When You Need Content...

Content is a very important part of any blog, even personal blogs. Sometimes, in order to keep your readers from straying, you need to update at a time when it’s just not possible for you. Sometimes you may be too busy, or even just on a creative block, but you still need to keep updating for your readers and, if you have them, your advertisers.

A possible alternative to writing your own unique post is to use one of the free articles at Article Alley. You can search through the 1/2 million articles written by over 60,000 authors for one that fits your blog. It’s not just for blogs, you can add any of this information to your website. It’s helpful for those who want to post about something, but don’t really have all the facts. I found a site where someone teaches you how to use a certain site, but because she used all the wrong termanology, it made no sense. A quick look over to Article Alley could’ve helped her.

Personally, I wouldn’t just take articles from this site and post them on my own site. I like to take inspiration from others’ posts, then post my own unique content  based on this. I would go through and pick a topic like How To Create Helpful Error Pages, read it through, make notes on points I feel are important, then make a few notes on points I think they missed. After that I would construct my own article based on this, then cite that article as a source. I think that is the best way to use this service.

Of course, another good idea is to submit articles. Many times I’ll want to write about something that doesn’t really go along with my blog. Sometimes I just put it into my personal blog (because I can do whatever I want there) but to help me build up my own site I could post an article on Article Alley and get a link back for it. Then, those who use my article would also need to link me. It’s just another great way to keep your blog interesting and to get noticed better.

It’s Coming...

What’s coming? I think a new design may be coming. I’m not sure why, but I’m ready to move on from this one. There are some things about the navigation that are really bothering me. I may invest some time in making things work better with this template, but if I can muster up some creativity, I may just redo it all.

Since the last update, I’ve put up some new Jojo PSDs. They’re cute, I think. I tried to make a set of it, but I only ended up being able to do two of them. They match, though, so they should be pretty good for layouts or blends.

Today I put up some new stock photos, too. We went to the park for a while and I was going to take photos but the D60 was full and dead, so all these were taken with my p-o-s camera. They’re still pretty nice, though. I hope you can find a use for them. If nothing else, they’d make decent brushes or even textures.

I was playing around and made some new 88×31 buttons, too. So use’em and link me. Let me know if you do so I can link you back.

Just Some Updates...

I’ve been working on the site some, but nothing too spectacular yet. I found an old layout I drew up, so I’m going to work on getting it coded and uses it as the basis for my first Wordpress theme. I hope to release it very soon. I’m a lso looking for some suggestions of things you would like to see on the site, so please comment with a few.

1. First update is an addition to the brushes family, a 2nd set of grunge brushes.

Download Grunge Set 2 For Photoshop

2. I’ve put up some buttons for you to link to me with. It seemed kind of self defeating to ask people to link back to me for using my stuff, but not offer a button to link me with. I followed a tutorial (poorly) to make these buttons and I like the way they turned out.

3. I also added a Facebook for Lala Land, which I’ll be working on. The button to view it is on the sidebar and I got it from here (more than just facebook, they have many web 2.0 icons). There’s currently nothing on the page, but you can view it here and go ahead and become a fan. I plan to put all my freebies up there, too. Maybe even a few extras.

4. I put up some stock images from my own photography. These images are only to be used with credit back. Don’t even look at them if you’re not willing to credit me if they’re used. This includes any sort of textures, brushes, or any other way the image may no longer be identifiable.

5. I added some new fonts to the fonts page. I found these online and I loved them, so I thought I’d share them with everyone.

Download Cash Font / Credit Owner

Download Skirules / Credit Owner

6. I also added a ‘Mentoring’ section that I plan to turn into a service matching advanced users to beginners to help them grow. Before I spend the time getting into all of this, I’d like to know if this is something that would interest anyone. Would you like to help others achieve their potential? Would you like help from someone who already does what you want to do? Let me know if you think this is something I should move forward on. This is taking the place of the old “sponsoring” section Lala Land used to have. I took that word down for fear that Google would misinenterpret it send me to my doom.

Lastly, I’m trying to get a better reach and more readers, so I’m ready to link exchange with those who might be interested. I have standards (it can’t be a link farm) but I’m not going to turn down any sites just because I don’t think they’re “elite”. Let me know if you’re interested. Also looking for suggestions on how to make my site more popular.

Grunge Brush Set 1...

Just a quick note to let you know I am here and I am working! Even if I’m not blogging, I’m working on the site. Unfortunately it’s mostly behind the scenes right now, but I did take some photos today and turn them into Photoshop brushes for you. It’s been a very long time since I’ve made anything, especially brushes, so they may not be the best. But let me know what you think. Let me know if there’s anything you think I should improve on. I made them pretty big so you could use them for whatever you want because it looks like Photoshop will let you resize it. As usual, don’t download unless you intend to give credit and a link back.

Download Grunge Set 1 for Photoshop

I also uploaded all the old brushes I could find. I don’t know what they look like anymore or what they’ll work in, but I listed the date next to them so you can see how old they are. I tried the Photoshop Blinkie Blocks and they really suck. But they work. And the PSP brushes should work in the older versions. I’m not sure how PSP brushes work anymore, but I’ll be working on how to make them so I can offer them, too. Enjoy!

Icon Maker...

I was working on a client’s website today and ended up searching around for a font. I never did find the font, but I did find a nifty site called Frank’s Icons. Specifically, because I was looking for a font with a heart dotted i, I dropped into the broken heart poka dot icons. I’m not sure if it was curiousity or what, but I started playing with it and ended up with this little icon to the right. It’s totally lame, but see how easy it is? Thought it would be nice to share this little resource with everyone.