It’s a big day tomorrow, my end of year exam recital so just a short update tonight 🙂
My Dad is helping me to try and integrate my website and blog so that they’re a little easier for me to manage. Well that was the idea but nothing is ever as easy as I want it to be.
He has said that I need the site to be “Responsive” and “easy to use”, I just want something that I can change quickly without having to wait weeks. My website is so hard to change that it always seems out of date 🙁
He sent me a screen shot of the work that he has done so far and assures me that the images below the header will be animated (flip over to a different banner about five different ones to view) when it is finished.
I would love it if you could take a look and let me know what you think, it is a work in progress but I need to know if we are on the right lines.
The idea is to use the website to provide details of my upcoming events and snippets of news and use my blog just as I do now. He has asked if any of you know of a good event planner/calendar that works in wordpress but does not take an age to load. He has tried “Events Calendar Pro” but it slows down the page loading times far too much 🙁
Dad has set up a test site at http://www.choathertest.co.uk/
I would also like your help with the style of text that I use in the header. He has used a Photoshop Typeface to give me an idea but he suggested using a scan of my signature to make it more personal, what do you think?
Anyway I must dash and go and get some sleep 🙂
that test page is just beautiful! nice job, well done
Thanks Annette, my Dad is ‘Super Dad’. He is technology support and Mum is logistics and dresses 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
The new page looks wonderful, but I wouldn’t use your signature in any way. Someone could alter or copy it, for who knows what.
Gosh Cheryl we hadn’t thought of that, I wonder how people go on that sign autographs all the time? I think Dad had looked at some leading opera singers blogs like Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Elina Garanca for inspiration.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Good luck Charlotte x
Thank you Chris, I can always use lucky wishes 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
The pictures of you on your website are gorgeous! Hope all the kinks are ironed out soon and it’s up and running the way you want it to be. Oh, and good luck on your exam recital tomorrow!
Thank you, I’ve been using the banner on Facebook, twitter and Google+ and wanted to bring them all together with a makeover for my website but Dad has limited time and I keep asking can it do this, can it do that.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Great idea and quite exciting. Can’t wait to see the final product. Lucky to have a dad who can do these things! I agree that you shouldn’t put your actual signature there — too easy for unscrupulous people to commandeer.
I know I’m very lucky Beth. He always shows me how these things work after he’s worked them all out too. From videos to resizing photos and making posters I make too many demands on his precious spare time that’s for sure, but he says he loves it.
Best wishes
Charlotte
It looks lovely. I agree about no posting your own signature for safety’s sake.
Do you think people have two signatures, one for official paperwork, legal agreements etc and one for their autograph? I hadn’t really thought about this until today.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Some celebrities do. Lucille Ball always autographed pictures “Lucy” and used her full name or her married name for everything else. You can choose whatever you like.
Gorgeous website! Gorgeous soprano! I like the idea of your signature …….. just because it would be so special.
Thanks Jennifer for your lovely message, I’m wondering if I have to create an autograph unique to me but not the same as my personal signature? Hmmm.
Best wishes
Charlotte
That’s a thought – you wouldn’t want your real signature online ………
Very nice work !! And you can creat a signature just for the website 😉
Bonjour Pascal, oui a special autograph that I could use from now on that’s not the same as my signature. I wonder if it would take over my personal signature in my mind though?
Best wishes
Charlotte
Bonjour Charlotte……Try and see ;-))…..Have a very nice Sunday
The site is very professional and the header art showcases your talent and astonishing beauty.
Best wishes for your exam performance. I wish I were in the front row.
Jim
I did my best and sang from my heart. I will be very disappointed if I ever sing near Vermont and you’re not in the front row cheering me on 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
When you hit Montreal on your upcoming World of Opera tour, I’ll be there 🙂
La société opératique de Montréal
http://mwos.org/
I am always considering getting a website going that JUST features my photographs, but it seems so overwhelming I never get started! I will check out the site and let you know what I think.
One of my blog chums Ariane has just set up a new artist website for her illustrations take a look at arihoma.com she did it all by herself. People seem to be using Instagram for photos but there are some cool themes in wordpress for photography sites to display pictures, you may want to start there 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
I like the layout of the site – i cannot stand it when a site is too busy and this one is very simple. I do think the header could be toned down, there’s a bit much going on and I think it steals focus from what should be the subject which is YOU. But it may just be a test header. Maybe just one of those images instead of the two together up there would be fine.
My Dad tried to explain to me about the banner and I used the word animated but that’s the wrong word he wants to flip it with about five different banners. Resizing the banner across all the different social media sizes is a challenge for him, he had problems stretching the image for Google+ because its deeper. I do love this banner though it’s very crazy busy like me.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, very nice start.
For outright gimmickry, you might want to play with the “C” in your name and its similarity to a bass clef, while the “S” in soprano might fade into a treble clef.
One thing I noticed, is that you don’t have a picture of you singing. For my own tastes, for what they are worth, is that there is the relative constancy of scale from left to right. Maybe an additional small full scale image of you for contrast…
The color efflorescence is striking. Great impact Pascal.
Getting the line of notes at the bottom to fold into the black instead of being clipped…..
Really well done…Moving, in fact.
I like this idea – that would be fun to see!
Hi Colonialist the clefs on my name?
Ooh nice thinking on the clefs John, I’ll mention about an image of me singing to Dad perhaps when the banner flicks over we should put the one off my welcome page on, in fact he’s probably already read your message.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I loved the header, it was bright and quite thrilling, if I might use that word. The simpler a website is and the easier it is to use, the better. Not everyone is techie brilliant and too often a complex site works slowly and is frustrating to use. Great Dad!
