Category Archives: Childrenswear/Child & Family Related Posts

Crochet Vibe

The rejection of fast fashion and the heightened awareness of sustainable clothing makes it no surprise that in 2023 crochet clothing has featured heavily on catwalks and in clothing brand collections. Handmade crochet clothing is the only handicraft that cannot be made on a machine, unlike knitting. There was a crochet boom in the 1960s too – the “granny square” came into vogue, as well as a huge trend for crocheted home ware. Sound familiar?

For Pinning Later. Copyright ©Linda Hobden

My husband’s gran was a big knitter and she also crocheted granny squares to make enormous throws for our family. They are treasured heirlooms now as unfortunately she died in May this year aged 97. The latest recipient of a “granny square” item lovingly created by gran was my grandson who had a blanket made, but I think it was more appreciated by my daughter in law. Our family throw has been with us a number of years and has featured in many blog photographs over the past 10 years …

Copyright © Linda Hobden

Crochet clothing though. I had a crocheted top that I adored in the 1990s and it remained in my wardrobe until around 2007 when it snagged and unravelled and I decided to get rid. It was a camel colour and it was one of those tops that went with everything – an ideal wardrobe capsule item. The current dresses featured in stores at the moment are a mixture of plain crocheted styles alongside those in your face granny square numbers that look like gran’s throws!

The advantages of wearing crochet dresses are that they will keep you cool and comfortable. They are also sustainable – especially if made using organic cotton. The disadvantages – well, they are bulkier than usual summer dresses and crochet uses more yarn than the equivalent knitted fabric.

Joe Brown’s catalogue

So what underwear should you wear under a crochet dress? Well , wearing underwear that matches your skintone will give you a seamless look. Or you can opt for a camisole style slip dress either in skintone or the same colour as the crochet dress. A slip dress not only gives a streamlined look but is also lightweight and you shouldn’t feel overheated. If you are using your crochet dress as a beach cover up , then it really up to you if you want to wear a colour co ordinated swimsuit or not underneath. A crochet cover up dress will enable you to look smart enough to go from beach areas to your hotel room – especially with the new Spanish rules banning the wearing beachwear in public in areas away from beaches and pools.

Crochet dresses, pouffes, bags and accessories I like …. but I’m not quite sure if I like crochet “square” trousers….. however, on Etsy I did spot a digital crochet pattern to crochet some extremely cute black & white skull pattern trousers… they would look fab with a white bikini top – you’ll just need the talent to crochet them in the first place!

Copyright © HomescapesOnline

Lastly, I can’t let a crochet post go past without giving a quick mention of this adorable crochet animals wallpaper by Anne-Claire Petit, featuring crocheted animals on a cream crocheted background….

Copyright © Lime Lace

Linda x




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Hope And Fortune Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of the Hope And Fortune Book Tour with children’s author, Marissa Bañez.

BOOK SUMMARY

Hope and Fortune is a modern-day fairytale, featuring multicultural, multiracial (e.g., Filipina, African-American, Latina, Asian, Muslim, etc.), multigenerational, and multigender (including a boy) fairies of different shapes and sizes who help a sad little child who has lost her way to find her path.  Each fairy represents an ideal – Hope, Innocence and Wonder, Truth and Virtue, Generosity and Kindness, Strength and Courage, Respect and Dignity, Confidence, Imagination, Happiness, Beauty, Wisdom and Intelligence, and Love and Friendship. Although the protagonist is a little girl, the life advice given by the fairies is non-gender-specific and could resonate with anyone facing a difficult situation at any point in her/his/their life.

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

ISBN-10: 1685131174

ISBN-12: 978-1685131174

Print copy pages: 46 pages

Purchase a copy of Hope and Fortune on AmazonBarnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list.

MY INTERVIEW WITH MARISSA BAÑEZ

Hi! My name is Marissa Bañez (pronounced Mar-ee-sa Ban-yez). I came from the Philippines in 1969.  I graduated from Princeton University and am a litigator with one of the largest law firms in the world, licensed to practice in New York, California, and New Jersey.  At almost 65 and after 40 years of being a lawyer, I’m embarking on a new life venture in my “Third Act” as a children’s illustrated book author with my first book, Hope and Fortune published on February 2, 2023.  My second book, entitled “Hues and Harmony (How the Rainbow Butterfly Got Her Colors)”, is scheduled to be published on July 20, 2023.

“Hope and Fortune”  is your first published book for children.  Who or what inspired you to start writing children’s stories?

