When I Grow Up | A Style and Creative Living blog by Helen Hobden - Part 2

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joe browns pretty pinafore dress

Styling the Joe Browns Pretty Pinafore dress at Boston Common

November 20, 2018

Although it was the heaviest item of clothing in the suitcase, which was straining past the 20kg limit, I couldn’t travel to America without this new grey dress I recently bought from Joe Browns, I absolutely love it! And then, during our month in Connecticut we had the opportunity for a brief weekend trip to Boston, Massatusetts, so we thought we’d use make the most of the New England fall colours to take outfit photos for the blog….

essential tips for visiting Rome

10 Essential top tips for visiting Rome

November 15, 2018

This isn’t a blog post about what to see and where to visit in Rome – you probably know most of that already! However there are a few things the guide books and travel blogs might not have mentioned that would be quite useful if you’re planning a sight-seeing holiday to Rome….

a dress for beyond halloween

A Witchy dress for beyond Halloween

November 6, 2018

If you were to imagine what a witch might wear when she’s off-duty but still wants to identify as a witch, then this dress would be perfect! I didn’t buy it with Halloween in mind, but pair it with a pointy hat and you’ve got yourself a costume! Knowing I would be in America for Halloween this year, this is the dress I packed and wore on the day, but I wore it other times as well….

jack o'lantern blaze

Visiting the Jack o’lantern Blaze & wearing my new purple coat

October 30, 2018

We couldn’t be in America without visiting a Halloween event, could we? Friends recommended the Jack o’lantern Blaze at Croton-on-Hudson in New York, and we were lucky enough to get tickets. This event sells out weeks beforehand, but I think I happened to be online when a new batch was released for an 8:30pm time slot on Tuesday. So I bought the tickets in a bit of a panic, but didn’t really know what it was I was buying them for!…

A 1950s dress styled for fall

Styling a 1950’s dress with a mustard jumper for autumn

October 23, 2018

We’ve had a real mix of weather lately haven’t we?! I’m actually across the pond in Connecticut right now, but I think it’s fairly similar to the UK – lovely and sunny one day, and then cold and grey the next. This outfit would have been perfect the day before we took the photos! However it was ten degrees cooler when the weekend rolled around and I have to be honest, my bare legs were a little chilly! Anyway, this is a great way to layer for changeable weather, but maybe pack a pair of skin-coloured tights too!…

Response to Sara Tasker

A response to Sara Tasker’s podcast episode with Lucy Sheridan; Hashtag Authentic

October 19, 2018

I adore Sara Tasker’s podcasts, but when I saw the title of this particular one, ‘A Cure For Comparisonitis’, I very nearly didn’t listen. Whenever the subject of comparison comes up, there is one particular phrase that is always mentioned. And it makes me scream and weep with frustration. It’s this: ….

Autumn - Winter 2018 Lookbook - outfit ideas & inspo

December 4, 2018

Please vote for me in the UK Blog awards; just click 'vote now' under When I Grow Up blog: https://bit.ly/2Ag0yKe Thank you!! Blog posts about each outfit: Mustard jumper and 1950's style dress: https://bit.ly/2SrHvnW Red fluted sleeve dress: https://bit.ly/2ANzjah Purple coat: (Coming later today!) Grey checked dress and maroon cardigan: https://bit.ly/2AM0rGs Please subscribe for more videos :) Keep in touch! (Links about me and my blog:) Blog: www.whenIgrowupblog.com e-mail: helen@whenIgrowupblog.com instagram.com/HelenHobden twitter.com/HelenHobden www.facebook.com/whenIgrowupblog Links about my clothing business: Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/threadsofafairytale Website: www.ThreadsOfAFairytale.com E-mail: helen@threadsofafairytale.com www.instagram.com/threadsofafairytale www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFairytale Rain's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Rainiepie Jude's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/starstone11

Halloween in America! *Vlog*

November 23, 2018

Please vote for me in the UK Blog awards; just click 'vote now' under When I Grow Up blog: https://bit.ly/2Ag0yKe Thank you!! A vlog of our last two weeks in America; having a day in Boston; visiting The jack o'lantern Blaze and going trick or treating. Blog post about sharing just the positive: https://bit.ly/2r47NAF Blog post about the Jack o'Lantern Blaze: https://bit.ly/2BrspsS Please subscribe for more videos :) Keep in touch! (Links about me and my blog:) Blog: www.whenIgrowupblog.com e-mail: helen@whenIgrowupblog.com instagram.com/HelenHobden twitter.com/HelenHobden www.facebook.com/whenIgrowupblog Links about my clothing business: Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/threadsofafairytale Website: www.ThreadsOfAFairytale.com E-mail: helen@threadsofafairytale.com www.instagram.com/threadsofafairytale www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFairytale Rain's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Rainiepie Jude's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/starstone11

Exploring Connecticut & New York in Autumn. *Travel vlog*

November 9, 2018

Chris and I travel to America where we explore state parks in Connecticut and New York and see a wonderful sunset from the top of Bear Mountain. Please subscribe for more videos :) Keep in touch! (Links about me and my blog:) Blog: www.whenIgrowupblog.com e-mail: helen@whenIgrowupblog.com instagram.com/HelenHobden twitter.com/HelenHobden www.facebook.com/whenIgrowupblog Links about my clothing business: Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/threadsofafairytale Website: www.ThreadsOfAFairytale.com E-mail: helen@threadsofafairytale.com www.instagram.com/threadsofafairytale www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFairytale Rain's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Rainiepie Jude's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/starstone11

styling a pink maxi dress

Styling a Pink Maxi Dress and Going all Jane Austen!

