After Mashable announced Social Media Day on June 8 as a day to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social, it has grown to more than 570 meetups in 91 countries. Thousands of people will be participating in events in their local communities. With a population of approximately 350,000, Victoria has a buzzing social media and technology scene (being the first city in Canada to form a Social Media Club chapter, among other accomplishments) and so it only seemed natural to be the first city to proclaim June 30 as Social Media Day.

Here is a photo of the signed proclamation:

About Social Media Day

Social media has changed our lives. It has not only changed the way we communicate, but the way we connect with one another, consume our news, conduct our work, organize our lives and much more. So why not celebrate? As far as we know, there is no official Social Media Day. But we do think there should be one. So we invite you to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social by attending or organizing a Social Media Day meetup in your area on June 30. What better way to celebrate social media than connecting with other enthusiasts in your area?

How To Participate in Social Media Day

• Meetup Everywhere Mashable: Sign up to attend or organize your own event on the Meetup Everywhere Mashable.
• Use our Logo: If you’re planning a meetup, use our Social Media Day logo for the event. Why the alpaca for the mascot you might ask? It’s among the most social farm animals.
• Comment via Facebook: Go to Smday.com and leave a comment either promoting your meetup or tell us what you’re doing for your event.
• RSVP to the Facebook Event: RSVP and upload photos from your meetup to our Facebook event page.
• Upload to Flickr: Upload photos to Flickr and tag them with #smday.
• Follow @mashSMday: Follow @mashSMday on Twitter for updates and developments on the celebration.
• Tweet: Use the #smday hashtag on Twitter. With so many participating, we should be a trending topic on Twitter on June 30. Also, we’ll soon be announcing a prize for those that tweet or post to Facebook.

[img credit: Paul Holmes]

More About: british columbia, smday, social media day, victoria

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• Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Social Media channel
• Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

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There are different ways that we remember a website.

1. The Content
   We remember Smashing Magazine, Web Designer Depot, and other blogs because we go to those websites daily for their great content.
2. The Design
   Some websites have extremely creative designs. These websites are easy to remember as well.
3. The "Wow" Factor
   Sometimes, while looking at a website and browsing through its pages, we will see something that will make us say "Wow!" It could be a simple transition, a background change, a color switch, or even a unique animation that will cause us to remember the website. That is what I call the "wow" factor.

The "Wow" Factor

"It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."

- Coach John Wooden

I believe that the "wow" factor is very important in web design. It is what can set your website apart from the myriad of different websites in your industry. By the way, this doesn’t have to be anything mind-boggling or extremely complicated, just something simple but clever will do the trick. This will definitely leave a lasting impression on your viewers and will make them remember your website.

While there are plenty of websites that make use of this technique, I have gathered 10 well-designed websites with clever little details that made me say "Wow!"

Analog

Analog is a company of friends who make web sites. It’s a co-operative where imagination, design, and engineering thrive; good people doing good work. The website is very simple, but it definitely gets the job done.

The “Wow” Factor

Try pressing Alt+G and see what happens. Also, mouse-over the mugshots.

Face

Face is an intelligence-driven multidisciplinary design studio, based in Monterrey, Mexico whose work range includes design solutions, advertising, editorial projects and custom publishing, corporate identity and brand development. The site is very minimalistic, and at first look, it doesn’t seem to be exciting at all.

The “Wow” Factor

Mouse-over the navigation and you’ll be surprised.

Flourish

Flourish is a full-service design studio with a decided focus on the Web. With additional experience in brand identity, print design and photography. This is probably one of my favorite websites in the internet. It is well designed and it has some great details that really make you say "wow!"

The “Wow” Factor

When clicking one of the 4 red banners, the tree changes. Also, the featured projects slider is great.

HutchHouse

The Hutchhouse team have a mass of real life web design experience creating interfaces for simple brochure websites through to eCommerce, intranet and social networking sites. I love the giraffe illustrations in this website.

The “Wow” Factor

On the top right corner, try switching the theme and you will see the giraffes in different environments. They have a space theme, a night theme, a jungle theme, and a depth theme.

