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Post by betty on Feb 16, 2018 11:45:07 GMT -5
Marilyn, here's my two cents following ***. I'm not married to any of these comments; they're simply personal observations and I'll go along with whatever the group decides.
1 - Header Image - Needs Leader Approval - assigned to Kerri ***Leader approval: yes.
2 - About Us Page - Kate is researching new layouts and will propose them to Marilyn and Kerri before changing (Leader Approval too?) ***Leader approval: yes.
3 - Shop Page - Need to research new layout/possible plug-ins to get links updated directly from our members shops (Kerri has asked her husband to figure out why Etsy's embed links aren't working in the meantime) ***Not sure exactly what this means, but ok.
4 - Top Menu - I added "Visit Us" that links to the team pages on Etsy. - Is there anything else we can add up here? - Do we want the "Visit Us" link there? ***I think “Visit Us” is too small. Can we move “Visit Us” to just below the cover image, to the end of where we have Home, About, Shop & Contact?
5 - Sidebar Alt (hidden side bar with the 3 lines) - Is there anything else we should add here? ***Don’t know what else we can add here, except that I’d like to see it closer to the other titles, not so far off to the left, maybe at the far right, which is where I think I’m used to seeing this type of symbol on other sites.
6 - Header Text - Need to research how to change the type once we pick a permanent Header Image / Or we can hide the theme's text and add text to the header image we choose. ***No opinion on this.
7 - Page Width - Can we make the About Us and Shop pages full width (i.e. remove the right side bar)? Do we want to do this if we can? ***Yes, I think this would give the page a cleaner look.
8 - Floating Social Media Icons on Left - I think these take away from the sleek-ness of the blog and think they should be removed. Do you agree? I am at a loss where they are coming from though....Kerri can you help? ***Agree to remove--or maybe relocate if that's possible. The SM links at the very top right of the page seem tiny. Can we make those bigger and put them in a more visible place?
9 - Blog Post Featured Images - Question for Kerri (or her husband maybe?) - I need to set a featured image within each individual blog post, so it will show up in emails and on our Home page, however, it is also adding the featured image to the top of each blog post before the title. Is there a way to stop the featured image from showing at the top of each individual post? ***Fine. As an aside, I think in general we need leader approval on final product before releasing to the team.
Thanks for heading this up!!
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Post by shelley on Feb 19, 2018 10:54:08 GMT -5
1 - Header Image - Needs Leader Approval - assigned to Kerri Nothing to add, yes to leader approval 2 - About Us Page - Kate is researching new layouts and will propose them to Marilyn and Kerri before changing (Leader Approval too?) Yes to leader approval before rolling new looks. 3 - Shop Page - Need to research new layout/possible plug-ins to get links updated directly from our members shops (Kerri has asked her husband to figure out why Etsy's embed links aren't working in the meantime) I had so much trouble setting up my blog, then never use it of course. I applaud them for working on this, but I'm zero help. 4 - Top Menu - I added "Visit Us" that links to the team pages on Etsy. - Is there anything else we can add up here? - Do we want the "Visit Us" link there? I can't think of any other links to add. 5 - Sidebar Alt (hidden side bar with the 3 lines) - Is there anything else we should add here? I'm not seeing what this is referring to, can someone explain further? 6 - Header Text - Need to research how to change the type once we pick a permanent Header Image / Or we can hide the theme's text and add text to the header image we choose. On my blog this was pretty easy, as I recall. But choosing fonts is a nightmare for me since there are just so many options. I will only say I want it to be clean and simple. Nothing overly flourished or fancy, just legible. 7 - Page Width - Can we make the About Us and Shop pages full width (i.e. remove the right side bar)? Do we want to do this if we can? I believe that keeping the main info between the center bars is preferable for those viewing on mobile devices, so I don't think we want to change this. 8 - Floating Social Media Icons on Left - I think these take away from the sleek-ness of the blog and think they should be removed. Do you agree? I am at a loss where they are coming from though....Kerri can you help? I don't have a problem with them as is - I think it's something people are used to on sites. I wouldn't be upset if it were gone but don't think it's a big priority. 9 - Blog Post Featured Images - Question for Kerri (or her husband maybe?) - I need to set a featured image within each individual blog post, so it will show up in emails and on our Home page, however, it is also adding the featured image to the top of each blog post before the title. Is there a way to stop the featured image from showing at the top of each individual post? I'm no help on this one.
