(forwarded via Tamie)
Hello!

Once you have registered to login and have been granted the privileges of Contributor, Author, or Editor, you will be able to access the adminstrative section (which WordPress calls the Dashboard) where you can explore the editor and practice composing posts, previewing them as they will appear “online” and, if you have author or editor status, publish them.  Editors can also create and modify web pages as well as blog posts.  The editor is a simplified word processor that is web-aware.  At the top of the edit box you will see some familiar icons that allow you to format text as bold, italic, bulleted or numbered lists, centered, etc.  An interesting one is the “Distraction-Free Editing Mode,” which gives you a full-screen page with no menu bars that looks like your article will appear on the web. Hovering the mouse pointer near the top of the screen will bring up a toolbar to get back to the “dashboard” editor display. “Show/Hide ‘Kitchen Sink'” will display more editing tools, including a “Paste from Word” so you can compose in your favorite word processor and select and paste into the blog editor later, preserving your formatting.

If you want special web effects (tables or additional HTML formatting, like changing type size or font), you can switch from Visual mode to Text mode through tabs at the top of the edit window and type text with HTML tags.  Or, you can save as draft and ask me to “fix” it for you.  If you copy from an email or other document and the result looks strange, you can use the “remove formatting” tool and reformat the content yourself. You can use the “Add Media” button to upload pictures or documents or insert existing media library objects. It may be easier to to insert these into text than to add them as you go, as the cursor won’t go past a picture if it is the last thing in a file (though there is a way to get around this feature, by going into ‘text’ mode, typing some characters after the picture block, then switching back to Visual). When finished, you can preview, save draft, or publish.  If you are just practicing, you can simply click away from the editor page and everything you have written will evaporate.

It is a good idea to “Save Draft” (button on upper right) often in case you lose your Internet connection or you inadvertently click away from the edit page (you can click to a different tab in your browser without losing the page, but don’t forget to come back and save before closing the browser).  Don’t forget to select Format and Categories on the right sidebar before publishing,  While you can update the post after publishing, remember that the original published version is the one that will be emailed to WordPress email subscribers.

I was pleased at the response at the Guild meeting today from members who want to contribute to the web project.  However, I see some confusion about what it means to be registered on the blog site.

On the Blog page, there are two places to register.  One is the “subscribe to blog via email” at the bottom of the right sidebar.  This is what gets you email notification of new posts, and is managed by WordPress.org–I have no record of who has registered, and this simply provides you with email notification only.  However, if you are a Guild member and want to eventually contribute to the web, you must also log in, which is in the “Meta” section above the “subscribe”.  When you click on “Login”, you will be directed to a page asking for your username and password, if you have one.  Below that block is a link to “Register”  If you haven’t previously registered, click on that, then enter your profile, including your full name in addition to your email address.

Since we are configured in “self-service” registration mode, we have a lot of non-guild subscribers, most of them spammers from China and Poland (who have no privileges that the non-subscribing public doesn’t have) some of whom have gmail or hotmail addresses, so the easiest way for me to see which email addresses belong to members is for you to include your name.  You can then send mail to info@olympiaweaversguild.org requesting elevation to “contributor,” “author,”  or “editor,” which will respectively allow you to write articles, publish your own articles, or edit and approve articles written by others and create or edit web pages.

Once you have been granted one of these privileges, you will be able to access the adminstrative section (which WordPress calls the Dashboard) where you can explore the editor and practice composing posts, previewing them as they will appear “online” and, if you have author or editor status, publish them.  Editors can also create and modify web pages as well as blog posts.  The editor is a simplified word processor that is web-aware.  At the top of the edit box you will see some familiar icons that allow you to format text as bold, italic, bulleted or numbered lists, centered, etc.  An interesting one is the “Distraction-Free Editing Mode,” which gives you a full-screen page with no menu bars that looks like your article will appear on the web. Hovering the mouse pointer near the top of the screen will bring up a toolbar to get back to the “dashboard” editor display. “Show/Hide ‘Kitchen Sink'” will display more editing tools, including a “Paste from Word” so you can compose in your favorite word processor and select and paste into the blog editor later, preserving your formatting.

