, 2010 , 4:41 pm | News | Tags: , , , , |

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How to feed your facebook page into twitter

There are many applications you can use to merge facebook and twitter together some feed twitter into facebook, some are facebook into twitter.  I’m going to show you the simplest way to get facebook into twitter:

1. Go to www.facebook.com/twitter and click on the button “Link a page to twitter”.

Click on Link a page to twitter

Click on Link a page to twitter

2. Open a page displaying your pages.  Click on the ‘Link to twitter’ button next to the page you would like to link to twitter.

Click on 'Link to twitter' button next to the appropriate page

Click on 'Link to twitter' button next to the appropriate page

3. You’re now taken to a twitter page.  If you’re not signed in, you’ll need to do so.  Just make sure you sign in to the account you want to link to your facebook page!  Click on allow if you’re happy with all the settings.

Click on Allow if you're happy with all the settings

Click on Allow if you're happy with all the settings

4. Finally you’re taken to a page saying you’re all linked up, and giving you some options as to what is passed through to twitter.  When you’re finished just click on Save Changes.

Edit your options, then click on save changes

Edit your options, then click on save changes

5. All done!  You should be feeding from your chosen facebook page to your selected twitter account.  If you ever wish to un-link yourself or edit the settings about what feeds through, you just need to return to www.facebook.com/twitter.

Let me know how you all get on!
xx

June 1, 2010 , 10:13 am | business integration, how to | Tags: , , , , , |

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80th Birthday De-brief

“When I opened it, I was completely speechless and very moved.  It’s absolutely wonderful, something I treasure and show to everyone that visits me.  I’m over the moon, you’re a very talented person, thank you so much!”  Val Joyner.

April 22, 2010 , 10:44 pm | News | Tags: , , , , |

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How to create a username for a fan page in facebook.

Isn’t it a pain when you want to redirect people to your fanpage and you have to copy and paste a whole load of nonsense which doesn’t always work!  Wouldn’t it be soooo much easier to be able to tell people to go to http://www.facebook.com/yourbusinessname?  Well, you can, and it’s really easy to do (once you know how), and all you need is 25 fans.

1. Go to http://www.facebook.com/username and if you’re signed in, it will give the option to set a username for your personal account, just below that is a link to set a username for your pages.

Click on link to select a username for your page

Click on link to select a username for your page

2. Click the link then click on the dropdown arrow and find your fan page.

Find your fan page in the drop down menu

Find your fan page in the drop down menu

Choose an appropriate shortcut address, check the availability and hey presto, job done.  I told you it was simple right?

Just one thing to remember, once you’ve set your username, you won’t be able to change it, so if your initial choice isn’t available think carefully before settling on a second.

Good luck and let me know how you get on, my fanpage is here, http://www.facebook.com/onlinewithdesign feel free to become a fan! :)

April 17, 2010 , 4:55 pm | business integration, how to | Tags: , , , , , , , |

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80 years in photos.

After several recent successes with montages, a project came my way that I couldn’t wait to start.  It was a birthday present from a daughter to her mother for her 80th birthday, a photo montage spanning 80 years.  It had been planned for some time, but took a while to track down various family albums and to narrow it down to around 40 potential images for me to get to work on.  It was fascinating looking through the collection, here are just a few of the older ones I had to work with:

some of the older images used in the montage

some of the older images used in the montage

Some of the older images needed quite a lot of image enhancement and repair, they were faded and discoloured, some were stained and torn.  The more recent images weren’t without problems either as some needed image enhancement and we’d decided it would look best to turn all the images to black and white.  Once all the images had been adjusted and cropped to the desired size, I created thumbnails so that the daughter could decide on which images to use and what order to lay them out:

Collection of small thumbnails to arrange

Collection of small thumbnails to arrange

With 3 of us working through the thumbnails, we managed to reduce nearly 40 images down to 24 and decided on their layout.  After the daughter had seen the proof, she informed me that she’d be needing at least 2 prints as another member of the family loved it so much (just from seeing the proof), that they’d requested a copy as well!  This afternoon I finished printing both copies and framed them ready for collection.  The daughter was very pleased and can’t wait to give this beautiful present to her mother at her 80th birthday party.  I’d love to see her open it myself, I can only hope they’ll take some photos ;)

An amazing montage for an amazing lady

An amazing montage for an amazing lady

April 14, 2010 , 9:30 am | News, Products | Tags: , , , , , |

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Which came first, the shop or the customers?

Anyone's dreams can come true in Photoshop!

Anyone's dreams can come true in Photoshop!

Having watched (through the world of twitter) Louise Land from Cirencester Cupcakes opening her first shop and fulfilling a dream, I’ve been inspired and now can’t think of ANYTHING else!  I am constantly thinking about the practicalities (and the less practical-ities) of opening my own shop.  I’ve decided on layout, supplimenting my own stock with complimentary products, how I’d display my various products and services, colour schemes and I’ve even considered the staffing issues around school pick-ups/holidays and the chore of having to open on a saturday!  There is just one other thing… currently my business is very small, and as it is, wouldn’t be able to support a monthly rent let alone business rates, insurance and all the other gazillion costs that you never think of.  But part of me keeps telling myself that with a premises in the right location, I’d have a steady stream of potential clients that can see my quality of work, and be tempted into my shop to spend all their hard earned money.  So which comes first the chicken or the egg, the shop or the customers?

ps.. I do know the sensible answer, so it’s a good job I can stock a virtual shop!