My husband was 49 and I was 40 when we got married.  As we were both no-longer-young, I did not expect to have a child.  Yet, one night during our honeymoon, I had a wonderful, extremely vivid dream.  I still remember every detail to this day.  In the dream, I found myself in a beautiful, very colorful floral garden, feeling peaceful and happy.  Suddenly, singing, laughing, and dancing angels and cherubim surrounded and enveloped me into their midst.  Then, a dark-haired cherub kissed me on the lips.  I immediately woke up and, still very much feeling the cherub’s kiss on my lips, told my husband that we were going to have a baby.  Nine months later, my daughter Angelica was born.  

I wrote a book about that.  Whenever I read the story to my friends, everyone always got a bit teary-eyed in a good way . . . which led me to think that I might actually be able to write stories that positively affects people.

So, as my daughter grew up to be a little girl, I decided to write other original children’s stories for her and her friends and created puppet shows out of the stories.  I made stage scenery and puppet characters using foam board, painted bedsheets, paper bags, popsicle sticks, and just about any available useable household item.  The kids, their parents, and I always had great fun and, at the end of the day, what else should matter when you’re a kid? 

Did you base the fairy tale characters on yourself and people you’ve met in your life?  Which fairy did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which fairy was the hardest to portray?

Basis for the characters:

• The protagonist, Esperanza, is based on my daughter (who is the muse for all my stories).  In fact, my daughter’s middle name is Esperanza.

• The Fortune Fairy of Hope is my late Filipina mother.  The illustration is based on her actual picture from when she was young.  The fairy also represents the Philippines.  Apart from her physical coloring of slightly darker skin and black hair, the top of her outfit was drawn to evoke the terno, with the distinctive bell sleeves of the Philippine national dress.  Her skirt is meant to look like the typical red-and-black Igorot/Ifugao cloths worn by the indigenous peoples in and near Baguio City, where we lived in the Philippines.  Like Ifugao women, the Fortune Fairy of Hope wears multiple brass bangles, called giniling.

• The Fortune Fairy of Wisdom and Intelligence is a tongue-in-cheek reference to me as a Princeton graduate.  

Favorite fairy:

I love all the Fortune Fairies equally.  There isn’t one that I liked writing about more than the others because each one is different, special, and unique.  That applies equally to the illustrations. There isn’t a particular fairy illustration that I liked illustrating more than any other.  Because children’s illustrated books are usually limited to 1000-1500 words, I expressly curated my illustrations to supplement the text of Hope and Fortune and create a multi-layered story with deeper significance.  In writing and illustrating Hope and Fortune, I learned that numbers, colors, and animals represent or symbolize certain ideals and principles that dovetail nicely with what I wanted to say in the book.  I then incorporated a lot of that symbolism into each illustration to make the story as multifaceted as possible.  Of course, a reader doesn’t have to know (or even care about) all about the symbolism to enjoy the story or the illustrations; they’re there for others who may want a more meaningful experience with the book.

Hardest fairy to portray:

The fairy that was hardest to portray was the Fortune Fairy of Beauty.  I struggled for some time with how to represent the ideal of beauty with physical characteristics because beauty means different things to different people, cultures, genders, and races.  The concept of beauty defies a universal representation.  Then, I remembered a wonderful episode of Star Trek, about a race of aliens that were evolving from their corporeal states into beings of pure energy.  That made me think of energy as our spiritual essence or life-force.  To me, a beautiful spirit will always win over a gorgeous face with an ugly personality.  Thus, the Fortune Fairy of Beauty as a heart radiating positive and bright energy was born.  As she says: “Beauty is not what you see with your eyes but with your heart.”

 Where did your story idea spring from – your legal background or family background or somewhere else?

​For my daughter’s 7th birthday, I wanted to put on a show for her and her friends at her party.  She wanted a story about cowgirls, fairies, and her little stuffed horse.  She and I brainstormed a bit, and I came up with a story entitled, The Lost Foal.  This was the party invitation:

In The Lost Foal, the stuffed horse was the one that got lost in the forest and encountered “cowgirl fairies” played by my daughter and her guests, each of whom wore fairy wings and pink cowboy hats and gave the horse life advice to get it back on the right track.

​Fast forward 16 years later to the pandemic and lockdown in 2020.  I felt bad for my daughter, her peers and those younger, all of whom faced unprecedented uncertainties in life.  I then took The Lost Foal, modernized it with a diverse cast of characters, and created a message that I hope will resonate not only with the very young but also with those less so who may feel rudderless and lost (in however way you want to define and contextualize those terms) at some point in their lives.

