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…
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
Preparation for announcing my art website & a trip to Italy. Mixed media painting process.
January 28, 2025
It was a busy week! I had more paintings to finish ready to list on my art website, which I was about to announce! I photographed my art and prepared a painting to take to Italy for an exhibition as part of my graduation from The Mastery Program by the Milan Art Institute. I also share the mixed media art process of the magical landscape painting that I chose to take. 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
Sewing my Graduation dress! ~ Mixed media painting process of a seascape
January 21, 2025
Hello! This week I'm in my sewing room making the dress I wore for the Mastery Program art course graduation event in Italy. I upcycle unwanted luxury fabric to sew a new dress. Let me know if you'd like me to make your special occasion dress! (Or have a look at custom options at Threads of a Fairytale.) I also show the mixed media process of a seascape painting, and include a couple of family vlog clips. 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
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
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