Hi everybody, so... I've been wanting to design my website, I bought the domain name about a year ago but never got around to upload anything... so now I've been working on it (getting all my pics, cake flavors, etc) but I don't know where to start with my LOGO, I want something fun, bright colors, maybe a fun 3 tiered cake, I don't know... so who did you use to design your logo?? How did you do that? That is really the one thing I'm missing and without that I don't want to start.

And to host, who did you use?? I've been doing everything with yahoo, anybody using yahoo, how has been your experience?

Thanks so much, I would really appreciate any tips and how to's. I'm totally new to this. And if you want to share, I would love to take a look at your website. Thanks so much!

I host with www.webhostingbuzz.com and i LOVE them. Cheap, reliable, and easy. I had my logo(s) designed by a professional.

sorry have to save this can't talk now

Thank you ladies... hope to get some more tips...

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1057363
Hey ya,
I love these cakes of yours (love all your cakes in your gallery)as a logo for your webpage. I think they are elegant and suitable but I hope that you get more suggestions for more ideas.
My partner did a random one for me as we are both just practicing (him web design and me cakes)and we haven't paid for one as we aren't too serious about that just now but your welcome to look.
http://lovelydelights.bravehost.com/index.html

I use 5dollarhosting.com
My website is changing...right now it's just a gallery of my work, mostly paintings, so don't look at it as an example. I'm currently designing a new one just for cakes.

What I suggest is to use one of your own cakes as a logo....and visit some websites to see what you like and don't like.

some very simple but elegant site that I love are http://www.sugarcreations.com/

and
http://confetticakes.com/

simple...to the point and pretty!!!

Good luck!

I use madasafish.com and make the pages myself using Dreamweaver. I don't have a 'logo' as such, please doin't let this hold you back - it's just an excuse! Make the whole page and leave a gap for the logo if you really think you can't do it without one.
My pages: www.emmascakes.co.uk

Thanks so much!!!! Lovely, thanks for the compliments!!
Adven, I'm with you, I'm Rebecca's biggest fan and LOVE her website! And I love Elisa's logo! (Looooove your cakes too, BTW )
And Emma, you are right... I really don't need a logo but it is one of those things that got me excited...
Thanks again y'all!

I use yahoo also - I like their Site Builder software....I chose the hosting option that is only $12/month. I went on Vista Print to order business cards and liked one of the pics they have, used that for my business cards and I guess that's my logo.......I had designed my own, but couldn't get it on my site without a white background (I have a purple background).

I have been very happy with yahoo and haven't had any problems.

~Chelle

PM me if you want to!

I use 1 & 1 internet although they are very easy to use but am not happy with the layouts I have to chose from. Does anyone know if I can change builer sites and still keep my website address?

Sorry if I hijacked this post.

Val

I want to have a logo too and I think I have one now! I started out on my site and replaced an image with a slice of a photo of my pink and brown cake. I loved the look and it became my business cards and the theme on my flyers! In fact it was just used as a search string to find my web site! I thought that was pretty cool! You can check out my web site I used a program called wordpress. It felt kinda bloggy which I didn't like but I think I almost am happy with it! I just want to do a new front page that will really grab ya! One of the fun things about putting your website on CC is you get people checking it out from so many places! I have 18 countries so far!! That is so cool!!!!!!

I love your logo. What a great idea!! Your cakes are wonderful also.

Val

My cousin is a graphic designer. She designed my logo for my busines card, and then we used the same logoand coulour-scheme for the website. She designed the graphics for the website and another friend who's a web desinger uploaded it and wrote the code.
My website is www.israelcakes.com
I used bought pictures for the website, but now that I have some more cakes I'm going to change the pics to my own creations. (The photo gallery is obviously mine).

I used godaddy.com for hosting, I also bought the domain through them.

I use Yahoo for my school and church web sites (www.ststephensacademy.org and www.olopkc.org). Both were create with a template from their sitebuilder program. It is super easy to use! I love it. It's available on the $12 monthly and above plans.

For my cake site, I use Yahoo's Geocities. I don't have my own domain name yet, but I'm working on it. For it's design, I altered a free bridal templates (available everywhere on the internet).