April 9, 2010 , 5:50 pm | Uncategorized | Tags: , , |

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Collection of birth announcements

At the weekend Charlotte Bellamy Photography had a stand at the Tetbury NCT sale to showcase her photography and products.  Included in her display was a collection of my printing, including various birth announcements to compliment her new born photography packages.

There are currently 5 pre-designs available, although there is of course the bespoke option.  Below are the various styles created for Charlotte and her stand on saturday.

Birth announcements customised with your own images

Birth announcements customised with your own images

These are three of the designs, and are standard square cards (approx 14cmx14cm), left blank inside for your own message.  All text is customisable, as of course is the image.  Each design comes in a pack of 6 with envelopes, and are available directly from me for £13.25 +p&p, they will also be added to one of my online stores in the future.

Concertina birth announcement

Concertina birth announcement

This is a small concertina style birth announcement with space for 3 of your own images (2 large, 1 small) and customisable text.  They measure approx 10cm high 24cm wide when unfolded, with each pane measuring 10cm x 8cm.   They are available with envelopes, in packs of 6, directly from me for £14.25 + p&p, or from misi, folksy or etsy, click on the link to be taken to the item listing.

Concertina birth announcement

Concertina birth announcement

This is another small concertina style birth announcement, this time in blue, with space for 3 of your own images (2 large, 1 small) and customisable text.  It measures approx 10cm high 24cm wide when unfolded, with each pane measuring 10cm x 8cm.   It’s available with envelopes,  in a pack of 6, directly from me for £14.25 + p&p, or from misi, folksy, or etsy click on the link to be taken to the item listing.

Get in touch, through my website, blog or facebook,  if you would like to purchase one of these pre-designed card packs from me, or you’d like to discuss a bespoke design.

March 29, 2010 , 2:32 pm | New Products, Products | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

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More montages

The initial style of montage has proved very popular with many orders in the last couple of weeks.  Here’s a recent one created for a client of Charlotte Bellamy Photography:

Montage for Charlotte Bellamy Photography

Montage for Charlotte Bellamy Photography

Working around the original layout an A1 size montage with 3″x3″ small images laid out in the same grid style was created.

A1 montage

A1 Montage

The childs name as written by himself was scanned and included in the montage to make it a really personal item, then framed in a large black glazed (not perspex) frame.

A1 Montage close up

A1 Montage close up

A montage of this style and size with basic image editing costs £60 unframed, or as seen in this black frame £90.  The price may vary depending on the quality images intended for use and the amount of image editing required.

The next project was to have a variety of sizes, with one image being a focal point.

A2 variable size montage

A2 variable size montage

The montage was placed into an A2 solid oak glazed frame with a mount to give a more traditional feel.

A2 oak frame close up

A2 oak frame close up

A montage of this style and size including basic image editing costs £50 unframed or  £90 for this style of oak frame and mount.  As with the previous example, the price may vary depending on the quality images intended for use and the amount of image editing required.

With such a variety of layouts and sizes (A1, A2, A3 and virtually anything inbetween), a montage can really capture any event beautifully.  A wedding, a photo shoot, a family holiday or even a collection of images spread across many years, they will all look amazing within a montage and make a real talking point in anyones home.

March 27, 2010 , 4:58 pm | New Products, Products | Tags: , , , , , , |

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A special mother’s day card

A special mother's day card

A special mother's day card

A client came to me about a week before mother’s day with a couple of old photo albums under her arm and a look in her eye that told me I was about to get a really fun challenge.  The oldest photo’s were nearly 80 years old (some very old black and whites of her mother as a baby).  She’d chosen a couple of images of herself as a child that without giving her age away too much were probably over 40 years old.  Obviously they were in grainy black and white, but there was also quite a bit of fading and in the one we chose, there was some staining that made it look as though the young girl had spilt her dinner!

My client had also seen the sample cards I’d created a couple of weeks previously and loved the idea of adding a couple of flowers to her original picture.  So, I got to work enhancing the original image, cleaning up her white dress, removing the dark background and adding a couple of pretty pink tulips into the little girls hand.  The biggest problem was the tulips.  I had to alter the image ever so slightly so that the hand was at the right angle to be able to hold flowers.  The result of all this hard work you can see above.  I love the contrast between the bright pink tulips and the original black and white photography.

I presented the card to my client the following day, and she was really happy with the results.  But the person that really counted of course was her mother.  How would she react to receiving such a personal card?  The verdict came in yesterday:

“She [the mother] was absolutely blown away by it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thinks you’re a total genius and will never ever ever throw it away!! In fact thinking of framing it!!!!”

It’s her mother’s 80th birthday coming soon, and I’m really looking forward to working with my client again and having a good look through those old photo albums to find just the right photo to create some unique birthday invitations, and maybe even a canvas or watercolour as a present as well.

A card like this one including image enhancement and superimposing tulips on top, costs £3.50.  Contact me through my website, my blog or facebook for more information.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
March 17, 2010 , 9:53 am | Products | Tags: , , , , , , , |

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