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Post by betty on Feb 19, 2018 13:13:24 GMT -5
Shelley, as to #5: it's the three little lines to the left of "HOME" just below the cover image.
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Post by betty on Feb 19, 2018 13:21:16 GMT -5
Marilyn has asked me to forward recent discussion between her and the blog team. Saturday's email: posting only items where action was taken. Today's email, verbatim. _________________________________ On Sat, Feb 17, 2018 at 5:43 AM, marilyn klompus <plumluckyfolk@gmail.com> wrote: 4 - Top Menu - I added "Visit Us" that links to the team pages on Etsy. - Is there anything else we can add up here? - Do we want the "Visit Us" link there? ***“Visit Us” is too small. Can we move “Visit Us” to just below the cover image, to the end of where we have Home, About, Shop & Contact? Completed. Moved to Menu under header image.5 - Sidebar Alt (hidden side bar with the 3 lines) - Is there anything else we should add here? ***Don’t know what else we can add here, except make it closer to the other titles, not so far off to the left, maybe at the far right, which is where you're used to seeing this type of symbol on other sites. I cannot find a way to move this. I'm sure it's possible, but would take some serious coding knowledge. So it will have to stay as is for now.8 - Floating Social Media Icons on Left - I think these take away from the sleek-ness of the blog and think they should be removed. Do you agree? I am at a loss where they are coming from though....Kerri can you help? ***Agree to remove--or maybe relocate if that's possible. The SM links at the very top right of the page seem tiny. Can we make those bigger and put them in a more visible place? - Still a question for Kerri - How to remove the SM floating links. I added bigger SM links above the V&M image in the right side bar and also in the sidebar alt. I can't figure out how to add them to the Menu bar, so hope this is okay.________________________ On Feb 19, 2018, at 11:40 AM, Kate D <katedohn@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Marilyn and Kerri, I have spent hours trying to figure out new options for the About Us page. It seems like every plugin I try is either not user friendly, requires coding knowledge, or just doesn't look right without the full screen width. Not sure if you can see this without being logged in, but this is the best I could do so far: vintageandmaincollective.com/under-construction/I think in order to accomplish all of the items on our to do list, we probably need to upgrade to the Pro version of the theme: wp-royal.com/themes/item-ashe-pro/It is $80 for a lifetime subscription (so no annual fee). I have a feeling if we do this I can probably figure things out quicker with a better end product. Otherwise we need someone who knows more than I do about building a blog. Marilyn - can you talk to the leaders about this whenever you get a chance? Kate
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Post by betty on Feb 19, 2018 13:25:59 GMT -5
I have no problem spending the $ to upgrade to Pro if it will solve the current problems.
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Post by shelley on Feb 19, 2018 14:51:02 GMT -5
I also have no problem spending that money if it will help long term. What was it we were trying to accomplish with the about us page that the prior one didn't? This conversation is actually motivating me to get my blog moving again so if nothing else I can speak halfway intelligently about this stuff. So a blog post about my crappily photographed quinoa lunch salad is probably incoming. I do know that every little thing I tried to change or move took forever to figure out, so I feel for them trying to work through this, especially when they know we may veto their work.
I want to remove any stumbling blocks we can and show we really support them for being willing to do this. If that takes some of the budget, so be it. That's what it's for, right?
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Post by betty on Feb 21, 2018 11:27:13 GMT -5
ok, let's see what Mary and Gaz think about spending the $ for the blog upgrade.
