On March 3, 1998, I officially launched my first website: Uno Mas Down Syndrome Online, an online support group. My original intent was that it would become a local support group for the Temecula Valley, but it quickly started attracting participants worldwide. Today, the website celebrates a decade online! And also marks ten years since my entry into the world of html. The site has undergone three transformations since the original design, two of which you can see here.

Happy Birthday, Uno Mas!


Uno Mas style at 5 years.

Most of my own websites serve as a testing ground for CMS (content management systems), shopping carts, and payment processing options. I’ve settled on a few favorite systems and now feel able to incorporate the software into sites that I build for my clients.

The Yorkie Gear website uses a CMS combined with a beautifully simple checkout. The combination is perfect for clients who want to update their own websites, and/or want to sell a limited number of products. It’s also perfect for businesses that already have a merchant account and would like to process credit card orders manually through their own terminal each day.

I created Helen’s website six years ago, to help promote her first novel “Picture of Guilt” which was published in 2002. All the pages on the main site were built in reference to her writing career. At this time, I’ve left them just as they were. When my mom’s illness entered a critical final stage in late September, our family began to use the homepage of that website to communicate about her condition with her friends and family. So many beautiful email messages started to pour in for and about Helen; it seemed that a personal section of the website was needed. Eventually, I added the blog as a way for family & friends to stay informed and to post their comments, or photos to Helen’s website.

My mom’s absence is painfully felt every day since she left us. My father says that the website posts and comments sustain him everyday. Thank you so very much to the many people who have taken the time to remember my mother on her blog. You have no idea how much these contributions have meant to my Dad and our entire family.

Michelle

One of my favorite items is a beautiful 5-charm, silver-plated keychain, available in over 30 dog breeds. These unique keychains are so cool! They resemble a charm bracelet, with 4 dog lover charms plus a specific dog charm of your favorite breed.

Of course, I also carry each of those breeds in a Sterling Silver Charm for your charm bracelet. These charms are a substantial 7 grams of solid Sterling and are fully crafted in 3D … none of those puny, flat one-sided charms here. The back of the charm looks like the back of a dog. I also expect to be adding some handsome Pewter Dog Breed KeyRings for those who would like something less girly!

Scruffy Puppy can be found at www.ScruffyPuppy.com