2022-11-04 15:21
I don’t know if you had the same thing when you were at school, but once a week or so, we’d all be handed a card and we’d have to write a story about the picture on it. I r… Read More
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When I Grow Up Blog
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Working out who I want to be when I grow up! My creative lifestyle blog has been going for more than 12 years now and I write regular posts which tend to have a creative edge and include artist interviews, interesting events; handmade gift ideas; fashion and style inspiration; craft how to's and entertainment reviews.
2022-06-13 19:13
It is the weirdest feeling to come home after a holiday. It’s only been two weeks, but it feels so much longer than that. The house feels unfamiliar. And the smell when you come in&hel&hell…Read More
2022-06-05 16:18
When is it ok to call yourself an artist? Is it when you sell a few pieces of work? Is it when you make a full time living from it? Is it when you are represented by a gallery or when you&rs&hell…Read More
2022-02-21 20:36
This year, I thought it would be a good plan to try and encourage everyone to be more creative. Every month I’ll be writing a few ideas based around a prompt or theme to hopefully get… Read More
2022-02-14 16:30
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 m… Read More
2022-01-31 11:23
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… Read More
2021-12-16 13:21
This year our Christmas tree theme is pink, white and silver, and I have to say, it looks absolutely magical! A couple of years ago I was accused of doing themes and going all out to decorat… Read More
2021-12-08 21:38
There’s something about sending handmade Christmas cards that’s loaded with all kinds of baggage. A few people will get it. My cousin will get it. My mother and sister-in-laws wi… Read More
2021-11-29 21:05
Have you seen either BBC series of Poldark? If not, it’s a romantic saga set in Cornwall in the late eighth to early nineteenth century and was based on the novels by Winston Graham. T… Read More
2021-11-03 15:55
A much-needed respite in the middle of a week exploring London; my Mum took me and the kids to Scotney Castle, near Tunbridge Wells in Kent. This was near the end of September, so not quite… Read More
2021-11-01 13:12
Chris and I have been lucky enough to spend October in Connecticut a couple of times, and I have to say, New England does fall better than old England does autumn!… We have stayed in… Read More
2021-09-28 17:44
It’s September again (I know – where on earth did that come from?!) and that means there’s a general mood of New Term, which means new stationary (any excuse) and new begin… Read More
2021-09-28 17:44
It’s September again (I know – where on earth did that come from?!) and that means there’s a general mood of New Term, which means new stationary (any excuse) and new begin… Read More
2021-08-11 13:18
In these last two years I have never been more grateful for owning a camper van…. Chris and I were lucky enough to get away for another long weekend in the camper van. This time we we… Read More
2021-05-18 09:23
Dance of the Butterflies A semi-circle bay of liquid turquoise as still as a deep secret and barely a sound as the languid waves touched the pebbled beach. It was so much warmer than expecte… Read More
2020-11-12 17:45
I own a grand total of three perfumes. The first is CK One, and yes, I have had it since the nineties! And the other two are by Britney Spears, and were presents from my daughters. So you ma… Read More
2020-05-28 12:43
There’s a little bit of bitterness in me, that when I see people taking no notice of health guidelines; having visitors etc, that my husband Chris, who followed all the rules and took… Read More
2020-04-29 18:20
Naomi Bulger from Naomiloves.com is making a collection of our stories from this time during the coronavirus. Please head on over to her website to add yours as it’s important that the… Read More
2020-03-20 20:48
Today is Ostara, the spring equinox, and it’s an understatement to say it took me by surprise. Having spent six weeks in America again for Chris’s work, I feel like I missed wint… Read More
2020-03-01 16:25
After six weeks away in Connecticut, America, we landed back in a drizzly cold England last week. It was cold there (-6 most days in February), but it never seems to drizzle – sometime… Read More
2020-02-26 15:07
It may be the usual thing when picking your outfit to wear, to go for either casual or fancy items; but I love mixing the two together… It’s the juxtaposition – as you som… Read More
2020-02-15 03:49
I’ve always had a low bounce rate on my blog, but for the last three or four years it has hovered at around 1%, and the other day it actually hit 0.00% and has stayed there so far sinc… Read More
2020-02-11 20:09
If you really are in a style rut, why not take note of what your favourite characters are wearing in the television programmes and films you watch? Even if it’s set in Jane Austen&rsqu&hell…Read More
2020-02-10 20:53
My husband and I don’t make a big deal of Valentine’s day, but if you know me at all, you’ll know I’ll take any excuse to dress up in accordance to the occasion / sea… Read More
2020-02-07 17:11
