Journal Entries by: Brenda Long

Web Fonts with Animate CC or Flash HTML5

While experimenting with Adobe Animate CC and creating an HTML5 canvas element, I wanted to use “other” fonts. I found a solution to incorporate Google Fonts. Step One. Create dynamic text fields with a default font. (txtName, txtScore, txtHighScore) Step Two. Search for the font you wish to use from Google’s Fonts. For example: ‘Oswald’ Continue Reading…

Principles of Design for Web

An overview of design principles applied to web sites. Unity refers to joining visual elements into a complete image. With web design it is important that a page design and all pages of a site feel unified, consistent, and give a sense of identity. Following are various methods that can be applied to create unity. Continue Reading…

Font Size With Em or Percentages

With so many screen sizes available, it is important for text to resize proportionally. The use of relative font sizes will give users a consistent experience regardless of device. Pixel is a static measurement. Percent and EM are relative measurements with the actual size being dependent on the parent; usually the html or body element. Continue Reading…

Tips for Troubleshooting HTML/CSS

“The HTML is broken. The CSS put the navigation over there. The images won’t show up.” As an instructor of basic web design, I have heard a lot of these comments. While helping students I have a series of steps to follow to make HTML/CSS exact. Validate and Eliminate Code Errors Validate the HTML. W3 Continue Reading…

Mabells Zoo Elephant - Wood Sculpture

New Resident in the Neighborhood

Living on a busy street has pros and cons. Need a quick dinner, fresh vegetables, cupcakes, even a paperback book – got it covered. Need a parking spot out front – now that is a bit tricky. We decided to take advantage of the foot traffic and hence the Elephant from Mabell’s Zoo has moved Continue Reading…

2013 Coffee Filter Bell

Coffee Filter Bells for Christmas

Each year my daughter gives a handmade bell ornament to family and friends.  It is important that she is actively involved in the process. Basically that means I get to assemble and tie bows while she is creative. Since we just published Mabell’s Zoo with all the illustrations created from coffee filters, I began to wonder Continue Reading…

Mabells Zoo Penguins

Learning to Count: Who’s Number 6

After counting a group of 10 crayons, my daughter asked, “Who’s’ number six”. I tried to explain that six was just a number in the counting process. I mixed up the crayons (different order for the colors) and we counted again. I found it interesting that she wanted to give each crayon a proper name Continue Reading…

Record Fish Final

Gone Fishing: A Record Catch

I was recently inspired by a student’s art piece that utilized old scratched records to make flowers. I began to wonder, what else can you make from old records. How about a fish? With Father’s Day approaching and the children’s dad being a fly fisherman – that could be fun. We decided on a trout. Continue Reading…

Meaningful Variable Names

Meaningful Variable Names

I teach a basic programming concepts class. We cover variables, data types, loops, functions, logic, and best practice techniques. I try to employ meaningful examples as much as possible to give abstract ideas value. The idea that variable names are created by the developer and can essentially be anything is sometimes hard to grasp. Beginning Continue Reading…

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