What's the Rumpus?
Friday 13.JAN.06
As promised, our folio just got a little brighter with the addition of the SightReach® Surgical online catalog and web presence for DC's sight saving International Eye Foundation. Those unflappable P.R. project managers at i:Avalanche found a backend guru who managed to mold a so-so out-of-the box framework into the flexible, accessible, extensible and infinitely usable catalog, quoting system and maintenance tool we designed for this worthy organization which serves physicians and clinicians throughout the developing world. When good form marries good function the web is a much better place to be. :: reach ::
SUMMER/AUTUMN 2005
Though it pains us that we're unable to throw all of our work throughout the year up here for your perusal and feedback, we are thrilled with the gems we are allowed to show you, such as the latest addition to our web folio, the new International Eye Foundation web site. Working with the stellar project management team of Puerto Rico's i:Avalanche (who also provided our backend genius), we designed and developed this fine DC foundations's web presence, eNewsletters and a fancy new online donations and events ticket purchasing system to help them help the world see. Coming shortly: IEF's SightReach® Surgical program's online catalog, still in the backend tweaking phase. :: see ::
Friday 13.MAY.05
Throughout our 25+ years of media and communications design, we've noticed certain cyclical patterns in what our clients desire. A favorite is the Spring cleaning of company brands and collateral. Always a fine break from our beloved web work, these small but beautiful print facelifts give us the opportunity to stretch our talents, show off our digital artwork in miniature (though at times at billboard size) and challenge us to find unique ways to help our clients get the universal corporate message out, "Our kids need shoes." Take a stroll through the new Spring samples in our printwork folio, then let us know how we can help you to spruce your own garden up. :: till ::
Tuesday 01.MAR.05
The NotLimited folio gets a big shot of beauty and hope of the civic kind this month with the addition of the Representative Hannah Pingree (D. Maine 36th) web site. We're proud of the standards-compliant, fully validating code and the clean, compelling design and layout, but it's the new relationship with a dedicated young woman whose drive to protect (and fight for the rights of) Maine's endangered island and coastal communities that satisfies us most. If Rep. Pingree is indicative of the kind of young American engaging in political and civic action and discourse these days, there just might be hope for our future afterall. :: engage ::
Tuesday 14.DEC.04
Most of our work that you don't read about here is good, solid, reliable and... well... kind of boring. But, we do so love the process. Just as we resigned ourselves closing out 2004 with our collection of solid but quiet duty, along came two Flash projects for beloved return clients. The RRS holiday eCard makes us swoon (and hopefully will touch the lucky 4,000+ recipients as well) and a new moving poem in collaboration with the visual artist of our dreams, Ms. Sandra Payne have been hung in shimmering glory on the branches of the NotLimited folio for your holiday viewing pleasure. Happy holidays! :: flash yourself ::
Thursday 30.SEP.04
We close the month of September off with a final bit of glowing good press from the keyboard of that delightful (South Carolina) The State journalist, Sarah Sabalos. Seems she's taken a shine to our fearless leader's such a pretty face resource of big girl celebration for those fed up with all of the body-hate mongering. We couldn't be more thrilled and are quite taken with Ms. Sabalos ourselves. While you're at The State, be sure to read her excellent Journal From Africa. And, when you return, peruse our folio to try on the little gems the press continues to discover on their own web wanderings. :: jewels ::
Tuesday 21.SEP.04
September is turning out to be the proudest month for NotLimited as we (and our happy clients) reap the praise and benefits of some great press. Much of our work is created for clients who have a lot of taste in a bad economy and could use the assistance of people who can make them look like a million bucks within their shoestring budgets— happily, this is the premise of Carrie Bickner's top-selling Web Design On A Shoestring in which we're featured along with a favorite client project, the Richard Ronco Woodworking site. Thanks to DMX Zone reviews and an online edition in the widely read, authoritative O'Reilly Network Safari Bookshelf, our work (and our clients') is getting around. Sometimes a reputation is a beautiful thing. :: folio ::
Wednesday 01.SEP.04
We've decided to make this an official pre Labor Day holiday thanks to a quiet but prominent nod in recognition of our Director, Leigh Baker Ronco's pet Sleep Furiously project from that model of excellence in new media, the Boston Phoenix, whose appropriately eagle-eyed online editor saw fit to list its launch as a "Headline" on its front page (just above the "Bush Knew He Was Lying About WMDs" story and Vonegut piece, no less). We're just popping our buttons over this one. :: sleep ::
Monday 16.AUG.04
As we move toward the end of a glorious summer, our web folio shines with the redesign of the web site and cyberstore of our favorite courturier to the stars, Peggy Lutz Plus. An online media kit, revamped online fashion zine and positively brimming cyberstore are live, fully standards compliant, easy to use and drop dead gorgeous— much like those PLP fashions! :: shop PLP ::
