The design community (the web design community) that I’ve been involved with since the beginning of my career is unlike any other community in any other industry I’ve ever witnessed. While many of us compete with each other on a global scale, there is no shortage of kindness, assistance, and appreciation for each other (in most regards). Many individuals like Orman Clark, Rich Hemsley, and Kyle Bragger (just to name a few) have literally dedicated a good portion of their career to creating sites or communities that provide free resources for designers and developers to use, and even gather feedback from other people in their field to assist them. How many times have you seen a general contractor give tips to his/her competitor for free? Let alone at all?

Anyway, since you’re probably a designer or developer reading this, you’re more than likely aware of these great people in the industry. This year, part of my resolution is to really give back to this community. I’m spending a lot more free time focusing on creating new designs, innovative designs, that I can share with everyone else who shares the same passion as I do.

So that brings me to my first freebie of the year. This nice little wallpaper pack. May I introduce to you: 2012, Year of the Designer.

Click the image below to view the wallpaper full size

This design is comprised of various grunge textures and patterns. the typefaces used are Oswald and Novecento wide.

Included Wallpaper Sizes:

• 2560×1600
• 2560×1440
• 1920×1200
• 1920×1080
• 1680×1050
• 1440×900
• 1280×960
• 1280×800
• 1024×768 (ipad)
• 640×960 (iphone 4)
• 320×480 (iphone 3)

Try different sizes for your desktop since the text in several of these have different ratios in comparison to the background space.

Need a different size or text-to-background ratio? Request it! And share away on your favorite social networks please!

We’re proud to announce the launch of our new web site and start our first South Coast WordPress meet up.

After 7 months of brain storming, wire framing, drawing, pulling our hair out, and good old fashion hard work we’re pleased to release the new Slocum Design Studio web site. I could not be happier with the hard work my team has put into the design and development of this new site and I’m excited to get you’re feedback on how it looks!

Tonight is also the first night that we host the new South Coast WordPress meetup.

We hope to create a strong community in the downtown New Bedford Ma area for businesses and professionals seeking more info about WordPress and web technologies. After tonight we should have a solid outline of things to come for the event.

What 7 months has taught me

Designing for yourself is the hardest thing to do.

Even when you know that’s what you’re up against, reality keeps slapping you in the face over and over again. We went through many wireframe iterations and design mockups before settling on what you see before you today. As our company grows, so will slocumstudio.com in hopes to provide a lot more useful content for our clients and fans.

Let’s explore some of the new features of our web site:

The home page

The home page is always the hardest part of your new website. First impressions, expensive real estate, and call to action is something you’re constantly trying to balance. With the new homepage, we’re attempting to break out individual services or products with specific call to action in each fold of the user’s scroll.

We have a lot to offer and wanted to keep the blog featured on the home page as well. We’ve kept it flexible so we can swap regions in and out to see which performs the best.

Product pages

Not only is this a new venture for our company, but each product page is (and will be) designed specific to the product. As our products mature, so will the landing pages for each to make researching and purchasing easier for the user.

What’s your favorite product we have to offer?

Fixed header navs

One thing we noticed when we had pages with loads of content: the user would lose sight of our brand logo.

To fix this, we’ve added some “fancy magic” to make our logo region “transform” into the fixed nav as the user scrolls down. You probably already see this happening while you read this post!

The portfolio

Our pride and joy!

We’re really happy with our new portfolio page and we hope you are too. There’s a lot going on there, so I suggest you navigate over and try it out. From fluid auto categorizing to awesome new video page layouts, it’s great!

The footer

We love footers.

Nothing says attention to detail like a great footer and we think we found one. We’re showcasing all of our pages, contact information, newsletter signup, and team members all in one location. Pixel perfect isn’t powerful enough to describe what it took to produce this!

Hard work pays off

In the end, the hard work really pays off.

In this industry, as thought leaders and innovators in our field, we constantly have to stay ahead of the curve. This new web site will continue to evolve and change over time to benefit our clients and readers. We look forward to an eventful 2012 and hope you’re enjoying the ride with the Slocum team!

Pro photographer Mark Medeiros, lead a class on learning basic photography. The class was a great success and he is already crafting his syllabus for the second part to his series. Amateur photographers from Dartmouth and New Bedford came to the studio for the hands on learning experience and were delighted with what the learned.

The second class we held by Scott Sousa and myself – Facebook 101: Personal and Business use.

