Designs On Fire

Dr. Neal Adrian contacted me from Adrian Environmental and just wanted a few changes to his existing website. The site looked great except for a large gap between the menu items and text content that must have been overlooked by the original designer. I edited the CSS to fix the problem and also added a drop shadow to the page border to help give the site a more 3D feel. 

Adrian Environmental specializes in improving indoor air quality in residential and small commercial facilities and preserving their value by mitigating the effects of excessive moisture originating in the crawl space. They offer indoor air testing, mold removal, air duct cleaning and other services.

As I was working on the site, Dr. Adrian asked a lot of questions about search engine optimization and I was able to give him some pointers on how to improve his site's ranking and increase local, targeted traffic to his website. His site has plenty of well-written, specific content but it was missing header tags and meta information. I updated the site with all the necessary tags and keywords that search engines use to index web pages. I also suggested that he mention specific cities in his local service area, to help people from those areas find the website. In addition, I created a graphical map to highlight East Central Illinois which is now prominiently featured on the home page. The changes I made to the site helped increase traffic from improved rankings in search engines and has helped Dr. Adrian make the Web work for him!

View site: http://www.adrianenvironmental.com

Services offered:

• Custom graphic design
• Web programming
• Search engine optimization
• Google Analytics installation
• ... and plenty of helpful advice!

"We became aware of Kaiti after inquiring about a collegue's web site which she had worked on. We asked her to make some changes to our web site design, and were very happy with the results. In addition, Kaiti had some other productive suggestions for our website which we implemented, including search engine optimization. We noticed a huge improvement in the search engines' ability to find our web site, with most searches making our website one of the first five results. Kaiti did a superb job, paying attention to details, explaining things clearly, communicating regularly on her progress, and completing the job in a timely manner. Our experience with Kaiti was positive and more than met our expectations!"
- Dr. Neal Adrian, Adrian Environmental

Acme Credit Service has been turning idle cash into assets since 1961 in Springfield, Illinois and nationwide. Their existing website was outdated and they needed creative and professional graphic design to help improve their face on the Web. The new site features a content management system, Acme staff can maintain their own site. Credit card and check authorizations are processed through a secure section of the site using an SSL certificate. Other features include a contact form, interactive Google map, placement forms for download and a password protected section for sales contracts. 

Acme Credit Service is pleased with their new look and are proud to offer their web address to potential clients and existing customers.

View site: http://www.acmecredit.com

Features:

• Creative and professional graphic design
• CMS software - Acme staff can edit and maintain their own site
• SSL security for credit card and check authorizations
• Contact form
• Interactive Google map
• Password protected section for sales contracts

RMB Products specializes in custom plastic moldings, assembly and linings for the aerospace industry and other demanding applications. RMB has been leading the industry with innovative solutions since 1963. Their previous website was created by engineering staff and had many great features but lacked in design and usability. They contacted me to create a website using a content management system for easy updates and a fresh, clean look that would appeal to the average user. The new site not only kept all the great features, but has expanded upon them and also compliments their existing corporate image. Tim and the staff at RMB love the new site!

View site: http://www.rmb.com

Features:

• Custom graphic design that compliments their existing corporate identity
• CMS software - RMB staff maintains updates to the site
• Product image slideshows
• Self-service literature downloads in PDF
• Customer satisfaction surveys
• Interactive Google map
• Contact form

For years we have been back burning the continuous improvement to our website until one day we realized that it was nearing a 10 year anniversary. This is not a good thing for any website. We had recently been exploring the latest in content management web design tools and came to the conclusion that we needed to outsource the re-launch of our site. After much searching and interviewing, we found Kaiti through a highly regarded CMS developer and Web host provider. We quickly discovered that Kaiti has the creative professionalism and experience to get our website up to the proper standard for our company. Above and beyond the site development, she also took the time to educate us in the proper maintenance of the website. Our experience with Kaiti was excellent!

Tim Leonard
Production IT
RMB Products

Mattex Service Company has been serving East Central Illinois since 1994 and is a leader in installing, repairing, and servicing heating, cooling, plumbing, ventilation, refrigeration, electrical and commercial kitchen equipment. Their previious website was outdated and after working with an incompentent web designer, they contacted me and needed a functional site with a fresh look to compliment their new marketing campaign. 

The new site is running a content management system which makes it easy for staff at Mattex to sign in to maintain and update their website. Visitors now find a professional website with plenty of information so they can research the service solutions they need. Everyone at Mattex is happy with their website.

View site: http://www.mattexservice.com

Features:

• Custom and professional graphic design
• Content management system
• Employment application in PDF for download
• Monthly newsletters in PDF for download
• Maintenance agreements in PDF for download
• Contact form

 View web portfolio

Viva Rose Photography offers creative photography services in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The owner and photographer, Genevieve Townley contacted me through a mutual colleague when she needed a web site design and development for her new company. She had some great ideas for the site design, it was refreshing to work with another artist. 

The website offers information about Viva Rose Photography services and a flash image slideshow that Genevieve can update and manage from her own PC. She loves the site and can't wait to show off to her clients, friends and family. 

