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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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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M.I.A.?? Well… It was truly Divine!

Kinda. Still felt a bit weak from the strep throat (still have a kid sick!) but I managed to get some work done! I should be done by tomorrow-Thank goodness!

For my hard work, I treated this good girl to the AH! ring (Attached and Happy) from divinediamonds.com. Recently featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, on the O List, as well as the Oprah.com website (and many other places I can`t recall, but I recently interviewed the fabulous Ruta at Divapreneur).

I don`t have to tell you that Ruta is super amazing! She`s a former writer for Vanity Fair and many other fantastic publications. She also owned a magazine which she later sold to Fairchild Publications. I was extremely humbled when she mentioned she enjoyed my writing! (I always thought I write with an accent!! I will take that feather for my cap.) Thank you Ruta! I am flattered!

The ring was shipped so quickly! The best part is how this gorgeous pinkie ring just sparkles. I was on the phone with Paul and I could not help gushing over it. The cut of the diamond and the mount of the ring really complement each other. I believe Teri Hatcher and Selma Blair are among the famous owners of this decadent ring.

The ring wasn`t too expensive, just $330. I felt so special to have it. I often try to treat myself and I felt like a princess to have it sparkle on my finger. It was the perfect way to say “I love me.” Now if I can just find my prince, I can finally kiss him!

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An update-Something a Little Personal

This past summer, I revealed to you my battle with acne and how Shawn had helped me.
I think I am 99% acne free. On this picture I am wearing very light makeup, did not retouch the picture but changed it to black and white.
I will forever and always have Shawn to thank for the gift she had given me. She is incredible beyond belief.
If you would like to read more about Shawn, please visit Epitome of Shawn.

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