Kevin Stanley
My name is Kevin. I am a 30 year old freelance web designer. I have been working with HTML, CSS, and PHP for 6+ years - And creating websites using Wordpress for 3 years. I enjoy creating websites and also doing some graphic design using Photoshop and Illustrator. I hope everyone enjoys reading my articles and I look forward to your questions, comments, and feedback.
How to Create Kick-Ass PHP Contact Forms
I am sure that almost everyone can agree on the importance of contact forms for use on everything from static HTML websites, to WordPress powered websites. I found myself many times creating custom PHP contact forms for clients and always changing things around to suit the needs of the client.
After going through this article you should have a better understanding of creating custom PHP contact forms. These can be really useful in your own projects, as well as projects for clients.
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10 Essential WordPress Plugins for Every WordPress Installation
I have my own set of WordPress plugins that I have used time and time again. Each time I do a fresh install for myself or a client I always seem to install the same ones. I am more than sure there will be people that both agree and disagree, but these are my top ones, and maybe some that you have never seen before. Some of the extra ones I will add in this article are some of the most useful ones that I have found to do specific tasks within WordPress that have saved me many headaches and much time.
For bigger list however you could check older list with 130 plugins for all needs split in two parts – part 1, part 2.
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Creating A Custom HTML and CSS Framework for Rapid Development
In this article I will go over creating a custom framework to have and use for your own projects. This to me has been one of the best resources to me in creating websites for clients. I found just like everyone else that after doing so many web pages you hit the point of realizing you keep typing the same things over and over. To try and cut down on some of the time it was taking me just to get started on a project I decided to make my own “framework” that I would use as a basic starting point. I have found this to be a great way to carry around my framework with me anywhere I go on my USB memory stick, and to be able to start a project much faster than I normally would have. Since most of my programming is done with just a basic text editor, this has worked out really well for me.
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The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started with Zen Cart (Part 3)
So after asking everyone and seeing the responses, I decided to go one more step further with the Zen Cart Guide I have created. Keep in mind that this by no means covers everything – but it does touch the surface of most of the more important items to get you up and going with Zen Cart. There are plenty of other hacks and work-arounds that can be found online, so I really wanted to use part 3 of this to focus on some of the other major things that can be done within Zen Cart.
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The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started with Zen Cart (Part 2)
This article is the continued part 2 version of Getting Started with ZenCart. In part 1 we learned about ZenCart, and it’s basic files and getting started with the “Bare Bones” template. We also learned a little about the admin screen provided by ZenCart. In this part 2 version I will go more in depth about using and customizing ZenCart OpenSource Shopping Cart.
The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started with Zen Cart (Part 1)
In this article I will be covering the basic installation and functionality of ZenCart eCommerce shopping cart. I have been using ZenCart on clients eCommerce websites for a while and found the most common questions about installing, and modifying along with the most edited files to get you up and running with ZenCart. I will also cover some basic theme creation for ZenCart as well. This should be an excellent starting point for everyone looking to setup an online store and create a custom look and feel.
The Ultimate Guide to WordPress 3.0 Comment Form Customization
With the release of WordPress 3.0, a new function is given to us to use. comment_form() will display the comment form on any given page with ease. This will be good for both theme developers and plugin developers alike. This new function opens up new doors and allows us to modify things that before were much more complicated.
In this article I will explain how to use the new comment_form() function within WordPress 3.0 to give better usability within our comments function inside of WordPress.
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Customize your WordPress Backend for Personal Branding
With more and more people building custom WordPress themes, it only makes sense to want to create it more personal. I have found a few ways that I will share with you on making your WordPress powered site more personal. This tutorial will show you how to create a custom WordPress login, and explain how to fit it to your needs.
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How to Create a Custom Error 404 page for WordPress
This tutorial will teach you how to create an error 404 page for your WordPress powered site. If you already have an error 404 page you will learn how to make it a bit more user-friendly and dynamic.
An error 404 is when a visitor tries to access a page that does not exist. Sometimes people tend to overlook this feature, and never think about designing for it. Taking the time to make a user-friendly 404 page could mean the difference in a user staying on your website, or leaving.
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How to Create a PHP Website Template from Scratch
This is a tutorial on creating a PHP website template starting with HTML and CSS. We will start with the basics and you can also download the final product. Please remember that I am using very basic CSS styling in this example just for you to get the idea, and not so much to make it look pretty. The download will contain both the styled example as well as a complete blank template that you can use for your own starting point for any project personal or commercial. The demo files are released under GPL V2.
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