Monday 12.JUL.04
Spring and Summer 2004 have turned out to be the busiest we've seen in years and so the additions we've made to our web folio have been choice. This time, we're adding a new type of entry— Design mockups including the before and after examples that seem to please so many. Puerto Rico's Casiano Communications has asked us to clean up a few loose ends for them as they tighten their web development division and we're showing you three of our favorite and most dramatic NotLimited web site make-overs as examples of our on-the-fly collaborations. Yes, indeed we do play well with others! :: compare ::
Tuesday 27.APR.04
The birth of a solid, balanced and beautiful brand and corporate ID is cause for celebration at NotLimited this week. Multiply our elation with the addition of a gorgeous new site to our web folio and we're ready to hand out cigars ourselves. Birth In Balance— a midwifery and doula practice in beautiful coastal Maine— gets the NotLimited treatment, and how. :: coo ::
Wednesday 21.APR.04
A quick run through our portfolio of fun projects for diverse clients and causes close to our hearts will vividly illustrate that we absolutely must do the work that we do because we absolutely love the work for its own sake. Our latest addtion is proof that we also choose our clients well. The project included the design and standards-compliant programming of clean and beautiful templates implementing streamlined site and department GUI and navigation to be integrated into new shopping cart software tied into a POS database. The site's almost as fun as Ridge Road Station's 30,000 sq. ft. store. And, we get to keep the RRS hat. :: enthuse ::
Thursday 25.MAR.04
Following hot on the heels of the enormous success of the new Peggy Lutz Plus print Media Kit (a download from our print folio), our freshly uploaded online version has landed Ms. Lutz an appearance and fashion show on the Bay Area's premiere morning broadcast, KRON's The Morning Show— and we're thrilled! The PLP online media kit is quickly becoming the source for fashion industry media professionals looking for information on true plus-size couture, which is why we designed the site to provide as many journalist-friendly features as possible— but quickly and in a fresh, entertaining way. Keep an eye on the PLP site for the growing inclusion of her new NotLimited-designed brand and further NLNYC web work. And again, congratulations Peggy... It couldn't have happened to a hotter designer. :: press plp ::
Wednesday 03.MAR.04
The lovely and talented Carrie Bickner and her fabulously successful book, Web Design On A Shoestring are responsible for many new NotLimited projects, thanks to a wonderful chapter on our beloved creative/managing director, Leigh Baker Ronco. Ms. Bickner's quietly authoritative voice and solid, sound advice about bringing in those monster sites under budget ensure a long and presperous future for this smart, important expert in the field of web and information design. We're delighted with the association! :: read ::
Tuesday 09.DEC.03
A talented and tasteful client has found that his NotLimited-designed site is picking up new business and it's showing. We initially designed the Richard Ronco Woodworking site with simplest of architecture and purest of code to allow future extensibility and cost-effective maintenance. Well, the future is here in the shape of the first of many project case summaries— a photo story and details on a beautiful waterfront camp renovation that was anything but simple. We're proud to report that this is the first of several jobs his NLNYC site has generated and even prouder that he continues to come to us for his site maintenance and additions. :: camp ::
Monday 03.NOV.03
Already wowed by our continuing web work for our favorite couturier to the stars, Peggy Lutz Plus? Well, just check out the new PLP corporate ID and media kit we've just added to our print folio for your ooohing and ahhhing pleasure. We've taken Peggy's image to a subtle, sophisticated level befitting the timelessness of her classic designs and it's getting the attention of some very interesting folks. Ms. Linda Richman has landed PLP the first of many fabulous high-profile runway shows— This time at the 2003 Women's Expo sponsored by Anew Magazine. Congratulations Peggy... This is only the beginning, baby! :: ahhh ::
Wednesday 01.OCT.03
The latest content and massive archive have been added to our gorgeous Southgate site and we have handed over our creation to its owner for maintenance and continued growth. We're proud of this fine example of extensible, easy-to-maintain design and our folio shows it. :: coo ::
Friday 19.SEP.03
We're getting our colleagues into hot water with our new Flash movie for a favorite client. While testing the movie, our colleagues around the world had some fancy explaining to do as to why it was that such passionate and breathless poetry was being sent to them. Just blame Napoleon and Josephine whose letters were excerpted by talented NYC artist, Sandra Payne whose site is a part of our growing online portfolio of web work. :: burn ::
Thursday 10.JUL.03
The Beagle has landed! Our beautiful new site for the oh-so-worthy and talented folks at Park Slope's Beagle Tiles is sitting prettily in our web folio. We'll be finishing up the site during the next 7 days, but just knew you were gagging to get a sneak peek... well, you and those mavens of style and substance at HGTV. Our beloved client (and our site!) will be featured in an upcoming episode of Mission Organization in August and our buttons are popping for them. We'll let you know when the date nears. :: bark ::
