It all started Christmas 2007. It then got put on a shelf for, like, 12 months while I did clienty type stuff for cash. I then took it back off the shelf, dusted it down, and did more stuff to it. Since the start of this year it's been mainly in the capable mitts of my programmer friend: Graham, as he sticks all my bits together with the magical web-tape that is PHP.
What am I talking about?
Why this very website you're on now of course!
It's finally finished and live and I'm so excited about it that I'm really struggling to write sentences with an appropriate and suitable amount of punctuation so that it reads well and not like something which has been written with out thought and in a rush due to excitement and too many sweeties and bottles of pop and ... relax.
You can read more about the project in my two original articles: "Re-designing kevadamson.com" and "This be my new design", which go into details of the 'how and why'. They also have some great comments which have helped with all the further development immensely. Thankoos.
The site is actually powered by a bespoke CMS that myself and Graham (behinddesign) have been beavering away on, as and when. I plan on blogging more about it when the time is right, and I'll also be 'bigging up' my PHP wing-man Graham in a dedicated blog entry, as a kind of first installment of payback for all the time he has put in to the programming side of the CMS (Graham's new site is next in the pipeline).
So, as it's fresh out the oven - and possibly still a little raw in the middle - please feel free to: comment, give feedback, report bugs - and all that gubbins. It's all good.
Before you do, I'll leave you with a little bulleted summery, just to bring you up to speed with what's new:
This is what's going down:
- Blog and services are now integrated, with blog items featured on every page, and also articles associated with portfolio examples and vice-versa
- My portfolio examples are now featured on the home page, so that folk can get a flavour straight away
- I've added some yummy jQuery to add some bells and whistles, and to organise my 'blog column' content
- Everything is 'Content Managed' - my old site was all static apart from the blog! Madness!
- My code is more in keeping with my current standard (although, as the framework was coded in 2007, I'm almost certain I'd get it cleaner and more concise if I was doing it now. Meh!)
- My portfolio is up to date! There's nothing quite like having a new site in development to put you off updating stuff on the current site. Plus, because it was static - ball-ache.
- RSS is now available for my portfolio updates
There's probably more I could list but, to be honest, I'm writing this entry in bed on my laptop and my right arse cheek has gone numb. The 'left' is also getting a bit tingly so I should really get comfy to promote blood-flow.
Tatty bye, and please do drop by again / subscribe / bookmark / follow me on twitter etc. :)
COMMENTS
Wahay, it's finally live :)
Yay! ... Finally. Looks lovely x
Recognised your name in the Carsonified FOWD competition comments and remembered you had this design in the pipeline. I visit and - blow me down - it's finished. Amazing work mate, amazing.
@ Tim Cheers mate :) Ah yes, the Carsonified Competition - with its 184 comments!
Is it just me or does everyone always try and pick holes in Carsonified? I guess it's part and parcel of being such a high profile agency ...
Nice website, great design.
Found this site on CSS Beauty and have just one word to say - WOW!
@ Alessandro & Roy : Fankoo :)
Found ya' on CSS Beauty. I simply a.d.o.r.e your 'grungy' style ... as well as your writings ;) I will drop by again ;)
Great stuff, love the creative and half-crazy way you go about the design of things. :)
Looks good Kev - congrats! Always liked your original style.
@ Mike, Daniel and Bojan : Thankings :)
Really like it Kev - love the quirky style and attention to detail!
I know I've already commented on Unmatched Style, but I've been looking round the site, and some are the little touches are absolutely awesome! The cool grungy underline is fantastic on the links! Great work.
@ Luke Cheers :)
Wow! This site is unbelievable! Would take a good solid week to do just the build of this if the designs were ready. Since you did both, I can only imagine how long this took despite the 12 month brake. Inspiring stuff!