A Perfect Image-Pinkpoochdesigns.com

I was incredibly blessed to be the recipient of a collectible piece of art. Pink Pooch Designs designer Staci has been kind enough to bestow upon me her wearable art. Her collection, Famous Faces are renditions of classic icons of vintage cinema and music that are sure to become your favorite pieces.

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Voice Actress gets a New Look

With the culmination of many projects, I must say the one I got the most excited about was Jessicasvoices.com.

A very talented voice actress, she has been features in games like Grand Theft Auto, Netscape Emoticons and Pokemon-My kids were thrilled about that. The whole time I was designing this I felt I little start struck and intimidated. She was so down to earth and super nice. She reminds me of Wonder Woman, she saves the day and has time to shoot the breeze! She is truly gifted and has a real talent for changing her voice. I wish her the best with her new venture!

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Feeling better…

I have decided to take a vacation and spend sometime with my boss. In other words, me. I love how it feels when your time is yours, having said that it feels even to return to work renewed and ready to be productive.

I have learned so much and plan on doing more learning as I trek my pretty behind to school. More news on that later….

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Lost in E Minor Feature

I am so happy that I have featured at Lost at E Minor.com. Lost in E Minor has featured some of the most distinguished and cutting edge artist in fashion, film, music and design. They have featured designers, musicians and illustrators like Mark Ryden, Cold War Kids and THE one and only Paris Fashion Week.

I am humbled, thankful and honored to have been featured. There is a voting feature there and if you vote for me, my article gets bumped at the top of the page. You totally don`t have to, but it is appreciated. I rather celebrate my joy with you and share with you that my dear friend Paulette pushed me to do it (I love you Paulette, you rock!) and Morgan Mckean dressed me up for success and submitted my info. If you are going to hire someone, she is the gal for you.

Lots of love,
Elaine
P.S. Uncle Bronchitis is finally moving out. Cousin NQuill has been sleeping over!

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With Honors!

I am running a fever and most likely I have bronchitis. I have manage to sit up straight for 5 minutes to let you know my latest.
I have been nominated for a beauty contest. Gosh! I remember in 1999 I had gone out to Walmart one night after work As I stand in line to check out and this guy two people back swore up and down I looked just like Jennifer Lopez. My girl friend was uncomfortable and I seriously started questioning his sobriety. The guy in front of me struck up a conversation with me and that guy started saying “Wow! She is so pretty everyone wants to talk to her!”

Fearing this guy was more than drunk, we quickly checkout and went home. He actually followed us home but thankfully lost him. 3 days later, I saw him again at a party. Crickey! Please do not vote for me! Vote for the cute blonde at the bottom. Being beautiful is dangerous and I rather be known for my brains.

Blogged.com has bestowed my blog the excellent score of 8.0! This is a great honor! I will take it!

UPDATE-I didn`t win! Woo hoo!!! That other cute girl won! I got 100 ec for entrecard… YEAH!!!

Lots of love,
Elaine (cough cough sniff)

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Gratitude Friday

My love for Fridays has officially become a love affair. Now that spring has sprung, the backyard is calling me. I walked outside and I stepped on doggy poo. That`s good luck in my book!!!

• •Today I am thankful for pinkpoochdesigns. What a sweet girl!! She is so wonderful, Oprah you need her in your show!
• •Raquel at houseofraquel.com has become a wonderful friend. Thank you!!! You are the best!
• •Fatdaddysbakeshop.com has got to be the most awesome bakery there is. They package so well and the cupcakes are awesome! Try jitters and Nikky cupcake.
• •Elizabeth from MMC Cosmetics has been so super kind to me. When she calls me she will say,”I hope I`m not bothering you!” You don`t!!
• I want to say thanks for all my blessing, I always share them with others, feeling healthy, headache free for three weeks and what`s up with my hair? I just got a haircut 2 weeks ago and I look like I have to go back! I love my big Puerto Rican hair!
  
• •Last but not least TUT.com. I love the messages they send. It`s almost if they knew what it`s happening and always says the right thing. Today he said: Eternity is a really, really, really long time, elaine.

  I think we’ll be able to squeeze everything in.

  Relax.

  Peace and blue jeans -
  The Universe P.S. Elaine, as a show of my good intent, and indisputable power, how would you like today to be Friday?

To you, a respectfully respond, I accept today as Friday. You made my week!
I love you and thank you,
Elaine
P.S. I am wearing blue jeans! Where are you???

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Gratitude Friday on Saturday

I enjoyed my Friday so much I totally forgot to do my post! The planets must have aligned as I made a few wishes last weekend and had it come true this Friday.

?I subscribe to the Daily Thoughts email at TUT.com which is an inspirational email sent to you Monday through Friday. I really had wished that I could receive an extra email during the weekend. Yesterday they sent two! Paulette calls me and says “How did you do it?” I said “I`m just good!” Thank you TUT! Thoughts do become things!

?I think I realized that after all the years I have been on the web, no one had written about me. I wished I had press and just didn`t specify. Within the past week I discovered at least 4 blog postings and was invited to do a radio interview. In my pajamas show interviewed me and I was so grateful! I learned a thing or two about myself! Thank you Amy!

? Barbara Curran has Finderskeepersjewelry.net and this week she was kind enough to send me a gorgeous bracelet. Barbara, you sweet little sister of the universe, I love you! Thank you!

? I really don`t have to tell you how fantastic Ruta Fox is, her sense of taste as well as her past experience as a writer for Vanity Fair, and building a multi million dollar company with the Ah! ring, she has become a friend and adviser. Ruta, thank you for the article! I love it!

