Image by GetFound Consulting

The Genesis vs Thesis argument, it’s as old as WordPress itself. Or at least it feels that way. When I was having to rebuild my site, I had to choose between some themes I was familiar with and a framework version which brought me to the Genesis vs Thesis argument. It wasn’t one I had delved too deeply into but I started dipping my toe in when one of my customers initially asked me about it. We went with Genesis for his site because it ended up having a skin he really liked and some options that worked for his goals. Even so, I didn’t end up having a terribly deep knowledge of the differences between these frameworks until just a few days ago. So let’s go over the basics to bring any newbies up to speed.

Framework or Theme

If you aren’t terribly familiar with WordPress, you are already floundering with the terminology. So let’s clear that up. Most users of the WordPress Content Management System [CMS] use a theme. This means that they have a file which controls the look, feel, and user interface for a reader. That is basically all a theme does. A child theme means that you have, for all intents and purposes, two copies of the same theme. The first theme version is your “straight from the publisher” copy. The child theme is the hacked version that lets you tweak it to your heart’s content making the theme truly how you want it. The beauty of this is that you can update the main theme and get all the upgrades without losing your tweaks. If, however, you hack the main theme without a child theme, you end up losing all your tweaks as soon as you upgrade.

Thesis: The Basics

Now that you understand what it is we are discussing, let’s see what the Thesis gang has to offer. Remember, this is your framework alone and a theme may not necessarily even be in the picture yet. Cost Thesis Framework comes at three levels: Basic [$87], Basic plus [$164], and Professional [$197]. As their pay schedule (shown below) highlights, each level gets a certain amount of support upgrades, and extras.

Image Courtesy of DIYThemes.com

Basic is a good choice if you are a small blogger with no pretentions of greatness. You just want a solid base and a chance to get your feet wet. The sad part is that after a year, you are SOL. No upgrades at all. And from there on out, you have to pay out again to get a higher version and or anything else. PLUS this doesn’t come with a skin [the Thesis version of a child theme]. So you end up walking around with a skeleton site, no upgrades after a year, and the chance to pay over $80 more when you finally decide to upgrade. Why would you do this to yourself?

As you look at the other choices, you see that the Pro version is the only one that really seems to be a safe bet. You’ll get unlimited upgrades, lots of add-ons, 2 skins, and an email signup and social media attachment. Of course, you are also paying just shy of $190 for the privilege. Oh and then there’s the support.

Ease of Use

A lot of new Thesis users don’t expect to have to drop themselves into a college level class on site creation to use a theme. Unfortunately, Thesis is not a great “click to use” sort of software. You need an intimate working knowledge of hooks, html, css, and the like to get the framework to respond as you’d like. It is time intensive and not for the faint of heart.

And possibly, not even then. There are quite a few blog posts around Al Gore’s amazing internets that talk of  5 year+ users that switched because they couldn’t stand the Thesis generated drama anymore.

Thesis Support

Word ’round the net is that the support for Thesis 2.0 has a lot to wish for. The forums are big and sprawling but not terribly well organized or helpful. The current train of thought is that Thesis 2.0 got released before it was ready and that the developers are taking their sweet time. In fact, from a lot of the stuff I’ve been reading, there’s a lot of buyer’s remorse going on out there.

With that sort of pool to draw from, plus a $200 outlay for what may come standard with a pro theme from someone else, why would you bite the bullet? On there bright side, once you decide what a terrible idea this was, they do have a 30 day, money-back guarantee.

Genesis: The Basics

Genesis is owned and coded by Studiopress, part of the CopyBlogger network. While this may not mean much to the average site user, CopyBlogger is just about the biggest thing in the blogging world since sliced bread. To our nerd friends, CopyBlogger is to bloggers as BoingBoing is to nerds. Got it? Good. So with the power of such a site behind it, there’s a lot riding on the theme. Their professional reputation for a start. This gives them a vested interest in, to steal an Apple phrase, “making it just work”.

The Genesis Framework has three price points: Framework ($55), Framework plus theme (Price varies but include framework and chosen theme), and Pro Bundle ($350 but includes framework and all StudioPress created themes ever released).

The nice part of Genesis is that as soon as you install and activate, you are ready to go. In many ways it’s nothing short of drag-and-drop, point-and-click. This is a HUGE step over Thesis because there is a much smaller learning curve right off the bat. And if you get stuck, they have a well-developed support forum that has a great reputation for getting you un-stuck.

