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!

 

Blog Archives

Review of the Rose and Crown in Dunton Green
Review of the Rose and Crown restaurant in Dunton Green, Sevenoaks, Kent
February 9, 2018
There is a fundamental problem about going to visit my parents, and that is that the dog has to sleep in our bedroom. If he doesn’t he ends up scratching the door or waking everyone up whining, so instead I suffer with the noise he makes while he sleeps. Imagine something like a cross between an elephant and a sea-lion snoring whilst dreaming of mating, and you’ve almost got the level of noise our beloved Loki makes at night. (And day for that matter. Whenever he’s asleep basically.) So I admit, I was in somewhat of a tired daze the day we went to the Rose and Crown pub restaurant in Dunton Green to celebrate Dad’s birthday. However, I do remember the essentials well enough to write a little review….
blogger event advice
How to go to a blogging event as a shy introvert. My Next Blogger Network event experience
December 5, 2017
I recently went to the Next Blogger Network event in Shoreditch in London, and I’ll be honest, it’s one of the most scary things for me I’ve ever done! The week leading up to the event was spent either putting it to the back of my mind and pretending it wasn’t happening, or feeling so worried I got a massive ulcer on the inside of my cheek! However, I knew once I’d forked out the money for the train fare, I would have to go, so I went ahead and did that first so I couldn’t change my mind! In the end, I feel it was a very successful day and I’ve come away from the event feeling very proud of myself and ready to go out and find another blogging event to go to! Here’s how I managed it…..
mail order dog food review
Yes, this is a blog post about dog food! Natural grain-free food and treats from an online pet shop.
October 26, 2017
Loki has become the star of the show in several of my YouTube videos. He also commands attention whenever we take him anywhere; we love him to bits, but he can also be a bit embarrassing! He slobbers on everyone; bumps into them; accidentally knocks small children over and even when we meet people who are perfectly fine with all that, he will never take a treat from them. When family buy him expensive treats at Christmas, they’re lucky if they get a sniff. Even at the Pylle Happy Landings dog show, he wouldn’t take the free samples of handmade dog treats offered to him. He just isn’t interested. As a puppy we had to train him with cheap sausages and pieces of cheese – not the easiest of foodstuffs to take about with you. So when PetShop sent me a box of dog goodies to review, I didn’t hold out much hope….
Making a floral display with vintage bottles
How to make an easy but impressive floral display for the whole year
October 9, 2017
I have a thing for old bottles. Whenever I see one in a flea market or boot sale, I always pick it up; wonder what it once held and who in its history has owned it; but end up putting it down again because I’ve never had a reason to buy it (aren’t I good?!). However, I’ve finally thought of a reason to buy a whole load of them! And because I was impatient, I bought a job lot of vintage clear glass bottles, but actually it would’ve been fun to build up the collection over time, picking one up here and there. I thought this would be a nice quick and easy blog post just sharing my flower arrangement idea, but I ended up being pulled into the time-draining vortex of the internet discovering all sorts of things about old bottles! Did you know there are collectors’ clubs and events all over the country? If I had time for another hobby, I can see that vintage bottle collecting could become one of them!…..
blogtober blogging advice
5 excuses not to do Blogtober this year – Blogging advice
October 2, 2017
Are you a blogger and feeling the pressure to take part in Blogtober? (ie publishing a blog post every day for the month of October.) Well worry no more; I have five good reasons why you shouldn’t do it! You don’t have the time. No seriously, you probably don’t. Unless you’re my friend Kathryn, who, in the space of twenty minutes at our village writers’ group, can write a well written, fully plotted short story of about two thousand words; or you’re that girl who put her hand up for seven extra sheets of paper during her GCSE English exam, really think about how long it takes you to write a blog post. Particularly if this isn’t your full-time gig and you’re also doing a ‘proper’ job and/or looking after a family. Unless you’ve been planning Blogtober for a while and have a stash of posts ready to go in advance; when exactly are you going to do all this extra work?…..
Dealing with the post
Adulting: A series of things I should’ve learned by now – Dealing with the post
April 9, 2017
This is my second blog post in my series about adulting. Just because I’m nearly forty; doesn’t mean I’m any good at it! This time I’m talking about the stuff that comes through the letter box. I dread it with a passion. Unless I’ve bought something from ebay, I am so happy when the post van drives on past! It’s not so bad if the post-person brings it round to the back porch, because that means there’s a parcel, which is quite exciting. However, apart from postcards from my parents, there really is nothing good about the letters that fall on the damp stone floor in our hallway. I’ll do everything in my power to pretend they’re not there….
Happy New Year! Reflecting and looking ahead
January 3, 2017
Welcome 2017! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas or whichever seasonal celebrations you may have been having. Every other year I host Christmasses for my side of the family and another one for Chris’s side of the family (we wouldn’t all fit in at the same time) and this year it was extra lovely because everyone was able to come. I really wish the Christmas holidays could last another week – I can only just sit down and relax a bit. The run-up to Christmas was mainly spent cleaning, tidying and moving things to the garage to make space for people to stay. I’m writing this knowing that most people are back to work and school etc today and not knowing how on earth I would manage it if I had a normal job! I slept until 11:17 this morning! The only other time I can ever remember being as knackered as this was when we moved!
uk blogger over 40
I’m sorry!
December 11, 2016
I’ve been very busy on this blog recently; particularly with posting every day for Blogtober, so it feels strange not to have been here much for the last week or so. I expected Vlogmas to be time-consuming, but not quite this much! I am getting quicker at editing the videos, but it’s still taking me all morning every day, and sometimes part of the afternoon too, so I am not getting time to blog as well. I’ve got several blogs almost finished, but not quite, and I’m just not managing to get them done. So, I’m really sorry about this, but please take a look at my You Tube channel to see what I’ve been up to, and for the next couple of weeks, find me there instead. I’ll definitely be continuing Monday’s Weekly Wardrobe post, but I’m sorry if there’s not much in-between for the time being. Thank you for sticking with me. 🙂
Is it time to start making an effort?
November 23, 2016
Fashion and Beauty are terms that generally go hand in hand, particularly when describing the genre for some bloggers. However, whilst I am always interested in what’s on the catwalk, I can’t honestly say I’m all that bothered about ‘beauty’. I like looking at the craftsmanship of couture clothing, but I’m not rushing out to buy the latest eyeshadow primer. I suppose my interest has increased in the last six months or so when I’ve started blogging and making You Tube videos and my image is out there a bit more; and it got me thinking about how I’ve thought about beauty products over the years and how it’s changed…..
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