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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gratitude journaling
Why you should try gratitude journalling
February 14, 2022
Have you heard of the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon? Or perhaps you’ve heard it called ‘Frequency bias’? Have you ever looked around for your new car; chosen a make and model you’re interested in, and then all of a sudden you see it everywhere? It’s the car in front of you in the traffic jam, and then you walk past two more as you walk across the car park to the Tescos entrance. It seems like the universe knows you want that car, and decides to show it to you ALL the time…
frozen lake
A slow January
January 31, 2022
I just made it to the New Year, and then I got very ill indeed. It was nothing more serious than a fluey cold, but oh my god, I don’t remember the last time I felt that ill! I had hot flushes and chills (they were multiplying) and couldn’t breath lying down, so three nights of trying to sleep upright in the settee downstairs left me extra tired too. Anyway, the upshot is, even if I’d wanted to run into 2022 full steam ahead, I simply couldn’t. I was kind-of forced into a slow January…
Visiting Open Studios ~ Mixed media painting process ~ An ethereal landscape
January 14, 2025
Hello! This week we're visiting open studios as part of Somerset Art Works, Art Weeks, Art Festival! (They need to work on the title!) I'm also sharing the process of making a mixed media painting - a landscape of Lytes Cary Manor in Somerset including a painting timelapse. As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by subscribing, clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) For extra free content, videos and behind-the-scenes updates, sign up to my newsletter here: https://helenhobden.substack.com/ To bring an enchanted world into your life with beautiful art on your walls, browse my paintings here: https://www.helenhobden.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: Browse for your unique bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/ Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund to help keep this channel going, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun
Christmas 2024! + Lightfast testing ink sprays ~ Visiting Tyntesfield
January 8, 2025
Happy New Year! I have a collection of clips of our family Christmas - our day out to Tyntesfield National Trust property near Bristol, and visiting family. I've mixed that up with footage I filmed earlier in the year of testing lightfastness of all my ink sprays - Tim Holtz Distress spray stains; Distress oxide sprays; Ranger Dylusions and others. If you're thinking about using ink sprays in your art, then this video is for you! If you'd like to see the results in detail, please join my newsletter to receive the link to that video, coming soon! https://helenhobden.substack.com/ I also see if I can create my own paint spray with lightfast liquid watercolour - Dr P H Martin Hydrus. As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by subscribing, clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) For extra free content, videos and behind-the-scenes updates, sign up to my newsletter here: https://helenhobden.substack.com/ To bring an enchanted world into your life with beautiful art on your walls, browse my paintings here: https://www.helenhobden.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: Browse for your unique bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/ Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund to help keep this channel going, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun
Merry Christmas & Season's Greetings! Thank you for being here!
December 24, 2024
Just popping by with a quick Merry Christmas! I hope you have a brilliant one and I will see you very soon! xx As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by subscribing, clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) For extra free content, videos and behind-the-scenes updates, sign up to my newsletter here: https://helenhobden.substack.com/ To bring an enchanted world into your life with beautiful art on your walls, browse my paintings here: https://www.helenhobden.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: Browse for your unique bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/ Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund to help keep this channel going, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun
Mixed media art process ~ Painting a pretty English country cottage
December 17, 2024
It's the last piece of my Portfolio, which takes me to the end of my art course! (To be honest, I'm not entirely sure these videos are in order!) I use all sorts of mixed media art materials to paint this old farm-worker's cottage. I hope you like the swoosh! As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by subscribing, clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) For extra free content, videos and behind-the-scenes updates, sign up to my newsletter here: https://helenhobden.substack.com/ To bring an enchanted world into your life with beautiful art on your walls, browse my paintings here: https://www.helenhobden.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: Browse for your unique bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/ Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund to help keep this channel going, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun
Art inspired by history ~ A visit to Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire
December 10, 2024
Hello! This week I make a mixed media painting of Lacock Abbey; and I also have some clips of when the girls and I visited back in summer. Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter for the full video of that day out and other home content. https://helenhobden.substack.com As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by subscribing, clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) For extra free content, videos and behind-the-scenes updates, sign up to my newsletter here: https://helenhobden.substack.com/ To bring an enchanted world into your life with beautiful art on your walls, browse my paintings here: https://www.helenhobden.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: Browse for your unique bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/ Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund to help keep this channel going, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun
Finding a signature style (literally) ~ Notebook chat ~ Fairytale Painting ~ Mixed media art
December 3, 2024
Hello! This week in my studio I am painting a fairytale scene with a shower of rose petals, and I am unwrapping new notebooks and being disappointed with Moleskine. I practice my signature ready to sign my portfolio pieces, and I am also on the hunt for tiny pointy paintbrushes. As always, thank you so much for watching and spending your time with me! Please support this channel for free by subscribing, clicking the thumbs up and the bell notification button. If you enjoyed this one, please share the link with your friends. Thank you! :) For extra free content, videos and behind-the-scenes updates, sign up to my newsletter here: https://helenhobden.substack.com/ To bring an enchanted world into your life with beautiful art on your walls, browse my paintings here: https://www.helenhobden.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: Browse for your unique bohemian clothing purchases here: https://threadsofafairytale.com/ Tip jar! If you would like to contribute to my hard-drive fund to help keep this channel going, it would be gratefully appreciated. :) https://paypal.me/Oshun
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