Oh I miss watching clothes hauls. I feel like the few have spoilt it for the many, like when the teacher at school says the whole class can’t go swimming because one kid was caught bei… Read More
2020-02-03 20:18
Dear readers, these boots are so special, I thought I would dedicate a whole blog post to them! They were a Christmas present from Chris, and no-doubt you’ll be seeing them a lot more… Read More
2020-02-01 03:53
Come and find out the little behind-the-scenes stories of my photography on Instagram over last week… We landed in New York exactly three weeks ago, and after jet-leg woke us up early… Read More
2020-01-30 17:28
I have just returned back from a photoshoot walk with Chris. We’re away in America at the moment, and with yesterday’s snowfall on the ground and the sun shining, we made the mos… Read More
2020-01-28 08:22
I wasn’t sure whether to put this outfit into my ‘How to dress more creatively’ series, because even I wouldn’t recommend bare thighs in the minus temperatures! Howev… Read More
2020-01-27 19:42
Come and find out the little behind-the-scenes stories of my photography on Instagram last week… I love the way fog makes a landscape look so mysterious. This was taken nearly two yea… Read More
2020-01-23 17:57
I usually love January with all its newness; the blank page waiting to be filled in. I love all the planning and having fun thinking about all the exciting things I’m going to do in th… Read More
2020-01-21 16:22
It’s a little late in the day, but I’m afraid everything is running a little late due to packing and taking ourselves off to America for a few weeks! (There are still Christmas d… Read More
2020-01-17 19:57
If you’re looking to add a bit more creativity to your wardrobe, when you’re clothes shopping, keep a look out for fastenings in unusual places… Welcome to my series about… Read More
2020-01-15 19:30
As part of my goal to change things up a bit in 2020, one of the things I looked at was my Instagram accounts… I’ve had two accounts for a long time – one of them is Helen… Read More
2020-01-03 21:23
First of all, a very happy new year to you all – I appreciate you so much. Writing to no-one isn’t much fun, so it is lovely when I see how many of you come along to my blog for… Read More
2019-12-27 19:19
It was Saturday afternoon in October and the weather had turned unexpectedly warm. Local families had decided to make the most of it, the car-parking areas at East Rock Park were crowded. Th… Read More
2019-12-26 16:49
Despite my best intentions, and despite having a quiet Christmas day with just Chris and the girls this year, I still didn’t manage to come here and wish you a Merry Christmas; so here… Read More
2019-12-10 19:00
It is a lovely lie to tell ourselves when we’re shopping, that other people will remember what we wore last Christmas. However, unless it was a luminous lime green catsuit, to be hones… Read More
2019-12-06 20:39
If you’ve already read my guide to visiting St Mark’s Square, you’ll know why it’s a good idea to leave the tourist trap and go a wandering further around Venice&hell&hell…Read More
2019-12-03 16:53
We tend to think of bohemian fashion as something for summer – all billowing white floaty dresses on the beach, or crochet vest tops and denim shorts at a music festival. However, I fo… Read More
2019-11-26 14:58
Ok, I’m going to unashamedly blow my own trumpet here, and say that I do a bloody good Christmas tree! My tree gets lots of compliments every year, so I thought I’d pass on my wi… Read More
2019-11-25 13:16
I don’t consider myself a fountain of knowledge or an expert in any field, however, people occasionally come to me for fashion advice, in real life as well as online. And they say thin… Read More
2019-11-19 12:48
The timing for this experiment was important: I needed the weather to be good enough to be able to hang fabric outside to dry, but cold enough for us to still have the Rayburn lit so that I… Read More
2019-11-13 19:10
6am. That’s the time to do it. Up at five in the pitch black, spooky yellow lights are just enough to see the way. Luckily St Mark’s Square is signposted fairly regularly for tou… Read More
2019-11-11 19:00
I hadn’t heard of the style, ‘Pastel Goth’ until my daughter mentioned it to me a few years ago. We already know about the Goths who sweep about in their all-black outfits… Read More
2019-11-05 16:24
Finding the location of the photo-shoot for this bohemian wedding dress was one of those classic screech to a halt moments that don’t normally happen in real life. However, we’d… Read More
2019-10-29 19:33
I know these days have pretty much passed us by now, but I love that brief time in Autumn, when you can go out with something cosy to keep you a bit warmer, but you don’t yet need a fu… Read More
2019-10-22 16:36
Ok, let’s start off by being clear, the definition of a smock dress isn’t really represented in these photos! A smock dress really should have smocking – gathers of materia… Read More
2019-10-18 19:29
Yes, this one was a surprise to us too! By the way, this was written in my dairy during our P&O cruise two years ago around Greece, but one stop was at Albania. I typed up most of this b… Read More
2019-10-16 20:06
The Greatest Showman film is still in our hearts and the soundtrack is perfect for cheering up a housework day, so I thought I would gather together some of my favourite handmade circus outf… Read More