October 12, 2018

I’m not quite sure where the idea originally came from – it was probably just a few influences that all came together. First, I bought a maxi dress from Amazon to wear over the summer, and thought it looked a bit Pride and Prejudice. Then we happened to need to go to Bath for Chris to have his computer fixed at the Apple shop; and then I think I was inspired by the bookstagrammers of Instagram to borrow a copy of Northanger Abbey. And lo and behold, we have this fashion blog photo shoot….

Adagio teas

Tea for people who don’t like tea! (And for those who do.)

October 3, 2018

When Adagio Teas asked if I’d like to work with them, I had to be honest in my reply; that I don’t actually like tea. On my trips to America, this is like saying I’m not actually British, but my main disgruntle is that I couldn’t join in with all the beautiful Instagrams of cups of tea! I do, however like fruit infusions, and the mango flavoured tea I had at the Jane Austen Centre a couple of weeks ago was very nice, so I asked if I could try their flavoured tea….

Joe Browns clothing autumn 2018

Joe Browns clothing, Autumn / Fall 2018

September 28, 2018

I always love it when a catalogue of the new season’s clothing from Joe Browns lands on my doormat. (Metaphorical doormat. We actually have a damp patch of concrete below the letterbox.) And this particular time, there was one item that made me get online to make an order. And it was a purple coat….

craft storage solutions

Craft storage solutions for organising and sorting out my crafting stash

September 27, 2018

Craft supplies multiply when you’re not looking, don’t they? Well mine certainly have, and they were taking up too much space in my sewing room. That’s mainly because my fabric stash is currently doing the same thing! However, I decided it was time to separate the business from the hobby, and relocate my crafty bits and bobs….

Afternoon tea in Bath

Afternoon Tea with Mr Darcy at the Jane Austen Centre in Bath, Somerset

September 21, 2018

We asked what Jude would like to do for her Twentieth birthday (yes, you did hear me correctly: twentieth birthday) and she asked to go out for afternoon tea. I’ll be honest, when I agreed, I was thinking more like at a National Trust cafe, but Jude had in mind the full afternoon tea experience. Apart from on a cruise, I’ve never done this, (it’s the sort of thing I’ll do when I grow up) so was looking forward to experiencing the proper deal….

40 plus fashion blogger in Bath, Somerset

Styling a short cord skirt (autumn/fall 2018 trends)

September 17, 2018

On Saturday we went to Bath for afternoon tea to celebrate Jude’s birthday. Of course I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity for a lovely Georgian Bath stone background, so I dressed in an outfit I knew I wanted to feature on the blog and Chris brought the camera with him! I had in mind a fashion video for my YouTube channel where I styled this cord velvet skirt three different ways, so I picked one of them….

Decorating autumn cushion covers & testing Derwent Inktense sticks on fabric

November 2, 2018

I've been wanting to test the Derwent Inktense Sticks on fabric for a while, so I thought I'd decorate some cushion covers for autumn. Please subscribe for more videos :) Keep in touch! (Links about me and my blog:) Blog: www.whenIgrowupblog.com e-mail: helen@whenIgrowupblog.com instagram.com/HelenHobden twitter.com/HelenHobden www.facebook.com/whenIgrowupblog Links about my clothing business: Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/threadsofafairytale Website: www.ThreadsOfAFairytale.com E-mail: helen@threadsofafairytale.com www.instagram.com/threadsofafairytale www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFairytale Rain's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Rainiepie Jude's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/starstone11

Utility room declutter & sort-out - organising recycling

October 26, 2018

A new declutter, speed cleaning, tidying and organising video; this time it's the utility area of the kitchen store room. This is the other decluttering video I was making at the same time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q31B80spUE&t=1173s Please subscribe for more videos :) Keep in touch! (Links about me and my blog:) Blog: www.whenIgrowupblog.com e-mail: helen@whenIgrowupblog.com instagram.com/HelenHobden twitter.com/HelenHobden www.facebook.com/whenIgrowupblog Links about my clothing business: Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/threadsofafairytale Website: www.ThreadsOfAFairytale.com E-mail: helen@threadsofafairytale.com www.instagram.com/threadsofafairytale www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFairytale Rain's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Rainiepie Jude's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/starstone11

Nearly killed by a cow; Glastonbury Wytches Market; birthdays & organising our new fridge! *Vlog*

October 17, 2018

In this vlog we have our visit to the Glastonbury Wytches Market; me organising the contents of our new fridge; Jude and Rain's birthdays; afternoon tea at the Jane Austen Centre in Bath; and me nearly getting killed by a cow. Please subscribe for more videos :) Keep in touch! (Links about me and my blog:) Blog: www.whenIgrowupblog.com e-mail: helen@whenIgrowupblog.com instagram.com/HelenHobden twitter.com/HelenHobden www.facebook.com/whenIgrowupblog Links about my clothing business: Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/threadsofafairytale Website: www.ThreadsOfAFairytale.com E-mail: helen@threadsofafairytale.com www.instagram.com/threadsofafairytale www.facebook.com/ThreadsOfAFairytale Rain's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Rainiepie Jude's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/starstone11