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tisanemal · 1 month ago

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Take Me To Church – priest!Andrew x OFC

Chapter 2: She’s Lifting Spring Towards Me

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Andrew Hozier-Byrne/Original Female Character(s)

Characters: Andrew Hozier-Byrne, Original Female Character(s)

Additional Tags:

Bisexual Female Character, Forbidden Love, hot priest, Catholicism, Criticism of the Catholic Church, Inspired by Fleabag (TV), POV Alternating, no happy ending, Inspired by a Hozier Song, Dominant Woman, Submissive Man, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Explicit Consent, Oral Sex, Eventual Smut

Summary:

About a woman who already deconstructed her catholicism and who is trying to seduce a priest to “save” him from it, as she thinks. About a priest who thinks he has chosen his life path well, trying to bring his “friend” back to church, to “save” her. Fleabag-inspired priest!Hozier romance and smut. What can I tell you. This is for all the (ex)catholic women <3

Notes:

This fic can pretty much be read as an original work. Shout out to @man-i-love-fanfiction for inspiration and advice! <3

Chapter 2: She’s Lifting Spring Towards Me

Word count: 2131

Read also on AO3

Fic under the cut ↓

Notes:

Meet cute ahead :3

Mary was preparing the workshop for the last class of the day. She thought it turned out rather cute; she had repainted the walls and high ceiling in this old building, typical for the area, in off-white to reflect the light coming from the only window at the front.

She equipped the workshop with essentials; six pottery wheels and a furnace, all relocated from her studio in Dublin; big tables, made from wood panels she’d found on sale at a builder’s market; some inexpensive stools for the guests to sit on; a couple of metal racks to hold all the ceramics, and some wobbly wooden shelves for the tools. In a nook, away from the visitors’ sight, she made herself a tiny office space; a hand-me-down desk, a big, comfortable armchair that she wasn’t sad to spend some money on (her back started killing her after she turned 30), and an old repurposed kitchen shelf to hold all the necessary documents.

She was quite proud of it all, especially of how quickly she had put it all together after the New Year. It hadn’t been a hard task for her; she’d done it before and she’d do it again. But January came and went, and she still felt the need to build something new after her relationship had come to a devastating end.

The workshop has already been operating for a couple of weeks, and so far, all the advertisements and the posters she placed around town were really effective; almost all the upcoming classes were fully booked and she already had regular customers. Some of them even started leaving favorable reviews online, and Mary was learning to appreciate every little success. Success — she thought — that will only really be proved once the numbers add up in returns.

She looked at the list of six people who booked the 6 p.m. workshop; she already recognized some of the names.

Ding! A small bell above the door announced the first guest. It was Robin, a shy kid Mary had already seen around. She welcomed them warmly and gave them space as they settled.

Ding! A group of four young people came through the door. They were all talking over each other about recent classes (students of the local college, Mary deduced) and barely paid her any attention. Good, she thought, they won’t be much work; they’ll mostly just do their pieces and talk among themselves, and she’ll have time to attend to the two other customers or catch up on some paperwork.

Mary asked the guests what they wanted to make today; some continued their projects, finding their previously thrown pots and plates that Mary had burned in the furnace, in order to glaze them. Some were already taking positions by the pottery wheels or tumbling around the studio as if it was their own; Mary didn’t mind; not at all. It meant that they were comfortable here, and that they were more likely to come back, because they were having a good time.

Third ding. Mary looked up automatically, guessing it must be the one missing guest; she probably expected another youngster. But it was a handsome man who came through the door, and he immediately caught her attention.

He was tall, so tall that he had to bow his head to avoid hitting the door frame. His dark brown hair was tied into a man bun, but a few loose curls fell around his forehead. He had a reddish-brown beard, and was wearing a brown open jacket, a gray sweater and jeans.

“Good evening,” he hesitated a bit before speaking, as if he wasn’t sure how to start. Mary immediately switched into her teacher mode.

“Good evening, welcome. I’m Mary, this is my workshop.”

“I’m Andrew, hi,” he said quietly, raising his hand as if to welcome everyone, but the other guests were already occupied with themselves. Mary noticed his long fingers that stretched out from his large palm. Oh, this class was certainly going to be fun.

“You must be the last one for today’s class?” She asked.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Mary smiled and explained: “Okay, so, here are the coat hangers, here are some aprons to wear so you don't stain your clothes. Let me know when you settle on your workstation and I’ll show you the next steps.”

Mary looked around to see if anyone needed help, and then turned to the Hot Guy Andrew, who was now sitting awkwardly by the pottery wheel.

“So, have you ever tried any pottery before?”

“No, this is my first time…” he said with a smile that was definitely charming.

“All right, I’ll be gentle with you, then.” She couldn’t stop herself, although she probably should have. Flirting with customers wasn’t a good look.

“And what would you like to make?” she asked, still minding the wheel.

“Ehm… what is the easiest?” He shrugged.

“A bowl, I guess",” she smiled to him sweetly.

She ran some basics with him and then he was left to try that and familiarize himself with the technique she had shown him. Mary would occasionally glance at him while helping other guests and reflected on how long it had been since she’d gotten laid. She definitely wasn’t ready to start another serious relationship, it was way too early after Leah had left. The last time she’d slept with her must have been 2 months ago today. How great.

Andrew’s large hands were clumsily shaping a piece of clay. The piece took a phallic shape, as it often does in the first step, and Mary smiled to herself, trying to banish the filthy thoughts.

“Do you need any help with that?” she asked him.

“Ehm, yeah,” he blushed ferociously; he guessed what she was thinking — but that meant he was thinking it as well.

This time she refrained from making a flirtatious comment.

She sat in front of him and put her hands on his hands, gently guiding them with the right movements to shape the clay.

He blinked a couple of times, but focused on the work. As she directed his fingers, she leaned in a little and she felt his earthy scent; there was a hint of something woody to it, something that felt like a fireplace.

“That’s pretty much how you do it… any questions?” she said softly.

“Are there… any tools for throwing?” he asked, still averting her gaze.

“Great question: yes, there are, but first you need to know how the clay works under your hands. It seems to me that they are the best tools,” she explained.

There was a beat of silence, and as she looked up at him, she thought she caught him looking down her top. She wasn’t going to lie, she had unbuttoned her plaid shirt for this very occasion five minutes ago.

“And how do you guys feel about the new holiday?” One of the college students, a boy with black hair, asked the others.

“Oh, wait, Saint Brigid’s? I forgot it was today,” a blonde girl answered.

“I don’t really care about saints, I’m just glad we’re getting the Monday off — anything to make me miss the calculus lecture,” another boy said.

Mary listened in on their conversation, and then turned to the Hot Guy Andrew again, almost whispering to him: “We’re the oldest two people in this room.”

“Oh, right,” he smiled at her, and she just noticed how long his eyelashes were. He blushed again, turning his gaze back to the wheel.

Mary started to wonder, why was such an attractive guy so shy. Women must be knocking on his door day and night; or men, if he was into them.

Mary made a round through the workshop to see if any of the “kids” needed help, but everyone was deep into their projects. She returned to Andrew, his little bowl starting to take shape, wobbly and clumsy, but hard-earned.

“Oh, yeah, that’s a good job as for a first time!” Mary praised him, and he went even redder in the face, his hands spasmed over the piece.

“Thanks…” he whispered almost inaudibly.

He looked at his piece, didn’t look convinced. But it was almost the end of the class, as always these two hours passed in a flash. The other guests were already cleaning up their stations, depositing their pieces on one of the racks next to the furnace. He put his little wobbly bowl on there as well. Mary made small talk with everyone as they made a queue to pay.