2019-10-14 17:27
I’d seen this H&M yellow poppy dress in the shop, but they didn’t have my size, and it turned out they were sold out online. So I did my usual thing and took to ebay, where I… Read More
2019-10-11 19:02
I’ll be honest, I was’t totally sure about the fitness tracker bracelets, but it was a new gadget and as my husband likes new gadgets but doesn’t do much fitness himself; h… Read More
2019-10-10 16:08
Halloween is on its way folks, and if you don’t want to go trick or treating in the same Sainsbury’s witch dress as everyone else, then now’s the time to be looking for an… Read More
2019-10-08 18:49
What happened to that then? Every single fashion trend forecaster and subsequent fashion blogger told us last February that crochet was going to be a big thing this spring and summer. It did… Read More
2019-10-04 14:28
Oh my goodness, I have just returned from the most wonderful day out at the Aztec Hotel and Spa, just North of Bristol. Breakfast, a swim, a spa treatment, a masterclass with chef, Marc Payn… Read More
2019-10-01 16:17
Just a brief post from me today because it’s R’s birthday and I’ve lost one of her presents! So I need to keep turning the house up-side-down until I find it! Anyway, I tho… Read More
2019-09-30 14:13
Continuing the braless theme of my recent fashion post; I didn’t even have time to put one on on the Saturday morning we visited Godrevy beach. As we approached the National Trust hut… Read More
2019-09-24 13:28
It’s a rare thing when a vintage dress that I actually like comes up in my size. I also won’t wear polyester, so that limits me too. But when this pretty cotton red dress with wh… Read More
2019-09-11 09:43
Sometimes I am reminded why husbands can be a good idea to have around. I was telling him about how I’d got caught in the sales funnel of yet another Women In Business stream of emails… Read More
2019-09-03 16:52
I know some fashion bloggers are happy with a few snaps in the car park; standing by their house, or in front of the nearest garage door to get their fashion blog photos. Not me, oh no! I ta… Read More
2019-08-28 11:54
Rebecca had planned her trip to Rome since she was eighteen. Her degree was in ancient civilisations and the Roman empire captivated her imagination. Friends were supposed to be accompanying… Read More
2019-08-27 11:36
Sightseeing in a new place. You want to be comfortable; but you also want to look a bit cool, then all you need to do is this: add a pair of trainers or plimsols to a summer dress. It couldn… Read More
2019-08-21 19:56
I’ve had a Threads of a Fairytale stall (apart from last year) at the New Forest Fairy Festival since it began, when it was little more than a small fairy market and a few volunteering… Read More
2019-08-19 17:43
Today I’m sharing an outfit with you that I’m calling nautical style with a twist. The blue and white striped trousers are very much nautical, however the twist is the pattern on… Read More
2019-08-16 21:52
This is the question I’ve often pondered, but until you fork out the money to upgrade, you’re not going to know are you? Last year I flew three times to America accompanying Chri… Read More
2019-08-13 15:09
I love bohemian style fashion at any time of year, but there’s something about the romance of summer sightseeing that makes it even more perfect. And if you were to think of a boho bra… Read More
2019-08-03 19:56
This design of dress can be seen in many an independent clothing shop or hanging at a market stall in many tourist destinations. It’s often advertised as ‘The magic dress’… Read More
2019-07-24 06:48
Today I’m sharing with you one of my recent makes for Threads of a Fairytale; a bohemian fairy dress with a tropical leaf print…. If you saw a video made a couple of years ago o… Read More
2019-07-22 06:40
I still call it my new bag, but my Cath Kidston blue spotted shoulder bag, and matching purse, was in fact a kind birthday present from Chris’s family for my fortieth last year. It goe… Read More
2019-07-19 12:12
I’ll be honest, I’d hoped to tell you about the whole thing in two parts, however the bathroom is still not finished – we’re a bit stuck on the decoration. In the mea… Read More
2019-07-17 15:24
If there’s one thing as a family that unites us, it’s an interest in history. It may well stem from an old Sunday evening routine that consisted of a bath, a McDonalds, and watch… Read More
2019-07-10 15:31
Wow – it was a bit of a scorcher! I need to look it up to see if this was the hottest Glastonbury Festival ever, or whether that honour goes to our first one in 1995. I know in the pas… Read More
2019-06-25 18:05
I think I have actually found the perfect pair of summer trousers! They’re a beautiful soft linen, cut off at the right point, and have a good stripe!… This outfit was ac… Read More
2019-06-19 12:31
Wishing Glastonbury Festival isn’t over, on the Monday afternoon when most people have gone home, the kids and I usually take a walk through the festival site. It’s sad to say th… Read More
2019-06-17 12:48
Are you a blogger, photographer and vlogger? The big camera question! Do you, or do you not carry two cameras around with you at all times? Are you struggling with choosing which camera you… Read More
