I am so excited for the folks at Messiah Lutheran Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. This week, we launched their new web site. So far, the reviews are positive as we continue to fine-tune the site. Working with Pastor Eric Murray and Administrative Kristin Kennedy has been delightful. Kristin and I were roommates back in college, and it's always fun to spend time with her... even if it's via email and telephone. The old web site was hardcoded HTML, which made it difficult to update. The staff and volunteer leadership had specific goals: Read more >

Problem: About two months before the end of my daughter's 7th grade year, the volunteer committee responsible for producing the school yearbook asked for help. They had sold some advertising and gathered photographs. But they did not enough to pay for printing with the traditional yearbook company. The students weren't going to have a yearbook that year!

Solution: I volunteered to put together a yearbook using the budget and photographs they had. Within three weeks ... and with help from another parent who wrote captions ... I had scanned more than 400 photographs, designed 64 two-color layouts and created 49 advertisements. I negotiated a deal with a local printing company that produced the magazine for a former employer, and we printed 300 saddle-stitched yearbooks within our limited budget. The yearbooks were delivered in time for the 8th-grade graduation celebration.

Continue reading to see samples from one of my favorite projects. Read more >

Problem: Texas schools have conducted fire prevention education programs, including regular fire exit drills, since the 1930s. However, by the last 1980s, fewer than 10 percent of the school campus reported their activities to the State Fire Marshal's Office as recommended by state law. The lack of reporting affected local fire insurance rates and raised questions about the effectiveness of fire prevention education.

Solution: My department first worked with the regulatory board to clarify requirements. I then converted complicated forms into simple three-fold brochures and created developmentally appropriate brochures, curriculum guides and other materials. Within five years, more than 60 percent of Texas school campuses reported compliance with state-recommended fire prevention education.

Continue reading to see samples of the program brochures distributed to school principals. Read more >

During my tenure with the National Organization for Human Services, I edited and produced the quarterly newsletter, which was the primary tool for communicating with members. My responsibilities included soliciting articles, working with volunteer authors, editing contributions, writing articles about association news, photography, layout and coordinating with contract printer. Layouts were done in Microsoft Publisher, which can produce elegant multi-color designs. Read more >

I am so excited to announce the launch of a new marketing tool that is just perfect for all of us! Mouseopolis is a new Squidoo community for Disney World fans. I can hear you all asking -- Mouseopolis? Squidoo?

If you haven't already heard, Squidoo is where web-page building meets social networking meets Web 2.0. The Chief Squids describe it this way: "Squidoo makes it really really (really!) easy to share your favorite stuff online, discover great recommendations, earn a little dough and even give to charity. All for free."

So far, quite a few Disney World fans have found Squidoo and created some amazing (and a few not so amazing) web pages about Disney World. I host a Squidoo group for a few of them. But, this was kind of haphazard and still didn't help those unknowing masses out there looking for *helpful, organized* information. Read more >