Short-term Strategies

How much does a website cost?

2010-07-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

The easiest way to answer this question is to put it into a context. How much does a house cost?If you only need four walls, a door, a window and a roof, and you're planning to purchase and assemble the materials yourself, you can do it on the cheap. If you're not handy with the tools used, it still won't cost much in labor even if you have a professional build your small house for you.What if

Meet the Artist - that's me!

2009-07-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 25, 2009 - noon-5pmNorthwest Cellars Wine Tasting Room11909 124th Avenue NEKirkland, WA 98034DirectionsPlease join me at the Northwest Cellars Wine Tasting Room, home of award-winning Northwest wines, custom wine labels, and the house labels I designed. Sample the currently available wines and buy a bottle or two to take home. If you’d like, I’ll sign the label for you!I will also

The Humanization of Computers and The Code They Speak With

2009-06-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

I'm an artist. A graphic artist. I only build websites because that's where my industry is focused. I'm thus forced into the world of programming. (So I'm a programmer? Eeeww!) This is the main source of my career frustration - being an artist at heart but creating through the writing of code. Just a little counter-intuitive.Here's an amusing anecdote from something that happened to me yesterday:

Building an Online Community - white paper

2009-02-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

Have you been thinking about starting an online community for your business? Wondering what the benefits are?Online Communities, a white paper by Lithium Technologies, outlines best practices and deployment tips for increasing brand loyalty, sales and customer satisfaction while decreasing customer care costs. Lithium shares its answers to four important questions:What is an online community?What

Process trumps Content

2009-01-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

In the last few weeks, I've been focusing my attention on networking and content, while in the back of my mind, I've been wanting to add some real meat to this infrastructure I've been assembling. When you surf the internet, do you just see a bunch of websites and content and information? I don't. I don't just have a website and a blog and some social media pages — I have a dream. I have an idea

Who has time for social media?

2009-01-23T15:02:00.000-08:00

I spent the last couple weeks testing what happens when I link my site to social networks like Facebook and Twitter (I was already linked to my LinkedIn profile). There has been a marked increase in visitors to my site and blog. In this new media world, there are obvious benefits to using social media and networking to encourage new visitors to come to your site. More visitors means more

Accidental Graphic Design - 3: 4 things to know before you start a design project

2009-01-16T16:38:00.000-08:00

At the core of every graphic design project is the marketing message. It’s the story. The subject. The essence. Beginning a design without clear direction is a recipe for confusion – that’s evidently how we got the platypus.The message determines the design. Before you pick a single color or font, know your purpose.Find the answers to these questions, then let the rest fall into place:1) Who is

Accidental Graphic Design - 2: Think like a designer

2009-01-09T15:50:00.000-08:00

At the moment we first entered the world and opened our eyes, we were consumed by visual stimulus. We began to sort and interpret these images, learning their meanings and significance. Every shape has a property. Every color has a meaning. We perceive shapes as organic or architectural based on their function in nature. We perceive colors as warm or cool based on their presence in nature. We

Accidental Graphic Design - 1: Communicate Meaning

2009-01-02T10:29:00.000-08:00

One of the things I hope to accomplish with this blog is to demystify the creative process to help small businesses get the most out of the resources available. Today's economy is squeezing small businesses more than ever, forcing owners to think outside the box for cost-effective solutions on all fronts. If you own a small business, you probably don't have a huge marketing budget. You probably

Betty James, Who Named the Slinky Toy dies at 90

2008-12-19T14:23:00.000-08:00

Betty James, who came up with the name Slinky for the stair-walking spring that has delighted children for more than 60 years and who ran the toy company after her husband, the inventor, left it and his family in 1960, died Thursday in Philadelphia. [Read NY Times article] IN MEMORIAM:On December 20, 2008 at 12:00PM,Slinkys of the world,Of all shapes, sizes, colors and creeds,Will join – in pairs

Introducing pastel illustrations by Laura Olsen

2008-09-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

The discovery of a new medium. Just the mention of it sends artists into seething excitement!I discovered a new medium this summer. It's not new to the world, but rather, I had rediscovered it for myself in a really big way. Pastels. I'm talking about the chalk, not the color palette.I experimented a little with pastels back in college, but didn't develop a preference for them as a medium. I

Joshua Green Building Website

2008-08-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

Along with start of the coming school year, I am excited to announce the launch of yet another website by Olsen Creative!We have just completed design on a website for the Joshua Green Building Restoration which is just getting underway in downtown Seattle at 4th and Pike. The website focuses on the vision, direction and leasing opportunities (office and retail in a prime location) for this

Stopping the Spam-O-Rama

2008-06-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

Wow - there sure is a lot of spam on the Net. Check out the Spam-O-Meter for the current live stats (hover over numbers for description):spam-o-meter ©dotcombinat.netWhat gives??? Since the first comment on my blog was spam, I figured that there's no better time to talk about some Short-term Strategies to Combat Spam.Here are some quick fixes that

How to work with creative-types

2008-06-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

Everyone has a talent for something. Everyone has the ability to create. Talent and creativity are things that everyone is born with, to varying degrees. In terms of visual creativity, some people are attuned to seeing the possibilities. Some can’t draw their way out of a paper bag. Most people fall somewhere in the middle.I cannot count the number of times that clients have approached me with

What is "valid" web code?

2008-06-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

Seen these icons? This is what they mean:In the context of websites, valid code means that the (x)html is error free in syntax. (x)html is a computer language. All languages have their own grammar, vocabulary and syntax. Validation does not refer to the content, but rather that the mark-up of the page meets the basic requirements for industry standards.What does Validation do?Some claim that

Who are my clients?

2008-05-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

I love my job. Always have. People have told me that I'm "lucky" because I can make a living doing something I love. What an odd statement, I think. I don't believe that luck has a lot to do with it. I make a living doing something I love because I made it happen. Everyone else has the same opportunity to be "lucky" with their own talents. The only difference between me and them is that I

5 steps to get your own website

2007-05-03T07:15:00.000-07:00

In today's market, most small businesses know they need a website. They WANT to get online, but don't have a clear idea of what's involved. There is so much information about it on the Internet that it's hard to get down to the nuts and bolts. What do you really need to get online? This overview lists the basics for the non-technically inclined. Yes, you. Say it loud: "I'M A NEWBIE AND PROUD!"

Welcome to Short-Term Strategies

2007-05-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

“You shouldn't have a long-term strategy anymore, because you won't be able to move fast enough.” - Orit Gadiesh (Chairman of Bain & Company, and one of Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World)What better reason to start a blog? And for me, "to start" means to jump in and do. While that may seem counter-strategic, by the time I had studied everything there was to know about blogging, it would