Simply Creative

Plagiarism 101

Amy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:26:06 +0000

If you’re going to copy verbiage from another company’s website, be sure you remove all references to said company before you publish it on your own site.

This brought me lots of LOLs last night. Normally I wouldn’t call someone out on something minor like this, but the fact is that I’ve had problems with this company in the past. Some people never learn. It’s one thing to be inspired by someone else’s work; it’s another thing to copy it. Copying is not cool!

Newsletter Manager

Amy — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:56:31 +0000

Hi all! Yes, I’m on vacation but I need to talk to everyone today about sending out e-mail blasts using their website admin console. This primarly affects osCommerce Creloaded sites that are using the Newsletter Manager tool. We are asking that you consider moving your mailing list to a third-party like Constant Contact or YMLP.

The problem with using the Newsletter Manager to send e-mails to all your customers is it usually results in a lot of e-mails being returned to us due to bad e-mail addresses, spam blockers, etc. Many of you have been in business for several years, so a lot of your customer accounts are old/outdated and contain e-mail addresses that are no longer valid. This gets us in to a lot of trouble!

We’ve really had to start monitoring this because our server keeps getting blacklisted by ISPs, especially Yahoo and Comcast. When this happens, they start to reject all e-mail from all sites on our server - not just the person who sent out the e-mail blast. So please take a moment and look at a third-party service for e-mail marketing. They are not very expensive and it really is a more effective method for reaching your customers.

Another point to keep in mind is that the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 requires the each message include a means to “opt out” (i.e., decline future e-mail from the same source). The Newsletter Manager does not offer this option - we don’t want anyone getting in trouble for breaking anit-spam legislation!

If you have any questions, please let me know - I will be glad to talk you through this. And please don’t think I’m singling anyone out. We had several people do e-mail blasts over the weekend, resulting in over 800 bounced e-mail. Thank you for your cooperation.

A..

eLLeMeNoPea’s Bare Wall Challenge

Amy — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:45:33 +0000

One of my customers, eLLeMeNoPea, is having an awesome summer contest! I could certainly use some help with my bare walls and thought maybe you could too. Read more about it here:

http://tinyurl.com/q7qopg

Plus, you can follow their blog for design tips and tricks and to see their very own before and after photos.

Vacation Notice

Amy — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:09:14 +0000

Just a quick update, I will be on vacation from July 3-12. I will have limited access to e-mail, but will try to check at least once a day. I will only respond to critical issues. All other e-mails and quote requests will be answered when I return to the studio on Monday, July 13. Thank you!

Five on Friday

Amy — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:55:05 +0000

Wow, have I been a bad blogger lately! Things have been crazy busy around here. Lots of projects to be finished up, plus the kids are out of school so I have fewer work hours in the day. I’ll try to do better, I promise. Okay, on to today’s Five on Friday!

I have an awesome flip flop tan. Don’t be jealous.
If I wasn’t a web designer, I would love to be a landscape architect or a photographer.
I’ve gotten up and exercised every day (M-F) for TWO weeks - turning over a new leaf, LOL…
I heart Google Reader, could not live without my daily RSS Feeds.
I just ordered this book - I dream of a happy, organized home!

E-Mail Update

Amy — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:44:24 +0000

The good news is I was able to rebuild *most* of my e-mail files. The bad news is I did lose quite a bit of what was in my “in box”. I’m trying my best to remember what was in there and who I need to respond to. If you sent me an e-mail and haven’t heard back, you might want to resend. It’s quite possible that your e-mail is one of those that was lost. Thanks! A..

E-Mail Problems

Amy — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:16:40 +0000

So yeah, I’m kind of freaking out right now. When I tried to open Outlook this morning, I was greeted with a lovely error message. An error message leading me to believe that my e-mail files might be corrupt. O. M. G. This is horrifying to me. I keep everything in my e-mail. All my to do lists, all my contacts, all my customer history, all my billing info. Please keep your fingers crossed for me. Hopefully I can get this fixed. In the meantime, I do have access to e-mail now through webmail; I just don’t have any of the e-mails you may have sent me prior to 9:46 CST this morning. If you are waiting for a response from me, please re-send. Not sure how long I may be without Outlook.

Five on Friday

Amy — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:20:39 +0000

More random tidbits about yours truly…

I have Crocs in 10 different colors. Love them!
I read PerezHilton.com. Every. Day.
My favorite color is pink. (shocking, I know!)
I just bought one of these. Hoping it can whip me into shape!
I’ve never watched American Idol.

Closed for Memorial Day

Amy — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:27:49 +0000

Simply Creative will be closed May 23-25 for a long holiday weekend. If the weather cooperates, I plan to spend my days off working in the yard and soaking up some rays. All e-mails and quote requests will be returned on Tuesday, May 26. Have a good one!! A..

Just Launched - Flip Flop Design Shop

Amy — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:55:13 +0000

Design your own pair of customized flip flops! Browse through a collection of fabulous Flip Flop choices, from the sleek and sexy faux suede Flojos, to the ultra-comfortable and 100% rubber Cariris. Both brands are recognized as quality leaders in sandal fashion. Next, choose from an exciting array of gorgeous and eclectic accessories. From glamorous rhinestones to Swarovski crystals to whimsical artwork flourishes, find the design element perfect for you.

Click here to visit the Flip Flop Design Shop!