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If you’re a WordPress blogger, like me, then you know that there are certain plugins you need in your life. For those of you who are not too savvy with plugins: they are little tools which, when installed in your blog, help you showcase things from your social networks to set up’s of custom contact forms and even back-up your files safely. Here are some WordPress plugins that I just can’t live without – and I’m sure they will be very helpful to you too:

SOCIAL

• Pinterest “Pin It” Button for Images: there are lots of these types of plugins; but after trying a few, this one is truly the best. It places a “Pin It” button over each of your blog images when your readers hover over them. From there, your readers can pin your images to their Pinterest boards in seconds.
• Alpine PhotoTile for Pinterest: speaking of Pinterest, this plugin retrieves photos from a specific Pinterest board (of your choosing) and displays them in multiple gallery style options. It’s beautiful as well as engaging – since it links from your blog directly to your Pinterest board.
• Pretty Pinterest Pins: place a widget on your sidebar with your most recent pins. Simple, classic, and linked – ready for repinning!
• Instagram for WordPress: share your fun-filled-&-filtered Instagram images on your sidebar. It’s quick and easy with this plugin!
• Shareaholic: at the bottom of every blog post, you can chose which social networks are available to share with. It’s a simple set up with a lot of power.
  

FUNCTIONALITY

• Contact Form 7: although it’s one of the older plugins, it still works like a charm. You need to pay attention to the coding a little in the setup, to be sure not to mess anything up; but, overall it’s simple and to the point. Pretty dummy proof actually!
• Under Construction: working on your blog design but don’t want anyone to see the mess? Then this is the fix for you. This plugin has an easy on/off switch where you can block out your site with a custom under construction message while you’re getting things done. When you’re ready for you live site to show, just turn “off” the plugin and you’re back!
• Login Logo: this plugin gives the back-end of your blog a custom look and feel. With a simple image drop, you replace the WordPress logo in the login screen and place your logo in. This works especially well when building client blogs, as you give them a final product with a fully customized login page.
• All In One SEO Pack: with Google analytics and automatically generating META tags, this plugin is vital to getting your blog on the top rankings for search engines. It’s simple to use and has many features to explore within it.
• WordPress Backup to Dropbox: this plugin may have saved my life already. In the case of WordPress blogs, everything is stored in your FTP space – but let’s say you get hacked or somehow you mess up the code in your theme. There’s nothing to fear if you have a backup set up. I searched for many backup options, but the Dropbox backup was the best choice. I do this for my personal site as well as my client’s sites; I simply set it to automatically back up once a week, and I don’t have to think about it anymore.

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{ Source }

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{ Enjoying some Weekend Relaxation at South Beach }

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I am blessed – in more ways than I can express in a single blog post. I am thankful everyday for the blessings the universe sends my way. But there is one thing that I cherish and never take for granted. And that is my beautiful hometown: Miami.

Born and raised in South Florida, one may lose sight of all the beauty around you. Yes, it sounds impossible to do so; but trust me – I’ve seen people get so wrapped up in the magic-city’s drama that they resent it. They forget to enjoy it for all it’s worth.

Personally, the older I get the more I fall in love with my city. And with that love, comes awareness of all that is beautiful. This city is crawling with natural beauty; so join me as I take you down some of my personal favorite snapshots of my lovely hometown:

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If you’re a branding-junkie, like me, then you’ll appreciate the awesomeness of Brand New, a website showcasing corporate brand identities – and sometimes ripping them apart. On this site you may find some start-up logos, but most are updated brand identities – which is where the real fun begins. I took a few screenshots of one case study on the website – that I really liked – for the company Cystic Fibrosis Trust:

First, the author showcases the original logo and then the new logo, side-by-side, for your consideration. Below this showcase, the author of the blog writes some details about the company along with his opinion on the changes.

Above you can see some of the brands old look. It doesn’t truly capture your attention. I would say it falls into the category of “the-typical-boring-organization-look” and we all know nobody likes typical. The company’s cause is amazing and deserves peoples attention, but it was lacking pizazz. I needed a refresh; a new start. And that exactly what it got…

Here is the new logo. It says the organization’s name, “Cystic Fibrosis,” but also incorporates the tagline of “Cystic Fibrosis is…” all in one. It’s clever and vibrant, which are two very important ingredients in great brand design.

With these simple post-it style images, the designer portrayed important information in a way that catches the audiences attention. The style is consistent with the new logo and it keeps this “heavy” information “lightweight” and fun.

The application of the new logo and branding is just divine. It’s clean cut and minimal, but still overflows with information for the viewer. For example, the three poster designs display an emotional connection to the cause – with the dancer, the roses, and the runner. Then the posters simply invite the audience to join at the locations specified as the bottom.

The runner is my favorite poster; as she runs towards the information, directing the audience to go to the Virgin London Marathon and join the Cystic Fibrosis Trust team, the white-space and yellow arrows give the feeling of fast movement and urgency. Lastly, the stand up billboards – with the children – add a further emotional connection, reminding the audience that kids are affected too. The brand design is consistent and memorable, which is vital to a long lasting identity.

