Web work...who does their own?

[LaLa]

When you are looking into site design and advertising online, I am curious how many wahms are doing their own work?

What products do you use?

If you buy your design work, what WAHM friendly sites are you using?

I am lucky enough to have a techie dh who is a graphic desinger by trade, otherwise I don't think SB would have gotten off the ground!
:LOL

[mommytomy4kids]

I usually try to do what I can myself

but I am not a techie person. We just had our site revamped by www.inkprince.com.

Wonderful to work with and GREAT prices!

[HeatherSanders]

I designed my first site, but it was bland. Saved for someone to re-do it and that someone was Ali at www.groovylizard.com. I believe her pricing is reasonable.

I do my own images and I actually maintain the site, but she designed my templates and will do any art-work or headers that I need.

[Erin Pavlina]

I was a web developer before I ever started my magazine. So that saves me tons of money programming each issue for the site. I know some advanced programming techniques that have allowed me to streamline my site and shorten my monthly programming time.

I suck at doing graphics, but have upon occasion had to create advertising banners and graphics for people.

[LaLa]

Erin, what kind of web work do you do for your clients?

[ctdoula]

I do everything myself!

If you had told me a couple of years ago I'd be running a cd business I would have believed you, but not a website, LOL. I've learned everything from the ground up! My dh is a techie, but not a programmer. I use Microsoft Frontpage when I have to (mostly for layout stuff).
Amy

[PatchyMama]

I do my own.... along with a few other WAHM sites, LOL...... i love html its been a real creative outlet for me lately....

[Erin Pavlina]

LaLa,

My main programming skills are the ability to hard code html. I know style sheets, server side includes, secure online ordering set ups, processing forms on your site, programming sites with the marketing in mind (often skipped by pure programmers), how to design meta tags and keywords. I can install basic scripts, create a message board, I know a little php and my husband helps me with the high tech stuff. I can get a database set up.

I have access to really high end programming skills since my husband is a programmer and he consults with me but is really costly ($150/hour).

[biggymom]

I do my own and actually am opening up a web design company.

I did Lil padded seats site as well as Happy Heinys

I love designing things as it is also an outlet to me

[Mamaste]

I fiddle around with FrontPage to do APConnect!, but adding the professional photos we recently shot and creating graphics are proving to be challenging. I used to be a corporate communications director and I'm used to working with ad agencies and such, and my standards have wayyy overshot my interests and capabilities. Although I get tons of satisfaction from the end result, the process is not enjoyable for me. I just want to get it done. *sigh*

If there are any mamas out there who are looking to pad their web design resumes and would like to contribute some PhotoShop work on photos and graphics, please PM or email me off-board. We're non-profit, so this would be a freebie (PM or e me for other options), but we would give you credit on the site so you could reference it in a portfolio.

[LizHarrison]

i do the basics myself but, when I want a new look I get someone else (a wahm) to do the outline of it...



Liz

[rubelin]

I did my own site using DreamWeaver. I've kept it very simple and it was pretty easy. I've done a few revisions and it gets better each time. I love using Photoshop but I need to get a program that will let me do transparent GIF's. We just got a new LCD monitor and I'm apalled at how off the color in my buttons and headings are

I use Mal's E-Commerce for my shopping cart and have to set up a database for it, but I like being able to customize it. The hardest part has been the time it takes to do everything. I recently switched to a new web host and they have great tools, so it has made things even easier.

I'm not great at graphics/logos, so I don't really have any. I do use quite a few pictures, though. I haven't come up with a good idea for a logo yet, but I will probably ask a graphic artist friend to help me with it when I finally find something I like.

[flminivanmama]

I do it all myself - I write all the code in simple text and then I upload it using fetch. I taught myself everything by trial and error

[mommytomy4kids]

I am in awe

of some of you. I can do updates and do know quite a bit of HTML but when I have my site redone I have it done by someone else.

[wildthing]

One of my day care parents is a web site designer. We bartered and he did my site for me, but it cost me $$$$$ worth of day care services. It was a lot more than I thought it would be, but I love my site. He also gave me a 3 hour tutorial in some simple html editing (is there such a thing as "simple html"???) So now, I can cut and pase and change some code here and there, enough to edit my site a bit. Dh is somewhat of a computer geek himself and figured out quite a bit on his own, so he helps me too.
Now, if anyone looks at my site, I know there are things I have to fix. I do enjoy working on my site myself too.

[BowNessMonster]

My dh is a does-it-all computer guy...and he was building me a rockin' php site. Unfortunately, he has been too busy with his own work to complete the site (as in, make it go live with a store so I said "screw this waiting" and started redesigning it myself in Dreamweaver.

I really like what I am doing but it takes soooo daaaarn loooong for me to do anything. I have to crop out all my pics myself, which takes me hours. (DH said he'd help, he's really fast and efficient in photoshop - 12 years in desktop publishing) but he got a new Star Wars video game, so he's been unavailable... Plus, I have only my Canon slr camera and have to wait for photofinishing on many of my pics still. It's slow going gathering all my product shots.

Anyhow, I still don't know what I am going to do with the shopping cart; mals likely, but I haven't got there yet. I am so busy with all the other aspects of my business (booming without a website LOL) that I haven't the time to sit here and do graphics/html.

(suuuure, kendell, you're sitting here posting aren't ya? ) In between emails, invoices and sewing stuff! LOl

I had a client offer product trade for her dh's design services and I may very well take them up on it since my dh is, ahem, busy: :LOL

[mamaluvs3girls]

I've done everything myself. I use wahmshoppe which is pretty much shake-n-bake. I have learned quite a bit and can do simple html. I don't think it's the greatest but it's doing for now. I'm hoping that sometime in the near future I can splurge for something new.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I've done everything myself. Learned more about PHP in the past year than I ever cared to know, LOL! I use dreamweaver now and am learning flash, so who knows what's in store soon. I love reading books and teching myslef along the way I'm usign mal's cart now, but I am hunting for the perfect cart that I can integrate into my already *perfect* site, but with inventory controls. Mals' would be perfect if it had inventory, but it doesn't. I don't want to go with optioncart or oscommerce cause I already like the look of my site and don't want a cookie cutter *cart* site. boo-hoo!

[rubelin]

Theresa, I think your site looks awesome! You're doing a great job on your own There is a guy who writes code and scripts that will work with MAL's Javascript for Mals I'm going to look into his database program, it's only $30, but I don't know if it's as customizable as I want it to be. It might be a good option for you, too.

[tuffykenwell]

I work with Jackie at www.dotcomdesigns.net because I don't have the time or inclination to learn web programming LOL! She has special rates for WAHMs and is SO nice to work with!

She also designed my logo and auction template The site isn't done yet but it looks so nice! And best of all LOL no frames

Steph