If you want special web effects (like tables or additional HTML formatting), you can switch from Visual mode to Text mode through tabs at the top of the edit window.  Or, you can save as draft and ask me to “fix” it for you.  If you copy from an email or other document and the result looks strange, you can use the “remove formatting” tool and reformat the content yourself. You can use the “Add Media” button to upload pictures or documents or insert existing media library objects. It may be easier to to insert these into text than to add them as you go, as the cursor won’t go past a picture if it is the last thing in a file (though there is a way to get around this feature, by going into ‘text’ mode, typing some characters after the picture block, then switching back to Visual). When finished, you can preview, save draft, or publish.  Don’t forget to select Format and Categories on the right sidebar before publishing,

The newly-augmented program committee is seeking input from members on what programs you would like to see in the coming years.  Please download one of the forms below, fill it in, and bring it to the meeting on Friday, March 15, 2013, email electronic versions to info@olympiaweaversguild.org, or comment to this post (the survey content is below the download section).

PDF:  owg_program_topics_survey (to be filled in by hand)

Word: owg_program_topics_survey (.DOC format, to edit and email; please do NOT save as DOCX format)

Open Document Format: owg_program_topics_survey (for use with OpenOffice or LibreOffice [preferred])

Content: (address comments to these items)

Please indicate your interest in program topics, preferences for artists and subjects, or write in your own. Be as specific as needed, e.g., “Compare weaving software; training on specific software; Weaving with… (silk, linen, wool, synthetics, sock yarn, etc)”

Instructors:

• Guild Members
• Local Artists
• Regional Artists
• National Artists
• Favorites:

Topics:

Weaving:

• Design Software:
• Weave structures:
• Braids and Bands:
• Ergonomics:
• Loom type comparison:
• Off-loom techniques:
• Tapestry:
• Finishing Techniques:
• (write-in):

Garment construction:

Fibers:

• Weaving with specialty fibers:

Dyeing:

Felting:

Spinning:

Basketry:

Favorite Topics:

Indie artists, fine craft come to Seattle’s Smith Cove Cruise Terminal for spring art show

Feb. 16, 2013 – The spring Best of the Northwest 24th annual art and fine craft show will be held March 23rd and 24th at Seattle’s Smith Cove Cruise Terminal on Pier 91 by the Magnolia Bridge.

The show will feature more than 140 talented regional artists selling their amazing handcrafted work – everything from jewelry, designer clothing, and paintings to works of glass, metal, wood, clay and more.

Relax and enjoy locally crafted wines, beers and ciders; Blue Moon Brewing Co. and the Family Wineries of Washington State will be hosting beer, wine and hard cider tastings throughout the two-day festival.
Musical entertainment will be provided by live bands, including bluegrass, Dixieland, Cajun and jazz, featuring local favorites such as gypsy jazz group Pearl Django. Grab a bite to eat and be inspired.

Enjoy drop-dead views of the Sound, the city and the mountains from a lively working dock at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal. Admission is $6 online or $7 at the door. Children 12 and under are free. Ample parking is available for $5 all day. For tickets and more information, visitwww.nwartalliance.com.

Organization:  Northwest Art Alliance, producer of Best of the Northwest
Contact:  Ann-Marie Stillion at annmarie@nwartalliance.com
Office Phone:  (206) 525-5926
Website:  www.nwartalliance.com

Address of venue:  2001 West Garfield Street  Seattle, WA 98119
Show Dates:  March 23 & 24, 2013

Show Times: Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $6 in advance (buy online at www.nwartalliance.com), $7 at the door
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COMPANY:  Northwest Art Alliance — a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation — juries, curates and produces The Best of the Northwest art shows, featuring the works of established and emerging artists and fine craftspeople since 1989.

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The handout for the February 2013 program can be downloaded and viewed  at the link below:

AleutWeaving_OWG_130215

(Adobe Reader or other PDF reader required)