Domain
Site History
After much deliberation, I purchased Twilight-Whispers.com from Powweb on September 19th, 2004. It was originally intended to be shared with my close friend Lindsay, but that never came about. I chose the name because:
1) I thought it was pretty (my brother helped me think of it, actually)
2) At the time, there were no other .com/.org/.net sites with this name, or similar
3) I tend to talk with my friends online late into the night
It’s not as original as some domain names, but I like it. Plus, as I said before, it’s pretty.
The original and continuous intent of this site is a place to just talk about whatever I want, a blog. It also houses my other web-based endevours, all of which (past and present) can be found in my collective. All in all, Twilight Whispers is my cozy home online, no matter how much it gets updated, or lack there of.
FAQs
Although I can’t say I’ve had all of these questions asked frequently, but I do get asked them from time to time.
What do you use to code your pages?
I use Notepad almost explicitly. I never use things like Frontpage or Microsoft Word to create my websites because I feel it’s “cheating”, as well as bogging up your code. At first, I wanted to learn HTML just so I understood how things worked and then switch to Frontpage. But when I tried to use it, I found I just didn’t have as much control over how things looked. Hard coding everything does get a bit tiring, especially typing “a xhref=”http://…” mce_href=”http://…” over 308,596,000 times per page, but I think it pays off in the end. Plus, wouldn’t you feel better saying you made it all by yourself?
Now that I use Wordpress, I like using some themes that other people have made, yet I make my own as well, still the “homemade” way. Hard coding keeps me on my toes.
What do you use to create your graphics?
I use Photoshop CS and love it immensely! When I first started getting into webdesign and graphics, I used Paint Shop Pro 7. I liked that a lot too, but I kept running into tutorials and such that would say things like “You need Photoshop to create this effect” and I would get really frustrated. Although, I do admit, I was much less experienced at that time. Now, I know a lot of people get along just fine with PSP. But I don’t regret buying Photoshop! It’s only crashed on me twice in about two years, which is quite amazing considering my bad “luck” with electronics (ie: my first laptop crashed and burned two weeks after I bought it). I would definately suggest Photoshop, but if you have PSP, you can create just as amazing graphics as Photoshop users do, you just need to figure it out.
How long are you online each day?
It varies depending on if I’m really busy or not. I’d say about an hour at most during the week, and about two hours, maybe more or less, on the weekends. But I tend to procrastinate a LOT, so about half of that time is usually spent mindlessly wandering around the net…I really need to break that habit!
When did you start webdesign/graphic design?
I started designing webpages somewhere around the summer of 2000, so I guess you could say I’ve had a few years of experience. I actually got into this whole world wondering how to make “cool” graphics. I was hearing stuff about something called HTML around that same time. I really wasn’t planning to look very far into HTML, but one day, my mom was told me I was spending too much time on the computer. I’m sure you’ve all heard that before, especially if you own a website. Well anyway, I (of course) protested, and the only excuse I could think of was “But I can’t! I need more time to learn HTML!” I thought throwing a complex acronym in my plea would pursuade my mother to allow me to go on for more time, and just as I suspected, it did. “What’s HTML?” she asked. “Hyper-text Markup Language, what you make webpages with.” I responded. (At least I think I knew what it stood for then…) Well, the point is, I had only just printed out come beginner tutorials to see if I would really be interested in it. Next thing I knew, it was my “reason” for needing to be on the computer longer. My first few sites were nothing amazing, to my standards now, that is. Yet at the time, I was very proud of my webpages. But I followed through with it, and here I am today. I obviously did get quite interested in it, along with graphic design. And now, all because of that “slip” of the tongue, I may be considering furthering my studies in this area in college.
Where do you get your brushes/textures/fonts/scripts?