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Post by gazaboo on Feb 21, 2018 12:28:50 GMT -5
I think $80.00/lifetime is money well spent. If it helps Kate & Kerri save time & makes things easier, YES! I'm assuming this lifetime upgrade is in the VAM Collective's name, so if Kate isn't working on the blog, we're still good. I only ask this because of what this team went through in our infancy. Also, I'm not a blogger, so any changes you think are needed, I'm fine with. I trust you all and you're judgement. Looking at the $ numbers (I posted this in the budget thread but here's the summary) We had a balance of $144.40 from 2017. Plus the 30 members x $10.00 = $300.00 +144.50 = $444.50 Blog Hosting Fee 2 years - $190.80 ($24 savings) Domain Name Annual Fee 14.99 Upgrade to Pro Version 80.002018 Blog Expenses $285.79 $444.50 - 285.79 = $158.71 balance for facebook boosts
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Post by sophisticated on Feb 21, 2018 14:56:57 GMT -5
Popping in between trips to storage shed. Sounds like we are all ok with the $80. Betty can you communicate that to Kate please?
She and Kerri both felt that turning the website into its own ecommervd site was a bad idea which I think we all agree on. However there can be discussion about whether the website uses links to kick over to Etsy listings or if members are able to post new listings to the site or if the Fresh Picks page hets loaded to the website etc. perhaps worth asking Kate and Kerri if the upgrade will provide flexibility and more options in this regard
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Post by Mary / tipple+snack on Feb 21, 2018 18:21:16 GMT -5
Yes! I'm good with the upgrade as long as it falls to the team should Kate leave for any reason.
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Post by betty on Feb 22, 2018 9:05:26 GMT -5
ok, done!
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Post by betty on Feb 22, 2018 17:53:18 GMT -5
Kate's reply:
"Hi Betty, That's great news, thanks for letting us all know! I'll get in touch with Gaz about the finance part. She reimburses me for all expenses paid. Depending on how the ordering processes is, I always put everything in the team name when I can. Usually paid with my paypal though. I believe the upgrade will provide a lot more options for how we display / upload items on the site, possibly all 3 ways that you mentioned... I have to install it first and then see what new options we have that will work the best for us. Kerri and I can figure this out and then report back to the leaders. Hopefully in another week or so. Kate"
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Post by betty on Feb 23, 2018 5:26:03 GMT -5
I received this from Kate yesterday evening. I didn't think $1/yr would keep us from moving forward, so I told her to go ahead. Hope that's ok.
"On Feb 22, 2018, at 6:28 PM, Kate D <katedohn@gmail.com> wrote: Just went to pay and install and in addition to the $80 fee there is also a $1 a year membership fee for updates, new features, support etc. (Hadn't seen the fine print, sorry!) I'm assuming this is so minimal it's probably okay with the leaders, but can you confirm Betty before I do anything? -Kate"
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Post by shelley on Feb 23, 2018 9:30:25 GMT -5
What an odd fee. No problem, of course. But strange.
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Post by betty on Feb 28, 2018 12:19:22 GMT -5
Here's the latest on the blog from Kerri. I really like how the fading turned out on the cover image. Not sure I like the font, though, but maybe I'm being too picky. What does everyone think? I also really like the slide show of various posts below the cover image and the new "about" page. One question I have is that it appears that the images in the "shop" section under the various sections don't automatically update to what's being added to the Team Pages, and is that something we want and can it be done. I'm thinking mostly in terms of "vintage season" where we may want to show what's most current. Overall, it's looking amazing. "HI all! I updated the landing page photo to one of Sue's photos the leaders recommended and I think it's lookin' good-let me know what you think! I lightened it just enough so that the text works well on top, but I think we managed to preserve the details in the photo. Kate is working on putting a little credit in the corner for Sue that links back to her photo shop. vintageandmaincollective.com/Still working on some other aspects behind the scenes, I will defer to Kate there-but I think it is coming along. Happy Tuesday! Kerri"
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