“And what about this workshop, it’s new, right?” Hot Guy Andrew asked as it came to his turn.

“Yes, I just opened last month,” Mary said, minding the guests who were still busting about and putting their tools away.

He nodded, probably trying to think of a next thing to say.

Mary wasn’t sure if or when he was going to visit the workshop again, so she tried to learn as much about him now. She was curious; she wanted to know, first of all, if he was single — she didn’t want another heartbreak, but she wouldn’t mind a hot date to ease the pain. Unfortunately, it was inappropriate to mention that, so she asked instead:

“And what do you do, Andrew?”

CLANK!

A loud, unpleasant noise reverberated through the room and Mary instinctively looked in the direction of the wobbly shelf; of course, it broke. Robin was standing next to it, they probably put too many tool boxes on it. The shelf was hanging on by just one end, and all the tools that it held had fallen to the floor.

Mary walked to them, “You’re not hurt, Robin?" she said, but they just shook their head.

“I’m so sorry—”, they tried to say, embarrassed and petrified.

“It’s okay, honey,” Mary said. “I’ll take care of it”. She reached for it to prevent it from falling entirely.

“Fuck,” she whispered, as the shelf was quite heavy to hold, and she had to navigate her steps around the sharp tools on the floor. The other guests were also startled by the noise, but seeing that the situation was (kind of) under control, they resumed their activities.

“Do you need any help with that, Mary?” she heard that gentle voice behind her, and Andrew stepped in.

“Oh, thanks”, Mary said, feeling warm from his proximity “Just, careful,” she warned, still in her teacher voice, and she thought she saw shadow of a smile on his handsome face. “I think it’s best to just take it down. I’ll need to get it properly screwed tomorrow,” she said, and felt her ears burn “Screwed in, I mean.”

Hot Guy Andrew held the big, one meter oak wood shelf like it weighed nothing, and deposited it against the wall.

Mary occupied herself with picking up the remaining tools, grateful that it wasn’t a rack with all the pots and plates that went down. Andrew also got down to help her; he picked up the sharp tools and handed it to her one by one; it was awkward at first, but soon they worked well in tandem.

They both reached for the same tool and their hands met again.

“Sor—”, Mary blushed, suddenly realizing he was so close to her. He moved his hand away quickly, but stayed in his position, allowing Mary to look into his eyes. They were muddy green, quite dark in the light of the lamp. He looked at her so gently, but his hands were fidgeting, and he gasped in a breath. Mary wasn’t new to this; she knew immediately that he fancied her.

It was weird, she’d literally just met him, but she felt feverish.

He stood up suddenly. “I should go, probably. I’ll — will you be alright here?” he motioned around the workshop, in which, other than the tools arranged on the floor, everything was fine. He was more bashful with every word that he said, probably usually much more intelligent.

“I’ll be fine, yeah,” she said, bold and strong, standing up as well.

“Thank, ehm… Lovely to meet you, great class! Thanks… again!” he stuttered, his tall body suddenly gaining the grace of a newborn giraffe as he passed the students leaving through the door.

Mary only smirked and raised her eyebrows at him; it’s been a while since she made someone this flustered. She’d be lying if she said it didn’t turn her on.

As she cleaned up and closed the workshop for the day, she was racking her brain trying to find a way to be home alone tonight. She then realized she hadn’t brought any of her toys with her from Dublin and that funnily enough, her hands would have to be the best tool.

#hozier fanfiction #hozier fanfic #writers on tumblr #hozier smut #fleabag #my writing #meet cute

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daitranscripts · 23 days ago

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Hello! Out of curiosity, did you use a specific neocities template for the new website archive or was it completely by-hand? It’s gorgeous. If you did use a template, would you be willing to share it? I have a similar project I’d like to migrate out of a google doc and this format would be so helpful, but /only/ if that’s alright with you.

Hi there! I initially started from scratch but as I continued I realized I basically wanted a documentation site, and was pointed to a template through a site builder called Astro! Specifically, I use a template called Starlight. I've done a fair bit of customization on it, and it requires some knowledge in the usual website fare if you want customization (CSS, HTML, Java), but you can definitely use the base templates and make your docs in markdown (most of the site is structured on .md and .mdx files). It's quite beginner friendly! My only experience before this was customizing my blog themes.

It's just a site builder though, you'll need to host it elsewhere. I chose to host on Neocities (for the fandom of it all), but it seems to be a bit more integrated with Netlify.

https://astro.build/

https://starlight.astro.build/

#asks #astro

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racfoam · 10 months ago

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Okay, poll time regarding an important purchase in my day-to-day life.

In short, I am ready to upgrade from my (glances to the Acer laptop that's been dead for a year) laptop...

I now have a very big budget (it's considered big in my country) that I got over the summer to finally spend it on an upgrade.

I need a poll because now I got an idea to buy a PC, which is dangerous territory for me for numerous reasons. Some background: I haven't had a PC since I was 14, I got my laptop (which is dead now) right as I entered high school, and it was a cheap one, it couldn't even run Minecraft without lagging which at the time pissed off my gamer childhood self.

But, as a functioning, employed adult, I finally did it. I finally saved up enough money to buy a new device.

The accesibility & portability of laptops is def what I need overall for my professional life. They're not a MUST at my work place at all, but it would be NICE to be able to access my documents on laptop & edit them there or during the way home rather than go to the office again for the PC.

Here’s the thing. The laptop I can afford is not better by performance against the gaming PC I can afford.

Why a gaming PC?

Because I am a whimsical little shit. I see a program and I want to master it for hobby's sake, or just cus I'm that curious. What if I one day want to pick up Blender or 3D sculpting or some shit just to try it?! It's happened before, and it continues happening. I jump from hyperfixation to hyperfixation like a ping pong ball. A laptop at the price range I want to buy won't be able to run complex games or Blender.

The childhood me, in my soul, wants that freaking PC. But my basic normal thought process is also aware if I get a gaming PC it may distract me from my work bcs... Well the PC will be able to do EVERYTHING. At least I'm self-aware enough of that.

Another thing is...

Durability & longer-life & upgradability

I can always upgrade the PC, I know my way around PC hardware. The PC will last me longer than the laptop probably will, and I can't upgrade the laptop.

But then I have no portability & always-accessibility the laptop offers, and if I get the laptop it will be for work, Photoshop & fic writing if I get used to it (I won't, I hate writing on laptops). Which is perfect, I'll be able to do my work even on the go, I can carry it with me, etc etc and I WON'T BE DISTRACTED.

So! I guess, vote bcs at this point I'll toss a goddamn coin! And before anyone asks, no I won't put the Macbook on the list, I like having my liver, thank you.

My biggest fear is that I've grown so used to the laptop interface if I buy a PC I'll just take time re-configuring my brain to use it, so what if I hate it? I have so many fears, and I don't want to waste my money and then go like "ugh, I'm disappointed". I'm used to reading on the laptop, typing on the laptop, working on the laptop, etc. I have all PC peripherals except a monitor but the IT stores are having huge discounts & sales now I can grab one from anywhere at this point so that doesn't concern me a lot.

This is a purchase I'll treat myself with for my birthday. I've spoken to friends, some say laptop, some say PC. Anyway, here is the poll. I'll put it for today.

I just love both but I have to pick, but I can't. Laptop is more familiar to me now than a PC 🤣 a PC would be dangerous cus I will def get the urge to play games instead of WORKING, but on the off hours it'd be a party 🤣

For info, the

PC would be

Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600

GPU: RX 6600

RAM: 16GB

That is the overall idea and I even found a custom pc builder in my country, too, if the prebuilt ones are too expensive, haha.