Who wove their love of stories spell on you?

My formative years (until age 11) were spent in the Philippines.  We were poor.  I didn’t have the experience of having someone read stories to me at night.  My parents’ primary concern was the feeding and clothing of my nine siblings and me and ensuring that we received formal education.  The reading or telling of stories before bed was an unaffordable luxury. Plus, other than the books we used for study at the local public elementary school, we had no storybooks at home.  To the extent that we were fortunate enough to get anything to read for pleasure, they were in the form of comic books passed down and well-thumb through by my aunts and 8 older siblings.  Even after we came to the U.S., I don’t remember that I had any books just for pleasure reading at home that I would call mine.  If I was exposed to such books, they were from the school or maybe the library, although I don’t recall that we went to the library very much at all. 

Are you a bookworm?  What is your favorite genre and/or authors?  Kindle or actual books?

A very good friend from way back to the 3rd grade likes to tell the story when we once had an assignment in elementary school to create a “bookworm”, consisting of round pieces of paper onto each of which we had to write the title of book we’d read and then stapled them onto each other to create a worm. At the end of assignment period, I had a much longer worm than anyone else in the class.  (Again, I don’t specifically recall where I was able to get those books from except from the school or the library.)  So, yes, even back in my youth I was a bookwormand I continue to be one to this day. My current favorite genre is historical fiction, preferably with hitherto unsung female protagonists, such as those written by Paula McClain, Marie Benedict, and the duo, Audrey Blake.  However, I read all kinds of books – from frivolous “beach reads” to legal thrillers to non-fiction tomes – and don’t like to be pigeonholed.  I like to think that barring anything that requires a deep knowledge of things like super-technical scientific or mathematical equations, I could be persuaded to read any type of novel or story. As between Kindle and actual books, it bears noting that space is a consideration when living in New York City.  So, although I’m not adverse to physical books, necessity requires that I read only electronic versions these days.

 Is Hope and Fortune available to purchase worldwide?

​My publisher, Black Rose Writing, can ship Hope and Fortune pretty much anywhere in the world if ordered through its website:https://www.blackrosewriting.com/childrensmg/hopeandfortune?rq=Hope%20and%20Fortune

It is also available through the following online sites:

• Amazon

• Barnes & Noble 

• Barong Warehouse

• Thriftbooks

• Books a million

• Alibris

• Sandman Books

Growing up had you always wanted to be an author, or did you have other career aspirations?

If you define “career aspiration” as a fervent hope to be in a particular field for a particular reason, the honest answer is that I held no such ambition when I was young.  To be even more honest, good things came my way and I simply took advantage of them, which fortunately led me to a pretty good path in life.  I’ve been very lucky indeed.

Growing up in the rural part of the mountain provide of the Philippines and then in the poor section of downtown Los Angeles prior to college, the main goal was survival by being able to put one foot in front of the other from one day to the next.  Sure, the idea that one should grow up to do something to make money to eat was a given but dreaming about or visualizing something as lofty as a “career” or “profession” seemed far-fetched. To be an author was not even on my radar at any time.  That was just something so beyond what I perceived to be within the realm of possibilities – too fantastical and too idealistic – as to be nonexistent.

As for my legal career, I remember one of my sisters and I were watching a Miss Universe pageant sometime in the early 1970s and the contestant from Japan (if I remember correctly) said that she was or wanted to be a lawyer.  An Asian woman at that time said she was going to be a lawyer?  Mind blown! I recall my sister saying then that she too was going to be a lawyer.  Lo and behold, not only did she become a lawyer, she went on to become an administrative judge for the State of California.  I simply followed in her footsteps and went into law as well, mostly because I hadn’t considered anything else.  Perhaps more accurately, I didn’t know any better to consider anything else.  Medicine (either as a doctor or a nurse) was out of the question as I’m very bad at math and science.  But, it had worked out better than okay for the last 40 years as I moved from one good position to a better one along the way so I’m not complaining.

Only after being a lawyer for 40 years did I consider being a published illustrated children’s book author.  That opportunity came to me out of left field as well.  By happenstance, I learned a former colleague with whom I worked in the 1980s had published a novel.  Through the power of the internet, I contacted him to say congratulations.  During our message exchanges, I expressed my glimmer of a dream to published one of the children’s stories I wrote for my daughter several years ago.  Without knowing anything about my stories, he introduced me to his publisher.  I took a fateful leap by re-working and modernizing The Lost Foal and then took advantage of the introduction by immediately submitting it for consideration.