I hope you enjoyed this review – and if you want to see more awesome before and after brand identity reviews, head on over to Brand New. Below each review is a voting poll and an active comments section, where users share their own personal opinions. It’s a great way to open your mind to what people look for in a great identity!

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If you’re not on the social media giant Pinterest, then you’re missing out!

Let’s begin with the basics: I started pinning in what feels like forever ago, but it was probably some time in 2010. The site wasn’t what it is now – granted, the design has stayed pretty much consistent and the user-interface has always been very friendly; yet, the following that Pinterest has now is just enormous. In January 2012, comScore reported the site had 11.7 million unique users, making it the fastest site in history to break through the 10 million unique visitor mark.

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{ My Pinterest Profile }

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Everyone seems to be joining Pinterest – from big businesses to personal users. And with the sites immense growth comes innovative ideas for sharing and reaching more people. I love the Pinterest App on my cell (available for Android and iPhone) because I love to pin while I’m waiting for anything. It’s a sweet way to pass the time; looking up design inspirations or delicious recipes. But what matters most is what you have for later – Pinterest gives you the satisfaction of knowing that all of that information is stored there, in an organized and conveniently-linked manner.

Now for the goodies – literally. They’ve got a whole page of Pinterest Goodies where they’ve created some fantastic tools for business’ and personal brands:

Buttons + Widgets: Integrate the Pin It Button, Follow Button, Profile Widget, or Board Widget to get more engagement from pinners and traffic back your site; and don’t forget to Verify Your Site.

Also, if you’re a WordPress blogger – like me – then you’ll love this plugin that adds a “Pin It” button as you hover over blog images. Recently, I stumbled upon another plugin called Alpine Photo Tile that showcases your most recent pins on a site page.

By simply searching online, you’ll find an endless list of plugins and widgets for Pinterest + WordPress.

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Now for some visual fun. Here are a few examples of the Board Widget being integrated into a post. By clicking anywhere on the images below, you’ll be directed to any of the following boards: Design + Typography, Home + Garden, or Delicious Delights; yet the best part is that it’s constantly going to showcase the most recent pins. It’s sheer awesomeness:

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It doesn’t seem like the Pinterest trend will subside anytime soon. Which is why I’m recommending you to jump on board, if you haven’t already! There’s lots of help on the Pinterest site to get you started. Plus, it’s truly one of the most user-friendly websites out there. The inspirations are endless and the organization is perfect.

{ Check out Pinterest and be sure to follow me when you get there! }

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We all know the world of design isn’t just logos and website creations. Design reaches far more influential factors in a brands image – like for example, packaging design.

Consumers eyes are attracted to sleek and interesting displays of art; and you’re constantly confronted with packaging design options on the grocery store shelves. But have we realized how important that is to our purchase decisions? Packaging is an a key determination of the consumers perception of the product which leads to the the brands success or failure.

On that note, today’s focus is one of my favorite things in the universe – Wine!

When I walk up to the wine racks at the grocery store, I of course draw my attention immediately to the types of wine I like (Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.) Then, once I’m standing in front this array of red wines, the package designs start to pull me closer. And this is the moment when I grab the one I like most and head over to the check-out counter…

A boring design might deter me from even looking at the wines details or I’ll simply skip over that bottle and keep looking. It’ just the way it works – packaging design plays a major role in the purchase process. Luckily for us consumers, designers have stepped it up with fun yet classic designs for this tasteful delicacy.

Ram’s Leap: a colorful array of swirly-rams is for lovers of all flavors and tastes

Hamilton Fray: inverse coloring process draws the eye to the hand drawn design

The Tentacle: illustration designs formulated in a simple way can link your company’s logo and image very eloquently and effectively

Julian Madrid: minimalist designs are also very attention capturing and classic

Sunflower Hills: A vintage, yet pop art, feel to the classic wine bottle

Santameriana: clean cut typography design is an instant attention grabber

The People’s Wine: my personal favorite, with hand-drawn text and colorful accents to determine the type of wine – easy to identify and fun to look at!

{ For more photos of these wine designs and many other styles, visit the source! }

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• This year, splash some color in your office or home. This Pantone 2013 Calendar is just perfection!
• Time for a refresh www! Some hope that these 6 website-trends will disappear in 2013.
• Speaking of a refresh – try simplifying your internet life with ZenHabits tips.
• Want more simplifying? How about the ultimate quick fixes to clear your Gmail inbox.
• There’s nothing like good ol’ fashion USA love. These small doodles create amazing images – including Lady Liberty!
• Blogger Breanna Rose shares her favorite web fonts and links to each for more info/downloads.
• Don’t know how to install Google fonts to your site? No problemo. Here’s an example and how-to-install-guide + all of the Google webfonts.
• Work, life and side projects – oh my! Read on how to work smarter.
• Freelance designers have options for making money throughout the year. Check out Smashing Magazine’s Passive Income Strategies for Designers.
• It’s nice to handle all of your social media updates in one spot: HootSuite is my personal favorite.
• Subscribers love cool newsletters – so I suggest you work with the trendiest mailer, Mail Chimp. Plus it’s free!