Laptop Models:

Lenovo Ideapad 3 with Ryzen 5, 16Gb RAM, Integrated Intel GPU

Lenovo V15 G5, also Ryzen 5, 16gb ram, integrated Intel GPU

#rac talks

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godrejmsrcityapartments · 1 month ago

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Home Loan Application Processes in India

Buying a home is a dream for many people in India, and taking a home loan is often the most practical way to make this dream come true. While the process may seem complicated initially, breaking it down into simple steps can help you understand what to expect and prepare accordingly. Whether purchasing an apartment, a villa, or a plot in a large project like Godrej MSR City in Shettigere, knowing how to apply for a home loan can save time, reduce stress, and even help you get better loan terms.

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

Before applying for a home loan, check your eligibility based on your age, income, job type, existing liabilities, and credit score. Most banks and NBFCs (Non-Banking Financial Companies) offer online eligibility calculators. A good credit score (typically 750 and above) increases your chances of approval and may help you get better interest rates.

Tip: If you're buying a plot or home in a reputed project like Godrej MSR City in Devanahalli, lenders are usually more willing to approve loans due to the builder's credibility and clear legal documentation.

Step 2: Choose the Right Lender

Compare banks and housing finance institutions based on interest rates, processing fees, prepayment terms, and customer service. Consider both fixed and floating interest rate options and choose what suits your long-term goals.

Step 3: Gather the Required Documents

Prepare the following documents before applying:

Identity Proof: PAN card, Aadhaar card, or passport

Address Proof: Utility bill, voter ID, passport

Income Proof: Salary slips (for salaried) or IT returns (for self-employed)

Bank Statements: Last 6 months' statements

Property Documents: Agreement to sell, allotment letter, or builder-buyer agreement

Employment Proof: Offer letter or employment certificate (for salaried individuals)

If you're purchasing a home in an established township like Godrej MSR City in Bangalore, the builder often assists with documentation and coordination with banks, making this step easier.

Step 4: Submit the Loan Application

You can apply online or visit the bank branch. Fill out the home loan application form and attach all necessary documents. Pay the processing fee, which typically ranges from 0.25% to 1% of the loan amount.

Step 5: Loan Processing and Verification

Once the application is submitted, the lender will verify your documents and may conduct a personal discussion to confirm your repayment ability. They will also evaluate your credit score and verify your employment and income details.

Step 6: Property Valuation and Legal Check

The bank will inspect the property to ensure it has a clear title and matches the legal and construction norms. This includes a site visit and checking RERA registration, building approvals, and sale agreements. Reputed projects like Godrej MSR City already have these legal clearances, which speed up the process.

Step 7: Loan Sanction and Offer Letter

Once everything checks out, the lender will issue a sanction letter mentioning the loan amount, interest rate, tenure, EMI, and terms. Read this carefully before accepting.

Step 8: Loan Agreement and Disbursement

After you accept the offer, the bank will ask you to sign the loan agreement. Once signed, the loan is disbursed — either in full (for ready-to-move homes) or in stages (for under-construction projects). The disbursement is often linked to construction progress if you're buying in a phased township like Godrej MSR City in Shettigere.

Bonus Tips for a Smooth Home Loan Experience

Keep Your Credit Score Healthy: Avoid delays in existing EMIs or credit card payments.

Plan Your Budget Wisely: Factor in down payment, registration charges, and interior costs.

Use Builder Tie-Ups: Many top builders, including Godrej Properties, have tie-ups with leading banks for quick processing and better rates.

Read the Fine Print: Before signing, understand prepayment, foreclosure, and late payment charges.

Conclusion

Applying for a home loan in India is a well-defined process; being prepared can make it much easier. If you are considering a home or plot in Bangalore, especially in fast-developing areas like Devanahalli and Shettigere, choosing a project like Godrej MSR City can simplify the home loan process due to its transparency, clear documentation, and builder-bank relationships.

youtube

#godrej properties #apartments #real estate #bangalore #north bangalore #Youtube #godrej msr city #godrej shettigere #godrej devanahalli #godrej msr city shettigere #godrej msr city devanahalli

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furiouslycunningcrusader · 2 months ago

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How to Avoid Common Pitfalls When Working with Florida Building Contractors

Introduction

Building a home in Florida, whether it's a stunning beachfront villa or a charming suburban abode, is an exciting venture. However, it can also be fraught with challenges. The key to a successful project lies in working effectively with Florida building contractors. But how do you navigate this complex landscape? In this article, we will explore how to avoid common pitfalls when working with Florida building contractors, ensuring that your journey to homeownership is as smooth as possible.

Understanding the Landscape of Florida Building Contractors What Are Florida Building Contractors?

Florida building contractors are professionals licensed to oversee construction projects. They have the expertise and authority to manage everything from small renovations to large custom home builds. In cities like Orlando, you’ll find many experienced contractors, including notable ones like Holland Builders Co.

youtube

Types of Contractors in Florida

General Contractors: These professionals manage the overall construction process.

Specialty Contractors: They focus on specific aspects of construction such as plumbing or electrical work.

Custom Home Builders: These builders specialize in creating personalized homes tailored to individual preferences.

Why Choosing the Right Contractor Matters The Importance of Experience home builders in Orlando FL

When selecting an Orlando home builder or any contractor in Florida, experience should be a top priority. Experienced contractors understand local regulations, weather conditions, and have established relationships with suppliers and subcontractors.

Reputation and Trustworthiness

A contractor’s reputation can make or break your project. Research online reviews, ask for references, and check with the Better Business Bureau for any complaints before making a decision.

How to Avoid Common Pitfalls When Working with Florida Building Contractors 1. Lack of Clear Communication

Miscommunication can lead to misunderstandings about project scope and budget. Make sure you articulate your vision clearly from the start.

Tips for Effective Communication: Schedule regular updates. Use visual aids like sketches or mood boards. Be open to feedback but stand firm on your core requirements. 2. Ignoring Contracts and Legalities

Many homeowners overlook contract details until it's too late. Ensure every agreement is documented and legally binding.

Key Contract Elements: Scope of work Payment terms Timeline Change order procedures 3. Underestimating Costs

Budget overruns are one of the most common issues faced during construction projects. It’s vital to have a detailed budget that includes contingencies for unexpected expenses.

Strategies for Budgeting: Get multiple quotes from different contractors. Include a 10%-20% contingency fund. Track spending throughout the project. 4. Skipping Background Checks on Contractors

Don’t just hire the first contractor you meet; conduct thorough background checks.

What to Look For: Licensing and insurance Past projects Client testimo

#Youtube

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peachcloudxsims · 2 months ago

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✨ plumdrop save file

i’m working on a save file!

plumdrop is my own little dream modded save, something i’ve been brainstorming for a while now. i actually tried starting it a few weeks back, but it didn’t quite click—I began with households and tried to find lots for them later, and honestly? it was too much at once.

this time, i’m flipping the process. i’m placing lots first (with my household ideas still in mind), and then dreaming up the sims who’ll live there.

since i’m not much of a builder, every lot is pulled straight from the gallery. i’m keeping track of all the creators, and while i’m not restricting by pack, i am tweaking things here and there if something’s missing or needs a little adjustment.

because this is a modded save, i’m also layering in details like custom lot traits, dress codes, and multi-functional venues. i use a mod to sort sims into world regions too—no more seeing bob pancakes taking a leisurely stroll through sulani. some areas will share townies, like oasis springs, strangerville, and ciudad enamorada, but others will stay more contained.

i’ll be giving all the maxis sims makeovers, adding in gallery households, and creating plenty of my own. this save will eventually be the home for all of my legacies and challenges, and while i might not be able to share it because of mods + cc, i still want to document the process here—to keep myself motivated and maybe even inspire someone else.

i’ve finished willow creek and started over on oasis springs after my computer crashed and wiped it all (rip). i might start hopping around a bit depending on the legacy i’m working on, but i’m really excited to see it all come together.