I find brushes ALL over the place! I create a seperate folder with the address of the site I found the brushes on each time I save some. That way, I can properly credit people. I don’t really use textures, I think it’s pretty close to “cheating”, graphics wise. Why would you want to credit half your blend to someone else? Would you rather say you made it yourself? But I admit, I use textures once in a blue moon. I get almost all of my fonts from Dafont.com, the rest come with Windows, except for maybe a select few that I probably don’t use anymore. I find scripts from a few places. But I have downloaded countless photogallery scripts, with yet to find the perfect one to use. Check out my list of credits below for the sites where I have found all these things.
Fanlistings
The list of the things I am a fan of can be found here.
Credits
Here’s a hopefully complete list of people I owe thanks to, for brushes, fonts, or for just being encouraging. These lists cover all sites that I own, everything in my collective. All lists are alphabetical. Notes: Some of the graphics related items I may not have used yet, but I have downloaded something from that site, whether it be brushes or textures, and I may use it in the future. If the name of the source is not a link, then the site in no longer online, or the person doesn’t own a site.
Wordpress themes are always credited where credit is due. Look in the footer or sidebar of each theme.
Brushes, Textures, and Graphics Related
1GreenEye.net
Biorust.com
Classic.tere-art.com
Crumbling Walls
Damnapple.fredfarm.com
Elisabethan.net
Evenstar.sunshinedays.co.uk
Forbidded-fire.net
Hybrid-genesis.com
Just-dreaming.com/misshappen
Magicbox.ti-fi.com
Never-ending.nu
Rebel-Heart.net/brushes
Sky.ti-fi.com
Spy-glass.net
Stargate-sg1.hu/thalassa/brushes
StrangeAngels.net
Teh Indy
Touchstonesart.com
Truy-sarah.com
Vanimar.net
Veredgf.fredfarm.com/vbrush
Encouraging and Inspirational Individuals
Aaron
Abby
Caitlin
Lindsay
PHP and MySQL Scripts
Codegrrl.com
Noahgrey.com/greysoft
Luved.org
Sourceforge.com/coppermine
Personalweb.about.com
Tutorials
Domain
Site History
After much deliberation, I purchased Twilight-Whispers.com from Powweb on September 19th, 2004. It was originally intended to be shared with my close friend Lindsay, but that never came about. I chose the name because:
1) I thought it was pretty (my brother helped me think of it, actually)
2) At the time, there were no other .com/.org/.net sites with this name, or similar
3) I tend to talk with my friends online late into the night
It’s not as original as some domain names, but I like it. Plus, as I said before, it’s pretty.
The original and continuous intent of this site is a place to just talk about whatever I want, a blog. It also houses my other web-based endevours, all of which (past and present) can be found in my collective. All in all, Twilight Whispers is my cozy home online, no matter how much it gets updated, or lack there of.
FAQs
Although I can’t say I’ve had all of these questions asked frequently, but I do get asked them from time to time.
What do you use to code your pages?
I use Notepad almost explicitly. I never use things like Frontpage or Microsoft Word to create my websites because I feel it’s “cheating”, as well as bogging up your code. At first, I wanted to learn HTML just so I understood how things worked and then switch to Frontpage. But when I tried to use it, I found I just didn’t have as much control over how things looked. Hard coding everything does get a bit tiring, especially typing “a xhref=”http://…” mce_href=”http://…” over 308,596,000 times per page, but I think it pays off in the end. Plus, wouldn’t you feel better saying you made it all by yourself?
Now that I use Wordpress, I like using some themes that other people have made, yet I make my own as well, still the “homemade” way. Hard coding keeps me on my toes.
What do you use to create your graphics?
I use Photoshop CS and love it immensely! When I first started getting into webdesign and graphics, I used Paint Shop Pro 7. I liked that a lot too, but I kept running into tutorials and such that would say things like “You need Photoshop to create this effect” and I would get really frustrated. Although, I do admit, I was much less experienced at that time. Now, I know a lot of people get along just fine with PSP. But I don’t regret buying Photoshop! It’s only crashed on me twice in about two years, which is quite amazing considering my bad “luck” with electronics (ie: my first laptop crashed and burned two weeks after I bought it). I would definately suggest Photoshop, but if you have PSP, you can create just as amazing graphics as Photoshop users do, you just need to figure it out.
