Tammy Hart Designs » Personal

2011 is Going Out with a Bang… Literally

Tammy Hart — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:52:55 +0000

2011 is going out with a bang. Literally, Chris just hit a deer in our only working vehicle. Yippee.

December 30, 2011 11:27 pm via TweetDeck ReplyRetweetFavorite

Tammy Hart

2011 has been a rough year for me, my family, our business, and others that are involved in our family and business. I am beyond ready to wash my hands of it and get 2012 kicked off on a positive note.

“Not so fast”, said the 4 point buck my husband hit in our only running vehicle last night. That’s right, the car we just sunk $400 into getting the front left wheel bearing fixed in the week before Christmas (not quite the gifts my husband and I had wanted to exchange), now has a smashed grill and headlights. We do have insurance and they are going to help us take care of it, but in the meantime we not only have to come up with the $500 deductible, we have to figure out how we’re going to get around. We only need $200 to fix our other vehicle, or at least get it running.

A friend of mine wanted to pitch in, so he asked me to set up a donation can where he and possibly others could drop some coinage. At least 2011 won’t let me forget that we have friends that love us and that God always has a way of carrying you through.

Now Featured on WP.TutsPlus.com

Tammy Hart — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:40:53 +0000

I am excited to announce today that I have started writing tutorials for WP.TutsPlus.com, the latest member of Envato’s tutorials family. I have long been a fan of anything Envato produces and now I can actually say I’m a part of that.

You can follow my feed here: Tammy Hart on WPtuts+, and I’ll also post snippets with links to my articles on my blog as well.

So Many Projects, So Little Time

Tammy Hart — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:31:45 +0000

I wanted to give a quick update on what has been happening with me lately. I could write about 5 “dear diary” type entries on some of the drama, but that’s not necessary.

The biggest thing is that my business partner and I have left Clever Rocket to start a new venture with a local web design firm. We both felt suffocated and limited in the struggling startup and we’re really excited to be able to love our work again and have the support of friends and experienced web businessmen. I can’t say any more about the new venture yet, but suffice it to say that I’m providing the same great service, Web Design and WordPress Development, but with the help and support of experienced web businessmen.

Some even more exciting news is that I have officially released my first plugin in the WordPress Plugin Repository. It’s called “ReciPress” and allows you to add a recipe to your blog posts. It’s just in the fledgling stage right now, but I have big plans for it including a “pro” version with additional features and upgraded support.

I’m also working on a Tutorial series about creating custom meta boxes that will help developers build a library you can use over and over again in themes and plugins for creating meta boxes with all different types of fields. This series will be published at Envato’s WordPress tutorial site, wp.tutsplus.com.

I have even more ideas spinning around in my head that include things like new themes and plugins and I can’t wait to share them all. But like the title infers, these things take time and no matter how excited I am about them, I need to make sure I give each one the care and attention it deserves to make sure the final product is the best it can be.

3 Reasons Watching TV & Movies is an Important Part of My Life

Tammy Hart — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 05:46:02 +0000

I’m a firm believer that there can be good and bad found in most things, and that you have to find balance. TV can really take a bad rap sometimes, but not only do I see some good in the content that I can consume, the actual watching and time spent doing so has it’s benefits.

An Easy Group Activity

With three grade school aged daughters, it can get hectic and expensive to entertain them and spend time with them. We don’t believe in using the television as a digital babysitter, but we do enjoy watching shows with them and being a part of their discovery of the world. It helps us grade the shows they watch and oftentimes we find ourselves enjoying their shows and movies as much as they do.

It’s also a fun thing to do with friends. It’s tough to beat watching that hit Summer movie on premiere night or at home in high-def and geeking out with like minded friends.
Learning and Experiencing Vicariously

Even though you can’t believe everything you see on TV, There are a lot of emotions that can be felt by watching a documentary on how panda’s have to choose one baby to give up if they have twins, or a slapstick comedy with a romantic twist, or a secret agent diving out of a crashing airplane into the middle of nowhere. You would probably be amazed at just how much of your knowledge of the world comes from fiction alone, although dramatized to the hilt, I’m sure.
A Brain Vacation

This is probably the most important reason to me. After a long day of work, interacting with people, and working my brain muscles to utter exhaustion, there’s nothing like turning on the TV and letting my mind check out of reality. It’s probably as resetting for me as a nap. I can tell when I’ve let me mind run constantly, overclocking my processors, and watching a good movie with my husband, or catching up with the week’s DVR’d TV episodes is like doing a warm boot.