#sims 4 community #sims 4 #sims 4 save file #plumdrop save

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mostlysignssomeportents · 2 years ago

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Portraits of Queen West

Tomorrow (September 14), I'm hosting the EFF Awards in San Francisco. On September 22, I'm (virtually) presenting at the DIG Festival in Modena, Italy.

Portraits of Queen West is Kevin Steele's extraordinary photo-book, a work of "sequential art" featuring time- and space-series of a single – rather glorious – stretch of Toronto's Queen Street West:

https://crowdfundr.com/queenwest

Steele himself is as extraordinary as his book. I first ran into him through Mackerel Multimedia, the pioneering Canadian multimedia shop that he co-founded in the early 1990s – one of those art-school kids who discovered the Mac, fell in love with the radical possibilities of digital art, and changed the world:

https://craphound.com/nonfic/mackerel.html

Steele's pioneering work – in Hypercard, then CDROMs, then Flash – helped define the look-and-feel of the old, good internet; an urbanist feel that owed a debt to Toronto's most beloved adopted urbanist, Jane Jacobs. Steele and Mackerel made things that were beautiful and human-centered, human-scaled and human-adaptable.

Not for nothing, Hypercard presaged the web's critical "view source" affordance, which allowed people to copy, modify, customize and improve on the things that they found delightful or useful; this affordance was later adapted by other human-centered projects like Scratch, and is a powerful tonic against enshittification.

Mackerel didn't survive the first great multimedia mass-extinction, but it launched the careers of a whole generation of talented web-writers and builders, and not just its former employees, but also the millions who were touched by its work.

I haven't seen Steele in person in decades, but I follow his work – not as a multimedia artist, but as an urban photographer. Kevin and I follow each other on Flickr – the once great and great again photo-sharing site that survived decades of abuse from Yahoo and Verizon before being taken indie and rescued by the Smugmug folks.

Back in November 2010, Kevin started posting photos of individual storefronts on Queen Street West to Flickr. They were painstakingly labeled and dated, and they multiplied. By the end of the year, there were a couple dozen of them:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-posted-desc&safe_search=1&tags=queenstreetwest&user_id=92518741%40N00&view_all=1&min_upload_date=1073368800&max_upload_date=1294552799

A year later, there were hundreds:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-posted-desc&safe_search=1&tags=queenstreetwest&user_id=92518741%40N00&view_all=1&min_upload_date=1073368800&max_upload_date=1326088799

Today, there are over 1,200 of these:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-taken-desc&safe_search=1&tags=queenstreetwest&user_id=92518741%40N00&view_all=1

Now, I know Queen Street West very well. It was once one of Toronto's most bohemian neighborhoods, where my paternal grandfather's fellow refugee Benny Yacht has his schmata shop and where my maternal grandfather took my mother and her siblings to trade in their comics for credit at cramped, crammed used bookstores.

I discovered Queen West as a pre-teen, thanks to Bakka Books – now Bakka Phoenix – the oldest science fiction bookstore in the world. I haunted Bakka, and, on the way, found myself drawn into the other stores around it:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/doctorow/48476314831/in/photolist-2gRFMvz-2oJJDCY

There was Silver Snail, a massive comics shop, but a bounty of used bookstores, vintage clothing stores, thrift shops, the indescribably great electronics store Active Surplus and, later, nightclubs like the Rivoli, the Diamond, the Bovine Sex Club and the Zoo Bar.

For a critical decade of my life and more, the stretch of Queen Street that Steele obsessively documented in his Flickr feed had been the center of my life. I watched it thrive and grow – and then collapse into a kind of self-parody, as the original landlords (like Bakka's landlord) died, and their failsons and faildaughters kicked out longstanding tenants and replaced them with multinational "brands" that turned Queen West into a less-convenient, open-air version of the sterile Eaton Centre mall.

Steele, it turns out, was having similar feelings of dismay as the organic, grown, chaotic delight became groomed, sterile and homogenized. After a 2008 fire wiped out an entire block of Queen West – including Duke's Cycle, a city institution that eventually shuttered after more than a century of service – Steele began his documentation project.

Steele had started documenting the street in 2001, but that fire turned a hobby into a project. Over and over again, Steele returned to the street, meticulously photographing the same storefronts, capturing a time-series that eventually spanned 16 years, from 2001-2017. Steele gradually stitched these photos together into panoramic collages, reproducing whole blocks:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-taken-desc&safe_search=1&tags=linearpanorama&user_id=92518741%40N00&view_all=1

It is these "linear panoramas" that form the backbone of Portraits of Queen West. The book runs 162 pages, and it meant to be read forwards and backwards – start from the front cover and turn the pages to see the north side of the street, along with insets showing details (like the storied Graffiti Alley), and then flip the book over and start again, seeing the south side.

For more than a decade, I've thrilled to my unexpected trips through Steele's time-machine, as he posted his space-and-time-series images of a vanished urbanism, an old, good city that paralleled the old, good web. I got a peek at a PDF of the new book that collects these extraordinary image and immediately pre-ordered a copy.

Steele and his publisher Black Eye Books are crowdfunding presales of the book on Crowdfundr; the book is CAD40 with shipping (there's also a deluxe edition at CAD55, which comes with a signed bookplate and six postcards):

https://crowdfundr.com/queenwest

After a string of ghastly mayors – each finding new depths of depravity, selfishness and mismanagement to plumb – Toronto just elected its first progressive mayor in a generation, the wonderful Olivia Chow, for whom I used to ring doorbells support of her city council campaigns:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/27/olivia-chow-wins-election-as-torontos-first-chinese-canadian-mayor

Anything that can't go on forever eventually stops. The enshittification of the old, good web continues apace, but there has never been more energy to build a new, good internet – and banish the enshitternet of Big Tech to the scrapheap of history.

In the same way, Toronto's much eroded urbanism, pluralism and liveability are both at their lowest ebb in my lifetime – and also at their most hopeful moment of the century. In 1998, the dead-eyed Romneyoid Premier of Ontario Mike Harris "amalgamated" Toronto with its suburbs, putting it at the mercy of car-addled out-of-towners in an act of gerrymandering that all-but-guaranteed that city residents' political choices would be swamped by suburbanites who could be convinced to vote for laughable Tory bumblefucks like Rob Ford.

Overcoming the gerrymander required a massive turnout – not merely a supermajority, but an ultramajority of politically motivated, organized, committed, pissed off Torontonians; Chow's election is a minor miracle that part of the wave of other historic reversals, like the DoJ awakening from its coma to drag Google into court on antitrust charges.

We are a long way away from making a new, good internet that's a worthy successor to the old, good internet, and at least as far from a new, good Toronto that the people of the old, good Toronto would have built but for Tory wreckers and the Christmas-voting turkeys who elevated them to office. But both are possible – and both demand that we fight for them.

Steele's beautiful photodocumentary of one slice of that old, good city doesn't just memorialize the world we lost – it is inspiration for a world that is ours to win.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/13/spadina-to-bathurst/#dukes-cycle

EFF Awards, San Francisco, September 14

#pluralistic #books #gift guide #photography #urbanism #toronto #kevin steele #mackerel multimedia #canada #queen street west

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wordpresslover · 6 months ago

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How to Enable Auto-Sync Photos from Dropbox to WordPress?