You get unlimited updates for the life of the framework and theme. If you bought a theme, you can get expert assistance in tweaking that as well.

Ease of Use

Genesis is an out of the box sort of framework. Just install and go. Themes hook right in and you can change most options right from your dash. There are also quite a few widget options that can easily change the look, feel, and usability of your site.

Updates are a snap as Genesis will email you when you need/can update the basic framework. At that point it’s as simple as updating a plugin, no FTP access required.

Genesis Support

Genesis runs a very easy to use forum but their set up page is terrific! You can find all the basic questions answered including the one we all wanna see answered: How do I change the credits in the footer? How many other FAQs make that THAT easy to find? None in my experience.

To Wrap Up

If you are still unconvinced, take a look around this site. It’s a Genesis based site and that’s because I had to choose. And Genesis won, hands down.

The post Why I Chose Genesis Over Thesis: A Framework Discussion appeared first on AllisonGamblin.com.

Item List

You will need a box, a roll of cling paper in your preferred style, a pair of scissors, packing tape, a pencil, a ruler, and whatever label you choose to use.

Directions

1. Choose which end of the box you wish to be the bottom. Tape the ends and reinforce your edges.
2. Using the ruler, mark a spot on the box 3-5 inches up from the bottom of the box, on the far right edge. This will determine the lowest point of the angle cut. Flip the box over and repeat on the opposite side. When you connect these two lines, you should have a straight line that bisects the narrow edge of your box.
3. Flip the box over towards you and draw a line from the top left edge to the mark you made first. This line will be your cutting edge. Repeat on opposite side of the box. You should now have a triangle marked out on either wide side of the box.
4. Using your scissors [or an exactor knife], cut along the three lines you’ve created. You may need to cut more depending on how the box was previously constructed.
5. Check that your edges are as smooth as possible, then align the box on the back of the cling paper [image should be down towards your work surface].
6. Trace a line on the cling paper that runs along the edge of your cut box. This is your ‘home base’. All other lines created need to be in relation to this area.
7. Maintain the location of the box’s bottom right edge, and rotate clockwise so that it is up on it’s ‘spine’ [like a book]. Trace a dotted line down the right edge of the spine. This will be a folding line.
8. Rotate the box clockwise while maintaining the location of the bottom right edge. Your box should now be in a mirror image position of step 6.
9. Trace the box from this position with a dotted line.
10. Remove the box from the tracing paper. You should have a trapezoid traced onto the paper.
11. Add 2 inches of space around all edges except the line that you drew for the bottom of the box. This should give you a halo of space that you will use to cover the cut edges of the box. Increase or decrease that 2 inches as necessary.
12. Measure the bottom width of your box [the edge it will rest on in final form]. Divide by two. Add half an inch to this new number. This is the amount of ‘halo’ you need to add to the bottom line of your tracing.
13. Cut along the outer edge of your Halo tracing [NOT the box tracing].
    

    Spine of Box

14. You should now see only one traced line on your cut paper as the halo line will be gone.
15. Slowly adhere the cling paper using the ‘home base’ lines as a guide. Do this slowly so that you can eliminate air bubbles and avoid tears.
16. You may find it necessary to nip and tuck at corners to help the cling paper fold properly.
17. Use a hospital bed type corner method when folding along edges and creating corners.
18. You should now have a tightly covered box that looks similar to a magazine holder. Tape any edges of the cling paper that seem to be loose.
19. Fill and label your box.
20. Use for storage. Way to UpCycle!

The post DIY Storage Box appeared first on AllisonGamblin.com.

My Finished Magnetic Makeup Board

Ever wanted to find out how to make one of those nifty DIY Magnetic Makeup Boards? I did. You see, I’ve been fussing with my makeup for years. Trying to pare down what I don’t need and trying to store what I do. When I first saw the idea on Pinterest over  a year ago, I was intrigued. And as Mother’s Day rolls around, it seems only fitting to show you how to do it.

One of my main complaints with the tutorials currently out there is that almost all of them say “which your local hardware store can do” or, something equally as obnoxious, “you can find this anywhere”. It’s a lie. I know, I’ve tried getting my local hardware store to do any number of things, and finding a frame? Ugh. So here’s a Real Girl’s DIY guide to actually knocking this project off your to-do list.

Supplies

You will need the following items in order to complete this project. Sizes vary so you need to match the size of your final object to the supplies you gather.