We had many of our clients and local business owners come to expand their potential with the popular social media tool. Scott and I outlined some general uses of Facebook, including posting videos, links, events, and creating groups. Later into the course we discussed good social media practices to increase your business potential.

A hearty Q&A and “here’s how I do this” was had by presenters and attendees alike. A true learning experience for everyone involved.

Education From Slocum Studio

We want to connect our fans and clients with the knowledge of Digital Media anyway we can. Through our products and services, to our our educational seminars, and on our social media outlets.

Trending technology changes quickly. We want to empower you with new ideas to help your business, cause, or professional image.

Moving forward, the heartbeat of our company is to not only sell you a static product, or work on a monthly contract basis with you, but to help drive new and innovative thoughts into your daily business routine.

It could be hanging signs in your brick and mortar store to remind people of your website and social media presence.

Maybe a QR code on your mailers to drive traffic to a landing page.

Whatever the unique idea may be, we want your relationship with us to be beneficial.

More To Come

We have a lot of exciting things in store for you.

We want to have more interactive classes, webinars, and discussions. We’re constantly tweaking our products and services to better fit your need and budget. If you’re interested in a particular topic, let us know. We’ll make an effort to fit it in and show you how it can work for you.

If you’re interested in learning about social media or photography – please contact us here.

Google.

Today Google announces their new social networking effort, Google+ Project.

Here’s What We Know

From what we’ve seen so far, it looks really slick. They are taking a much more personal look into how and who you connect with. Along with that, they are forming small “social events” you normally take place in.

Circles

You share different things with different people. So sharing the right stuff with the right people shouldn’t be a hassle. Circles makes it easy to put your friends from Saturday night in one circle, your parents in another, and your boss in a circle by himself – just like real life.

Sparks

Tell Sparks what you’re into and it will send you stuff it thinks you’ll like, so when you’re free, there’s always something cool to watch, read, or share.

Hangouts

With Hangouts, the unplanned meet-up comes to the web for the first time. Let specific buddies (or entire circles) know you’re hanging out and then see who drops by for a face-to-face-to-face chat. Until teleportation arrives, it’s the next best thing.

Huddle

Texting is great, but not when you’re trying to get six different people to decide on a movie. Huddle turns all those different conversations into one simple group chat, so everyone gets on the same page all at once. Your thumbs will thank you.

Learn More

Beta access is already closed for access to Google Plus. Within minutes, they halted the sign up form and there’s still no word on when it will be accessible again. Until then check out the interactive tour and videos.

Interactive Tour Of Google Plus

Videos

WordPress is the world’s most popular web software to develop blogs and beautiful websites. Commonly known as a Content Management System, WordPress allows the developer and designer to build websites that work for you.

If you’re planning on redesigning your existing website, launch a new one, or start a blog make the right choice with WordPress.

A Content Management What?

A CMS or Content Management System.

What it means to you:

• Edit your website without any special software
• Give yourself or others access to control content
• Create, delete, or modify your web pages through a browser
• Write blog posts
• Upload and manage online photo galleries
• Have an online event calendar
• Create contact forms
• Powerful SEO features

That’s just scratching the surface with what you can do with WordPress CMS. If you invest in a WordPress powered blog or website, it’s sure to stand you the test of time and grow as you need it to.

What Can I Do With WordPress?

Your opportunity with WordPress is nearly unlimited. Slocum Design Studio can develop a simple blog or a feature rich web application using WordPress. Let’s take a look at some common uses.

WordPress is great for websites

WordPress is awesome for building great websites. Features like being able to edit your own web pages without special software and make changes whenever you want is one of the most sought after features. From there, you can create your own online photo galleries, event calendars, and contact forms.

WordPress is great for blogging

Let’s face it, we all have something to write about. In either your business, passion, or personal life – you can tell a story. WordPress can help you get there with powerful blogging features. So what are you waiting for? Start blogging!

WordPress is great for e-commerce

Are you a small business looking to sell your product online? WordPress is a great start to your e-commerce presence. Build a beautiful site around a listing of your products and manage them all from one control panel.

How Does It Work? Easy as 1-2-3

1. Use your browser as your dashboard

With no special software required, access your WordPress dashboard straight from  your browser. The Dashboard will give you a complete overview of pages, posts, comments, visits to your site, and more. Control the most powerful web software by simply logging in.

