When I Grow Up
est. 2004
A Creative kind of Life. A blog by Helen Hobden
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!

 

Browsing category

Creativity

Browse Subcategories :
Art and Craft
Modern fairytale painting
Artist interviews
Handmade business
January planning
Photography
the insta retreat review
Writing
gratitude journaling


Browse Recent Posts:
Neighbours from Hell!
June 3, 2013
Our homework for writers’ group last week was to write a short story about neighbours from hell. The title of mine is: Smoking is bad for your health ‘Hi,’ I said shyly to the new neighbour. ‘Hi,’ she replied, and smiled.  This was the extent of our pleasantries for about a week, until somehow, we got chatting. I can’t remember what about now, but oh how I wish I had looked the other way; just got on with my life and never said anything to her. However, here were these new neighbours and they were about the same age as us and it’s so difficult making friends with other people our age; and they just seemed so nice!  ….
Be In The place - a book set at Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Book Giveaway!
May 10, 2013
There is quite a lot of activity over at the Glastonbury festival site, and to get you all in the festival mood, I thought I’d give 2 people a free copy of my book, Be In The Place. It’s a teen adventure / romance set at Glastonbury festival and if you’d like a look at the blurb and reviews, go to the amazon page or the Random House page. All you have to do is like Oshun’s Facebook page and on the 1st of June I’ll pick two people at random. If you like or share, you’ll get double the chance. Good luck!
new year fireworks
Happy New Year!
January 5, 2013
Just a quick note to wish you all a very wonderful 2013. I’m busy planning the year ahead…first I’m continuing the renovating push we started in the month before Christmas. I have a little more to do in the living room before I’m going to do our bedroom; so there’ll be more to come in my renovating blog at last. I’m also planning on getting Be In The Place available for the kindle and I’m hoping the inspiration muse will descend (otherwise known as ‘Flipping heck Helen, this book has been almost finished for 8 years or something, isn’t it about time you actually flipping finished it?’ self-talking to) and I’ll actually finish the last ever ever ever edit of my second book. For Oshun – www.oshun.co.uk or www.OshunCreations.etsy.com my plans for the year are to finish my new main website – I’m currently re-listing every item and after a new design, will hopefully be ready by summer. In the mean time I’ll be busy making floaty maxi dresses and handy bottle bags in time for Glastonbury festival; and wedding dresses – upcycled and re-made fairy-style and also starting something completely new – a small selection of made-to-order, made-to-measure steampunk and historically inspired gowns. My other Etsy shop, www.WickedFaerieGifts.etsy.com will carry on as usual, though my enjoyment of making book covers, along with my new Christmas present – a spellbinders grand calibur die cutting machine – means I’m going to make large wedding guestbooks with every page embellished, decorated and distressed with lots of interesting places for guests to sign and leave messages. Fun stuff. I think that’s enough to be getting on with for now.
Crafty Castle Cary
January 13, 2012
So, it was craft fair time just before Christmas. Kilver Court in Shepton Mallet didn’t run one this year, so I was hoping to do the 2 fairs nearest Christmas at Frome’s Cheese and Grain. Unfortunately the lady running it, after about 5 weeks of me asking her, finally told me there wasn’t space. So a few weeks ago I did a stall at Caryford Hall in Castle Cary. Having seen the type of shops in Castle Cary High Street (lovely little shops that I love, but quite expensive) I decided to risk the £25 pitch fee. I’m glad I did – I did very well and was my most successful craft fair yet. From a buyer’s point of view I’d recommend it too – there was a really nice variety of crafts and lots of choice for Christmas gifts. To be honest, several of the stalls were selling higher priced items, so were out of a lot of visitors’ budget, and they didn’t do so well. Perhaps the local rich people were busy shopping in the High Street! However, the fact that the hall is a bit out of town, meant that people had made an effort to go there, and were therefore ready to spend their money if they saw things they liked.
new year fireworks
Happy New Year!
January 1, 2012
Happy 2012 everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful year 🙂 2011 was mainly focussed on my two Etsy shops, which was fairly successful, and I’ll be continuing with sewing and pyrographing this year. However, if you’ve been wondering what’s been happening with our renovation, well, not much at all. The only thing we did last year was Rain’s room, which I haven’t been able to take photos of yet because she got it in a mess so quickly. This year though, I’m going to get on with it again and try and get some rooms in this house actually finished. I’ll keep you posted.
halloween short story
A Halloween Romance
November 5, 2011
Competition time again at our writers’ group. We were challenged to write a short story with a ghost/supernatural theme. This was my go… A Hallowe’en Romance It was a cold clear night as a witch, a devil and Frankenstein’s monster made their way down the High Street towards Susan. The witch’s head was far too big for her body and she parted her black wig in order to be able to see from the eye sockets. The monster’s cloak had inadvertently wrapped around the devil’s trident and it nearly tripped them both up. The trio whispered to each other as they approached Susan, and just when it looked like they were going to pass her, they suddenly turned, with their hands up in the air and yelled in her face. She’d been expecting something, but none-the-less it made her jump and she let out a little scream. As the kids ran off laughing, she called after them, ‘Your costumes are rubbish.’
Older Posts
Newer Posts
Instagram did not return a 200.

Linking with #iwillwearwhatilike at Not Dressed As Lamb.

bloglovin

30 Plus blogs