Managing media files and keeping them organized on your WordPress website can be a daunting task. Dropbox users can now simplify this process with the powerful File Manager for Dropbox (Integrate Dropbox plugin), which allows seamless auto-synchronization of your Dropbox folders with your WordPress site. Whether you're uploading photos, videos, or documents, this plugin ensures your content is always up-to-date and easily accessible. Here’s how you can get started:

What is Integrate Dropbox?

File Manager for Dropbox (Integrate Dropbox) is a WordPress plugin designed to sync your Dropbox content directly to your WordPress pages, posts, or media library. This plugin makes it easy to:

Upload images, videos, or files from Dropbox to your WordPress site.

Auto-sync shared folders for real-time updates.

Showcase Dropbox content on your website without the hassle of manual uploads.

By automating the synchronization process, Integrate Dropbox saves time and improves efficiency for bloggers, photographers, businesses, and anyone managing a WordPress site.

Who Benefits from the Integrate Dropbox Plugin?

Photographers: Automatically sync and display photo albums on your portfolio site.

Content Creators: Keep your website updated with the latest files, presentations, or videos.

Businesses: Share brochures, product catalogs, and documents seamlessly with your clients.

Using the Integrate Dropbox Plugin, you can seamlessly upload photos to your website in real time by creating a Dropbox folder and embedding it on your site using a shortcode. This functionality is perfect for events like photo booths at Christmas or New Year’s parties, where you want the latest uploads to be visible instantly.

How to Auto-Sync Photos from Dropbox to WordPress

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Step 1: Install and Activate the Integrate Dropbox Plugin

Download and install the Integrate Dropbox Plugin from the WordPress Plugin Directory.

Activate the plugin from the Plugins section of your WordPress Dashboard.

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Step 2: Connect Your Dropbox Account

Go to Settings > Integrate Dropbox in your WordPress admin panel.

Click Connect Dropbox Account.

Authorize the connection by logging in to Dropbox and allowing the app access.

Step 3: Create a Dropbox Folder for Uploads

Create a new folder named, for example, Event Photos.

Share the folder with your event team or photographers, allowing them to upload photos in real time.

Step 4: Sync the Dropbox Folder with Your Website

In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to the Integrate Dropbox section.

Click Shortcode Builder and select Gallery or Slider Carousel module.

Choose the Dropbox folder (Event Photos) you created earlier.

Customize display settings like layout, style, and auto-refresh interval.

Copy the generated shortcode.

Why Use the File Manager for Dropbox Plugin?

Here are a few reasons why Dropbox users find this plugin invaluable

Effortless Media Management: Say goodbye to manually downloading files from Dropbox and re-uploading them to WordPress. With auto-sync, your Dropbox content is always mirrored on your site.

Real-Time Updates: Any changes made in your Dropbox folder are automatically reflected on your WordPress site. This feature is particularly useful for shared folders, ensuring collaboration is seamless.

Streamlined Image and Photo Uploads: Photographers and content creators can easily showcase their work by syncing their image folders directly to WordPress. No need for duplicate uploads or tedious file management.

Embed Dropbox Content: Display Dropbox files in a visually appealing format on your WordPress posts and pages, perfect for portfolios, galleries, or downloadable resources.

Customizable Settings: Configure folder synchronization, access permissions, and display preferences to meet your specific needs.

Wrapping Up

File Manager for Dropbox plugin simplifies your workflow and eliminates the hassle of manual uploads, making it the perfect solution for Dropbox users who rely on WordPress. To learn more about this plugin and its features, visit the plugin directory or explore the settings after installation.

Start syncing your Dropbox folders today and elevate your WordPress site to the next level!

#dropbox #web development #wordpress #wordpress plugins #plugin #lms #webdesign #web hosting #Youtube

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virtualtreepeach-blog · 8 months ago

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InfinityBiz Replaces Dozens Of Expensive Paid Platforms

A Revolutionary AI Powered Suite That Stops You From Paying Bully Platforms

For Storage, Autoresponder, Video Hosting, E-learning Site, Funnel Builder And Website Builder WITH ONE SINGLE DASHBOARD Brand New Al Tech “InfinityBiz” Replaces Dozens Of Expensive Paid Platforms.250+ Proven Sales Funnel Templates Included and Unlimited Funnels, Unlimited Storage, Unlimited Websites, Unlimited Subscribers, Unlimited E-learning sites & Unlimited Video Hosting Replace Expensive Monthly Bully Platforms With One-Time Payment & Save $11,497.91 Each Year

Why Buy InfinityBiz?

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#InfinityBizReview #InfinityBizHonestReview #infinitybiz #infinitybizreviews #InfinityBizSoftware

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tigermike · 1 year ago

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🇺🇲 1948 Tucker Torpedo Model 48 4-door sedan

One of the greatest automobile designer of all time Alexander Sarantos Tremulis

Civil Engineer. He is considered by most as one of the greatest automobile designer of all time. Best known as the sole designer of the ill-fated 1948 “Tucker Torpedo”, he had many other automotive, railroad, aircraft and spacecraft designs to his credit, including the original design for what evolved into today's space shuttle, and very possibly being the inventor of the term "flying saucer".

Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1914. At the age of 19, and without any formal training in art or engineering, he landed a job on the design team for the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company in 1933. Among his projects there were the now famous and classic “Cord 810” and “812” series, as well as a custom Dusenberg roadster having both convertible and hardtop options.

He became Chief Stylist for Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg in 1936 at the age of 22, and remained in that role until the company failed in 1937. He then went to General Motors, and subsequently to Briggs-Le Baron, who was the coach builder for Chrysler at the time. In 1938 he worked for Custom Motors in Beverly Hills before consulting with Crosley and American Bantam in 1939. His designs for American Bantam remained in production until the firm switched over completely to the production of military Jeeps prior to World War II. Tremulis’ next work was on the 1941 Chrysler “Thunderbolt” concept car, and the production Packard “Clipper”. He enlisted in the United States. Army Air Corps after Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. There, he worked on advanced aircraft concepts at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force base), and developed a concept, which in the 1970s became known as the Boeing “Dyna-Soar”, a gliding re-entry space vehicle. This project evolved into the present day space shuttle. Also during his tenure in the Air Corps, he made the first speculative drawings of what extra-terrestrial life forms would use as transportation to visit the Earth.

His concept drawings were the first saucer shaped spacecraft drawings documented. This concept generated much controversy, following which (in 1947) the even more famous Roswell "UFO incident" occurred. Freelance writer Deke Houlgate speculated at a 1990 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) tribute to Tremulis: "Do we have Alex Tremulis to thank for 40 years of speculation over space visitors?" After World War II, he worked with the design firm of Tammen & Denison until Preston Tucker hired him to design the 1948 Tucker “Torpedo”. The radical design was considered by most to be as beautiful as it was innovative, and is unquestionably Tremulis’ masterpiece. The ill-fated car was one of the first ever to adopt rear engine mounting, air cooling, hidden fuel fillers, the precursor to the current cornering lights found on luxury cars (a “cyclops eye” third headlight that turned with the wheels), seat belts, pop-out safety glass, padded interiors and several other innovations.