Thank You soo much everybody!!!!!! I LOVE all the websites! Martha, LOVE your logo (and LOVE the cake on your avatar!), I want something like that! I will start playing with sugar to come up with something... Now you all got me excited (even more!). And DecorateMe, I really like your colors! Can't wait to start!!

And to the host question, YES, you can use a different host and keep your domain name. Some companies charge a fee to transfer. HTH

Hey gaby I was going to suggest taking the pics you have and playing with them. Here is one i did with your turq. and brown cake.... which I love by the way! Obviously I don't know your business name....


BTW- next time you make a cakke with the right colors you want take a few photos from the top! It worked better for mine since it was flat instead of curvy!

here is another one with your flower cake!

thanks for posting this topic I am in the process of this & will love looking at ypur web sites for inspiration layout

Wow Martha!!! Thank you so much, I really appreciate you taking the time, I LOVE them both!! I will definitely make a cake just to have as my logo, gotta start thinking, colors, design, etc...
And as for name, have the domain www.thehappycakeplace.com Do you think it is easy to remember or TOO long of a name??
My sisters keep on telling me it is a VERY long name, but I keep on telling them that is sure is long BUT easy to remember... what do you all thinK? Thanks again!

nefgaby, your cakes are beautiful. My favorite is the daisy cake and I think it would look great in a logo.

I think it is cute!! It doesn't have weird spellings and it is a dot com!

Thanks!!
I know, I was very happy to find a .com! And the name, well, I also think it is cute and sweet, almost too childish but I think that is the kind of business I want, I would love to focus my business not so much on wedding cakes but cakes and treats for kiddos!

Gaby,

I think your domain name is perfect -- VERY easy to remember and to SPELL properly!! (Don't underestimate the ability of people to mispell ANYthing!!) Good choice!

And thanks for bringing up the logo issue -- I've been stuck on this very same thing. I use GoDaddy for my website and domain hosting, and just switched to a new site and name after I finally settled on a legal name for my company: Andrea's Custom Cakes. Nothing fancy, but it says it, and I had to settle on something already!! But the logo has had me stumped.

I'm gonna try doing what Martha did for you (great idea Martha!!) and see if I can come up with something that way. My other fallback is convincing my artist mother to come up with something creative -- which could turn out to be a great idea or a horrible idea!!! Guess I'll have to see!!

...Andrea

I am a website designer, so i design my websites and my logos/other peoples. I get my hosting from www.kazix.com, The basic package is only $40 a YEAR, yes a year! That is VERY cheap for hosting! i have a couple of websites i run off of it right now

www.frostedwishes.com
www.ourwilliamsfamily.com
and more!!

I use Front Page to design my websites, Godaddy.com to Register My URLs, So you can make a website on your own acutally for about $50 a year. You can download Web "templates" on the internet for free and use them for your websites.

If you need help let me know! I would be willing to help design graphics for anyone who needs one!!

I make them for my sorority sisters (Beta Sigma Phi, Louisiana Alpha Chapter) all the time too!! I love graphic Arts!!

Thanks so much Andrea!! You are reassuring me with the name thing... Feel much better now that my CC family likes my name!

And Hla97, OK, many questions then.... ALL I have right now is my domain name which I got through yahoo, I currently own www.thehappycakeplace.com and paid $10 for a year. Sooo... what should be my next step? I, of course, am all about saving money, so, where would you go from here? May be a dumb question, but since I got my domain with yahoo, am I stuck with yahoo now for everything else? BTW, very nice websites, thanks for sharing, and you babies are adorable! Thanks sooooooooo much!!

Hey Gaby! Your next step is hosting! Your not stuck with hosting from anyone ! you can go with any company!! Register with Kazix.com or any company! Then you will get a login from then. I think you can download a trial copy of frontpage from microsoft. I will start looking for that link for you!!

I will help you set it up if you need help!

hla97 - your websites are great. I especially like that you put right up front where you are. I have looked at a lot of cake websites and they don't give you a clue where they are so you may be looking at someones cakes and want to order from them and they are three states away! .

So, gaby, when you design your webpage - remember to put where you are

Thanks hla97!!! Will check kazix out! And kcat, good point!!!! Will write that down before I forget!