20 Minute Doodle and a new Domain

I know, I know this happened a couple of weeks ago but it's never not exciting. I changed domains to Foxandarrowdesign.com and so far its been great!

I've been working like a crazy person and a lot of exciting new things are coming up. I'm also working on some DIY for this holidays coming right around the corner and I have a lot of big new ideas written down everywhere waiting to be developed.

To all of my old and new friends, customers and everyone reading I really hope you'll like everything that I've been working on because I'm doing it for all of you.

I wanted to ask you guys what you think about me including the Google Friend Connect widget on my blog?  I don't even have many followers over there (probably like 2 or 3 actually) but a couple of people asked me why I didn't and I honestly couldn't think of a reason. 

I realize that I kind of made sure that following my blog in a different way was nearly impossible. I just really thought no one would be interested in following my blog regularly and now that I see that is not the case I would love to make it easier for new readers as well as people that's been following my blog since it started so follow along and be part of Fox and Arrow as much as I am. Ive never added it before because I feel silly not having many followers there and I kind of just went with the whole Bloglovin' thing but seing that Google Reader might be gone-zo by the next week or so and the bigger part of my blog visits come from there I thought I might as well try something new. So what do you guys recommend? Do you guys think that with Reader disappearing, GFC will eventually will too?

I'd love to hear your feedback as to who I can make this blog better and fun!

Just a little update: What a little love can do

I've been kind of M.I.A. from this place lately but I promise I have some good reasons. I've been working my butt of and it's been great. I started working out again regularly and eating healthy and it's been the perfect motivator for this slow morning and days when I don't want to do much. I think once in a while we all need to find a new perspective and find happiness again. and that is what I'm focusing on right now.

But the most important update that I have for you is that I wanted to let you know that I closed the discount code to help baby Jacobo and his family on 28/02/13. It was amazing to be able to help them out and bring a smile to their faces and it was all because of YOU! With the help of every single person that purchased something via Etsy, outside of Etsy or just donated even a couple of dollars we were able to help cover part of his medical bills with over $400 dollars. This is by no means all they need to pay for everything that is happening right now but it sure did give them hope and made their worries a little bit lighter.

Seriously I have no words to describe their faces when we sent the money their way. They didn't expect it at all and it was the best feeling seeing their heart explode with gratitude and love. They for once were not thinking about pain and could set it aside for a second to realize that people can unite to do good and that everyone is there helping, even people like you that don't even know them.

It really bring tears to my eyes seeing how much people rallied to help me help them. I can't say it enough Im so so thankful! Thank you for being so amazing! That you to Ashley from The Stork and the Beanstalk for helping me spread the word. I actually received a couple of donations from people that came from your blog. I can't even express how thankful I am to you. Thank YOU friend!

We'll still be taking donations and if you want to work with me and help them please contact me and we can do it for sure!

"Gratitude turns what we have into enough."

I've been working

I've been working on this lovely design for Diana from Our love feast for the las couple of months and it's been great! I've had so much fun coming and going through all of our ideas and concepts and finding out what worked and what didn't. I loved working with Diana and it's such a pleasure to work with people that are into taking their time, developing a concept and won't constantly try to rush things. 

We ended up with such a pretty simple design but at the same time so so fancy and elegant looking. I am really happy about it. So THANK YOU Diana for being such an amazing customer and for being so patient and straight forward. I hope you're happy with your design and I'm looking forward to following your beautiful family over at Our love feast!

The online alt summit crowd

Well yes, it's me, one of the people who didn't get the chance to go to Alt summit this time. One of those people that live very far away, and don't really have the time to travel for a long weekend to a gorgeous hotel on a gorgeous snowy city. I didn't have to go through outfit selection (that knowing me would've been a week long affair), didn't get to meet some cool bloggers (i'm probably too shy for that anyways), and didn't get to meet Jessica Alba but guess what? I had an awesome time at Alt Summit this past weekend.

'But you just said that you didn't go!'

 I didn't. But thanks to the magic of the internet I was kind of there and most importantly I learned a whole lot. This year I was determined to get the most out of the opportunities presented by this cool group of people and I did. I signed up for 3 of the 4 free online classes and just went at it.

I got to learn about advertising and sponsorship on blogs, for brands and for individuals from the amazing and talented creator of Passionfruit ads. That class was so interesting! So much stuff I didn't think of.

The next day sadly I was late to a class due to some scheduling problems but I got to review the notes and talk to people that where there and I still got what I wanted.

Later that day I attended "Please like me". A class about social media and blogging. The teacher? The amazing Natalie Bowman from Bing.com. This was by far my favorite class. I actually didn't expect much because I use mainly Instagram, Pinterest and this blog as tools for my business and keep my twitter personal and just for friends and family. I learned so so much from what she said. She really knows her stuff. I started applying most of what she said a brand should do and try to read the notes I took as much as possible and I already see the positive results.

But the single most important thing I learned this weekend si that creating community really does matter and I got to witness and be a part of it. Seriously, I went to that first class super shy and conscious about not knowing a lot of people in the bloggy world but I left with a ton of new friends and an inbox full of kind words. I got to meet so many great people, explore and follow some great blogs and will continue to do so for a long time. 

I've already stablished great relations with some of the attendees and even email back and forward with some girls several times a day. I've helped a couple of people and received help from others too!

All in all I'm really grateful for what I got to experience this past weekend and for all the people I met.

If you want for me to share my notes with you please leave a comment below of email me at foxarrowdesign {at} gmail dot com

Also, a big THANK YOU to every single person that has helped me out by reading, sharing and emailing me about my last post. THANK YOU so so much to every single person that purchased something, donated money and sent prayers. I urge to to continue doing so and helping them in any way you can.

I've been working...

I had the pleasure of working with the lovely Jess Judkins from My Little Mustache this past week in re doing her entire blog design and I had so much fun! 

Jess was the first person to reach out to me when I opened my Etsy shop and definitely one of the nicest people I've met online. We came back and forth a couple of weeks before we actually got to work and after that it was a breeze! She definitely knew what she wanted as a general concept but I was so excited that she left the rest up to me. It is really rare when a person does that (especially if they're paying for it) but I'm so glad she did. We exchanged a couple of emails that left me super inspired and I actually developed the concept and worked my way through more half of the design in just one day! I think this was the first time that I've donde that. 

I'm so so pleased with the end result that I actually wish it was for my blog.

Thank you for trusting me with your blog design Jess!