Organizing Photos on Your Computer

My quest to building a personal website brought another realization. My digital and scanned photos were a mess! Honestly, prior to marriage, children, pets, travels, hobbies, whatever, it was so simple. You took a photo with a camera that required film. When the roll was finished you took the film to a department store and waited a few days, then picked it up, and there were your photos. Of course, you had no idea how they would look and wished for a better way. In pops digital. I absolutely love digital photography!

On an average, I take at least 1,000 photos a month, but this number increases if travel or a holiday falls in that month. I went to San Antonio, Texas once and took 2,000 photos. So, instead of just downloading the photos, I needed some organization!!! This will make a big difference once I complete my personal website because I won't have to waste time looking for a particular photo if they are organized.

So let's get started. On my computer, I have "My Documents" which holds my folders. There is a sub folder created titled, "My Pictures." For this project, we will use this folder to organize our photos. I started with my photos that I am pretty sure I took in 2008. Under "My Pictures" I created a folder labeled "2008." Under that I made folders for each month of the year. As I looked at each photo, I placed the photo in that month's folder. How did I move them? Good question.

To sort my photos, I went to "Start" in the bottom left hand of my computer monitor. Then I went to "All Programs"...to "Accessories"...to "Windows Explorer"...once that screen came up, I clicked "My Documents"...to "My Pictures" and began. Just click on the photo & drag it to the left margin which holds a listing of all the folders you create. To create a sub folder, right click on "My Photos",...to "New"...to "Folder". (Please note, I use Microsoft XP and have used Vista, both having the same format.)

"What if I don't know when I took the photo?" In this case, I have folders based on what or who is in the photo. For example, if the photo is one of our pets, I place it in the picture folder "Pets" which is housed under "My Pictures." Then if I have a photo of one of my sons or my husband, then I place it a folder I have created for each of them. I also take a lot of photos of things, flowers, fields, barns, or whatever, so I created folders based on that as well.

Also, I discovered this holiday season, that if I download my photos on a regular basis, like on the last day of the month, I will house those photos in that month's folder. For example, our church choir musical will go in December 2009, as will our family Christmas photos.

With these directions completed, should I even suggest that you don't have to store you photos in the "My Pictures" folder? You can actually create picture folders inside other folders. I have the photos of my created jewelry under my Studio folder. Imagine that?! I always think outside the box, or better yet, outside the folder! =)

Love & Blessings,
RHC

**The photo on this blog is of my son, Joel N Cobbs, in 2006, under June. He had just came out of a coma which was the result of a seizure from a high fever. My sister-in-law created this photo for him in a get well email she sent him.

Hyperlinked or Hyper Dysfunctional?

Sadly, I am thankful for spell check at this very moment since I misspelled “dysfunctional.” Double Argh!

So, here I am again. In the stone ages of developing websites, one had to go through a ten-minute process to get a hyperlink to work. What is a hyperlink, you asked? Oh, I had better clarify that. According to my Geek Husband, he is partial to being called, due to his passion of anything electronic, Sci-fi, or that contains any technology whatsoever, hyperlink is “text in a document that you can qlick on and it takes you to another page or document” instantly. ((I had to tell him I couldn’t type as fast as he spoke – even though he IS from Alabama – and, well, I added the “instantly” part)).

As I was typing my blog post in Microsoft Word to post it tomorrow, so that I would look really smart and as if I have a life outside this crazy obsetion of creating a personal webpage, I thought, “I wish I could link every reference in this blog to one of my many websites in cyberspace.” Then I realized, blogspot, which I use for my blogging, obviously you know this if you are reading it from that website, has a link at the top of the blog page showing a linked chain. I simply highlight the word with my curser, click the chain link button, and type in the website page I want it to go to should someone decide to go there. It is crisp, easy, and works!

In the past, one would have to make sure all the links worked correctly. However, today, the great hyperlink buttons work and you don’t have to worry with them, making it also time efficient. This is great for me, as my son would say, “A great no-brainer.” He is usually referring to his older brother who had a chunk of his brain taken out during a surgery to stop seizures, but the reference works here as well.

So, I went through my blog post, having fun highlighting and hyperlinking. When I got to the closing of my blog, I saw another great tab! You can type in key words so that if a search is performed on a search engine such as Google or Yahoo, then it is possible my blog will pop up in the search. Do you know what a search engine is? This question crossed my mind, so I had better clarify and since my husband only gave me a one word definition, “Google.” He pointed out that if you were reading this blog, then you know what a search engine is. I disagree. Someone could have added this inside an email or printed it off for your convenience. For those of you, a search engine is a place you go to look for specific topics of interest. When you type my name in Google and select “search” you get a list of every place my name has been mentioned.