When not writing/telling stories, what hobbies/passions do you indulge in?

I’m a bit of a dilettante.  Among my hobbies/passions are traveling, reading, watching Korean dramas and Star Trek shows (not to the exclusion of other shows but those two types are my favorites), designing/sewing clothes, playing a little guitar (especially with my musically talented siblings – the Von Trapp family had nothing on us!), going out with friends to the theater, museums, restaurants, and the like, and just vegetating on the couch or in front of the computer.  In short, anything but housework. 

What outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Ah – fashion!  Now, you’re talking my true language so buckle up!!!

To me, fashion is a form of storytelling.  It is putting on different personas to fit the occasion, place, or other circumstance.  Depending on the circumstances, clothing can make you feel confident, powerful, beautiful, sexy, fun, slovenly, depressed, comfortable, etc.  Clothing is a very powerful tool in telling the world about yourself or how you want the world to perceive you.  So, for me, there is no such thing as what I’d “normally be found wearing.”  When I go to court or a business meeting, I carefully consider how I present myself.  As a small Asian woman representing big corporations, I need to be taken seriously and heard in a predominantly male and/or White environment where people actively compete to be heard the loudest and the longest.  So, I tend to wear clothing that telegraphs competence, confidence, and a certain sense of gravitas like a suit (either a skirt-and-jacket or pantsuit) or a prim but nice dress … and likely with some “kick-ass” shoes (no hose).  If it’s a more informal business setting, I’ll still dress appropriately but more casually, like slacks or skirts with tops or dresses in less somber colors or maybe even prints … and likely with some “kick-ass” shoes (no hose). I break out the fancy/shiny/glittery stuff when I go to a gala, ballet, philharmonic, opera, or a fancy theater for a live performance.  I have them so why not?  If I’m going to an event that others went to a lot of trouble putting together, I’d like to honor and respect that by dressing up.  And the atmosphere at any event becomes so much more festive when people take the time to look a little spiffier. For going out with friends?  I have some great casual outfits that need to be worn instead of just hanging forlornly in my closet.  I tend to have a more enjoyable time when I dress up in something fun and stylish.  It also tells my friends that they and our time together are special. 


I put my idea that clothes tell a story into practice as it relates directly to Hope and Fortune during a book reading last December.  I wanted to wear something evocative of the fanciful fairies in the book, preferably the Fortune Fairy of Hope to pay homage to my mom and to my country of origin.  As luck would have it, I found though online shopping a green bolero with the traditional Filipino bell-shaped sleeves with white floral embroidery – not unlike the top of the Fortune Fairy of Hope’s outfit!  (My initial thought was to wear a light green dress with it but it was a very cold day, so I switched to black pants, top and booties instead, highlighting the bolero.)  Many moms and kids complimented the outfit.  When some asked about it, I was able to launch into what the bolero represents and how it relates to the Fortune Fairy of Hope –which, of course, is exactly the type of curiosity that I want the book to generate.

​I also think carefully about what outfits to bring on vacation, dictated by where I’m going, what I’ll be doing there, who I’m likely to see and, of course, luggage space.  When I travel, I don’t like to just go to a beach.  I like to do, see, and experience many different things from the adventurous to the cultural (but always fun), so I try to make sure to have the right clothes for everything.

At home with just my family? I tend to be a slob dresser and even jeans feel dressed up.  Depending on the weather, I’m in sweats or shorts and a T-shirt that I likely got for free at some fundraiser or giveaway because I like being comfortable at home and . . . well, who cares?

Do you have any favorite shops or online sites?

​I do not shop according to the offerings of a certain shop or online site. I’m also not label- or designer-conscious because I have seen many designer outfits that wouldn’t look good on me.

Instead, I tend to visualize the design and color of an outfit or footwear I want.  I then try to find it in a physical shop or online, without any particular loyalty to any vendor, designer or label.  Sometimes, I get lucky. If not, c’est la vie, but maybe in my search, I see something else that I didn’t know beforehand I desperately needed. . .

