http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/index.htmlNews about my podcasts and other random info.enalexrawlins@mac.comCopyright 2005 Alex Rawlins2007-11-07T08:39:38-08:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:00:19 -0800alexrawlins@mac.comAnnouncements2007-11-07T08:39:38-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/24ff58dce0a45cc9e52a3aa27e3cd53d-17.html#unique-entry-id-17http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/24ff58dce0a45cc9e52a3aa27e3cd53d-17.html#unique-entry-id-17alexrawlins@mac.comDIY Finished2007-09-13T19:54:59-07:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/7a2f8aa349ffd31b1c31ace0b73450af-16.html#unique-entry-id-16http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/7a2f8aa349ffd31b1c31ace0b73450af-16.html#unique-entry-id-16
There are two websites and two blogs. The first is Alexrawlins.com and the second KenjiRawlins.com. What follows are the particulars of the sites.

Alex Rawlins site
Hosting: .mac
Target Audience: who knows, and family
Content: Blog, Free stuff, personal info, links to accounts and fun stuff
Design: In flux, working off a barely customized RapidWeaver template

Kenji Rawlins site
Hosting: .mac
Target Audience: grandma's, family, friends
Content: Baby pictures, static baby information, etc
Design: Highly customized RapidWeaver template with all new graphics, and altered CSS. (basically a new template designed based on exsisting templates and the theme development kit)

Alex Rawlins Blog
Hosting: portion of Alex Rawlins site
Target Audience: Family, DIY people, Design
Content: DIY, projects

Kenji Blog
Hosting: portion of Kenji Website
Target Audience: Family
Content: Pictures, etc about Kenji

The sites and blogs are made in RapidWeaver. So that I can update my posts and gather information, all posts are written on Google Docs and later edited and copied into rapidweaver for publishing.

At some point I may need some form of feedback engine on the blog, but for now I am not putting one. You just have to email.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comAnnouncements2007-09-13T19:50:16-07:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/da228918993f3014dd3acdcfa08cd7f9-15.html#unique-entry-id-15http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/da228918993f3014dd3acdcfa08cd7f9-15.html#unique-entry-id-15
Home
Children and Baby Projects
DIY Plans
DIY Finished
Announcements
Illustrator
Podcasting

Home will be related to my new home and projects related to it. Baby will be the same thing but with projects related to the baby. For info on baby shower, ultrasound etc go to the baby's website. link DIY plans will be the ruminations on what I am going to do, and DIY finished for when I have completed a project. The announcements are like this post. The Illustrator is other Adobe Illustrator and Vector stuff. Podcasting is not going to be used for now.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comAnnouncements2007-09-12T21:32:34-07:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/4159f4019e7528568fd9702e8ec0b08d-14.html#unique-entry-id-14http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/4159f4019e7528568fd9702e8ec0b08d-14.html#unique-entry-id-14
The blog will focus on me, my life, and a set of projects. As I am now 28, I want to be somewhat productive this year in my life and get a lot of stuff done. The problem is that I like doing to many random things. So I need to focus somewhat, and work on a set group of things. So I will be doing every project in the book D.I.Y. Design It Yourself



One of the projects is a blog, and another is a website. Both of these will be handled here and I will explain them in another post. I will also be starting a baby blog most likely, which will be co-authored by my wife and will be on our son's website. My wife is due November 2nd.

Some projects I really have already done in the past, but I will find a way to redo them again. Of course my birthday was in June and I have been busy so I am already behind. There are all valid excuses, but still excuses. (Buy a new house, move into a new house, bring up new doctors offices at work, wife is pregnant, go on vacation, etc)

Here is the list of projects from the book. They are not in order because I have grouped some of them by related items.

Blog (your here)
Books -blank
Books -printed
Brand
-Business Cards
-Logos
-Press Kits
-Stationary
CD/DVD label and Case
Embroidery
Paper Products
-Envelopes
-Flyers
-Invitations
-Newsletters
-Note Cards
-Postcards
-Stickers
Gifts
Housewares
Kids & Design
Photo Albums
Presentations
T-Shirts
Tote Bags
Wall Graphics
Web Sites (your here)
Zines

This means 27 projects. At 52 weeks in a year I need a project done a bit shorter than every two weeks. With Christmas coming up, several will be done for December.

Besides being on the web, I have a MoleSkine Notebook for general notes about the projects, and a sketchbook for designs and a larger sketching area. I also am using my new favorite pen, my Black Uniball Signo bit 0.18mm. (not in general US distribution, found an importer)

Entries into this blog will be in several categories, which will be explained in the next post.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comAnnouncements2007-06-19T20:54:23-07:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/710590b46ec99be41caf5521bd462a85-12.html#unique-entry-id-12http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/710590b46ec99be41caf5521bd462a85-12.html#unique-entry-id-12
As for podcasting, I apparently don't have the steam to get it done on a regular basis. Not that anyone was really looking at them, or at least it appeared that way. My current goals for this site are as follows.