Fortunately, thus far my name has good references and comes up in the first ten listings of a Google search. I am very happy about that, of course. You can look up anything, any topic and find many references to that topic. You DO want your name to come up on the first page of one of these searches if you own a business, blog, or wish to pimp your wares. Sorry for the tacky word choice, but you are selling your name, in a sense yourself. All of these searches are hyperlinks.

Now, I appear to be dysfunctional in the working of hyperlinking, not the hyperlink in personality, I have that down pat. However, hyperlinking can be draw to my blog, my social networking, my business, and open the door to opportunity. I hope by hyperlinking my name as an artist, materials and makeup, that I will create a successful business in continual work for many years to come.

I am sorry to say there isn’t a pill you can take for this cyber hyperlinking as there is for the personality type. It can be fun, it can mean growth, it can mean being open to criticism that will help you grow as a person and as a business. If you don’t have a blog, begin with a personal journal. That is how I began. I put the date as the topic and then just wrote, practicing a wide range of topics. Family is a great thing to journal about…with the approaching holidays, you will certainly have enough material. Still not sure what to write about, ask me for a topic. Then you can “hyperlink” me to it.

Now…I think I will shop online…is overnight shipping easier or should I consider a road trip and just pick the things up? It is only two days until Christmas Eve…OMGoodness, OMGoodness…

Love & Blessings,
Rita
www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com

Website Design 101

If you thought you were about to read a blog that held the secret to designing a website, then you were right. I can give you the perfect ten steps to designing your own personal website! I would begin by giving you my husband’s phone number!! Yes, indeed, pass the buck literally to this genius that does website designing and management for a living.

Little did we know that would happen when I sold my business in 2003 and he began a job as a director of one of our leading education curriculum programs in our state. Then as his job evolved, he became the one in charge of developing and managing their website along with getting paid to play with social network sites and keep them updated. Imagine, did you read those words “getting paid” to play online? As a result of his work, my husband has gotten some wonderful on the side jobs, our favorite, Santa Claus!!

To update you as to where I am in designing my personal website, you may want to read my previous blog. This morning, I made a header for my Etsy shoppe. Then I began working on designing my personal website, page one. I needed to run through my checklist and find the information regarding each one….

I checked off “getting a domain name” since I already have at least two that I can think of. The one I plan to use for this project is www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com. I went to GoDaddy and purchased this domain name. Everyone should have their name purchased. It is not expensive to do so and you can use it to link to various other websites. That is what I did when I purchased it. I linked my blog to that domain name. If you type in www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com, you will see this very blog, which I hope that is where you are reading this now. However, I figured out how to link my blog so that when I post one it goes directly to my Facebook note page and posts it there as well. I did this by asking my son to show me how! Resourceful woman that I am; I don’t mind one bit asking for help. Remember, I am a hands-on learner.

To get started in designing my page, I could have picked up a pencil and paper to draw out a simple layout of what I wanted. I am so impressed by scrapbookers who do this before working on a layout. Not me, I just jump right in to my work and don’t stop until I have created a seventy page mess, that resembles a scrapbook of sorts. However, I once again opened my trusty antique copy of Microsoft Publisher. One day, I know that Bill Gates will ask his wife to have mercy on me and send me a brand new copy of Publisher for my netbook and my cell phone. =)

A clean new crisp page pops up as I open Publisher. Blank, with no errors, no creative adaptations, no photos, no words…just a beautiful white page. I don’t know about you, but I color the whole page when someone offers me a coloring book! I don’t want to see any white on there whatsoever! This is a challenge for someone that feels that way about white space. I need white space without a lot of clutter. So, I consider one of my favorite sites, Etsy. I love their layout. Facebook is another favorite page of mine, they too crossed out the bling and glitz to create a custom page for everyone. White space. I can do this if they can.

I take the header for my Etsy shoppe and paste it at the top of the white page leaving no margin at the top, also called “flushing” which is going to be a good action verb for this creation I am afraid! Then I decided I needed a personal photo, since the name of the website is mine after all. I whiz through my photos which are wonderfully organized (I am OCD about organization on my computer, netbook, external drive, cell phone, etc.). I find one and cut it to just profile my waist to the top of my head, cutting off the larger parts of me…like flabby arms and rounded bottom that signify way too well that I work at home AND I never use the gym even though the fees are withdrawn from my bank account every single month. ((Sigh))……

Thus far, I have a white page, a header, my photo, and a column under my photo for my website links. Then I discover I have still almost a whole page to design. Why am I doing this again? Why put myself through this horror? I hate paperwork, oh thanks for reminding me, I decided not to use pencil and paper. I just want to create art! I want to go to my studio and do nothing all day, all night but eat, drink my favorite flavored coffee and play. However, reality tells me that I do this so that I can sell my beautiful creations as a full-time artist. If I don’t, I will one day have no choice but to use that gym and I will run out of things to play with because I don’t have money to buy new stuff, not even toilet paper to make those cute little mini-albums I saw on YouTube.