Komodo Media

Komodo Media is a tiny web design studio and blog created, inspired by and maintained by Rogie King.He specializes in illustration, identity design, jQuery, JavaScript and is somewhat of a CSS/xHTML freak. He is pretty good with databases, PHP and Flash, but his heart loves and lives in the design and front-end scripting world.

The “Wow” Factor

Most of you have probably seen this website already, but the "wow" factor is definitely the foliage-o-meter. I still haven’t seen any website do anything similar to what he has done.

Riot Industries

Riot Industries is the personal portfolio of designer Phil Renaud. He is a dual citizen, born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, which is basically Canadian Detroit. The website has a very nice texture to it, and the color palette really works well.

The “Wow” Factor

Mouseover any of the project thumbnails and the title will quickly slide out. Very neat effect!

Traffik

Traffik is a CMS for designers, built for business. Traffik offers supperior creative liberty compared to other CMS products. Finally a content management system that doesn’t hinder your CSS talents or your coding deficiencies!

The “Wow” Factor

At first glance, the website background just has a normal bokeh design. Try moving your mouse around it and the fun begins.

Work[at]Play

Work at Play builds digital experiences that are capturing the engagement generation. They specialize in building interactive social-networking applications, virtual marketplaces and unique digital content for the web. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Work at Play was recently recognized as one of the region’s fastest growing companies.

The “Wow” Factor

I really like the way that they did the work section. Try clicking on one of the projects and you will see a cool 3D, rotating effect.

Yaili

Yaili is the website of Inayaili de León a web designer from London, England. She takes a lot of pleasure in coding other people’s designs to make them work online.Her code is as beautiful as her designs.

The “Wow” Factor

The bottom area of her website is wonderful. Try dragging the different sections around. Also, the way that her work section is laid out is excellent.

Eric Johannson

Eric Johansson is a Swedish designer. I really enjoyed viewing his website. The whole design is very enjoyable and you will definitely remember this website.

The “Wow” Factor

Ok, this one is a secret. I won’t tell you what happens, but just drag the scroll-bar to the right to see something really cool, I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Which of these websites made you say “wow?” I only showcased ten websites because I didn’t want to overwhelm you with too much content. What are some websites that you remember because of the “wow” factor? I’d love to have an interesting discussion about this subject so feel free to contribute to the discussion. Thank you for reading the article. You can follow the Design Informer on Twitter here.

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Winter is a special time of year for people around the globe. Many will celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, the winter solstice, while others may celebrate the first heavy snow on the slopes and the season itself.

Throughout this traditionally cold and busy season, we find ourselves shopping for the holidays, visiting family and friends and bringing in a little cheer to our homes with food, drink and decorations.

Today we would like to share with you a beautiful collection of wallpapers consisting of lovely designs and photography to help celebrate the upcoming holidays. Most wallpapers will be available in 1600×1200, but for those of you with the extra large 30″ monitors or those who have dual, triple or even quad monitors for your desk real estate, we have some special wallpapers as well. If you click on the image or title, you will be brought to the source where you can download the wallpaper and make your desktop festive. Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Beautiful Christmas and Winter Wallpapers