How long are you online each day?
It varies depending on if I’m really busy or not. I’d say about an hour at most during the week, and about two hours, maybe more or less, on the weekends. But I tend to procrastinate a LOT, so about half of that time is usually spent mindlessly wandering around the net…I really need to break that habit!
When did you start webdesign/graphic design?
I started designing webpages somewhere around the summer of 2000, so I guess you could say I’ve had a few years of experience. I actually got into this whole world wondering how to make “cool” graphics. I was hearing stuff about something called HTML around that same time. I really wasn’t planning to look very far into HTML, but one day, my mom was told me I was spending too much time on the computer. I’m sure you’ve all heard that before, especially if you own a website. Well anyway, I (of course) protested, and the only excuse I could think of was “But I can’t! I need more time to learn HTML!” I thought throwing a complex acronym in my plea would pursuade my mother to allow me to go on for more time, and just as I suspected, it did. “What’s HTML?” she asked. “Hyper-text Markup Language, what you make webpages with.” I responded. (At least I think I knew what it stood for then…) Well, the point is, I had only just printed out come beginner tutorials to see if I would really be interested in it. Next thing I knew, it was my “reason” for needing to be on the computer longer. My first few sites were nothing amazing, to my standards now, that is. Yet at the time, I was very proud of my webpages. But I followed through with it, and here I am today. I obviously did get quite interested in it, along with graphic design. And now, all because of that “slip” of the tongue, I may be considering furthering my studies in this area in college.
Where do you get your brushes/textures/fonts/scripts?
I find brushes ALL over the place! I create a seperate folder with the address of the site I found the brushes on each time I save some. That way, I can properly credit people. I don’t really use textures, I think it’s pretty close to “cheating”, graphics wise. Why would you want to credit half your blend to someone else? Would you rather say you made it yourself? But I admit, I use textures once in a blue moon. I get almost all of my fonts from Dafont.com, the rest come with Windows, except for maybe a select few that I probably don’t use anymore. I find scripts from a few places. But I have downloaded countless photogallery scripts, with yet to find the perfect one to use. Check out my list of credits below for the sites where I have found all these things.
Fanlistings
The list of the things I am a fan of can be found here.
Credits
Here’s a hopefully complete list of people I owe thanks to, for brushes, fonts, or for just being encouraging. These lists cover all sites that I own, everything in my collective. All lists are alphabetical. Notes: Some of the graphics related items I may not have used yet, but I have downloaded something from that site, whether it be brushes or textures, and I may use it in the future. If the name of the source is not a link, then the site in no longer online, or the person doesn’t own a site.
Wordpress themes are always credited where credit is due. Look in the footer or sidebar of each theme.
Brushes, Textures, and Graphics Related
1GreenEye.net
Biorust.com
Classic.tere-art.com
Crumbling Walls
Damnapple.fredfarm.com
Elisabethan.net
Evenstar.sunshinedays.co.uk
Forbidded-fire.net
Hybrid-genesis.com
Just-dreaming.com/misshappen
Magicbox.ti-fi.com
Never-ending.nu
Rebel-Heart.net/brushes
Sky.ti-fi.com
Spy-glass.net
Stargate-sg1.hu/thalassa/brushes
StrangeAngels.net
Teh Indy
Touchstonesart.com
Truy-sarah.com
Vanimar.net
Veredgf.fredfarm.com/vbrush
Encouraging and Inspirational Individuals
Aaron
Abby
Caitlin
Lindsay
PHP and MySQL Scripts
Codegrrl.com
Noahgrey.com/greysoft
Luved.org
Sourceforge.com/coppermine
Personalweb.about.com
Tutorials