Even after the demise of the Tucker Motors Corporation, and after Tucker’s acquittal on all counts of fraud, Preston Tucker commissioned him to design a revival intended to debut in the late 1950s as the Tucker “Talisman”. However, Tucker died in 1956 before he could put Tremulis’ design into production. Actor Elias Koteas portrayed Tremulis in Francis Ford Coppolla’s 1988 academy award nominated film “Tucker: A Man and His Dream”. He went on to style for the Kaiser-Frazer automotive company from 1950 to 1952. From 1952 through 1963, he worked as the Chief of Ford Advanced Styling. There, among his projects, he was assigned (in 1957) to “design the car he believed we would be driving in the year 2000.” The result was his design, on paper and a small model, of the Ford X-2000.

The design was so enthralling to one Australian (Andy Saunders) that he actually built a running prototype of the car in 1999 and showed it at car shows in Australia in 1999 and 2000. Among his’ designs was the Gyronaut X-1 streamlined motorcycle, which won the land speed record of 245.66 miles per hour from a 90 horsepower engine at the Bonneville Salt Flats in northwestern Utah in 1966. The Gyronaut got its name from the fact that it was stabilized by gyroscopes. In the 1960s he continued in a consulting role to attempts at automotive world land speed records.

His designs included the "Goodyear Wingfoot Express" (the first rocket powered automobile to reach 520 miles per hour) and the “Green Monster” (which failed to set a record after losing a wheel at approximately 600 miles per hour).

He was commissioned by NASA to submit a design for the lunar rover, though his two-wheeled, gyro-stabilized design was not chosen. Among Tremulis’ last designs were the 1978 to 1987 Subaru “Brat” and the Subaru “X-100”, a three-wheeled, 150 miles per-gallon concept car. He was a frequent contributor to “Road and Track” Magazine, and was elected to the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1982. He died in 1991, after suffering several strokes, one of which had blinded him.

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jcmarchi · 1 year ago

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10+ Excellent Web Design Tools & Resources to Use in 2024 - Web Design Ledger

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/10-excellent-web-design-tools-resources-to-use-in-2024-web-design-ledger/

10+ Excellent Web Design Tools & Resources to Use in 2024 - Web Design Ledger

It’s a New Year, but one thing hasn’t changed. The number of web design resources and tools just keeps on increasing. That’s a good thing. But it does make it that much more difficult to find a theme, plugin, or resource you really have a need for if you are to stay abreast of or leapfrog the competition.

We are in a position to make your search easier. Much easier in fact. We reviewed and tested web design tools & resources we believe many users, designers, and developers have a genuine need for. The types we believe to be essential, and that you will see in our final list of 15 are:

website builders for building landing pages and multiple-page websites quickly, easily, and without any need for coding.

WordPress plugins that can incorporate potentially game-changing functionalities, that are challenging to design, into websites.

WordPress themes for building complex and high-conversion rate websites and online stores.

Vector illustrations that can give a website a whimsical or entertaining aspect.

font identifiers to identify and provide access information to a “must have” font or fonts.

A majority of the web design resources and tools in the following list have a free or trial version:

What are a few of the important attributes these Excellent Web Design Tools & Resources for Designers and Agencies share?

They look premium. There is something about a top tool or resource that makes you wish you had acquired it a long time ago, e.g., how enjoyable it is to use.

They are intuitive. From signing up, to downloading, using, cancelling, and anything in between, everything needed is placed precisely where it should be.

They add real value. They facilitate getting more and higher paid assignments by helping you deliver web design projects faster, making your final deliverables more attractive, or both.

15 best web design Tools & Resources for Designers and Agencies

To help you in your research, we’ve included top features, customer average grade on non-biased platforms such as Trustpilot, Capterra or WordPress.org, and client feedback.

Ready? Then let’s get started.

1. Brizy Builder™

Brizy is the best website builder for Agencies, Designers, and anyone else in need of a White Label solution.

Brizy’s top feature is without a doubt its 100% customizable White Label solution that allows its users to add their own branding, including the builder name, builder logo, domain URL, support link, about link, and project subdomain.

Brizy Builder’s library of demo/template/prebuilt websites is also highly popular with its users. Soulful and Cuisine is one of the 5 most downloaded pre-built websites. It is attractive and inspirational, and while it provides an ideal foundation for a restaurant or bistro, the layout can be used for other service-oriented website types as well.

There’s more to like as well. New users quickly become aware of Brizy’s intuitiveness, and their ability to edit any type of content in place. Many competing builders force their users to create their content in a disjointed sidebar. That’s not the case with Brizy.

Customer Average Grade: 4.6/5 on Trustpilot

Client Feedback: “I am amazed by my experience with Brizy. The tool is easy to use, and the support is one of the best I have ever experienced. Fast replies and my contact really went the extra mile in helping me solve my problem. I can only recommend Brizy to everyone who’s looking to build their own website”!

Instant Support Materials: Documentation, Brizy Academy, Useful Blog Posts and YouTube videos

View the Builder

2. Trafft – Booking Software

The Best Free Scheduling Online Software Solution for Business Owners.

Flexibility is always important when selecting a theme or plugin. The top feature of this software solution is the ability to operate in a wide range of languages because of its powerful Multilingual Notifications System.

This user favorite:

facilitates the effective management of appointments and events using email, SMS and/or WhatsApp messages.

keeps users informed about the status of appointments or events.

offers custom notifications that enable users to tailor alerts for specific services or events.

The library of prebuilt websites also plays a significant role in making working with Trafft a pleasant experience. The Career Mastery Coaching prebuilt website illustrates what an effective event booking system might look like.

Key features users notice once they start using Trafft include easy backend and frontend interface navigation and the power the customization options bring to the table.

Web developers and digital design agencies can be expected to be more than pleased to discover that Trafft offers a White Label option.

Customer Average Grade: 5 stars on Capterra

Client Feedback: “ I love that Trafft has so much included – and that you can customize literally everything, including the email & SMS notification wording (which is a big deal for me since I like communications to be in my brand voice).”

Support Materials: Trafft’s ticketing system. Support manual, YouTube videos, social media, and email.

View the Booking Solution

3. wpDataTables -The Best Tables & Charts WordPress Table Plugin

wpDataTables offers an ideal solution for businesses and individuals who need to create tables and charts.

The wpDataTable plugin’s top feature, its Multiple Database Connections capability, represents a data management breakthrough by empowering every table to become a data hub that can pull information from different databases or servers.

By simplifying data management tasks, wpDataTables allows its users to create custom, responsive, easily editable tables and charts with ease. A bookseller could probably put this Responsive Catalog Table with Books to good use.

Features new wpDataTables users will discover include:

an abundance of useful functionality wrapped in an intuitive package.

the ability to adroitly manage complicated data structures.

wpDataTables also supports separate connections for working with specialized database systems and features chart engines for displaying data for marketing, financial, and environmental uses.

Customer Average Grade: 4.5/5 pm WprdPress.org

Client Feedback: “WpDataTables is an excellent WordPress Plugin. What you are able to accomplish with this plugin is nothing short of amazing. Their support is even better! Highly, highly recommend using this product and supporting this company.

I have tried different utilities for creating charts out of a series of CSV files I use for weather data, but it has been a hassle until I discovered wpDataTables which does exactly what I need. Very user friendly and versatile. And it also understands that there are other standards for date, decimal, and time apart from the Americas.”

Instant Support Materials: Support manual, the Facebook community, and YouTube videos

View wpDataTables

4. Uncode – Creative & WooCommerce WordPress Theme

Uncode is the #1 WordPress and WooCommerce theme for creatives, professional designers, and agencies looking for an ideal solution for any project.

While Uncode’s ensemble of website building tools and options would seem to more than justify its popularity, most of its users say the demo library is its #1 feature. The demos not only exhibit exceptional attention to detail but have proven to be excellent sources of inspiration as well.