Festive Christmas Wreath and Bells

Laughing Christmas Showman

Silent Winter

Christmas Lighthouse

Christmas Ornament

White Christmas Presents

White Christmas Ornaments

White Christmas Ornaments

Christmas Gifts

Winter Snowflake Candles

Christmas Candles in the Window

Box of Christmas Ornaments

Gold Christmas Ornament

Gold Christmas Presents

Christmas Wreath

Red Christmas Ornaments

Christmas Tree

Red Christmas Ornament

Happy Holiday Lights

Crystal Christmas Tree

Christmas Snowflakes

Blue Christmas Ornament

Christmas Tree

Christmas Candles

Christmas Elves

Santa and Sleigh

Snowflakes

Flowers and Snow

Santa Hat

Dog with Santa Hat

Christmas Dog in Basket

Christmas Kitty

I Love Snow

Winter Landscape

Winter Landscape in Finland

Winter Mountain Landscape

Christmas Landscape

Winter Wonderland

Frosted Trees

Reflections of Snowy Mountain

Reflections in Winter

Winter Sunset in Alaska

Winter Sunset in the Smokey Mountains

Mono Lake in Winter

Winter at Crater Lake

Mountain Climbing

Frozen Ski Lift

Frozen Winter in British Columbia

Winter Snow

Winter in Smokey Mountains

Winter Stag

Church in Snow

Mt. Everest

Snow Covered Spruce Trees

Winter Snow

Winter Landscape for Dual, Triple and Quad Monitors

Winter Sunset for Extra Large and Dual Monitors

Winter Landscape for Extra Large and Dual Monitors

Argentina Snowcapped Mountains for Extra Large Monitors

Greenland Mystery for Extra Large and Dual Monitors

Krokskogen, Norway in Large and Dual Monitors

Penguins for Triple Monitors

Bavarian Winter for All Sizes

Tervo, Finland for Large and Dual Monitors

Decorated Christmas Tree for Most Sizes

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Kim Blanchette in his office.

“I learned from designers,” owner Kim Blanchette admits. “Creative minds taught me.” That’s how he describes how he learned how to print so well. Today, young designers learn from directly from the craftsman himself, who guides them with his innate sense of color and ink on every job they do on press.

Kim started in the business by selling color in the 1970s and became inspired by working with creative people. He began to see the possibilities while working with visionary artists, photographers and designers. Ever since then, the self-taught printer has been striving to look for client collaborators who challenge them to jump through hoops and achieve the unachievable.

Kim and Adam Blanchette check proofs on press.

Over four decades, Blanchette Press has evolved from a letterpress shop to an offset printing company that specializes in serving the design community. The company crafts their relationships with creative people just as carefully as they do with their work. Their collaboration list with industry greats reads more like a who’s who in graphic design legends, including Pentagram, Studio Hinrich, The Hill Group, Carbone Smolan, VSA Partners and more.

Blanchette Press believes that close human relationships create the best possible work. They approach every project from an artistic perspective rather than a technical process. That means the artist is key to the success of the work.

Client: The Hill Group / Design Firm: Terry Vine Photography

Client: AIGA / Design Firm: Weymouth Design

Client: Nichole Sloan Photography / Design Firm: Sasges Inc.

Client: Sandro Miller Photography / Design Firm: SamataMason

“That’s the intangible element that goes into a project,” remarks Nick Knowlden, Director of Sales. “To create a great project, it has to be well-designed, have great photography, have great typography and have great execution and production. We meet the execution part by working with people who value that part of the chain.”

The whole team works very closely with their clientele to help interpret what the designer is trying to achieve. Kim and his pressmen check the quality on every job before it ever leaves the plant.

Pentagram Typography Calendar / Design Firm: Pentagram San Francisco

Client: Rodney Smith / Design Firm: David Meredith Design

Client: American Express / Design Firm: VSA Partners New York

And the attention to detail pays off. Blanchette Press has been recognized around the world for the brilliance of their talent. Apart from the accolades they collect from the printing community, they’ve also garnered recognition from the design community with multiple Mead Annual Report Show and Graphis gold and platinum awards.

Kim’s family helps to continue the printing tradition. The small but dedicated staff of 35 tries to keep it simple and limit the company’s growth in order to keep the focus on quality. There’s no fancy client lounges or elaborate client amenities at Blanchette Press. The operation is humble because they put all their passion into the craft of printing. And with that core value in mind, the company continues to prove that anything is possible.

Photography by Victor John Penner.

The long shelf of Mead Annual Report Show awards.

Blanchette Press' beautiful location in Richmond, British Columbia.

Sponsored by

Advertise on Fuel Your Creativity.
Fuel Your Creativity 2009 cc (creative commons license)

Crafting a Generation: Kim Blanchette

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Beautiful wine labels designed by Ryan Crouchman for a winery in British Columbia, Canada.

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