Stoney Creek Web Design
Web Design - Rochester, Michigan

One of the flaws that I think exists in the newest version of WordPress is that the administration dashboard no longer includes references to ID numbers.

These ID numbers are useful for identifying which category, page, or post a particular entry is identified with. The WordPress in_category() function, and others, utilize this ID number as one of the parameters for the function.

I have written an article about this over at 1955 Design. Please check it out if you would like to discover a solution to this problem.

What the heck is 1955 Design? I decided to start a new entity for another web design and marketing business. 1955 Design is directly associated with Stoney Creek Web Design and the person behind both businesses is the same guy - David Zemens.

Take a look around the new site. Don’t worry. 1955 Design produces the same standards compliant, accessible and beautiful websites that you are used to from Stoney Creek Web Design. You should expect no less. After all, the same guy is doing the work at both businesses!

Project Complete: I just completed a simple but attractive website for Rochester MI city council candidate Jeff Matis. The website is built, once again, with WordPress as the backend. Using WordPress allows the site Admin to add, edit and delete all of the page content. In fact, he opted to used WordPress as a simple CMS and to not even use the blog feature of the software.

The structure of the site is quite simple, and the look is clean and professional in appearance, which is exactly what the client wanted for his political campaign. As normal, the site is written as valid XHTML strict, valid CSS and Section 508 compliant as well. Please stop over and take a look at www.JeffMatis.com.

Thanks for the project, Jeff. I hope your campaign is successful!

Note:Â This project was actually completed by another business of mine, 1955 Design. Regardless of the designer name in the footer, I created the website myself!

I have always thought that one of the main flaws of many WordPress themes is that the main page navigation, when called by using the wp_list_pages() function, applies a title to each of the navigation links with whatever value is used in the the_title() of that particular page.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a good idea, but because of the way most navigation links are designed, the page titles need to be quite short and not very descriptive. Similarly, these themes tend to also use the_title() as the main H1 or H2 tag for the page display itself. In other words, if the navigation link says “Home”, the page title for that page usually displays as “Home” as well. This may be the way a designer wants it, but often it seems that a more descriptive page title is what’s really needed.

Stop on over at my other blog and read more about this great WordPress technique.

This project was also a custom WordPress theme that was designed for Brian McDonough. Brian is a motivational speaker and story teller based in Hollywood, California.

Brian had some specific needs for his new blog, which required an extra bit of scripting effort to make certain it was functional in most modern browsers, including Internet Explorer. I think the project came out very well. It is a clean, professional theme that was just what Brian wanted for his redesigned website.

Thanks for letting me develop your new theme, Brian. It was fun to do and I am happy with how it turned out.

This is a complete redesign of the existing Troy Family Practice website. In addtion to providing a cleaner, more upscale look, the new website is driven by the WordPress content management system.

Using WordPress allows the Practice Administrator to update the contents of the website regularly, using the simple and efficient WordPress administration panel. In addtion, the site will feature the more traditional “blog” component, which will allow the physicians and administrators to update patients on medical news, office updates, and other items of interest to their patients. The side benefit of all of this update content will be great search engine page rankings, too!

It was a terrific project to work on and I am delighted with the way it turned out. Accessible by design, XHTML and CSS compliant, and Section 508 valid as well.

Thanks to Dr. Shawn Syron, Dr. Stacey Beltz, Dr. Harjaneet Bedi and Practice Administrator Kathy Zemens for letting me design their new website!

I was initially contacted by the client on a Tuesday. By mid-day Thursday I had completed the design of a custom WordPress blog theme for the folks over at DollarBuyDollar.com.

The new theme is Widget ready, optimized for the placement of Google Adsense ads, uses some neat concepts to be search engine optimized (courtesy of Mike Cherim) and offers a clean, professional appearance - just as the client desired. It is not the most involved WordPress theme, but it works for the client. In addtion, it is Section 508 standards compliant, valid XHTML to the Strict standard, and valid CSS as well.

It was a quick, fun project! Thanks for contacting me, Fellowes, and for establishing a working relationship with a web designer 3000 miles away!

My youngest son just announced that he bought a dog. He’s loved dogs all his life. A couple years ago his room mate, who he had lived with for quite some time, moved to Florida, taking his dog with him. I know that my son had become accustomed to having the dog around, and I also know that he missed him after he was gone.

My son has since lived in a couple of other apartments. All dog less. Last weekend I learned that he had bought a new puppy. Not just any puppy, but rather an English Mastiff puppy. His name is Duke. He’s adjusting to his new diggs even as I write this post.

I have to admit I was a little bit dismayed when I heard of Duke’s arrival. My son is between jobs and really between careers as well. Apartment living is tough, and having a big dog in an apartment is tougher. But I finally decided that this was just one of those things that was “meant to be”, for whatever reason things that are “meant to be” are “meant to be”.

I understand that I will be meeting Duke for the first time on Easter Sunday. It ought to be interesting. I have to admit I am looking forward to making his acquaintance.

Footnote: This photo is Duke’s mother with a few of Duke’s brothers and sisters milling around her. An actual photo of the little fellow Duke himself will probably follow next week

Monday, April 9th: A photo of Duke, enjoying his Easter Sunday, is now inlcuded.