1. Update this site regularly, basically placing this blog as the homepage.

2. Get a sub-site up for the baby.

3. Hopefully get this site better connected with my accounts from Flickr, to increase the pictures available.

4. New category of Design it Yourself. More on this in a little bit.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comIllustrator2006-04-18T09:55:26-07:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/41a4bb70ffd45d781ab9d81fd04e6af6-11.html#unique-entry-id-11http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/41a4bb70ffd45d781ab9d81fd04e6af6-11.html#unique-entry-id-11




I also have been working on a design for my sister's wedding. The theme is "Slipper and the Rose" ( a movie retelling the cinderella story). As part of this one gift I am giving them is a joint coat of arms display (8x10 inches) in a frame. My wife and I are also giving them a set of Bedroom clothing ;-) You can check it out of CafePress at my store. While I have done this my youngest brother has designed his own shield which I am helping him make look good. So here are a couple pics of that in Illustrator.




Alt tags are helpful, but here is the written description. Heraldry image one has two devices. The less complete one is the original idea my brother requested, but I think it looks bad compared to the revised version. It's Description in heraldic terms (the lesser complete) is Gules, Two Dragons combatant Or, on a chief Sable a lion passant reguardant Argent. The revised version is Gules, Two Griffons Combatant Or, on a Chief Sable a Lion Passant Reguardant Or. For both the crest would be an Eagle Displayed Or.

For my sister's, the second one, there are two shields. Her husbands is Checky Or and Sable, on a Chief of the second a Lion Passant Guardant of the First. And a crest of a Horse's Head Erased. My sister's is Gules, a Bar Sable Fretty Or and Three Heraldic Roses Argent in Chief. The crest a Bear's Head Erased Or.

Anyway. Have fun.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comIllustrator2006-04-17T16:04:08-07:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/ec03b786fc808a27df54cb6a058d7283-10.html#unique-entry-id-10http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/ec03b786fc808a27df54cb6a058d7283-10.html#unique-entry-id-10


I have been playing kingdom hearts recently and kingdom hearts 2 and have begun playing around with how the logos are made. I have grids to get the relative sizes. Interestingly a ratio of 5 to 3 and 3 to 2 is close to the Golden Ratio. Obviously these are not exactly 5 to 3 and 3 to 2 ratios but they are interestingly close.

The Symbols in the screen shot are from various sites and vectorized in Illustrator CS 2 and muddled about using various lengths.

Basically these shapes are made from squares triangles and circles. No more than 10 primitives are used to form them, yet they are visually stunning and found throughout the game as repetative motif's. The symbols are of Roxas, some other organization, and the Nobodies. The Original Heartless logo is basically made up of a heart and the bottom part of a fleur-de-lis with a "barbed wire" X.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comPodcasting2006-02-14T10:25:31-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/7690ba6d2eb2f3bfdcc451ca6448b3c8-9.html#unique-entry-id-9http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/7690ba6d2eb2f3bfdcc451ca6448b3c8-9.html#unique-entry-id-9alexrawlins@mac.comHome2006-02-02T16:42:19-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/0d251d49b9eb8276cdb007c9dd6c3193-8.html#unique-entry-id-8http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/0d251d49b9eb8276cdb007c9dd6c3193-8.html#unique-entry-id-8
Work, school, podcasting, a brief vacation this weekend.

Things may be a bit slow till next week or so.
]]>alexrawlins@mac.comHome2006-01-24T06:26:39-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/7433d5684229c299424ee2b826aab9e0-7.html#unique-entry-id-7http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/7433d5684229c299424ee2b826aab9e0-7.html#unique-entry-id-7
I need to get the format for the PrintCast finished and I think I may redo the names.

As there are only a limited amount of printables without getting redundant or in a rut, I may make the PrintCast the PaperCast and vis versa. So that I can easily talk about all paper, making paper, etc. Then the print cast would be the pages for printing for scrapbooking and such.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comHome2006-01-10T14:04:57-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/e1cd5252a55d81ba621978283c3e0a53-6.html#unique-entry-id-6http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/e1cd5252a55d81ba621978283c3e0a53-6.html#unique-entry-id-6
I am going to create my own little network of podcasts. They will be

Alex's Project Podcast
Alex's Print Cast
Alex's Paper Cast
Alex's Pontifications

Project is as it currently is.

Print will be anything printable

Paper cast will be various patterned papers for scrapbooking, crafting, stationary or whatever.

Pontifications will be like this metablog, just a bunch of stuff.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comHome2005-12-29T16:49:53-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/60bff54b1a5e1ab209bc0781777f5b40-5.html#unique-entry-id-5http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/60bff54b1a5e1ab209bc0781777f5b40-5.html#unique-entry-id-5
As for the Project Podcast I may implement comments, but It might be better for me to get a forum set up instead of that. First I would need to see some sort of comments being made on this blog or some emails from people listening to the podcast.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comHome2005-12-29T14:12:05-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/4eca63ebe4f7c35c3984cffaf307a614-4.html#unique-entry-id-4http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/4eca63ebe4f7c35c3984cffaf307a614-4.html#unique-entry-id-4
Ok I need to make money at this at some point or get a better job or I can foresee the bandwidth etc killing me.

