Category: House of Dreams

Our home’s tried-and-true paint shades

Posted on July 27, 2017 by

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A lot of people find picking a paint colour REALLY hard, but I can’t get enough of it.  That doesn’t mean I’m always choosing the RIGHT colour, of course. But I love the thrill of pawing through the different paint chips and brazenly deciding…

Category: DIY, House of Dreams

Creative paint storage solutions

Posted on June 15, 2017 by

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One of the best parts of my new laundry room / DIY studio is that I finally have ALL of my paint in one glorious, organized colour-coded spot! Before the studio, when the room looked like hell, I was storing our large paint cans…

Category: DIY, House of Dreams, Organization

Sure, you can paint your oil tank!

Posted on June 14, 2017 by

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So our basement oil tank always looked like this …  Actually, it was more like this … And sometimes THIS … When I shared our laundry room makeover on Sunday, you might recall the oil tank was looking a LOT different … I knew…

Category: DIY, House of Dreams

I’m Heather Laura Clarke. I’m journalist and blogger in beautiful Nova Scotia, I have an 8-year-old son and a 6-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
It’s OK to be cranky sometimes. It’s a bad day, not a bad life. Tomorrow is a new day. This, too, shall pass. Etc. Etc. Etc. . . . This freezing cold “spring” weather is THE WORST and it’s making all of us irritable and glum. Right?!?! . . . Sewing by hand is soothing. Taking deep breaths is recommended. Knowing it will pass is wise. Going to bed early is a good idea. So good night. . . . #mentalhealth #sewing #coldestmayever #badmood #longday #goodnight Three birthday girls, one party, and NO presents! 🙌 Hop over to the blog to read about the best birthday party ever. . . . #parenting #kids #birthdays #birthdayparties #lifehack Today on the blog, I’m talking about trying rug-hooking ... and how I was promptly kicked off my high horse because I SUCKED AT IT 😱 . . . It’s true. The creative crafter who can sew clothes without patterns, refinish junk from the curb, turn old scraps into quilts, and hand-letter like nobody’s business REALLY STRUGGLED AT SOMETHING CRAFTY AND IT WAS HUMBLING. 😳 . . . #linkinbio #rughooking #hooking #hookedrugs #learning #creating I stopped abruptly at @michaelsstores when I saw a new aisle full of colourful @officialcricut vinyl, all organized in ROYGBIV order naturally. 😍 . . . I don’t own a Cricut but I had so much fun working with @atasha89 of #frozenintimedesigns making geeky wall decals for a client’s home last month. (Scroll back to see pics!) . . . Seeing sooooo many rolls of vinyl made my head explode with ideas and happiness and mostly lots of rainbow joy. . . . Reminds me of my convo with @suziconfesses on the #WellnessSimplifiedPodcast this week about unconventional self-care practices, like organizing nail polish and LEGO into rainbow order. 🌈 . . . #craftsupplies #happyplace #roygbiv #rainbow #michaels #cricut #crafter #handmade #alwayscreating #creative #creativegirl My jean jacket is basically an autobiography in pin form. . . . Swipe to see both sides! . . . #jeanjacket #pins #flare #sewing #mentalhealth #trurons #tacos #bostonterrier #babythatsthefunofme My newest thing is sewing tank tops for the kids and I’m making them all reversible because WHY NOT? . . . I made the rainbow heart circle pattern on the front of this one by ironing fusible web to tiny scraps of fabric, cutting out hearts, ironing them onto the tank, and then topstitching swirls with black thread to keep ‘em there for the long haul. . . . #sewing #handmade #sewingforkids #rainbow #hearts #sewingproject #sewinglife #sewingclothes
@HFXHeather on Twitter
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© 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.