Genevieve is a talented photographer and her site is an online showcase featuring her wonderful gift. 

Check out the website: http://www.vivarosephotography.com

 View web portfolio

The new website for 1 Stop Auto Shop & Collision Center in Springfield, Illinois is live and on the web! It's been ready a while actually, I just haven't had a chance to update this journal. So, without further delay... look at their new website! http://www.1stopautoshopinc.com/

The first thing you'll probably notice is a short commercial video on the homepage. It might be familiar if you've been watching a lot of TV lately. Thanks to the crew and video production experts at Comcast for providing the web-ready video.

The site features plenty of info about 1 Stop service departments, including their Body Shop, Quick Lube & Mechanical services and Fleet Maintenance. Because they have four locations throughout the greater Springfield area, 1 Stop is often misinterpreted as a major chain auto repair company, like Midas or Firestone. Instead, they are a family-owned small business, the About Us page gives the full story. The site also features in-store coupons so visitors browsing the site can preview big savings on oil changes, tires and detailing services.

Need a fresh look? Contact Designs On Fire for a free quote on your design project.

 View web portfolio

Touch of Grey is a local classic rock and blues band in Springfield, Illinois. The name of the band was chosen from the inspiring song by The Grateful Dead. They perform many popular cover songs from the 1950 onward, including songs by BB King, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Tom Petty and many more, as well as their own original music. 

They contacted me and needed a logo and website. I love working with other artists so I was excited about this project.

I met with Doc Glatz and the band for one of their weekly practices to talk with all the band members and get a first-hand experience of their music and style. They ROCK, I was totally amazed by how well they play together. Each musician gives a little piece of their personality to every song, it was a treat to watch and listen such talented artists.

Their new website features plenty of mp3's which start when you visit the home page. There are also plenty of videos and photos of the band. Take a look and a listen, I guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised. View their performance schedule to catch a live show in the Springfield area!

I created their logo and developed the website, Doc Glatz and the band members are all very happy with their new look! We all can't wait to see the t-shirts.

View site: http://www.touchofgreymusic.com

Features:

• Logo design
• Custom graphic design
• MP3 playlists
• Videos
• Google calendar
• Contact form

Check out the first irrigation company Web site in Springfield, Illinois! This family-owned business has been operating in the Springfield area for over 30 years with three generations of the Walker family actively participating in the business. They are very excited about being the first of the irrigation companies in town with an online presence.

Our first meeting was a lot of fun, I enjoyed the opportunity to just talk and hang out with the Walker's. I don't know how it keeps happening but my clients are ALL such wonderfully nice people!

Their new Web site features a showcase of their products and irrigation services and offers helpful answers to frequently asked questions. Potential clients who have questions or need an estimate can send their information through the contact form.

http://www.sprinklawnirrigation.com/

My husband and I took a weekend trip to St. Louis a few weeks ago and our primary reason for the visit was to stop by Bass Pro Shops to pick up some supplies. As we were going inside the store we noticed an interesting group of taxidermy displays and a "Sensory Safari" trailer setup outside the store entrance. I've heard of Safari Club International before so we toured the 70 displays from around the world, then chatted with one of the founding members of the St. Louis chapter of SCI, Martin Wilson. Turns out they needed help with the club's website! Last week I drove back down to St. Louis to attend a monthly club meeting with all the members to learn more about their club and to hear everyone's thoughts about the website. They are a wonderful group of people and even treated my husband and I to dinner. It was great to meet everyone and hear about their hunting adventures!

The new site features a photo gallery where members can share their latest hunting expeditions with the world. It also has an interactive calendar to help everyone keep up with events and monthly meetings. The contact form is handy for people who want to request more information. 

Everyone at SCI loves the new site and they are proud to share it with friends and prospective members of the club!

View site: http://www.sciofgaac.com

Features:

• Custom graphic design
• Rotating image slideshow on home page
• PHP-based photo gallery by Singapore
• Google calendar
• Contact form

"Designs On Fire did an excellent job on our website. Kaiti was very committed to creating a site that best represented our group. She attended meetings and met with officers of our club to understand "who" we were and "what" we did. I would highly recommend her services to anyone looking to improve their image on the web." - Martin Wilson, Safari Club International

I met Kimberly back in 2005 when I was looking for a photographer for my own wedding. She is an amazing photographer and over the years, she has become one of my best friends. Her business is exploding, PhotoFever is the fastest growing photography business in Central Illinois. Her website is a showcase for the thousands of photos she's taken, helping record the most important events of her client's lives.

These days photographers are a dime a dozen but Kimberly stands out in the crowd. Her God-given talent, artistic style and bold inspiration take photography to the next level. She needed a cutting-edge website to captivate visitors and leave a lasting impression. Honestly that was a simple task, her amazing photos make the site!

Kim keeps me busy updating her website, she's always got something going on and new photos for her portfolio. She loves the site and gets tons of business and referrals online.

View site: http://www.photo-fever.com

Features:

• Custom graphic design
• 4 flash photo portfolio sections for weddings, engagements, seniors and children
• Rotating image slideshow on the home page
• Wordpress events blog
• Contact form