Tag: blogging

Top 10 lessons from BlogJam’s Preserve Retreat 2019

Posted on October 21, 2019 by

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It was a fabulous weekend and I left with a happy heart. There’s so much I’ve taken away from this year’s conference, and I’ll be hopefully implementing more of it soon.

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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
Used my go-to bread recipe to make soft pretzels with the kids this morning. 🥨 . It made up for when I accidentally made one of them cry when I was teaching them two-digit multiplication 🤷🏻‍♀️
This is my view every morning. The kids wake up at their usual time (6:30) because they still go to bed at the same time (7:30) as Before (otherwise known as Before The Virus). . They’re allowed on screens first thing, just like they were Before. So when I come downstairs to make my cup of tea, it’s silent. They’re both wearing headphones, engrossed in their computers. . I sip my tea. I watch them from my perch at the counter. For those few quiet minutes, it feels like Before. . Except then ... there is no school bus to hurry off to catch. There is no school. There’s just an endless amount of minutes waiting to be filled with home-schooling and activities and questions and chatter. . The first part of the morning is quiet. It’s like Before. It’s everything after that that feels like After. . ⚪️⚪️⚪️
I’ve started doing daily art lessons with the kids, as we all follow along with YouTube videos. Yesterday was chalk pastel sunsets and today was oil pastel apples. I think it’s been helping me even more than it’s helping them.
I got laid off today, along with 40% of the company. . I’m sad and scared, but it was what had to be done. I’m a writer/editor — I’m not an essential service. I don’t even write hard news — I write nice, light, happy “good news” custom content features. . If businesses can’t keep their doors open, they certainly can’t afford for our team to write (awesome, effective) custom content articles and (beautiful glossy) custom magazine. I get it. I’m just disappointed. I will miss telling their stories. . I hope this is temporary. I hope I get to go back when this is all over. I really love the work, and we were doing SO WELL (like record-breaking well) just last month. Just two weeks ago, actually. Everything changed shockingly fast. . I work with a team of wonderful people (most of whom have also been laid off) and we’re all gutted about this. But we understand. No one saw this coming, and lots of industries have been hit hard. . PLEASE support the SaltWire papers that continue to be published. The Chronicle Herald. The Cape Breton Post. The Guardian/Journal Pioneer. The Telegram. Subscriptions are discounted — buy one? Click on articles. Share them. . Show your support for local news, so there are jobs for me and my friends when this is over. We all just want to go back. . . —30—
I’ve been sewing face masks, and you can, too! . There’s a serious mask shortage and although these aren’t as good as the medical-grade one, they’re better than nothing. I’m going to make batches to donate to our local hospital, which I’ve heard is one of the dedicated Covid-19 facilities. . Full video tutorial is on my Facebook page! “Heather Laura Clarke: Journalist & Blogger.” Original free pattern is from @buttoncounter! #buttoncountermask
I wrote a new blog post this morning about the power of thought work. . I truly think it’s the only thing that’s going to hell right now. Not panic-buying. Not freaking out. Not turning on each other. . Managing our thoughts. Which dictates how we feel. Which controls how we act. . Everything else is out of our control. Everything. And it always has been. . NEW POST ON THE BLOG ❤️
@HFXHeather on Twitter
My Top Posts
DIY dog crate cover
Easy DIY sofa tables
DIY monkey bars
How to make a backyard water blob
How to re-cover patio furniture cushions
DIY hanging bars
Build your own slide-out pantry
DIY quilt made from old jeans
Quilts from baby clothes
Sew a reversible circle skirt
PREGNANCY blog posts
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© Heather Laura Clarke and Heather’s Handmade Life, 2009-2019. 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.