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

Right now, I have no desire for anything (and I certainly have no need for more clothes). If you’d asked me this about a month ago, I would’ve said I wanted something brocade or embroidered with intricate gold designs.  Why?  Because lately I’ve been watching Korean historical dramas in which the characters – females and males – wear beautiful and elaborate costumes inlaid with gold or silver designs.  Of course, I wouldn’t want to walk around wearing those hanboks (actually, I kind of do), if only because it would be impractical.  ​So, I searched around for something more modern but still reminiscent of those fabulous costumes.  I came upon a ¾-sleeve brocade topper (i.e., a long jacket that hits a couple of inches above the knee) with an upturned collar in a black background and different shades of gold paisley/curlicue design. Bonus – it has pockets!  Quite by accident, I also saw a pair of deep black pants with a gold embroidered paisley-type design on the outside part of the lower leg of the pants.  I’m shortening them to about an inch above my ankle bone to balance out the long jacket in a chic way.  Paired with some killer stilettos or fun mules and it’s a fabulous “dinner party-ready” look.

​When time permits or inspiration hits, I also like making my own clothes from scratch or re-purposing old or barely worn clothes to fit my current “clothes wishes.”  For example, a few weekends ago, I was looking through my closet and came upon a forgotten pair of cropped jeans that I’ve had for years but hardly ever worn.  I then rummaged through my sewing box and found some fancy ribbon trim and iridescent oblong Czech glass buttons.  Spent a couple of hours with a needle and thread . . . voilá – a new and cute pair of jeans!  They even go well with my new black-and-gold topper, giving a more casual spin to my wish for a modern take on the beautiful costumes on the Korean historical dramas I’ve been watching .Tip:  I like to remove and save beautiful buttons, lace, patches, ribbons and other decorative trims from old or outgrown clothes to sew on to other clothing for a personalized style.   

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Boots or shoes?

​I have several pairs of both shoes and boots of different styles and colors, so my choice is dictated not so much by an inherent preference of one over the other (which I don’t have) but rather by what goes better with whatever outfit I decide to wear for the day.  That said, I’m a little obsessed with mules with kitten or cute/interesting heels right now.

 Links you’d like to share – e.g., website/facebook, etc.

Personal website:  https://www.marissabanez.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/marissa.banez.7

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-banez/

BOOK TOUR DATES

Thanks to Marissa for inviting me onto her book tour. All photographs have been published with kind permission of Marissa Bañez.

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The Witching Moon Book Tour

I’m so pleased to be part of The Witching Moon Book Tour (The Witching Moon by K E Bonner). The genre of this book is Young Adult Fantasy – and normally not a genre I’d go for, seeing as I am a “not so young” adult – but I really enjoyed this fast paced story.

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THE BOOK SUMMARY

Every once in an eon, when the Earth eclipses the moon on a winter solstice, an immortal is born under a witching moon. Anne has always had the strangest feelings—memories she couldn’t place; strangers she inexplicably yearned for. After she rescues the enigmatic Phillip from a shipwreck, her comfortable life on the island of Cusabo is shattered, and the mystery of her destiny starts to fall into place. Anne leaves behind the life she’s always known and sets out with Phillip on an arduous journey to Amaranth, where her ancient family awaits her. But the path is dark and daunting, and Anne’s powers have only just begun to manifest.

Publisher: Belle Isle Books
ASIN: B096ST3G4Z
ISBN-10: 1947860925
ISBN-13: 978-1947860926
Print Length: 298 pages

You can purchase a copy of Witching Moon on AmazonBarnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add Witching Moon to your Goodreads reading list.

MY INTERVIEW

Salutations! I’m K.E. Bonner, author, reader, wife, mother, anesthetist, wanderer, gardener, and home chef. Fifteen years ago I found out I was dyslexic, which explained why I was labeled as a ‘slow reader’ in first grade. Note to teachers: never label anyone as slow, it hurts. Having dyslexia has taught me to never, never, ever give up. 

“Witching Moon” is your debut novel. Who or what inspired you to start your writing career? 

Have you ever heard of the book Twilight by Stephanie Myers? In 2005 all of my friends were obsessed with it, so I read it, loved it, and became determined to see why it was so hard to put down. I re-read it and then outlined the whole book to discover what secrets it held. A year later I met my friend, Leslie Muir, who shared with me that she had just signed with a literary agent. Suddenly being a writer seemed possible. I rushed home and began writing.

“Witching Moon” is a Young Adult  historical fiction/fantasy series – although I absolutely was enthralled with the story and it was fast paced enough to keep me engrossed to the last page.  I found your descriptions of places, the food, the characters and the even the “smells” very vivid. I loved the main characters, Anne and Philip – and I was mesmerised by their growing relationship!  Which character did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which character was the hardest?

