Van life
August 11, 2021
In these last two years I have never been more grateful for owning a camper van….
I still haven’t worked out what to do when I grow up! I’m mainly a writer, an artist, and a fairytale dressmaker with various crafty hobbies! Here (and on YouTube) I share bits of my life, thoughts, and what I’m learning along the way. Let’s find magic and inspiration; join me for this creative living adventure!
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Poetry for ease of lockdown
May 18, 2021
Dance of the Butterflies
A semi-circle bay of liquid turquoise
as still as a deep secret
and barely a sound as the languid waves touched the pebbled beach.
It was so much warmer than expected; unneeded layers draped over our arms.
Merlin panting; concerning us for lack of fresh water
until we found a Jurassic filtered stream.
All of us excited for his first trip to the sea
All of us excited for our first day to be free.
I’d only thought yesterday I was yet to see a butterfly,
but as we walked the stony track to the car
we saw a pair of them,
unidentifiable by their urgency.
Enchanted by each others’ spirit
they were trapped in their frenzied jive of spring.
Unable to leave each other, or to leave the dance
Unable to be completely released; unable to take the chance.
Whispers of the Stones
Imagining recollections of the lives of here
The way they felt; the joy, the fear
The mundane, their day to day
The colours of spring, the winter grey
The salty breezes absorbed in their bones
Their secrets and memories whispered by the stones
I’ve started an art journal! And these are the words I wrote to go with the mixed media art I came up with. It was all inspired by the first time we were allowed to leave the house for actual fun! We went to Tyneham Village – an abandoned place where everyone was evacuated for the Second World War, and weren’t allowed back. A short walk from there is Worbarrow Bay; and with the sun shining, the sea really did look turquoise. If you’d like to see our day out, I have started back on YouTube again, and it’s in this week’s video:
Review of the Scentful perfume subscription box
November 12, 2020
I own a grand total of three perfumes. The first is CK One, and yes, I have had it since the nineties! And the other two are by Britney Spears, and were presents from my daughters. So you may not think that I’m the target audience for a subscription perfume service, but actually it’s the opposite. And here’s why…
My husband caught the Coronavirus – Lockdown diaries update
May 28, 2020
There’s a little bit of bitterness in me, that when I see people taking no notice of health guidelines; having visitors etc, that my husband Chris, who followed all the rules and took all the precautions, managed to catch the Coronavirus. And this is what the last couple of weeks have been like…
Lockdown diaries
April 29, 2020
Naomi Bulger from Naomiloves.com is making a collection of our stories from this time during the coronavirus. Please head on over to her website to add yours as it’s important that there’s a record of us ordinary folks. Here’s mine…
Ostara thoughts and news of Loki
March 20, 2020
Today is Ostara, the spring equinox, and it’s an understatement to say it took me by surprise. Having spent six weeks in America again for Chris’s work, I feel like I missed winter. Even though the temperature right now is still very wintry, I look outside and I can see daffodils and the blackthorn coming into blossom, and it makes me smile, even though I’m not quite ready for it…
I want to write to you! ~ Swatching Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolours ~ Fairytale painting
February 6, 2024
Please subscribe to my newsletter for exclusive videos, discounts, and more! https://helenhobden.substack.com/ Tell me what you'd like to receive in your letter. I talk about newsletter changes and substack; I paint swatches of all my Winsor and Newton professional watercolour paints and also limited colour palette abstract landscapes. I finished the fairytale painting of the woman and the peacock, and I show the part of our house that fell down! All whilst holding a cute kitten! As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button, and subscribe for more videos. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) Sign up to my newsletter here: https://helenhobden.substack.com/ If you would like to watch an extra 60 or so sewing and art videos, please go to https://www.patreon.com/HelenHobden Handmade by me:
Take a look for your fairytale bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
and your handmade gifts here: https://etsy.com/shop/byHelenHobden Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun Keep in touch!
Links about my clothing business:
Website: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
E-mail: helen (at) threadsofafairytale.com
https://www.instagram.com/threadsofaf...
https://www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFa... Links about me and my blog:
Blog: https://whenigrowupblog.com/
e-mail: helen (at) whenIgrowupblog.com
https://www.instagram.com/helenhobden/
Celebrating 500 videos!! & Getting back into art this year with a mixed media painting
January 30, 2024
Celebrating creating over 500 YouTube videos!! So I make an apple and blackberry pie whilst chatting about why I even do it! Let me know how you first found my channel if you can remember! I also get back to the mixed media painting I started a couple of months ago - a fairytale scene. Thank you for being here. Thank you for all your likes, comments and shares. Much appreciated. xxx As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button, and subscribe for more videos. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) Sign up to my newsletter here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/threads-fairytale-newsletter/ If you would like to watch an extra 60 or so sewing and art videos, please go to https://www.patreon.com/HelenHobden Handmade by me:
Take a look for your fairytale bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
and your handmade gifts here: https://etsy.com/shop/byHelenHobden Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun Keep in touch!
Links about my clothing business:
Website: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
E-mail: helen (at) threadsofafairytale.com
https://www.instagram.com/threadsofaf...
https://www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFa... Links about me and my blog:
Blog: https://whenigrowupblog.com/
e-mail: helen (at) whenIgrowupblog.com
https://www.instagram.com/helenhobden/
Notebooks, planners & journals, oh my! Getting organised for creative business. + A personal chat
January 23, 2024
Grab a cuppa! I talk through how I stay organised with bullet journalling and notebooks for my creative business. How I review the year; how I plan the months ahead, and how I track progress. I chat about my word of the year and it ends up getting personal! As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button, and subscribe for more videos. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) Sign up to my newsletter here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/threads-fairytale-newsletter/ If you would like to watch an extra 60 or so sewing and art videos, please go to https://www.patreon.com/HelenHobden Handmade by me:
Take a look for your fairytale bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
and your handmade gifts here: https://etsy.com/shop/byHelenHobden Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun Keep in touch!