I especially love being in a cozy, dark theater, a friend or loved one by my side, and a bag of popcorn to munch on and just taking a little vacation from the outside world, immersing myself in loud surround sound and an engaging story.

Yeah, you can find a lot of bad in watching TV and movies, but these three positives, especially number 3, are enough for me to make it an important part of my life.

Special thanks to my WordCamp San Francisco sponsors

Tammy Hart — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:47:51 +0000

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 18:19 (KJV Bible)

I hadn’t really thought much about being able to attend WordCamp San Francisco lately because I knew our personal funds wouldn’t allow for it. Then as I was delivering this news to a friend Tuesday night, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of wanting to go. I whispered a prayer, “Lord, if it is within your will for me to go, please make a way.”

After dinner, we have a Bible devotion around the table with our three daughters. Before we prayed, I told the family what was on my heart and how I was praying. My husband agreed with me, and we asked God in Jesus name to grant this request if it be within His will.

The publish date and time

I had put out a status on Google+ saying how grateful I would be if I had a friend or 2 that would help me go. One friend responded encouraging me to set up a way for folks to donate. So I blogged about it, put up a donation widget and wondered if I would be able to make it by my deadline of August 5th. The blog post went up at about 1 am, Wednesday.

In no time, I had a few contributors and by the time I got home from church Wednesday night, I had raised 37% of my goal of $700. I tweeted this out, closed my laptop, and spent a little time with my family eating a snack, getting the girls to bed, and watching a little TV.

you guys are amazing, I'm already at 37% of my goal in less than 24 hours. Thank you so much! http://bit.ly/qUNDER #wcsf

July 20, 2011 8:50 pm via TweetDeck ReplyRetweetFavorite

@tammyhart

Tammy Hart

About 1:30 in the morning, I crawled into bed and used my phone to check my email before going to sleep like I usually do. I started seeing emails of even more contributions and couldn’t believe the numbers. I jumped out of bed and turned on my computer to double check. Not only had we raised the remaining 63% of my goal, but we had surpassed it by 71%! I was overwhelmed and began to cry like a baby. What amazing friends in the community. What amazing generosity.

Our pastor had preached on the scripture I quoted above earlier at our Wednesday night service. “If two agree”, and the two of us, my husband and I, had agreed and asked God for His favor. He answered with a loud and clear, “Yes.” Thank you for giving. And the glory goes to God.

The time of the last contribution.

The last contribution came in around 2am my time. Exactly 24 hours and 59 minutes from the time I had posted the donation request. Here are the folks that I can thank for their awesome (and speedy!) generostiy:

There will also be more blog posts coming soon about some of these folks in particular.

The moral of my story? Never doubt the power of social media, friendship, and Jehovah Jireh!

Send me to WordCamp San Francisco and Claim your prize!

Tammy Hart — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:52:15 +0000

As a self taught web designer and developer working for a diverse range of clientele over the past several years, I understand the value of community and learning from my peers. Not only that, WordPress is something that has become a part of me since it is what I do every day whether it be adding texture to my latest blog design, or programming a set of custom functions and shortcodes. Put these two things together, and you’ve got a major interest in WordPress conferences, a.k.a. WordCamp.

Speaking of WordCamp

Last year, I was able to attend six WordCamps, and spoke at five of those. In my entire career, I’ve spoke at or attended a total of eight WordCamps in addition to other conferences and events. If ever there was an addict, I’m one. I love to meet new people, share my expertise and experiences, and learn from the pros.

Now the time has come for what could be the most important WordCamp ever: WordCamp San Francisco 2011.

Not only is WordCamp San Francisco the mother of all WordCamps, but this year, it is going to be the biggest, most diverse, and most awesome WordCamp of all time. We’re not talking about your typical one day event with a few meetups; we’re talking about 3 days of workshops, sessions, and keynotes. If there was ever a time to go to WordCamp, friends, this is it.

