{Content is King} Alt Summit Channel

Since I began my foray into blogs and the whole world that comes along with it, I have slowly discovered the amazing world of conferences that the US has to offer. From those specified to wedding photographers, to those, like Alt Summit, that are for designers and the like. Well, like I said, the conferences take place in the US. And sadly, I live in little old Cornwall! Hopping on a plane to Salt Lake City really isn't option for my measly student budget. However, from following the blogs of the people who not only attend, but also speak at these conferences I found that Alt Summit has a new venture; Alt Summit Channel. The lovely people behind Alt Summit decided to share the knowledge of their friends through short online courses that only cost $15 (roughly £10!). I signed up for 4 of them pronto!

Last night was numero uno; Content is King led by Melanie Blodgett of 'You Are My Fave' fame. What I discovered was inspiration and a chance to talk and listen to bloggers who unsurprisingly, I already follow!

On the top of my blogging to do list now includes not only ideas on how to develop my blog further once I am no longer a student, but also has tips for me to check back on for writing the posts that will keep this blog thriving. Turns out I do a lot of things in my normal life that could make for great posts! Why haven't I been posting them!?

So please, give me your opinion. Would you like to see any of these ideas up on the blog soon?

• Clothes customizing; I often buy cheap and simple high street clothes and then customize them to my style and taste using little tricks and ideas. By adding sequins to shoulders and a different lining to a coat I can transform supermarket clothes into something that my family and friends lust after. Interested in learning how I do it?
• D.i.y gifts; For christmas and birthdays I often make gifts. I save myself a ton of money and give my loved ones something personal that they will treasure for ever. Want to see what I did last year?
• Business talk; I don't talk about it often but one day soon I hope to own my own business. Want to learn the tips and advice that I learn too? I'd be willing to share...!
• Meet and Greet; From the courses I take to get me closer to the step above, I meet lots of people. Successful people. I now have the option for regular contact with them and have the chance to interview them and share it here for your reading pleasure? Interested- let me know!
• Freebies! I don't know why I never thought of this before- but I design patterns on a daily basis. If I were to develop them one step further I could be giving you readers free downloads of my patterns to use as desktop backgrounds and the like. Want to know more? Just comment below!

It turns out I have lot more to say than I thought, and all of this is original content, my original content, because no one will have done it the way I have done it. 

Please feel free to let me know what you think, and let me know what types of posts you would like to see as a reader of my blog. It will help greatly and encourage me to move forward with the ideas I have had thanks to Melanie!

So, once again, thanks to Melanie and Alt Summit for the inspiration! I can't wait for the next course!

Abiento x

P.S check out Andrea's post on the course. She beat me to it and said everything I wanted to say! Well done girl :)

P.S I missed it!

I can't believe I let it slide past me, but this wee blog turned one 3 weeks ago! Woops. So here's a Happy Birthday to us, and hoping for many more to come :).

Found here

Abiento x

A change is coming

So the standard new year new blog blurb would probably fit in here perfectly, but instead I'm gonna get right to the point. The blog is getting serious. Or rather I'm getting serious about the blog. Each regular post will now be on a set time of it's set days, making it easier to know when to come a visiting. This is scheduled for handy UK times, even though I know that most of my lovely readers are from North America. Sorry guys!

Just cause, you know, it's true!

I will also be bringing back the Weekly Word Photo project, as I don't want to do another 365 project when mine ends in February, but still want a focused and controlled photography project to help develop my skills and help me to get to know my new camera. This time however it will be done with more knowledge, interest and skill- plus obviously a better camera and editing software! I started the project originally when the blog was an infant, and didn't always pay it the attention it deserved. Hopefully this time around it will not only last longer but will be much better! I would like it to have a connecting theme however and

I chose to restart the Weekly Word Photo project after evaluating why I didn't like the 365 project, and what I could do to change it;

• I felt restricted by my own choice of subject. Taking a photograph to represent my day can be very tedious and boring. Frequently I photographed things just for the sake of it, and on the days where I did nothing, the images became boring and un-creative. Not what I had intended. Plus I often end up using my phone as I can't be bothered to cart my DSLR around with me everywhere I go! 
• I didn't like the daily task added onto my routine. Some days I would get to the end of the day and feel guilty for not taking a photo, resulting in me taking a rubbish photo!
• Taking a photo of your day often requires taking photos of people, which I get embarrassed doing. Often, to compensate, I would take photos of relevant objects to create a tenuous link to my day.

However I did enjoy the documentary effect of the project, and in 2013 would like to try again (from January to December) to have a full calender year that I can then put into a photo-book or similar.  Having the restrictions and discipline there, although not always enjoyable, did also mean that the photos got taken. It forces it out of you but sometimes that's the only way to get things done. 

I'm looking forward to the new project starting at the end of February and coming up with a good theme for the images. Any suggestions!? 

The new year will also see more of my journal posts (until I finish the foundation course) and more info on the workouts I'm doing, and the food I'm eating as I continue to lose weight. The onset of winter has seen my weight hit a plateau, and now that Christmas is over, it's time to kick it up a notch!

With a rough time-line of losing 20 lbs (or reaching a size 12- whichever I get to first) by late June/early July I am not starving myself or dieting, I am continuing with my chosen exercises at my local gym, plus netball twice a week and some healthier foods! Plus I want to start running again; mainly to improve my cardio. Wish me luck!

images found here, original here

Yes I do zumba. Every monday night thank you very much. And yes I look like that. I am grateful for all the people in front of me blocking my view from the mirror! Very grateful. 

Abiento x

I made some more changes....

I made another change on here.... can you tell!? I'd be a bit worried if you couldn't......

I don't like making too many changes on here, but I do want to slowly develop what will hopefully become my style for some future branding. This one, (the background) I have been pondering over for a while. I liked the simplicity of the plain white, but I felt it was too plain. It wasn't until I stumbled across a bright yellow blog that it smacked me in the face (literally) that I couldn't leave it as my plain-Jane blog any longer. So I changed it. I went with something still simple, still sweet, goes with my header and hopefully will still work with whatever branding decisions I make in the future.

I kinda love it :)

Plus I have been thinking more and more about my style and how I put myself out there lately. Branding really is a big deal- and the closer it gets to the Jasmine Star workshop in July, the more I'm going to be thinking about it. This is good. But what do you think? Please let me know..... :)

Abiento x

New header

Do you see it? Do you like it? I know some of you are scared of commenting (or something) but feedback on the little changes I make around here is really valuable to me, so please, today, take the time out to let me know what you think!

Thank you!

Abiento x

New New New

Have you noticed it yet? I like it. I had a fiddle with the settings and this is what I chose. I'm not brave enough to add any color yet, as I don't want it to look cheap or tacky, and I don't really know the style of this blog yet. We will see :).

But what do you think so far? Please let me know in the comments sections below :).

In other news, have you noticed this little image on the right hand side of the blog? It means that I am part of the "From our Hearts to our Hands" community. YAY! :D At any time you want, you can click on it, and it will take you over to the blog to see what we have been up to. I haven't participated in this month's project as I had NO idea what to do!!

On other news I have fixed the image storage problem I mentioned previously, and posting will pretty much resume as normal! (not that it had been that different really.....)

Abiento x