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…
A behind-the-scenes Studio vlog with art supplies haul!
March 18, 2025
Hello! This week I prepare my newly cleaned palettes with watercolour paints and re-organise my pencil roll with non-lightfast inktense pencils to use in sketchbooks. I also take styled photos of my art for Instagram, and have an art supplies haul with new watercolour boards, paint, and a stencil. Lots of fun! 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/ If you'd like to know more about the online art course I took for a year and a half - the Mastery Program by the Milan Art Institute, please follow this (affiliate) link: https://milanart.samcart.com/referral... 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
A Mixed media process of a landscape painting & using up leftover paint.
March 4, 2025
Hello! This time I'm sharing my process of a mixed media winter landscape painting. I talk about trying not to be afraid of making bad art, and feeling freer and looser with my painting. I also use up the leftover watercolour and gouache paint in my palettes by colouring some Flower Fairy greetings cards and preparing some pretty backgrounds. 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/ If you'd like to know more about the online art course I took for a year and a half - the Mastery Program by the Milan Art Institute, please follow this (affiliate) link: https://milanart.samcart.com/referral... 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
Confidence & Self-doubt ~ Art Studio chats ~ Mixed media art process & timelapse.
February 25, 2025
One minute I'm feeling confident with my art process, and the next I'm full of self doubt. A typical journey in the mind of an artist! Here's a mixed media landscape painting and all my thoughts along the way now that I've finished the Mastery Program. 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/ If you'd like to know more about the online art course I took for a year and a half - the Mastery Program by the Milan Art Institute, please follow this (affiliate) link: https://milanart.samcart.com/referral... 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
Hidden stories of the stones! A mixed media stone circle painting & Avalon Archeology
February 18, 2025
Hi! This week I have the process of a mixed media painting of an ancient stone circle. It took me a while to finish this one and I tried lots of different art supplies! And there are clips of our visit to the Avalon Archeology Centre in Somerset. 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
Graduating in Italy!! Also visiting Foligno, Fabriano, Gubbio & Marmore Falls.
February 11, 2025
Join me for a few days in Italy! I explored the beautiful towns of Foligno, Fabriano and Gubbio in the Umbria region, and also visited Marmore Falls. Plus of course it was the graduation evening of The Mastery Program! This is the online art course by The Milan Art Institute I've been talking about for a while! I have photos and a few words about it on my blog: https://open.substack.com/pub/helenhobden/p/graduating-in-italy?r=1lbf4t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true 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/ If you'd like to know more about the online art course I took for a year and a half - the Mastery Program by the Milan Art Institute, please follow this (affiliate) link: https://milanart.samcart.com/referral/SnsmCxWa/7Vqa9f6vKfq3WYcs 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
Complete & Honest Mastery Program Review ~ The Milan Art Institute online art course
February 1, 2025
Find out more about The Mastery Program: https://milanart.samcart.com/referral/SnsmCxWa/7Vqa9f6vKfq3WYcs This is a thorough and completely honest review! Hopefully in this video I answer any questions you may have about The Mastery Program by The Milan Art Institute - their online art course. If you're interested in something in particular, please click SHOW MORE as just below I will list topics I cover and the time you need to jump to. Beginning - What is The Mastery Program? 6:07 Is The Mastery Program right for me? 7:59 Is it worth the money? 9:25 How long is the course? 9:51 How much does The Mastery Program cost? 11:55 What are the teachers like? 12:52 Customer Service. 13:49 How to make the most of the course & whether to pay monthly or outright. 17:44 Notes if you're a beginner at art - a beginner's course included. 18:29 Bonus content included 19:19 Materials. Do I buy kits from The Milan Art Institute? 21:24 Can you use water mixable oil paint? 23:24 How to find affordable art supplies. 25:42 How much space do you need? 26:57 Positives and negatives of The Mastery Program & overall thoughts. 33:55 How much time each day to I need? 34:25 How has the course affected my life? 37:05 Do you learn to paint in the same style as Dimitra? Will you find your own art style? Any questions, please leave them in the comments, and here's that link you need again: https://milanart.samcart.com/referral/SnsmCxWa/7Vqa9f6vKfq3WYcs 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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