So I have a Cafe Press Store.
I have an Amazon Affiliate Account.
Pay Pal Donations. (Need to look at setting up) or you can send a paypal sending of money to alexrawlins(at)mac(dot)com

The above email changes the identifying characters to prevent spam or email harvesting of that email address.

It would be nice to have some small advertising revenue. Podtrac might help with that if I can get sufficient subscribers and sufficient feedback from them.

So if anyone is willing to support me in these endeavors please help by buying my stuff or buying stuff at amazon through my links. All the pdf's that link to products go through amazon unless they are not available from amazon, or it makes no sense to direct you through amazon.

Uh]]>alexrawlins@mac.comHome2005-12-29T14:05:52-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/de50dee3d34e965cd65ac71b44c93342-3.html#unique-entry-id-3http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/de50dee3d34e965cd65ac71b44c93342-3.html#unique-entry-id-3
Commit to Exercizing 2-3 times a week.
Do this by using DDR (Dance Dance Revolution)
Or get a Tai Chi DVD
Or get a Martial Arts Kata runthrough DVD

Commit to Podcasting Once a Week on Alex's Project Podcast
Streamline podcast creation
Streamline shownotes
Create and Distribute Promo Widely

One a Day Goals
A Page of Illustration
A Finished Pattern of some sort
Read in the Scriptures (Yes I go to church every week, but I am a bit lax in Reading)
Pray morning and Night

Here are some goals and objectives I also have that aren't really new year resolutions

Finally get my BS degree (February cross my fingers)
Find a way to make auxiliary income (Podcasting, Online Merchandise etc??)
Create a Cool New Web Design and perhaps be involved in the CSS Reboot Event
Keep Things better cleaned and organized at home.

Yah so that is that for this topic.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comPodcasting2005-12-29T13:58:14-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/3b5f5043a4399be7c5f7afc07b8be3fb-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/3b5f5043a4399be7c5f7afc07b8be3fb-2.html#unique-entry-id-2
One is a PDF only podcast. We shall call it a doc-cast or docast. My title would be Alex's PrintCast or Alex's PatternCast or PaperCast or StationaryCast or something like that. The idea would be to make various patterned papers and send them out by podcast. Perhaps with a premium version that is high quality or a CD compilation of high quality ones. The idea would be to have 3-5 new pdf's a week with a new pattern. These could be used in scrap-booking, Origami, As stationary, for decopauge, etc.

The idea here would be to make something very lasting and helpful. As bandwidth would be a concern the pdf's would be fairly compressed and because of that I would toy with creating a subscription podcast or anthology etc. Especially bandwidth intensive as someone finds the podcast after 100 issues and tries to download them all. Not fun.


The Second Idea is to have more of a blog style rant cast where I would touch on just about anything. Usually focusing on pop-culture, politics, human nature, pet peeves etc. This would be far more freeform than the others.]]>alexrawlins@mac.comHome2005-12-29T13:45:01-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/5b90314118ac5a400955a5282f49bfc7-1.html#unique-entry-id-1http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/5b90314118ac5a400955a5282f49bfc7-1.html#unique-entry-id-1
So the reason I am editing the RSS for the podcasts manually is that I am passing traffic transparently through Podtrac in order to get some stats on distribution. Currently there are none available, as I don't see anyone subscribed. So yah, thats what is going on there.

My Project Podcast will be showcasing the following projects soon.

Charms
Scrolls
Monogram Creation

Here is my partial christmas loot list that will make some effect on what projects we will see soon. (Some titles are given from memory and not the exact titles, I will put up links to them at some point)

Book: Make your own chinese knots
Book: Japanese Design NOW
Book: Layout Index
Book: The Soup Bible
Book: The wisdom of Abe Lincoln
Book: One Hundred Views of Edo
Book: Art of the Orient
Book: Power Mandalas 1
Book: The Grammar of Ornament

I also got a papermaking kit (mostly for the deckle and screens, I'm feeling lazy and didn't want to make one, so I put it on my christmas list)
72 Hour kits. (Heavy emergency kits with enough MRE's etc to eat for a couple days and other emergency supplies)
Game: Apples to Apples
Game: Trivial Pursuit, Lord of the Rings DVD edition
Colored Ink Sticks for Japanese/Asian Calligraphy and Watercolours

Some other stuff which I am not remembering off hand So there you have it.
]]>alexrawlins@mac.comPodcasting2005-12-15T09:35:45-08:00http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/0fb3e1c8cef629d418afa865eebef067-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://homepage.mac.com/alexrawlins/files/0fb3e1c8cef629d418afa865eebef067-0.html#unique-entry-id-0www.podtrac.com is the site check it out if you want. And if anyone really reads this then check out my podcast and take the survey.


http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://www.mydomain.com/ep20051215.mp3
http://www.podtrac.com/audience/start-survey.aspx?ver=1&pid=LInbhELweOs$

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