Take a look below at the four latest themes they’ve produced. I’ve personally used Chameleon on my most recent site, and I have to say that it looks fabulous! I’m really excited to be able to create stunning new sites so easily. The features I like the most are the color and background changer panel, and the shortcodes collection. But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s look at them first.

And here is the color and background panel I mentioned earlier, that lets you easily and instantly try out different color schemes and background patterns.

I Mean, WOW

Those are some very nice looking themes, that can be easily customized so they don’t look like everyone else’s. And that’s just the latest 4! There’s tons more to choose from. Plus, the extra options and features that come with them are great. I mentioned earlier that their shortcodes were one of my favorite features. Here’s the kinds of things you can do with the shortcodes (which means literally clicking a button that’s added to the edit screen toolbar):

Make Buttons

Make Content Boxes

Make Tabbed Content

Make Image Sliders

Make columns of text WITHIN any post, but without having to use the same number of columns on every post.

Make Testimonial Boxes

There’s lots more shortcodes that make cool stuff too. I’ll let you browse through it all at your leisure. It’s just all really, really cool, in my opinion. This is awesomeness made simple.

Other Great Features

• Page templates that let you choose pre-made layouts for each page you create.
• Unlimited color schemes
• Dozens of great fonts
• SEO options
• And the Boutique theme supports third-party ecommerce plugins like wp ecommerce, shopp, eshop, cart66, and simple paypal shopping cart.

So, anyway, the bottom line is that Elegant Themes has really upped its quality over the years, and yet, the best feature of all is this:

The price is still only $39 to get access to ALL of the themes.

It’s not $39 each. That thirty-nine bucks lets you download and use every single theme they have available. And during the year, any new themes they make are yours to download too! For an entire year, you get access to every one of their themes, old and new. And of course, when the year is up, you can keep using the ones you’ve downloaded, you just can’t download any new ones without paying for a new subscription. But you don’t lose the ones you’ve already gotten.

If the themes were plain or ugly, $39 would be just a so-so deal, but the themes look great! They are very professional, and the options and features they include makes life as a blogger or website owner easy peasy. I’m really happy I wandered back over there when I started my new site.

Want a peek at my new site that uses the Chameleon theme?

Check out Elegant Themes again, if you haven’t lately, or never have. You might be amazed.

© Donna for DazzlinDonna, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: themes
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A Dynamic Front Page

In the past a WordPress site could be spotted a mile away with 10 blog posts flowing down a front page and a sidebar. WordPress now functions more like a traditional CMS out of the box, but theme developers are creating WordPress themes with more dynamic and rich front pages. Below are 3 different approaches to creating a dynamic front page:

Stack uses CSS and jQuery to assemble a front page of posts that fills the width of a user’s browser. Featured image functionality is also being used in this theme to ensure all images on the front are the same width. This is still 10 posts on the front page, but with a more edgy look. This theme also uses several widgetized areas and some custom built widgets.

Parallax is another fun take on the WordPress posts front page, using the featured image to set the background for each post. This theme also utilizes some open source javascript to create a fun scrolling feature that is easier to see than to explain. Parallax also uses several widgetized areas and some custom built widgets.

Portfolio does not display a post or page on the front. Instead, this image centric theme displays featured images of user chosen portfolio items in a jQuery slideshow. This theme also uses several widgetized areas with some custom built widgets and a custom "My Portfolio" content type for displaying art, photography, design work, projects, etc.

Custom Post Types

WordPress 3.0 introduced many new features including full support for custom post/content types and many themes are taking advantage of this. A custom post type essentially allows the theme developer to determine what information is stored about a particular piece of content. For example, the Portfolio WordPress theme not only stores the typical title and post content, but also includes separate fields of information for Piece Title, Year Completed, Materials used and Discipline. This functionality allows a theme developer to manipulate and format this data in various ways. With custom post types a business like real estate can have a more rich experience using WordPress.

Featured Images

Featured images are a fantastic addition to WordPress and allow a theme developer to create many variations of an image as it is uploaded. These images can then be called later for custom widgets, front page features, gallery thumbnails and more. A good theme will utilize this to match the image size to the space being utilized. However, this resizing happens as images are uploaded, so if a theme that supports this is being added to an established site, the Regenerate Thumbnails plugin will be needed.