? I love oriental food! Japanese and Chinese, I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and diner. This particular restaurant makes awesome shrimp balls. After consuming them, I found the fortune cookies. The first one said “Investigate new possibilities with friends. Now it`s the time!” The cookie tasted so good and the fortune in it was so positive, I opened the other two which said “Now is the time to set your sights high and go for it” and “Remember three months from now this date! Your lucky star is shining!” That was on April 10… We`ll see!

? Last but not least, after having quite a nervous week and being interviewed, Paulette and I listened to the interview together. She cried and said to me, “You are so wonderful! This is what is going to get you to Oprah.” I am highly critical of myself, my accent which was virtually invisible, and even my upbringing. For the first time in my life I saw me as others see me. Paulette who will never spare you the truth for the sake of your feelings, paid me the most wonderful complements and made me feel like it`s finally happening for me. Love you Paul! You had a hand in it!

Have a fabulous Saturday!
XOXO,
Elaine

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Gratitude Friday

This week went so fast! So many things to be thankful!

• First, my clients! They are the best! I love you so much!

1. Lillybit.com
2. Oohlalaonline.com
3. Jessicasvoices.com She is the best voice over actress I know!
4. Gigi`s Creations
5. Orleans Couture
6. SocialButterfliesnj.com
7. JennyBoston.com
8. Pink Pooch Designs-Fellow graphic designer!
9. Frannie at www.creativecraftsboutique.com, I miss you!!!
10. Lollipops and lizards
11. For those I forgot I promise I will mention you!!

• To the best PR/Media Guru! This girl should be stock up but she`s not. She`s worked in movies, modeled, and was even a producer (have you heard of Blind Date??) She`s so sweet and gorgeous! Morgan McKean from Breathe Media Communications is fantastic! If you need a PR person, Morgan is your gal.

• To my readers, Thank you for making me feel like my writing actually, gets read! Love you!!!

XOXO,
Elaine

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Image Improvement-Content and Graphics Part 1

Think for just one moment about these questions, What do I sell? How is my website`s presentation? Better yet, how is the presentation of me? Think back to when you were starting your store, what was the feel you wanted for your store? Is your about me page`s content matching that feel?

Web content writing is hard. When you are on the web, you rely on as few words to give you the information you need. Bloggers are not faced with the same agenda, since blogging is a type of journaling. However, long blog post are lovingly called haikus and the hate of reading them is posted all throughout the web.

Here are a few tips to get it right:

?Web content delivery to the point. I want you to visit Michael Kors.com and look at how they have written their product description. Descriptive words are ok. Just remember descriptive words are like frosting on cake, too much frosting and you start missing out on the cake. (Read: Cake=$$)

?A picture is worth a thousand words. Imagine you are called in for an interview to be a top exec in a prestigious company. Are you going to wear jeans, or your Chanel suit? If you said the Chanel suit, then you understand the value of first impressions. Every time a new customer comes to your site, they are going to “hire” you for your product. Then why would you put in pictures of your product that is less than perfect? You will in fact lose money each day product looks like it was photographed on your bed linen.

?Go Feng Shui on your writing. I include myself in the bunch for this one. I wrote in an earlier post, how something that may mean a thing to you and nothing to your customer. In writing, what means something to you, will mean something else to your customer. Ergo, if you write on your about me page “I am a stay at home mom,” and to me that means someone with a home business or home office. To a buyer, it may mean you are working in the middle chaos of home and you are distracted and perhaps would not buy from you.

?Minimal sophistication- My mother has this gross Spanish saying, that literally translated means that a closed mouth gathers no flies. This is a lesson on less is more. Less does equal to sophistication.

?Your website is a frame to your items. Not the other way around! Would you buy an over embellished picture frame for a very classy black and white picture? I recently had the opportunity to rework mychicthings.com, a site that was very tastefully adorned, in hind sight, too adorned. The tone on tone color and graphics were blending her product into the site. Her new, cleaner color scheme is a step up from the last version.

There is much more I could say on the matter. Everyday I shop on the web and find myself tangled in confusing information, straining to see images and assaulted by color. Nonetheless, you have a choice. Choose wisely grasshopper!
Love,
Elaine

©2008 elaine biss. all rights reserved.

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The Miseducation of Elaine

After years of experimenting, learning and relearning, agreeing to do a thing because that is what it was asked, I am finally breaking out from that.

I feel I have evolved to loving every style I can render and not have the need to stick with one, because everyone wants me to produce that. I no longer feel the need to be like everyone else and follow every trend.

I almost had to reteach me all I know and then some. I recently felt challenged by someone who thought that because an opinion was had, this someone could design. Even I was impressed when I knew was right and showed why. It really wasn`t about the conflict as it ended quickly, but a self realization about feeling like my current site look was not representing who I had grown to be.

I love sophistication and pretty patterns. I love learning new techniques and I will never stop. I will always keep up with what`s new but I will set my own trends. I no longer fear that I will not be liked. I know I am liked and have a following. This isn`t about me exalting myself. Every girl second guesses herself.

I recently conversed with a client who was afraid to succeed and afraid to fail. I really don`t know what`s worst, as I have felt both. I knew where she was at. I knew what she felt. That was me in 2003. How did I overcome it? A little something my mom and dad could not pay for in college, EXPERIENCE!

How do you get the experience? You try. Even when you fail, you get up, and try again. Experience is what you gain when you succeed. Failure is no longer in my vocabulary. Gained knowledge is. I have never failed. I have gained knowledge and experience.

The confidence that brings, no one can take away. Your experience is waiting! Go get it!!!

Lots of love,
Elaine

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