I love the word ‘thrilling’ it’s not used enough in my book 🙂 I agree about simplicity and it’s got to be fast because I know myself if it takes more than a couple of seconds to load I’m out of there.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Good luck in your exam ecital today! What you have done on your website looks fine so far but I agree with soe of the comments above, the less busy the better
P.S. Sorry about all the typos!
Hi Clare, I agree, the front page needs to be uncluttered and quick to load and if you want more you have to click into it.
Best wishes
Charlotte
It’s great! I agree with Cheryl, and for security reasons urge you *not* to use any signature (real or otherwise) on the web. For me, the uncluttered, easy access to the Soundcloud and Videos tabs is a real plus (but not good for my procrastination), and I like everything that’s going on in the header because it mirrors your busy life!
Thanks Marcus, we hadn’t really ever considered a signature issue, Dad’s found a nice type face in pink that I like so we might stick with that. I love the banner too.
Best wishes
Charlotte
It certainly ‘pings’! Good luck, Charlotte.
I do like to ‘ping’ Roscuro, thanks for the luck wishes.
All the best
Charlotte
The site seems to be coming on fine. Maybe the programme could be on a post updated as necessary, with a large and prominent link on the sidebar?
Good idea. My Dad is such a perfectionist he’s reading all sorts of training logs to improve it.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I too have a website under construction at present! LOL (To help promote my upcoming debut poetry collection)… Yours is far more creative than mine! Love the images and layout. Looking forward to the finished product and best of luck in your exam.
Oooh good luck with your poetry collection, how exciting for you. Will you have a link to it on your blog or are you incorporating it into your blog? I’ll have more time from mid-June to catch up with my blog reads.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I think I’ll have a link to it on my blog, incorporating it looks like a lot of work! For now its percolating… as is the book! LOL
You need my Dad but he’s too busy with my projects lol
Well would sched.org be something to show your upcoming events.
But it does look gorgeous. oooh that be you the site looks great the idea of personalizing would be a nice touch, just don’t use your signature but let us say your written name in your own handwriting.
And love the rainbow colours lady.
Keep on smiling and sing hope you sang your heart out and did great today.
Thanks Crow, Dad will look into sched.org. You know I love my rainbow colours so that’s just what I’m aiming for 🙂 I sang some new material so fingers crossed it went ok.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte. I have to say the Videos page is my favorite. Hmm, I have never used the Events Calendar before. “EventBrite” is the widget WordPress uses. I’m not sure if that’s the program your dad has tried already.
It’s just my opinion, but I would shy away from the moving elements in the image header simply because internet connections can sometimes be unpredictable. The still image you have at 72dpi should be swell.
As for your name and title in the top Header…hmm. I noticed that your name and title are also pinned to the sidebar, upper left-hand corner. I actually like the font in the sidebar more than the header. But the sidebar type isn’t very big…
Perhaps, your name and title could be added to the header image instead of being placed above it. “Charlotte Hoather: Soprano” typed somewhere in the collage of images. A script font with more finesse would be nice…maybe “Zapfino”
I hope everything went very well with your recital. clapclapclap! 🙂
Eric
Thanks for all your helpful advice Eric I’m sure you’ve given Dad lots to think about. Bows, thank you, bow again 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
I love your pictures on the header and the type face of your name. Very classy just like you! Best of luck with it.
Thank you for your lovely message Janice, I hope everything is going well with you and your new books, the term is almost over so I’ll catch up soon.
Best wishes
Charlotte
That’s really nice. Looking forward to see that. 🙂
Cheers Gaurab, I can’t wait to see the finished website either.
Best wishes
Charlotte
How did your recital go? As far as the website, it’s smart to integrate the two so you have less to manage, especially with your schedule. Your dad sounds wonderful and super supportive. 🙂
Hi Noony, I felt it went ok, singing new material that I’ve been working on but I’ve had fabulous German help this year so I’m hopefully it has a good result. I think that was Dads aim I try to link up as much as possible. He is super I’m very demanding 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
I’m sure you did an excellent job! Go Dad!
Looks amazing! Great job
Thanks Gabriella, I’m just working on the text next.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Your new website is coming along nicely Charlotte, I really like the header changing – maybe more pictures on the loop??? It is looking like a good site, and is user friendly. Look forward to reading lots of interesting things xxx
Thanks Gill, I think Dad was aiming for about five banner headings rotating and updating. It should be ready this weekend.
Best wishes
Charlotte
New site looks great. Wish I had a tecchie in my family! 😉
Thanks Linda, I give my Dad a call over all my techie problems and ideas. I owe him lots of hugs and kisses.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Wow… your website looks fabulous! 🙂 And it’s so nice of your dad to help you out like that. 🙂 I like working with technical stuff, so I built my website myself. 🙂 Have you seen it? ^^
I have an events calendar on my site, but I’m not sure what plugin I used for it… but I could check if you like?
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is SEERAT UL FATIMA and I noticed your website was under construction and was wondering if I could help. I’m a website and graphic designer with 18 years experience in the field. If you like, to prove my skills and I can for FREE design you some mock-ups of what your new site could look like and email them to you. Let me know what you think.
Contact me for further information:
Skype id: seerat.vohra96
For more details contact to:
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Take care,
Sales manager
Thanks Seerat, my Dad made my website as a hobby, take a look, charlotte-Hoather.com, I want to stay with WordPress so I can update it, but if you have any ideas for improvement send me an e-mail enquiries@charlottehoather.com