Uncode’s classic Web Experiences is one of the 5 most downloaded demos. Just imagine what you could do with it.

New users are impressed with the value inherent in Uncode’s demos and wireframes, the level of customization, and the top-notch customer support.

Uncode’s principal users are:

Agencies and Freelancers, because of the multitude of options that cover the needs of every customer or client.

Shop creators, who can easily make effective use of Uncode’s advanced WooCommerce features.

Customer Average Grade: 4.89/5

Client Feedback: “I have used Uncode on 6+ websites now, and it’s absolutely my go-to theme! The features, quality, and customer support are outstanding. The developers do an incredible job of keeping the theme up to date and stable, constantly implementing new features and optimizing the theme. A solid product with great documentation and responsive support team. Kudos!”

Instant Support Materials: Support manual, Facebook groups, YouTube videos

Purchase the Theme

5. LayerSlider – Best WordPress Slider Builder Plugin

LayerSlider, the top-rated WordPress slider plugin, empowers web designers to effortlessly enhance websites and make them truly shine.

LayerSlider’s scroll effect has emerged as its top feature. You can find it prominently displayed in the recent batch of full-size hero scene and whole website templates. Scroll through the Flavor Factory pre-built web page and see how easy it can be to use LayerSlider to help capture and engage visitors.

LayerSlider easily accommodates a range of uses, from creating simple sliders or slideshows to sprucing up your site with captivating animated content.

Newer users appreciate:

LayerSlider’s customizable interface that suggests the plugin was created specifically for their use only.

easy access to millions of stock photos and videos plus other integrated online services.

the Project Editor that ensures that what you need is right where you need it.

LayerSlider also really shines when there is a need to create content for marketing purposes. Marketers are impressed with the mind-blowing effects that can be incorporated into their popups and banners.

Client Feedback: “A fantastic slider plugin with regular updates to make sure compatibility is never a problem. Keep up the amazing work!”

Support Materials: Product manual, In-editor help, support tickets, and email.

Preview LayerSlider

6. Amelia – WordPress Booking Plugin for Appointments and Events

Amelia is the best WordPress plugin for Agencies and Businesses in need of a streamlined booking solution.

The automated notifications system is Amelia’s top feature. Users could tell you how easy it was to categorize and position appointments as pending, approved, cancelled, rejected, or rescheduled. Special notices such as upcoming events or birthday congratulations can also be forwarded via the notifications system to assist clients and enhance their loyalty.

Amelia offers a number of templates that can be customized to help businesses grow. Yoga Studio is a notable example of how a template can be put to use to advertise a business.

Those new to Amelia could tell you about:

the ease of navigation they discovered, the innovativeness exhibited in the backend and frontend interfaces, and its functionality and user-friendly design.

the value its transparent pricing policy offers.

the extent of the customization options.

The Amelia plugin offers an ideal booking solution for service-oriented businesses including those specializing in ticket sales and/or events. Programming agencies and developers could also profit from having Amelia in their design toolkits.

Customer Average Grade: 4.8 on Capterra

Client Feedback: “Great plugin, I have tested similar, but Amelia seems to be the best for my site, I have many customers through the site, and everybody is satisfied with this appointment system. Sometimes there are a few bugs but quickly corrected through regular updates. Globally very good notation.”

Instant Support Materials: YouTube videos, Discord Group, and Support Manual

View Amelia

7. WhatFontIs

The most powerful and accurate free font identifier.

This tool’s top feature is its accuracy. WhatFontis users have a 90%+ chance of finding whatever free or licensed font they want identified.

No other system can claim that accuracy, and most of them charge a fee for whatever service they provide. It is worth noting that the ability of WhatFontis to identify a given font correctly can be compromised if the quality of the submitted image is subpar, and that is what accounts for some of the roughly 10% of missed identifications.

WhatFontis can do what it does best in part because of its database of 990K+ free and commercial fonts. This is nearly 5 times as many fonts as that attributed to the nearest competitor.

Whether the goal is to identify a specific font sent by a client, or simply because it is attractive, a customer wants to know what it is and where to find it. A search can be conducted for a font regardless of its publisher, producer, or foundry.

The process is as easy as can be.

Upload a clean font image.

In response, an AI-powered search engine identifies the font and as many as 60 close neighbors.

Links are provided that show where a free font can be downloaded or where a commercial font can be purchased.

Note: Cursive font letters must be separated before being submitted.

Client Feedback: “I came across this website courtesy Google search, used their services successfully; and today I find out it’s on product hunt! If you are ‘driven’ by the need to discover what font ‘that person/ company’ uses, then this should be your go-to solution site. For most of us it would be a once in a blue moon need, except for the professionals.”

Types of Instant Support Materials: User Forum

View WhatFontis

8. Slider Revolution – More than just a WordPress Slider

Slider Revolution is the best WordPress plugin for Designers, Web Developers and anyone seeking a way to create jaw-dropping animated sliders.

This plugin’s top feature is the ability it gives to its users to visually create stunning animated effects for WordPress.

The Slider Revolution plugin is not limited to creating sliders. It can be used to:

create stunning home pages that immediately engage its visitors.

create portfolios that will be viewed a second, or third, time because of the method of presentation.

design eye-catching sections anywhere on a website.

A stroll through Slider Revolution’s library of 250+ templates may be all that’s necessary if you need a little inspiration to get started. These templates have been 100% optimized for different screen configurations and feature special effects you won’t see on most websites. The Woodworking Website template for example, makes clever use of the hover effect to highlight both text and images. The layout itself can be used for a wide variety of website types or niches.

The Slider Revolution plugin is tailor made for individual web designers and developers, web shops, and small agencies.

Customer Average Grade: 4.6/5 on Trustpilot

Client Feedback: “I absolutely love the Slider Revolution. It does wonders for my projects. I am super excited about all of the templates that are ready for use. Their support has been incredible”.

Instant Support Materials: Support Manual, YouTube videos

View the Plugin

9. Getillustrations – Creative Stock Illustrations Library

The best resource for designers who are looking for top quality illustrations with terrific attention to detail.

Getillustrations’ top feature is three things in one; 21,500+ vector illustrations, free updates for one year, and new illustrations added every week. In other words, once you get started, good things keep coming your way!

You will have 40+ nicely arranged categories to select from. Most categories have several hundred illustrations, a few have more than 1,000.

These illustrations appeal to clients ranging from students and businesses to designers and developers. You’ll find pencil and basic ink illustrations, several 3D illustration categories, and fitness, logistics, and ecology illustrations to name but a few, and since they are exclusive to Getillustrations you will have an edge over those using other stock illustration resources.

You can purchase illustrations by the pack if you choose to. The Motion Illustrations pack is one of the larger ones with 1,090 vector web illustrations at latest count .These Motion illustrations feature a diverse range of themes, each of which makes a statement.

Client Feedback: “I really like the different styles available in this library. I used it to illustrate some of my blog posts. Since you get vector files, you can also recolor them to have them match your brand and product identity!”

Support Materials: Vector stock illustrations in .Ai .Figma .PNG and .SVG

View Getillustrations Offerings

10. Mobirise AI Website Builder

The best tool for creating and downloading full page websites using prompt commands only.

The Mobirise AI website builder is a revolutionary tool that uses intelligent algorithms to generate beautiful websites. Its top feature enables its user to generate a website using a single prompt.

The super-intuitive single prompt interface makes Mobirise AI an ideal choice for anyone looking for a simplistic yet efficient design approach.

Describe in detail what your site is all about, and this AI website builder will take your data and through the use of intelligent algorithms auto-generate a basic layout.