Links about my clothing business:
Website: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
E-mail: helen (at) threadsofafairytale.com
https://www.instagram.com/threadsofaf...
https://www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFa... Links about me and my blog:
Blog: https://whenigrowupblog.com/
e-mail: helen (at) whenIgrowupblog.com
https://www.instagram.com/helenhobden/
Back to Somerset, England and the stories of February’s Instagram photography
March 1, 2020
After six weeks away in Connecticut, America, we landed back in a drizzly cold England last week. It was cold there (-6 most days in February), but it never seems to drizzle – sometimes it’s sunny, sometimes it’s cloudy, and sometimes it’s chucking it down with rain, but it never seems to drizzle. Is it weird that I missed it?!…
Mixing casual with dressed up
February 26, 2020
It may be the usual thing when picking your outfit to wear, to go for either casual or fancy items; but I love mixing the two together…
How to dress more creatively (part 5) Be inspired by TV and film
February 11, 2020
If you really are in a style rut, why not take note of what your favourite characters are wearing in the television programmes and films you watch? Even if it’s set in Jane Austen’s times, there might be fashion details that you could incorporate into your wardrobe…
Handmade red dresses for Valentine’s Day
February 10, 2020
My husband and I don’t make a big deal of Valentine’s day, but if you know me at all, you’ll know I’ll take any excuse to dress up in accordance to the occasion / season / basically anything! So I thought I’d take a look around Etsy and see what dresses I could find that would make the perfect date night outfit for Valentine’s day…
Stories of the week’s Instagram photos
February 8, 2020
Come and find out the little behind-the-scenes stories of my photography on Instagram over last week…
In defence of the clothing haul
February 7, 2020
Oh I miss watching clothes hauls. I feel like the few have spoilt it for the many, like when the teacher at school says the whole class can’t go swimming because one kid was caught being naughty….
How to start a Creative Journal in 2024 ~ And Swatching W&N metallic paint & Graphite blocks
January 16, 2024
I love keeping a creative journal - part sketchbook, scrapbook, diary and memory book; so here's some inspiration and advice if you're thinking of starting one in 2024. Then I swatch a couple of my art Christmas presents - the Winsor and Newton Cotman watercolour travel set, and the Derwent XL Graphite blocks. As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button, and subscribe for more videos. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) Sign up to my newsletter here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/threads-fairytale-newsletter/ If you would like to watch an extra 60 or so sewing and art videos, please go to https://www.patreon.com/HelenHobden Handmade by me:
Take a look for your fairytale bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
and your handmade gifts here: https://etsy.com/shop/byHelenHobden Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun Keep in touch!
Links about my clothing business:
Website: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
E-mail: helen (at) threadsofafairytale.com
https://www.instagram.com/threadsofaf...
https://www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFa... Links about me and my blog:
Blog: https://whenigrowupblog.com/
e-mail: helen (at) whenIgrowupblog.com
https://www.instagram.com/helenhobden/
How to get started in 2024! ~ Tidying up my studio ~ Cute fluffy kitten ~ Art supplies haul.
January 10, 2024
I'm getting started in the new year by tidying up and sorting out my art studio. It's difficult when there's a cute fluffy kitten playing or wanting cuddles the whole time! (Sorry - she kept distracting me while filming!) And I show all the art related gifts I was kindly given for Christmas, so there's a little art supplies haul too. As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button, and subscribe for more videos. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) Sign up to my newsletter here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/threads-fairytale-newsletter/ If you would like to watch an extra 60 or so sewing and art videos, please go to https://www.patreon.com/HelenHobden Handmade by me:
Take a look for your fairytale bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
and your handmade gifts here: https://etsy.com/shop/byHelenHobden Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun Keep in touch!
Links about my clothing business:
Website: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
E-mail: helen (at) threadsofafairytale.com
https://www.instagram.com/threadsofaf...
https://www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFa... Links about me and my blog:
Blog: https://whenigrowupblog.com/
e-mail: helen (at) whenIgrowupblog.com
https://www.instagram.com/helenhobden/
Christmas 2023! + A new addition to the family! ~ Country farmhouse Christmas decorations tour
January 3, 2024
Our family Christmas Vlog and a tour of all the Christmas decorations in our old country farmhouse. And let me introduce the newest member of our family, although she doesn't have a name yet! As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button, and subscribe for more videos. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) Sign up to my newsletter here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/threads-fairytale-newsletter/ If you would like to watch an extra 60 or so sewing and art videos, please go to https://www.patreon.com/HelenHobden Handmade by me:
Take a look for your fairytale bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
and your handmade gifts here: https://etsy.com/shop/byHelenHobden Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun Keep in touch!
Links about my clothing business:
Website: https://threadsofafairytale.com/
E-mail: helen (at) threadsofafairytale.com
https://www.instagram.com/threadsofaf...
https://www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFa... Links about me and my blog:
Blog: https://whenigrowupblog.com/
e-mail: helen (at) whenIgrowupblog.com
https://www.instagram.com/helenhobden/
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