2. Create pages, write blog posts, and upload photos

Now that you’re in, it’s time to start creating content. With WordPress, it couldn’t be any simpler. Pages, posts, and photos (media) are all clearly organized and presented to you. If you can use Microsoft Word, you can use the WordPress editor. Familiar font choices, styles, and attachment features that have become standard across the web.

3. Publish

With a click of a button, your content is published to the world. No need to call your web guy, export from a word processor, or copy/paste from an e-mail. You have the power to publish or delete whenever you want.

What Does WordPress Look Like?

Here are some examples of what the Dashboard and editing pages will look like.

This Sounds Awesome, Where Do I Begin?

We’re all about designing great websites. Why not start your WordPress site with us for just $29 a month?

We’re proud of this project from the social media consulting to the professional HD video production. So without further delay…

Cooking Show As Seen On Slocum.TV

About Azorean Green Bean

Azorean Green Bean is all about preserving the food and culture of the Azores. There’s a lot of overlap between the Azores and continental Portugal, and we’ll be taking a look at that, too. But for now it’s all about the Azores.

I’m not a chef and I don’t pretend to have any professional techniques. I only profess to have a love for the meals that mean so much to me and for the family members I now get to share those meals with. In the future I plan on putting together these recipes in a cookbook, but for now I am testing them all out. With the help of all my taste testers I plan on sharing them with you… I hope that you enjoy these recipes, too. Azorean Cooking will be out in 2011!

About Maria Lawton

My name is Maria Lawton and I was born on the semi-tropical island of Sao Miguel in the village called Rosario de Lagoa, and when I was six my parents and siblings moved permanently to the United States. We settled in southeastern Massachusetts, which has been a huge Portuguese enclave for over a hundred years. The area has a rich history of seafood and farming, and there are fantastic bakeries and butchers and restaurants that prepare dishes in the traditional manner, but what I craved most as an adult were the dishes my mother and grandmother made when I was younger.

You might ask why call it the Azorean Green Bean; great question. Growing up and speaking Portuguese, I had my share of being called lots of names from “Portagee” to “Greenhorn” as well “Favabean”. And my answer and reply was always “Thank You…Proud of it”! So to celebrate my culture I have chosen to use the name Green Bean because I am an Azorean Green Bean and proud of it!

Read more on the About Page…

Want To Know When The Book Launches?

Maria is working hard to launch Azorean Cooking in 2011. If you want to be the first to know, we suggest becoming a fan of The Azorean Green Bean Facebok page.

JCHFund.com is the web property for the James C Holleran fund. This is a newly formed non-profit cause focused around an annual charity golf tournament. The tournament is taking place on August 27th 2011 at the Pembroke Country Club. You can find more information on their Events Page.

About JCH Fund

In June of 2010, we lost a very special family member to pancreatic cancer.  When Jay was first diagnosed, we knew very little about the disease.  The statistics show that it is the 4th leading cause of cancer deaths among both men and women.  The 1-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 24% and the overall 5-year survival rate is only 5%.

Our goal is to make a difference by raising awareness in the fight against pancreatic cancer while celebrating Jay’s life and many others who have battled such a menacing disease.

About James C Holleran

Mr. James (Jay) C. Holleran Jr., 51, of Norwell and Scituate, formerly of Hanover and Peabody, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at his summer home in Scituate, Massachusetts surrounded by his loving family and friends.

He was born in Salem on Feb. 28, 1959, a son of Catherine (Biagioni) Holleran of Peabody and the late James C. Holleran Sr. He was raised and educated in Peabody, where he was a member of the Cross Country Team in High School. He was a graduate of Babson College and received an MBA degree from Suffolk University.

Mr. Holleran was employed as the Chief Financial Officer for the Milton Hospital. He was a member of the Health-care Financial Management Association and was a passionate and expert skier. He was a rabid sports fan enjoying golf, boating, fishing and watching his daughters play for the South Shore Scorpions Soccer Club.

Help The Cause

Visit JCHFund.com to download all the forms to register for the golf tournmanet. You can also help spread their awareness by becoming one of their Facebook fans.

Locally owned and operated, Dr. Carl J Ferreira, promotes healthy and natural studies at his practice. From consultation to supplements, Dr Ferreira and his staff can get you on the right path!

A Little More About Dr. Ferreira

Dr Carl J. Ferreira graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1975 from the College of the Holy Cross with a BA in Biology. He was in the Honors Program and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson School of Dental Medicine in 1979 and completing a General Practice Residency at Rhode Island Hospital, he has practiced dentistry for almost 30 years.