Wednesday 28.MAY.03
Our work on a new campaign for a fun new client (the Penobscot County Chapter of United Bikers of Maine) on a small budget begins with the design of a simple, black and white flier announcing their Summer 2003 Bike Show Series. This inspired us to quickly pull together a few of our favorite examples from the hundreds of interesting, inexpensive black and white fliers that have delivered for our clients over the years and pop them into our printwork portfolio for your downloading pleasure. Hopefully this will inspire you, too, to start working on those projects that you thought you couldn't afford. :: fly ::
Friday 04.APR.03
The initial contact from Kaylynn TwoTrees, CEO and President of Santa Fe consulting company, We Becoming requesting that we schedule the design of her new corporate ID, brand and web presence was the beginning of the most rewarding and fulfilling working relationship of our almost 25 years of commercial design. The outcome is an aesthetically pleasing, fully validating, triple-A accessible site that emphasizes this fine company's worthy mission and core integrity. Check back in our printwork folio over the next couple of weeks for their upcoming NLNYC-designed company brochure and collateral. :: become ::
Monday 06.JAN.03
We were completely chuffed when outstanding NYC visual artist, Sandra Payne asked us to redesign her site in preparation for her 2003 launch. She challenged us to create subtle Flash movies to represent her work for her, in her own words, withOUT the use of photographic or visual representations of her mystifying art... shwoo! [CD ROM and accompanying collateral coming soon to our printwork folio.] This means there's movement in our portfolio of stunning sites and a new long-term client on our stellar roster leaving us feeling decidedly optimistic about the coming year. :: revel ::
Monday 09.DEC.02
We've gone mobile! New contact info reflects our new long-term contracts in both the Northwest and Northeast of these fine states, so update your address books accordingly and let us know how we can add value to your company with our extended services and geographical range. :: contact ::
Tuesday 26.NOV.02
What's more exciting than the launch of another new NotLimited-designed site? The launch of another NotLimited-designed site for a return client. Those smart and luscious folks at Peggy Lutz Plus have a brand new face for their extensive and informative company pages that will soon extend to the redesign of their rapidly growing online cyberstore. Take a peek at our web folio for links and description. Congratulations, Peggy! :: dropshop ::
Monday 04.NOV.02
We're giddy and elated at the commission from David Soutgate for the design of his online presence and writer's community. You can view the beautiful pre-launch version in our portfolio since we're finished with the design and are currently awaiting his new content while tweaking the development and code for the final elements before making the whole thing live on his servers. Let Mr. Southgate know what you think while you're oohhing and ahhing, and come to think of it, let us know, too! :: commune ::
Monday 21.OCT.02
Now that it's no longer a simple matter of ethics to make what you publish on the web accessible to all regardless of physical ability or vision-impairment, we decided to put our code where our mouths are. We're a wee bit larger and slower, but we wanted to show you that standards compliance and full-on accessibility doesn't have to be ugly. Pushing the limits of the code within the context of beautiful design is becoming our favorite passtime. You'll find all of the usual suspects within, and a few extra services or two in the company section. Be sure to let us know what you think while you're clicking away on all of those validators at the bottom of every page. :: push ::
Tuesday 01.OCT.02
Another celebration today, this time for the launch of a new and beautifully understated web site for New York's own Joan Stennick, fine artist extraordinaire. We've proudly added her to our continually growing portfolio of stunning, standards-compliant web work for smart clients on tight budgets. Let Ms. Stennick know what you think of her inspiring and moving paintings while you're visiting. :: appreciate ::
Monday 30.SEP.02
Just when you thought the world wide web was finally safe for standards and that your site would be accessible to most of your web audience, here comes progress. AOL, Yahoo!, EarthLink and MSN are currently wrapping up final releases of their proprietary web browsers (available only to those subscribing to their ISP services) promoting their new "features" as broadband-specific. We're still waiting to see where these mega-corps' new enhancements and improvements fall in relation to accessibility and standards, but with their admitted focus on window-dressing, chat-room fluffing and ad enhancement, we're a bit skeptical. :: ponder ::
Wednesday 11.SEP.02
It's always an occasion for celebration at NotLimited HQ when a client site goes live and is added to our stellar portfolio. Today is an extraordinarilly special launch because it represents a new beginning on this important anniversay for a close-to-home client who was hit hard by the events of a year ago today. We celebrate Richard Ronco Woodworking's courage and determination and hope that our small contribution to their success is a fruitful one. :: renovate ::
Thursday 05.SEP.02