OMGosh!!! I forgot to add my YouTube page to my website links. This will be important when I began videoing how-to’s for my YouTube page. I better go and get to work…but I think I had shopping to do today…Yes, Christmas is in ((gulp)) three days! Oh well, I will make everyone’s gifts next year, now for the dollar store…maybe they will have some “stuff” for my studio.

So, tomorrow, I will work on my personal website some more.

Love & Blessings,
RHC

Header? Website? Blog? Twitter? Facebook? What...

Have you ever been overwhelmed? That pretty much describes where I am at the moment! I need a personal website, but have no clue where to begin. The clincher in this is that seven years ago, I was at the top of the field in website and graphic design! What happened? Life happened. I sold my business, Protos, in 2003, reasoning that I wanted to work outside the four walls of my office. It was a home based business and I rarely saw the clients I worked with because we talked via phone, messenger, online or FedEx. Today, the market is somewhat different and more accessible, which also brought new and better technology. All of this, plus I am a hands-on learner.

My first item on my "to-do" list this morning, was to build a "header" for my Etsy.com shoppe and for my blog. I went to various websites that help you do this, but by the time I got logged in, giving all my personal information and signing over my life insurance (sadly nobody wanted the kids or the pets), I was no closer to building a header than when I started. Each website led me to another website that wanted or didn't want the same information.

Thinking about this, I said to myself, "How would you have done this ten years ago?" I pulled up my trusty Microsoft Publisher (such an old edition, I don't think it has a year on it). I began by adding a text box, then I filled in with color. Then I added text...black? white? "I will use white on a green background." I said to myself. However, green, except in the money green, isn't my color. It progressed to adding a picture and tweaking it.

Finally, I had a finished product that I sent to my husband, Jerry,  for his opinion. Then I asked him, "How do I get this into a photo format and low resolution for a website?" He went into the complete details, numbering the steps, and finally, he just said, "I have gone a head and done it and attached it for you." What a good man!!! He knows me well, but after almost three decades, he better. So, I dropped the attached finished product to my desktop (on my trusty pink net book's desktop) and added it to my Etsy shoppe. However, my name is too low and bleeds into the white page of my Etsy shoppe. What now?

So, I move to the personal website ideas. I again go to Microsoft Publisher, select a new document, add a background color of pink, but realize, the pink is totally girly girl. "I need a general color that will be attractive to any gender. I pick beige and nearly chock. Green and now beige? What has happened to my colorist creative personality? I add the header I designed so that my husband could make it photo worthy for the world wide web and "not bad" I think to myself. "Enough," I say out load, "time for a Diet Dr Pepper break and a nap." After all, I have worked very hard the past twenty minutes.

Now where did I put that to-do list?

Love & Blessings,
Rita
www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com

Garrett is reading...

When Garrett graduated high school in 2007, we didn't want him to regress in certain areas of his learning. Being in self-contained special education from mid-elementary school thru graduation wasn't a difficult choice for us even though we encourage inclusion. However, Garrett's personality and learning style was unique and thus the learning environment needed to be as well, as it should be for all individuals, learning disabilities to gifted.

Reading was important to us, Jerry & I. We felt that if Garrett could read, he could do anything. Due to his mental disability, brain damage at birth, and Fine Motor Cerebral Palsy, writing is not something he coordinates well. He copies what he sees but in penmanship of a K5 child. Not a problem, he adds to our grocery list in a way we know what he is suggesting we get. =)

So, back to when he graduated....I considered asking for tutors at our church on Wednesdays. I knew many elderly/retired people that would love to work with Garrett on his ready. We also needed someone to work with Ethan on Math, a problem for him since his first seizure. So, as I brainstormed this concept, I thought of a great couple right in my own back yard, so to speak. Jerry's parents. Milford is an excellent mathematician and I could just see the pride of my MIL Faye in teaching Garrett reading. Now, two-and-a-half years later, the idea has just been a blessing. The boys go to their home on Wednesday afternoons...sometimes, like today, earlier to enjoy fun time and a ball game on TV as well.

Regardless of test scores and benchmarks, Garrett wasn't reading w/o prompting in May of 2007. Here is a note my MIL Faye emailed to Jerry & I just this morning, 12-16-2009:

"Just wanted to tell ya'll that Garrett asked me earlier to get him some Christmas stories to read. As you know he can read if the sentences are spaced well and have larger type. I was able to get the new book "the Christmas Penguin" and it was a short story. He read it all last week.

"This week one came in that I had bid on e-bay. It was "The Christmas Tree"...about a 2nd grade McMillan REader about Sally & Ted. It had 8 stories and was printed in the mid 1950's. It had pictures and lots of large type, easy to see sentences.
That child sat down and read the entire reader to me. He was so excited and read very fluently. He knew 98% of the words or more. Garrett and I have already had Christmas. He has come so far since last year. The readers that were printed in the 1950's and 1960's were geared so much to learning readers. I told him he made 150 today!