For me, there’s one issue barring me from being able to attend: money, as usual. Between broken down vehicles, back to school shopping for our three daughters, and life in general, the piggy bank is hurting right now. That’s where you come in. I know I have some terrific friends out there, and if just a few could chip in, it could add up quickly.

Just how much are we talking?

The good news is, I have a wonderful friend, Adria Richards, that has opened up her home to me anytime I come to San Francisco, so not only does that take care of lodging, but it adds a layer of awesome to the trip.

To cover the entire trip, all I need to raise is $700. That’s it. But I’m not just asking for a handout…

What do we get out of it?

One of the things that makes WordPress great is the community behind it, right? Well, as part of that community, I promise to share the valuable knowledge I gain from attending WCSF through my blog, Facebook, Google+, and Twitter.

But wait, there’s more…

In addition to live tweeting my notes and blogging about the stuff I’ve learned, I’m also offering some bonuses to my generous compadres. Here’s the breakdown:

Donations of $50 or less will be mentioned as a sponsor with a logo and link in all my blog posts about WCSF before and after
Donations of $51-$99 will get a hand crafted blog post promoting their company or product on this blog
Donations of $100 or more can redeem an hour of WordPress consultation or a combination of the two previously mentioned options

And of course, my eternal gratitude is included as well.

If you’re interested in giving, use the widget below. Also, please share this with anyone you think might be interested in helping out.

Thanks!

My Goals for 2010

Tammy Hart — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:30:06 +0000

It’s pretty much pointless for me to make “resolutions”. Resolutions have one of two stories: Either they are vague and surreal – “I’m going to be a better person.” “I’m going to spend more quality time with my family.” – or they are broken very easily and very quickly: “I’m not going to drink soda anymore.” “I’m going to save X% from each paycheck.” By definition, resolutions are supposed to “resolved.” and “firm”. I know me, I bend without breaking, I’m not so “firm” unless I’m accountable to someone else, like a client’s deadline perhaps?

So instead, I’m just making goals- things I want to achieve this year that can broken down into simple steps. Here they are:

Track my time and tasks better so that I can accomplish more and in an organized manner
Gain control of my spending and keep a better budget
Lose 70 pounds
Drink water, even if it kills me
Upgrade to Windows 7
Read at least 1 book a month

So that’s it for me, I don’t want to over burden myself (smirk). What are your goals/resolutions? Are they realistic? Do you really mean them, or are you just pushing yourself to be what you think you’re supposed to be?

A tip for those with health and weight loss goals: SparkPeople.com. My user name is “PixelPerfect”.

Photoshop is a verb

Tammy Hart — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 04:29:00 +0000

I use Photoshop nearly every single day of my life with the work I do. But rarely do I ever use it for what it was originally created for: editing photos. But recently I’ve been playing around with it a bit, and it’s really a lot of fun to create and collage things together. Here are some pictures I took today.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Step One, Two, Nine

Tammy Hart — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:18:55 +0000

The past two months have been such a roller coaster!

January, I just barely made it through. Personal problems were hurting my work ethic and reputation, which hurt my wallet, which made more personal problems. But I somehow managed to get through. Lots of thanks and love goes out to my wonderful friends that I work for. It really does prove that having lasting business relationships are what makes one successful.

February has given me a kick in the rear. Now that I’m finally recuperating from January’s slum, I have work piling in on top of me all at once. I’m trying to keep it organized, but.. let’s just say that it’s a process.

Onward!

I’m so excited about design and how much I’m growing in my ability. Coding has always came easy to me, since I’m a mathematical/logical thinker, but design is more creative than anything else. I feel confident that I have good artistic ability that comes from my dad, but honing them into something worth while takes time and experience. I’ve been secretly studying logo design (Ok, if you’re a logopond lily, it’s not such a secret); it’s something I really would love to be good at.

Looking at Dad’s art from way back in my baby years, I think he has always been awesome, but he can see through his eyes how much better he is. I see the same for me, except that I’m still 20+ years from reaching an equivalent level with Dad. I think I’ll get there eventually, and in the meantime, I’m at least making a decent rapport with the web design world. One of my goals in starting a blog was to get my name out there more, but so far, it’s slow going.

So anyways, that’s what’s going on with me– just a girl, trying to make a living, with a lot of goals, and a lot of expectations, and mostly, just a lot of hope.