Dr Ferreira was drawn to natural health and healing as a means to overcome his own particular health issue, which despite the skepticism of his physician, was successfully accomplished … naturally. As a result he furthered his commitment to natural health and obtained a Doctorate in Classical Naturopathy from Trinity College of Natural Health, Certification as a Natural Health Professional and board certification as an Alternative Medical Practitioner by the American Alternative Medical Association.

Read more on his About page…

Their Mission Statement

We believe that your body has a blueprint of what perfect health is for you – and is constantly trying to achieve this perfect health. Oftentimes we ourselves are the obstacle preventing the attainment of that goal.

We believe in the healing power of nature and trust in the body’s inherent wisdom to heal from within according to the laws of nature.

We believe that health should be a lifestyle process based on care and prevention, rather than solely disease and illness treatment.

We believe that health is one’s own responsibility and that complete health encompasses mind, body and spirit together.

We believe that it is our mission to guide our clients to the state of health they are willing to work toward, through the use of non-invasive therapies, nutrition and a balanced holistic lifestyle. We assist clients with identifying both the damaging and the healing forces in their daily life and direct the client to maximize the body’s inherent self-healing capacity.

Proud To Launch Their New Website

Slocum Studio is happy to announce this new Slocum ME member. Dr Ferreira was looking for an affordable solution that could improve his SEO, mobile access, and tie in his Social Media identities.

You can like his Facebook Fan Page and follow him on Twitter. Need more info? Take a look at his Contact Page.

Slocum is proud of the work and attention to detail that has gone into this project. When Ed DeMelo set the expectation for the site, he wanted to achieve one thing:

Stand out from the rest.

The travel industry is fast paced. Competition is high and web technologies are constantly changing. TourAzores is jumping into the mix with a passion for customer service with the roots of a family business.

Not many internet “deal” sites can say they’ve been servicing the Azores for nearly 30 years. Ed and his father have been operating De Melo Travel Agency on Columbia Street in Fall River and can confidently say they are an icon in the local Portuguese community.

Trust and years of experience are conveyed in TourAzores.com with cutting edge identity that will surely be recognized for another 30 years.

The Identity

One of Slocum’s greatest brand identities yet.

Capturing the color and the spirit of Azorean islands with an image of escaping to a tropic-like destination.

Ed wanted something fresh, bright and welcoming. Many travel logos are corporate and dull. We are proud to set the new bar for the travel industry and small business identities alike.

TourAzores.com Web Site

When the Slocum team met with Ed in the discovery process, we learned that the Azores is growing as a culture and as a vacation destination.

That set the foundation for the new website.

Built upon a WordPress platform and design that would grow as Ed’s business grew. As more opportunities became available, so could the ability to add function. Visitors could continue to discover blog posts, video highlights, and impressive photos of the the magnificent islands.

The Blog

Keep up to date with travel tips, photos, and video as Ed captures the day to day of TourAzores.com. Travelers can also submite reviews of tours, hotels, and flights during their stays.

Monthly Specials

Skip the hype of big internet travel business. Stay connected to Ed as he promotes quality and personable tour and vacation specials. With personal connections on the islands built from over 30 years of business, TourAzores can connect you with the *right* special. If you’re looking to connect your family tree, explore new hiking grounds, or just relax on vacation – look no further.

The Islands

Has all of this talk of the Azores piqued your interest?

Discover the islands and what’s available to you. Click through the many pages to find what TourAzores can provide on your next trip.

Book A Trip

It’s no surprise we are very proud of this project. We could go on forever discovering all the little details in TourAzores.com.

We feel you should just visit the site now and discover for yourself! Come back and leave a comment or submit a comment to Ed over on his Facebook page.

Become a fan of theirs on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

If you’re not familiar with designing and building WordPress blogs or you simply have the time to do it yourself – this is a great solution for you!

Let Us Do The Dirty Work

• Installation of WordPress
• Setup and configure the SDS blog theme
• Setup and configure all standard plugins
• Configure the pages you want
• Setup the blog for SEO
• Add in popular plug-ins that make blogs successful
• Setup and link social media sites to the blog

We can also create a great blog logo/identity for you. If needed, we can take the same logo and replicate it to business cards, letterheads, or envelopes. When you’re buying a Slocum Design product – you’re buying into a team of talented individuals. We know how to support and grow your brand.

Get the SDS WordPress blog theme, full service install, configuration, and training all for $199!