Once that is accomplished you can use prompts to customize style, colors, fonts, etc., and edit pre-generated content to suit your needs.

When you have the beautiful, optimized for Google and mobile devices website you want you can launch it with a single prompt.

Note: Even though Mobirise AI does much of the work, you retain full ownership of your website.

Client Feedback: “The AI website builder was astonishingly intuitive. What I appreciated the most was the seamless drag-and-drop interface which allowed me to position elements anywhere on my site. The AI’s design recommendations saved me hours of second-guessing my layout choices. Not to mention, the automatic SEO feature was a godsend–it optimized my site without me having to learn the complex ins and outs.”

Instant Support Materials: Support Manual, User Forum, YouTube Videos

View the AI Website Builder

11. XStore – Best WooCommerce WordPress Theme

XStore is the best WooCommerce theme for anyone looking to quickly build a high-converting online store.

XStore is obviously tailored for use by shop owners and prospective shop owners who seek an online presence. While the selection of ready-made stores (pre-built websites) has always been highly popular, the recently introduced selection of Sales Booster features has emerged as the top favorite.

New users soon come to appreciate the Builders Panel and the intuitive XStore Control Panel, both of which give them the store-building and customization flexibility needed to create the custom store they envision.

They also like the solid start XStore’s pre-built websites make possible. The layout of the Marseille prebuilt website is an excellent example of why it’s possible for a novice to get a store up in running in a few hours.

XStore doesn’t stop there. Its users have instant access to the powerful family of Single Product, Checkout, Cart, Archive Products, and 404 Page Builders; all favorites of shop owners.

Customer Average Grade: 4.87/5

Client Feedback: “I love this theme! There’s a wider learning curve to go through before getting a hang of the features, but the overall versatility and aesthetic factor is excellent.”

Instant Support Materials: Support Manual, YouTube videos

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12. Blocksy – Premium WooCommerce WordPress theme

Blocksy is the best free WordPress theme for building attractive, lightweight websites in 2024.

There doesn’t appear to be much about Blocksy that its users don’t love. Consequently, when it comes to identifying this premium WooCommerce WordPress theme’s top feature, there’ s a 4-way tie.

Blocksy’s footer and header builders are super-user friendly.

Gutenberg support ensures top performance.

Developers love the advanced hooks and display conditions.

Everyone appreciates seamless WooCommerce integration together with its associated features.

And on top of it all, Blocksy is free!

Several of the things new users quickly recognize is that Blocksy:

uses the latest web technologies.

provides exceptional performance.

integrates easily with the most popular plugins.

Cosmetic is a beautiful, meticulously crafted starter site with a pleasant design that lets products take center stage. While centered on beauty products, its layout can be used for a wide variety of website niches. Cosmetic is one of the 5 most commonly used starter sites.

Customer Average Grade: 5/5 on WordPress.org

Client Feedback: “Blocksy is fast and light, responsive and beautiful. Blocksy has nothing superfluous and has everything you need. I love Blocksy, and Blocksy loves me.”

Instant Support Materials: A readily accessible Documentation Section, Support Manual, YouTube videos. Facebook Group

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13. Total WordPress Theme

Total is the best WordPress theme for web designers and developers seeking the flexibility required to design from-scratch.

Total’s top feature is its seemingly unlimited flexibility. Its assortment of design tools and options makes it a Swiss Army knife of website design and is one reason its name is so appropriate. A well-deserved reputation for amazing support also tends to set Total apart.

Not long after becoming acquainted with Total, its users could tell you about a number of things they discovered and like including the fact that:

Total has settings for everything, tons of page building options, a font manager, custom post types, and more.

Total is speed optimized.

Total provides dynamic templates for posts and archives.

Total’s pre-built website collection is another favorite. Synergy’s minimalistic design lends itself to a wide range of uses and is one of the 5 most widely used pre-built websites.

Total is tailored for beginners, developers, and DIYers. Advanced designers like Total as well, and for all intents and purposes, anyone else will too.

Customer Average Grade: 4.86/5

Client Feedback: “I have been using Total for several years now for several (10+) websites. Out of the box it’s already a great theme and very well documented. Some websites required specific functionality and so far, there was nothing I couldn’t provide. If I can’t figure it out myself, support is always willing to help. I don’t need another theme anymore.”

Instant Support Materials: Support Manual

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14. Essential Grid – WordPress Gallery Plugin

Essential Grid is the best WordPress Gallery Plugin for businesses who want to capture visitors’ attention with breathtaking galleries.

Essential Grid is the best WordPress Gallery Plugin for anyone who wants to create a unique, attention-getting gallery.

Essential Grid’s library of 50+ unique grid skins is its top feature and is what this WordPress gallery plugin is all about. Why these skins are such a favorite is easy to see. Most web designers and developers would not want to have to take the time to create a gallery from scratch and the grid skins offer an excellent alternative approach.

In addition to making it easier to create a gallery layout you want, it’s also possible you’ll come across a grid skin layout you haven’t even thought possible and can’t wait to put into use. The YouTube Playlist layout for example shows how the hover effect can transform a seemingly run-of-the-mill gallery into a real attention getter.

Essential Grid’s users will tell you how much of a time saver this plugin can be, and how effective it is at helping them organize their content streams.

Customer Average Grade: 4.7/5 on Trustpilot

Client Feedback: “I have to say that the level of support I received is definitely one of the best I have ever experienced. Big thumbs up!”

Instant Support Materials: Support manual and YouTube videos

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15. WoodMart – WordPress WooCommerce Theme

WoodMart is the best WooCommerce theme for niche ecommerce design.

Just a glance at the WoodMart website is enough to grab your attention. Woodmart’s top feature, super-realism, pops right out at you. The custom layouts for shop, cart, and checkout pages are so well done that it’s easy to forget where you are and start window shopping.

There is plenty more to about WoodMart too, for example:

A multiplicity of available design options.

Easy customization to fit the brand.

The time-saving Theme Settings Search and Theme Settings Performance Optimization features.

Widely used “Frequently Bought Together”, “Dynamic Discounts”, and social integrations options.

WoodMart also has a White Label option.

Finding the most popular demos isn’t easy since most of them enjoy lots of usage. WoodMart Organic Baby Clothes is one of the 5 most downloaded demos.

Customer Average Grade: 4.93/5

Client Feedback: “This theme is perfect. It has all the options you can imagine and tooltips to help you understand what you are about to change. It’s fast out of the box and makes a great use of Elementor. Great responsive design.”

Instant Support Materials: Support Manual and YouTube Videos

View the Theme

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Do you see one or more web design resources and tools you would like to add to your toolkit? It would certainly be easier than having to sift through hundreds on your own. That is why we did the vetting process for you. You still will want to preview those that interest you and try them out if possible. The free ones are of course for the taking.

What will you be looking for? These 15 excellent web design tools & resources have several characteristics in common. Characteristics that are necessary to be considered as “best-in-class”. Those characteristics are as follows.

Plugins, themes, and resources are easy to install or set up and are user friendly.

They give your website an edge in terms of design, functionality, or visitor appeal; or all three.

Customer support is friendly, fast, and competent.

They allow you to test the product for free. Or give you enough information to ensure that won’t end up feeling like the product you purchased is markedly different from the one you saw advertised.

Check out any or all of the 15 best web design tools and resources you believe you could put to good use. Test them out if you can and either add them to your toolkit or write them off.

Are you done? Not really. Since there are many new web design tools & resources coming into the marketplace every day, some of which might offer greater opportunities, your search will never really end.

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