Theme options

Most premium themes are going to include some level theme customization. These options could include things like adding a logo, slideshow controls, color themes, social media integration, a place to add analytics code, and etc. A good set of theme options will give you powerful tools to easily manage your blog or website.

Widget Areas

WordPress widgets are a great way to quickly add content to a website, but most themes only include these in the sidebar. Many newer themes are now including widget areas in the sidebar, footer, post and page area as well. And, getting a little fancier, a theme can also include a separate footer and/or sidebar area reserved for the home page.

Digging Deeper

Fortunately, adding new widget ready areas to a theme is pretty straight forward but you will have to get your hands dirty. Suppose you need widgets in the footer, but your theme does not include a widget area for the footer. Adding this is not terribly difficult.

1. Register the new widget in your themes function.php or widgets.php file by adding the PHP code below. This file will be in your theme folder, not in the main WordPress install. (There is a quicker way to do this, but this gives you more control)

register_sidebar(array(
'name' => 'Single Post Top',  //This name will help you know what sidebar it is on the backend
'id' => 'post_top', //A unique ID
'description' => 'Use this widget to include ads, widgets, etc. in the top of your posts.', //This text is more description that shows up in the admin for reference
'before_widget' => '<div class="post_top widgetBox">', //Set the element before  your widget to match what your  theme's widget are using - also set any classes you may want for styling
'after_widget' => '</div>', //Set the element after  your widget to match what your  theme's widgets are using
'before_title' => '<h3>', //Also match the before and after element for the widget's title
'after_title' => '</h3>'
));

2. Call your new widget by adding the PHP code below to the appropriate file, here the single.php file.

<?php if (!dynamic_sidebar('post_top')) : ?>
<?php endif; ?>

3. Add any needed CSS to styles.css that your widget might need. Here you will use your class that you added to control the look of your widget. Maybe you want to add a nice border around your ad.

.post_top {
background: #eee;
padding: 5px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
}

Author Bio:

Jeff Rainey is an art lover, WordPress junkie and the creator of Theme Spectrum. References from above include the following themes:

• Stack WordPress Theme
• Parallax WordPress Theme
• Portfolio WordPress Theme

© guestposter for DazzlinDonna, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: content management systems, design, themes, WordPress
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There are already some well-known theme clubs / packages, but those aren’t the ones I’m highlighting here. I’ve looked around to find six lesser known theme sites that have great package or club prices, with nice themes to go along with those nice prices.

General Facts About These Packages and Memberships

One major positive about each of these six deals: All the themes are GPL licensed, enabling you to use them as often as you wish on as many domains as you wish.

Be aware that if you purchase a membership with a monthly fee, then you’ll still be able to use all the themes you downloaded after you quit the membership, but you just won’t be able to download new themes (or get whatever extra goodies come with membership) after you quit. So, in all cases, package or membership, you get to continue using the themes you download for all time. That’s a deal!

Final note: I’ve only actually used one theme from the sites below on an active site, so I have pretty much no experience with the quality of the themes, or the support, etc. Be sure to read all the material on the site to know what you’re getting, what the terms are, etc.

Now on to the good stuff.

Simple Themes

$39 for 3 months access … check it out

Organized Themes

$75 for 14 current and all future themes (the $50 christmas sale is over) … check it out

UpThemes

$99 + $9/month for Club membership – at least 2 new themes per month promised … check it out

Obox

$125 + $15/month for Club membership … check it out

Theme Weaver

$50 one time fee … check it out

FlexiThemes

$19.95 1 month membership … check it out

29.95 3 months membership

39.95 6 months membership

49.95 year membership

© Donna for DazzlinDonna, 2011. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: club memberships, packages, themes, WordPress
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Donna, what would I need if I wanted to create a [fill in the blank] type of site, using WordPress to manage it? What tools would you recommend I use to make it quick, easy, and profitable, and how much will it cost me to get those tools?

To be honest, it usually takes a lot of time to boil down the numerous questions into those two concise questions, because more often than not, the person asking isn’t sure what they are trying to ask. By now, though, I’ve answered it enough times that I can do it fairly easily, so I thought it would be useful to share it with everyone here.