Since the release of Apple's latest version of their stellar OSX, our backend tech gods have been cajolling us to make friends with the Command Line. Late this month, those clever folks at TackyShirt.com will be releasing their OSX tutorial video in the form of a 4-disc DVD set that should convince the rest of the Unix world to climb on up to the Mac while popping the hood for old-school Mac heads. Our clients will be benefitting from our learning curve. Oh, and free t-shirts to all who pre-order. :: command ::
Tuesday 03.SEP.02
This terrifying war-time economy has left many of our social justice organization clients in a serious financial pinch as funding is being restricted to the point of budgets being cut by more than half of their pre-9/11 sizes. This week we begin a consulting job for one such organization whose (now ex-) COO's inexperienced son-in-law was hired to "design" their important fund-raising site because: a) his bid was 1/4(!) that of the professional designers' who submitted proposals, and; b) the COO was (rightfully, it turns out) concerned about her daughter's financial future and elected to contract the work to someone she knew to be in need. The fact that we've been hired to clean up the resulting mess is a simple lesson for all of us during these times: buy cheap, buy twice. Inc.Com's 2001 article on choosing a web designer is a frequent reference for our potential clients whose first contacts turn out to be cries for clarity. :: discriminate ::
Monday 26.AUG.02
This morning's Career Journal report from Wall Street Journal correspondent, Mr. Thorne illustrates a disturbing New Media/IT industry trend toward age-bias in hiring and contracting out work. Most unsettling is that many of the HR folks are cloaking their illegal hiring practices with the noble phrase "commitment to diversity" [translation: cheap, young foreign labor]. Read about the candidate that never was. :: read ::
Friday 23.AUG.02
A new word is spreading through the internet community as fast as the loathsome spammers and traffic thieves can publish their misspelled and useless wastes of our time and your company's money: on: cheap, young foreign labor]. Read about the candidate that never was. Scumware. We've found the resource site that pulls all of the links and tools necessary to help stem the tide of internet detritus and theft (and enormous drain on your resources). :: fight ::
Tuesday 20.AUG.02
A few of our clients have written in since our new re-design, suggesting the inclusion of our own coporate ID as an example of our best print work. Never let it be said that we don't listen to our clients. :: flip ::
Friday 16.AUG.02
Keeping it real can sometimes be a painful endeavor. As Mark Bernstein points out in this week's ALA 149 (A List Apart: for people who make web sites), "To be honest with the world, you may need to be honest with your mother; if you cannot face your mother, perhaps you are not ready to write for the world." Oh, dear Mark, do we hear you! 10 tips on keeping your sites fresh and real are making the living web a better place to surf. :: freshen ::
Thursday 15.AUG.02
Yes, kind reader, you read it correctly. Homeland Security is the the label under which companies like Siebel Systems are packaging paranoia for the sale to and consumption of governments. No way could we have made this one up. It's bedtime for democracy, boys. :: gape ::
Wednesday 14.AUG.02
Metropolis Mag Editor In Chief, Susan S. Szenasy's column this month reminds all of us of the almost-forgotten American ideal of inclusion for all. Her thoughful piece has left a strong and inspiring message with us: Even designers can make a difference by creating web sites to standards that enhance accessibility for all. :: include ::
Monday 12.AUG.02
At the request of a potential new social justice organization client, we've added two new sample PDFs to the NotLimited printwork portfolio. Our archives runneth over, so, time permitting, we'll be making further updates and additions over the coming weeks. :: peruse ::
Friday 09.AUG.02
Lovely and talented librarian extraordinaire, Catherine Jones has officially been appointed as the Web Coordinator of The Branch Libraries of NotLimited's favorite client, The New York Public Library. We couldn't be happier for her. Find out how Ms. Jones and others are making your community a better place. :: browse ::
Thursday 08.AUG.02
Christopher Robbins' article, Manage Your Content With PHP offers a simple hands-on tutorial on creating a basic content management system using PHP, CSS and XHTML. We can hear our clients rejoicing worldwide. Yeeha. Published this morning in ALA 148 (A List Apart: for people who make web sites). :: learn ::
Wednesday 07.AUG.02
At last, NotLimited site 2.0 is up and running. Due to your many requests, we've added print samples to our revamped folio (all in PDF format). We've also included a jobs page, hopefully to circumvent the numerous letters we end up writing each week in response to random inquiries. Finally, we've rearranged things a bit to give you a cleaner, faster, more aesthetically pleasing web space in which to consider our wares. Oh, and we're completely standards compliant in XHTML and CSS, now (excluding old web folio entires)... Just like the site we're going to design for you. Right? :: explore ::
Monday 05.AUG.02
As mentioned on our new jobs page, NotLimited is looking for a few good (wo)men. An independent talent agent who can sell our creative services is the geezer of our dreams. This is a commission-only position that pays 12-½% when the client check clears (ie; no close = no cash) and 20% if you do all the hand-holding. If you like our work and know you can sell it, let us know. If we like you and the way you represent, this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. :: inquire ::.