Spotlight at Spirit - examples of good websites

It's often easier for people to understand what makes a website a great one if they can see an example & understand why it's good - so that you can get to know how to make yours the best it can.

This website below is great for a number of different reasons:

• It has used flash (the moving parts of the site) wisely, elegantly, with good timing & to good effect - often people add flash for the sake of it - just to look flashy - but the flash elements here really help to translate the essence of what this website/owner is all about & offers.
• Black/dark backgrounds are notoriously difficult to get right but this one does. It is much more difficult for web users to read writing when on a coloured backgrounds & you need to design for this - here, the pages are short & the writing is blocked into managable chunks for ease of scanning - wonderful!
• It uses accents of more elaborate font (looks like lucida handwriting to me - that's the geek in me talking!) but as images so that they will translate the same in all browsers.
• It is has good simple clear navigation - but still with a hint of individuality (for the most part it uses standard naming for the pages apart from the 'what's up' toolbar option - which is like a little creative twinkle & flash of hipness that is still recognisable as a news/updates page).
• It is one of the only websites I have seen which uses music which seamlessly integrates with the visual elements. Often music feels like an add on - this doesn't at all - you absolutely know that it is an integral part of what this website is all about.
• The content clearly flows from the same essence as this person's work & is engaging & interesting & makes you want to look around the site & be part of what this site offers. The content reflects someone who is bold & confident about what they offer & very comfortable with it & very able to express what their philosophy about life & their work.
• Above all this person's creative essence flows through their website - hallelujah to that! It makes my heart sing every time I see that happen on the web.

I defy you not to be engaged & inspired by this website http://www.gabrielleroth.com/ the music is also superb - go & have a listen for yourself - I just bought these 4 below - fantastic & I'm definitely going to put them on, kick off my shoes, switch off the phone and dance later









(NEW BLOG IS NOW LIVE!!!! We have had so many thousands of hits on this little one since April 29th that we've had to build the expanded blog much quicker than we expected! We will still leave this one up for several weeks, but to take a peek at the new one, just go here http://www.spiritoftheblog.co.uk/ )

message of hope from a beloved artist & author

I found this youtube clip of one of my favourite authors being interviewed & when I feel in need of a lift, I often watch it. I hope it lifts your spirits too. She’s gorgeous.

For years it was horrendously difficult to get hold of her beautiful bestselling book about a little girl who hated her name & grew up next to a tyre factory. They make ideal gifts for anyone (children & grown ups) who struggle with not feeling good enough & encouraging people to dream & look at life in a magical way.

This is the original...



And this is the reprinted version...


(and this little magic page http://www.spiritoftheweb.co.uk/ask.html our web wizards built to get people to practise asking for what they want - health, healing & holistic practitioners are fantastic at giving (often too much) usually, and not so great at asking for help or for what they want - for themselves. so this little page is designed to get you into the habit of asking for what you want - it's confidential, anonymous, use it as often and as many times as you want - and when little miracles and coincidences happen, we'd love to know!)

(NEW BLOG IS NOW LIVE!!!! We have had so many thousands of hits on this little one since April 29th that we've had to build the expanded blog much quicker than we expected! We will still leave this one up for several weeks, but to take a peek at the new one, just go here http://www.spiritoftheblog.co.uk/)