• Steel sheeting, 10-20 gauge works best [Fast Buy: Stainless Supply]
• Offset Metal Clips [Fast Buy: Home Depot]
• 1 square yard of a thin material
• 1 Wooden picture frame [Size Guide: The edge should be at least 1.5" - 2" wide at a minimum to provide strength]
• Spray Craft Glue
• Preferred spray paint color
• Any required hanging material [depending on the frame's pre-existing hardware]
• Rare Earth Magnets
• Hot glue and hot glue gun

I have added some Fast Buy options to make it easy for you. I chose to use these options myself because they were the cheapest options that managed to fit all my needs while not compromising quality. Also, you don’t have to go do research. Love me yet?

Some notes. In regards to your steel, most of the current tutorials say that you can get the local hardware store to cut you a piece. This is incredibly unlikely. I’ve spoken to Lowes, Home Depot, and Ace. All of them said they do not cut wood or metal for ‘safety reasons’. The majority of them do not sell pieces of sheet metal as small as the normal female needs for a simple board. So getting your piece custom cut is the only option left unless your husband is a metal worker. Stainless Supply will do small orders at the best price I’ve seen. The majority of the price is actually shipping costs due to weight. This will decrease as your gauge decreases [gauge meaning thickness and pliability of the metal].

My GoodWill find

I found my frame at the local GoodWill. I recommend this option as you would be hard pressed to find a frame under $20 at your normal craft shop. I only paid $7 for mine.

The magnets are harder to find, but I was fortunate in that my husband was planning to create a large hadron collider or something. So I stole his.

Instructions

1.  Find the frame you want and measure the interior area. This is the size of the steel piece you need to order +/- 1/8th of an inch.
2. Order your steel sheeting. This may take up to 2 weeks to arrive depending on your location so make sure you can work on the other parts of this project in the meantime.
3. Sand and spray paint the frame in any way you desire. Make sure you use a spray paint that will seal the wood as well as cover it. A glossy paint is best as it cleans better.
4. Cut your cloth so that it is about 2″ larger on each side than your steel sheet. This is so you can tuck the cloth around the sharp edges prior to insertion into the frame.
5. When the metal comes, spray the steel with the tacky glue. Make sure that the glue is applied evenly.
6. Lay the cloth over the glued side of the steel. Gently work out any bubbles and make sure it lays evenly across the surface of the steel. Allow to dry.
7. Turn the frame painted side down towards your work surface. Place the steel in the picture slot, cloth side down. You should now be looking at the unclothed side of the steel with the unpainted side of the frame.
8. Fold the edges of the material down so they lay more or less flat against the steel. Attach 1-2 of the offset metal clips on each side so that the steel is held firmly in place. You DO NOT WANT THERE TO BE ANY SHIFTING. <<<< This is important. Depending on your frame, you may need to experiment in the best way to apply your clips.
9. Once the steel is in place, add any necessary hardware to the rear of the frame so you can hang it.
10. Hang the frame using a Hercules hook or something else that will bear the weight of the frame as well as the makeup you’ll be hanging on it.
11. Glue the magnets to the makeup. I recommend experimenting so you can figure out which side will make it easiest for you to know what is what. Be warned, the hot glue doesn’t always hold. However, using stronger glue may pose a problem when you have to take the magnets off before throwing empty makeup containers away.

Wrap Up

The Spray Paint Stage

This makes an excellent gift idea and can usually be done in a single afternoon once you have all your items. Some final thoughts.

• You can scuff the painted frame up a bit with a gentle sandpaper and then apply a coat of gloss spray paint over it. This will age the frame and give it some character.
• You can go to the dollar store and get some cheap metal containers. Spray paint them and glue them to magnets. Now you can store your brushes and tools.
• Don’t ever put glass up. Should the glue give way, well…you get the idea.

I hope you find this DIY helpful. Please share it and let me know of your ideas and how your project turned out in the comments below!

The post DIY Magnetic Makeup Board appeared first on AllisonGamblin.com.

I apologize for the extreme delay and the incredible lack of  *stuff*, but that’s what happens when you try to support a friend’s business. Unfortunately it just hasn’t worked out for me and I’m having to move. I hope to get some good stuff posted and am taking this opportunity to shake things up and try to do a full shake down on changes I had hoped to implement sometime ago, namely, simplification.

Please check back and be sure to subscribe so you can get all the latest!

The post Site Construction appeared first on AllisonGamblin.com.