"We will take a break from school after today and will resume the first Wednesday in January. Happy holidays to everyone."

Happy Holidays and may God bless you each & every day in every way...He certainly has our family. We have great sons who have looked obstacles in the eye, never waving announcement they have disabilities, and have continued their paths in total victory because they have faith and hope in God our Father and His Son.

To read more about Garrett Cobbs, join his Facebook Fan page.

Love & Blessings,
Rita
www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com

Life is laced with embellishments...

The need to create overwhelms me at times. When I am not creating, I find myself thinking about it. I dream of varied ideas and plan how to pull off a creation. I wake wishing I were in my studio already. With being sick the past two weeks, I have taken my journal and made some amazing altered pages. Creating is such a respite and relaxing opportunity for me. As I am making a gift, I think about that person and pray for them while creating. God just opens my soul to possibilities during this time. I love the positive aspect of that.

In this artwork, featured photo, I wanted to keep four packs of buttons from this design company. I thought I would frame them, but I found that wasn't enough. I needed, NEEDED, to embellish the whole project. I used more buttons from that same company and added them to the edges along with the needle and thread I had laced the buttons with. It will hang beautifully in my studio too.

Life is like that. Laced with embellishments, both positive and negative, it is how we look at each that makes life pleasant and peaceful or disrupted and shallow. Our family has such a positive outlook on each day that it is positively sickening. =) However, if I dwell on the negative, that is who I become. If I focus on the positive and turn on my smile dripping in a bubbly personality, then each day is full of sunshine and the obstacles are so much easier to gracefully dance through.

With that, I want to say I loved writing this blog, but all I really wanted to write about was the wonderful natural facial I had last night. One part Olive Oil through my hair and face then generously I added sugar to my face. Then I wiped the sugar off and showered the oil from my hair. Soft, wonderfully soft! The dryness from being sick was gone. I found this recipe on line and although I love my Mary Kay products, this was a two step conditioning that felt so good to do while breaking a moment of my normal routine.

Maybe this ties in well with this blog! Just as I broke the routine of my nightly regiment, you too can break the routine of being negative. Chose to be positive, smile, nod, rather than sour and...well, negative. You will look and feel ten years younger and that the weight of the worldly burdens are gone. God is good and this is the season to share that goodness and love.

((Smiling))

Love & Blessings,

Rita
www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com

And the rose if planted...

"budding dawn" photography

by Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

This most amazing thing happened the other day...it snowed! Imagine that! I took a photo of this very rose, which had since the photo bloomed full grown covered, covered in snow. Today, it is still thriving even in 30ish degree weather outside.

I want to be like this rose. I want to be firmly planted and grow without much effort and encouragement. I want to shine and be beautiful regardless of what weather comes my way. I want to stand firm with animals bring on their necessities. Then when the blades of life come toward me, I stand firm. Faith is like that, it gives us the ability to do all of this in our everyday life if we trust the One who planted us. However, we do need encouragement to grow, for not everyone is as bubbly as me! =) Spiritual encouragement is also a to feed the soul and daily meditating on scripture (not just read a devotion or a verse and take off) to sit and chew on as a cow with his cud...chew on it, swallow it, and chew on it some more until is totally saturates our being.

Why am I writing this? I have no idea. But this holiday season has brought to remembrance much of what we experienced this year. Then as I heard of someone having difficult with a ventilator, I was taken back to 2006 when Joel was in a coma in Washington DC. I don't usually think about that time period or go searching for the photos we took, but yesterday I revisited that place in time. I saw how much God worked in our lives from beginning to end. I thought of all the lives that were changed and the stories of those coming to Christ because of our "letters home." Then 4 yrs later, because of an amazing surgery, Joel is seizure free. The spiritual warfare experienced during these times is amazing. God fought this battle for 4 yrs...He won! Have I seen angels, many times, some of God, some not so much.

As this rose, we are planted every moment of every day in a place that God needs us to be. Do I seek the opportunities that are right in front of me or do I focus on my to-do list in hand or the calendar of busyness? Do I stop and give not only my monies but my time? The rose will grow in bloom, but will it last through the winter? In my memory it will just like every act of kindness we administer, they will come to our memory during the hard times and cheer our souls bringing the love of the Father in front of us so that every opportunity is a chance to reflect and mirror Him. One day, we will not know when the line gets crossed that we are doing acts of kindness, putting others first, without thinking or weighing our options.

God is love. Is this not the season of miracles, faith, hope, love and joy? It is, and it all begins with a rose that could forever bloom in our hearts because God is love and we can reflect that love every day in every way.

Love & Blessings,

RHC