My answer:

Of course, it depends upon what you choose to put into that [fill in the blank] spot in that question, but I can still make general recommendations, regardless. Naturally, you *could* do everything for almost no money at all, but you’d need to be pretty tech savvy with some programming skills, so I’d rather just recommend a few reasonably-priced products that will get anyone ready to roll quickly.

Generally speaking, I’d recommend getting both products from the first group below (Group A), and then pick just one product from the second group (Group B). That combination of 3 products will cost a little less than $200, in one time fees, with monthly fees ranging from $19-$46/month. In most cases, just one conversion per month will more than cover the costs.

Group A: Products I Recommend No Matter What You Put In The [fill in the blank] Spot

Market Samurai $149, or $97 if you grab their special offer more info…

OR

Raven Internet Marketing Tools from $19/mo more info…

Ninja Affiliate – affiliate link manager – $97 more info… (You can skip this if you won’t be promoting affiliate products on your site).

Group B: Choose One Product Below Based On The Type of Site You’re Creating

For A Generic Shopping Cart For Any Type of Site, Templatic eShop – $99 more info…

For either a Directory, or a Classifieds Site, or a Coupon Codes Site, or a Real Estate Site, PremiumPress – $79 more info…

For A Membership Site, Wishlist Member – $97 more info…

For A Review Site, WP Review Site – $97 more info…

For General Affiliate Products, Rich Affiliate Theme – $70 more info…

For Affiliate Datafeeds, Datafeedr – $27/mo more info…

Group C: Optional / Additional

For Anything That Can Benefit From A Killer Landing Page, Landing Page Plugin – $97 more info…

Note: I wish all of these products had been around years ago when I first began. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad I was forced to learn how to do so many things all on my own. It’s been a great education. But wow, the time I would have saved (and the extra money I would have earned) if I’d had these years ago, just boggles my mind.

Additional Related Reading

List Building Glossary – Terms and Definitions

Intro To Membership Sites

Affiliate Datafeeds: An Introduction

Affiliate Review Sites: An Introduction

11 Ways to Make Money Online

© Donna for DazzlinDonna, 2010. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: affiliate, plugins, themes, tools, WordPress
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Get $25 off! This month’s (January, 2012) coupon code is: JANSALE

ShopperPress

ShopperPress is a fully featured shopping cart theme for WordPress, suitable for selling all types of products, services, and digital downloads online. Includes 20+ store designs, new video tutorials, unlimited installations, lifetime free support and upgrades.

Coupon Code: JANSALE

DirectoryPress

DirectoryPress turns a WordPress blog into a powerful online directory website with lots of features, import tools and built in payment gateways. Recently updated, and includes 20+ directory themes, unlimited installations, lifetime free support and upgrades.

Coupon Code: JANSALE

Classifieds Theme

Classifieds Theme is a powerful, secure, SEO friendly classifieds theme for WordPress with lots of professional features and extra classified website designs. Recently updated, with new designs! Includes 20+ extra classifieds designs, unlimited installations, lifetime free support and upgrades.

Coupon Code: JANSALE

CouponPress

CouponPress turns any WordPress blog into a professional coupon code or voucher code website with lots of coupon site features, in minutes! Recently updated, and includes 20+ coupon website designs, unlimited installations, lifetime free support and upgrades.

Coupon Code: JANSALE

RealtorPress

RealtorPress is a turn-key ready “out of the box” real estate website solution for both individual realtors and real estate companies. You simply install, select your template, add or import your real estate property and you’er ready to go.

Coupon Code: JANSALE

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With the perfect mix of Web 2.0 colors and big fonts, Rockin Web 2.0 is my favorite.
***

Webby Blue is a close second with its 2.0 color scheme. You can also get this baby in a green version, and more colors will be available later.
***

What can I say? Twilight hits the same notes with its 2.0 color scheme.
***

The only reason Glossy Blue is down this far in the list is because it doesn’t utilize rounded corners. The rectangular-ness of the design sets it back in time just a tad.
***

If you just barely want to dip your toes into the 2.0 look and feel, this Digg theme might be right for you. It’s a bit on the conservative side, but throws in a few modern touches for those sites not wanting to shout out their presence.

© Donna for DazzlinDonna, 2007. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: favorites, musty old site, themes, web 2.0, WordPress
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