Category: Talking

Talking to kids about death

Posted on March 15, 2016 by heatherlauraclarke

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Our three-year-old daughter has an eerie new catch phrase. She wraps her arms around me, squeezes me tightly and says, “Mommy, I love you so much. I’m never gonna let you die.” I’m sorry, WHAT? I have no idea where she got it. She… Continue Reading “Talking to kids about death”

Category: Parenting, Talking

Sharing + oversharing every night at the dinner table

Posted on December 15, 2015 by heatherlauraclarke

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We’re usually halfway to the table, carrying the dinner plates or the glasses of milk and water, when our three-year-old begs to go first. “Please can I talk about my day now?” When we sit down and agree that she can kick things off,… Continue Reading “Sharing + oversharing every night at the dinner table”

Category: Parenting, Talking, The Mom Scene

Horrifying entries from my Grade 2 journal

Posted on February 19, 2015 by heatherlauraclarke

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We’ve been helping my mom sort through 23+ years of “stuff,” which means we’ve spent a lot of time going through boxes and finding fun bits of memorabilia: photos, old school papers, and cards we wrote her in wobbly, little-kid writing. My favourite thing… Continue Reading “Horrifying entries from my Grade 2 journal”

Category: Funny, Kiddos, School, Talking

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I’m Heather Laura Clarke. I’m writer living in beautiful Nova Scotia, I have a 11-year-old son and a nine-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 writing novels, 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.

I’ve been writing this blog since 2009, so if you dig deep into the archives, you’ll meet a bright-eyed 25-year-old newlywed who was basically obsessed with having kids, buying a cozy house, and supporting herself full-time as a writer. (Spoiler alert: she got exactly what she wanted.)