2019-06-11 13:35
I can totally understand why there is so much online content at the moment about wedding guest dresses and outfits – it is quite a difficult decision you know….. The day before… Read More
2019-06-10 14:55
The last May bank holiday weekend was our first trip away in our VW camper van for the season, and as soon as we got back in it, we remembered all the things we meant to fix over the winter… Read More
2019-06-06 20:50
I have really had to restrain myself from beginning each of these Monthly Memoir posts from saying something along the lines of ‘I can’t believe we’re in *insert month here… Read More
2019-06-03 14:12
I have been spying some gorgeous clothing in Tescos lately, and I couldn’t resist this bohemian style hanky-hem dress with a ditsy floral and paisley print. It’s even (on the who… Read More
2019-05-20 12:08
I bought this dress from a magic shop under the shadow of a pirate castle in Lanzarote when we were on holiday last year. By that I mean that it was one of those shops with a tiny front and… Read More
2019-05-15 19:55
A couple of weeks ago, when the weather was being kind to us, Chris and I went out for the day. It wasn’t as photography-centric as our days out usually are as I really wanted to see t… Read More
2019-05-14 13:58
It’s fun to see the second team of fence builders have started on the opposite side of the Glastonbury Festival site this morning – it amazes me how they manage to make it meet … Read More
2019-05-14 12:53
Have you seen the Starz Outlander series on telly? Or read the books by Diana Gabaldon? Chris and I have watched the four series through twice, and have begun to listen to the audio books in… Read More
2019-05-11 16:51
Apart from a very slight increase in traffic, there haven’t been many changes in life around the Glastonbury Festival site since my last update. But would you believe it – despit… Read More
2019-05-09 09:57
When you’re family is ready to buy a puppy, it’s important to make sure the dog breed is one that’s going to suit you; so if you’re thinking about getting an English… Read More
2019-05-03 15:04
Glastonbury Festival was sorely missed last year, and we’re well and truly ready for another one. There’s already a buzz around Pilton and the local area – lots of caravans… Read More
2019-05-02 19:20
I hope you don’t mind if this post is rather photo-heavy and word-light – I’m just absolutely knackered! My sewing machine is away for repair, so I’m finding myself d… Read More
2019-04-25 17:31
This black waterfall cardigan was a charity shop find, and I love it! Not all waterfall cardigans are made equal – I like the shape of them, but some have too much fabric around the ba… Read More
2019-04-24 16:03
I absorb all of Sara Tasker’s content – her blog, her Instagram and her podcasts – maybe in the hope that some of her talent, style and confidence will rub off on me. So I… Read More
2019-04-16 12:32
Do you remember the day when Hurricae Ophelia hit the October before last and the sky turned orange and the sun turned red? Well I’m writing this on that day (though no doubt I’l… Read More
2019-04-12 17:21
This time last year Chris and I had our first campervan trip of the season to Cornwall, and it turned out to be a lot warmer than we expected! I feel that at the moment we’re in that h… Read More
2019-04-09 18:37
Chris and I had discovered the location online and seen from photos how green the place was going to be with all the moss clinging to hibernating ancient oak branches. So, as it was also lik… Read More
2019-04-04 18:04
Our good friend Stephen is getting married on Saturday! (Photo above from Glastonbury Festival 2002 – Steve on the left with his best man, Mark.) We go back a long way So I wanted to s… Read More
2019-04-03 21:08
Hello folks! This post is going to be a little short on photography, particularly compared to my last Monthly Memoir; I’ve just realised I’ve taken hardly any photos to share wit… Read More
2019-03-29 16:33
There’s something about the shape of smock dresses that I love. Probably, just how damn comfortable they are! And I was very happy to find this one at H&M as it fits well, but also… Read More
2019-03-27 10:09
We moved to this house eleven years ago, so for the first couple of years I shared the renovations (that we did mainly ourselves) on this blog back then. Then our mortgage deal ended and our… Read More
2019-03-21 15:18
The problem with working from home in a small village in central Somerset, is that we are in danger of going a bit stir crazy! Over the last couple of years Chris and I have made more of an… Read More
2019-03-19 23:09
As per usual, I fully intended to write about something immediately afterwards so it was fresh in my mind, but stuff got in the way and before I realised it, it was a couple of weeks since r… Read More
2019-03-13 16:37
Jeanne d’arc Living magazine has its own range of gorgeous bohemian chic clothing. However there aren’t many places that stock it, and the prices are a little higher than I would… Read More
2019-03-11 18:30
I had a little rant about unhelpful ‘inspirational quotes‘ a little while ago, so I won’t go into that again, but ‘Live The Life You Imagined’, is one that gets… Read More
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