Category: Hard times

Fighting for good mental health in (UGH) January

Posted on January 12, 2018 by

Leave a Comment

The Christmas season has its own set of stresses and depressing points days weeks, but sometimes January can kick you in the crotch, too. Judging from (A) my social media feeds, and (B) the real-life humans I interact with (mostly at the school bus…

Category: Hard times, It's all about me, Lessons, Mental health, Mommy time, Motherhood

The mom who hated Christmas

Posted on December 19, 2017 by

Leave a Comment

The mom who hated Christmas ... and how she fixed that. {Heather's Handmade Life}

Every mom in the neighbourhood liked Christmas a lot . . . But one mom — the one with the scowl — she did NOT! This mom disliked Christmas! The whole Christmas season! (Perhaps therapy would one day uncover the reason). It could be…

Category: Hard times, Holidays, Mental health, Mommy confession, The Mom Scene

Talking about mental health on social media

Posted on December 6, 2017 by

2 Comments

This is why we rarely talk about mental health on social media {Heather's Handmade Life}

I’ve been having some bad days, and this is why you didn’t hear about them. I’m writing this post because I put a lamp in the kitchen. It looks terrible and doesn’t fit in, but I needed to be able to turn off all…

Category: Hard times, It's all about me, Mental health

I’m Heather Laura Clarke. I’m journalist and blogger in beautiful Nova Scotia, I have an 9-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter, I married my high school sweetheart, and this is the story of my handmade life.

I have depression and anxiety, and I fight like hell every day to keep it from taking over my life. Making things isn’t just a hobby — it’s part of what keeps me alive.

Whether I’m decorating a room, busting out my power tools to build furniture, getting muddy in the pottery studio, sewing clothes for my kids, or cross-stitching a swear word, I’m all about using my creativity to craft a life I love.

@HFXHeather on Instagram
Front porch = 😍 . . . As soon as we installed our new @schlagecanada #SchlageConnect Smart Deadbolt and handleset, I KNEW I needed to repaint the teal door. “Coral” in @fusionmineralpaint was the perfect shade to make the aged bronze deadbolt and handleset pop. . . . Today’s post is all about how we redid the porch itself, stripping down years of thick chipping solid stain (more like paint) to start fresh with this sheer one. . . . #linkinbio #frontporch #DIY #homedecor #fusionmineralpaint #porch Ahh, glossy black paint + a brand-new brush 🥰 . . . #DIY #sneakpeek #fusionmineralpaint #woodworking #DIYlife #bloglife Fun fact about me: I always try to keep a stash of fresh 1x2s, 2x2s, 1x3s, and 1x4s in my studio. There’s always a ton of OTHER wood, of course, but nothing sparks my creativity like seeing a couple of fresh new boards and deciding to turn them into something new. . . . #DIY #woodworking #girlswhobuild #sneakpeek We’ve been in deck HELL lately, and today’s post is all about (A) what went wrong, (B) what we’re doing about it, (C) what you can do to prevent our horrific deck/porch reality to becoming your own problem. 😭😭😭 . . . #linkinbio #DIY #porch #stain #theworst #DIYdisaster This was my bedroom when I was 13. I was obsessed with New York City so my mom let me paint murals of the skyline, Central Park, Long Island etc. and it was awesome. . (Swipe for all pics) . This room is super cheerful and happy, but what went on inside it sometimes was anything but. I was hit hard with the first waves of depression and anxiety, even though I didn’t understand it at the time. . When this room was finished, things got bad. I didn’t yet understand the connection between creating + my mental health. More on this over on the blog. . (HeathersHandmadeLife.com) . #linkinbio #mentalhealth #mentalillness #depression #anxiety #creativity #13yearsold I guess there was a big sale on pale blue fabric! 😂 . . . #sewing #handmade #throwback
@HFXHeather on Twitter
*** This sidebar contains ads and affiliate links ***

© Heather Laura Clarke and Heather’s Handmade Life, 2009-2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Heather Laura Clarke and Heather’s Handmade Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.