Anne was the easiest character to write because I could hear her voice clearly and I spent so much time with her. Elodie was the most difficult character to write because she was a person of color and a runaway slave, and I am neither. It was important for me to honor Elodie, where she came from and her experience, so I read Fredrick Douglas’s autobiography, Beloved by Toni Morrison, The Color Purple by Alice Waters, and Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. I wanted to get inside of Elodie’s head as much as I could. It was important for Elodie to be a strong character with her own power because I didn’t want Anne to be a white savior. Anne saves Elodie but then Elodie saves Anne and Phillip by securing them a spot on the Underground Railroad. Kindness repays kindness.

The novel is set in 1865 during the American civil war in South Carolina. Living in Georgia yourself,  your depiction of the States is believable but I am intrigued by the island of Amaranth, off the coast of France. My mind conjured up a vision of Mont St Michel and the Ile de Ré …. but is Amaranth, the island, a figment of your imagination or based on a real place? 

Amaranth is based on Mont Saint Michel, a place I’ve never visited. I’ve been fascinated with Mont St Michel since I saw it in Mickey, Donald, and Goofy: The Three Musketeers. Cusabo is based on the sea islands of SC. There is no actual island named Cusabo, but the Cusabo people were the original inhabitants of the South Carolina low country.

As this is your debut novel, were there any aspects of writing the novel that surprised you, pleasantly or otherwise?

Writing is both an escape and therapy for me. When I go through a period when I’m not writing I don’t feel whole. There is no doubt in my mind that I was born to share stories. Witching Moon taught me how to write, my following books will share with readers what I’ve learned about how to cope, live, and forgive.

Iceland ….by ETHAN HOBDEN

Hypothetically speaking, if you could visit any country/place in the world, to base a future novel in, where would you go and why?

Iceland. The Icelandic people believe in elves, faries, and trolls, they call them huldufolk or hidden people. In my mind’s eye the huldufolk are leading Anne across a steaming field of moss covered, gnarled volcanic rock. Iceland is a country brimming with magical realism and the huldufolk are calling to me.

If “Witching Moon” was made into a film, what actors/actresses would you like to see cast as the main characters, eg Anne, Philip, Mama Jane etc? 

Undiscovered actors should play Anne, Phillip, Elodie, and Rory. I love the idea of giving a talented and hardworking young person a chance. An indigenous actress like Morningstar Angeline would play Mama Jane. I like Mads Mikkelsen for Bello, Idris Elba for Rex, and Kate Winslet for Rowan. My brother, Brendan Murphy, would be my choice of director. He is an award winning video game writer and he wrote and directed the movie Speakeasy. 

Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book?

I’m a real book kind of gal. I love the weight of a hardback in my hands, the texture of the pages, and the smell of ink. Few odors are as heady as the aroma of a secondhand bookstore; the dusty, woodsy, aged glue smell gets my heart racing. I adore southern gothic books, and books that introduce me to new places and cultures. Memoir, non fiction that broadens my mind, fat and colorful coffee table books, travel logs, little known histories, romance, true crime, spy-thrillers, short stories, and whatever strikes my fancy. Toni Morrison, Pat Conroy, Rick Bragg, Jane Austen, Mary Karr, and Maurice Sendack are some of my favorite authors. 

Is “Witching Moon” available to purchase worldwide?

Yes, On Amazon, Bookshop.org, and Barnesandnoble.com

Growing up had you always wanted to be an author or did you have other career aspirations?

I grew up watching my parents sit at the kitchen table struggling to pay the bills. My goal was to be able to pay my bills and travel. I went into medicine because I knew I’d always have a job. I’m lucky because I get paid to take care of people, but working in healthcare is stressful and hard on one’s body. My dream is to be able to support myself with my writing.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Comfort is very important to me. Brooks Adrenaline GTS is my shoe of choice, paired with jeans and a sweater or hoodie. I try to hit the gym everyday to either swim, lift weights, or do a spin class so I’m often in athletic clothes.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites ?

I like quality well made clothes that I can wear for more than two seasons. Tori Burch for handbags, Nordstrom for  clothes, Athleta, Theory, J Crew, and American Giant. I like clothes that canbe worn with jeans or dressed up and that travel well.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

My dream shoes are the Gucci lug sole loafers with gold bees embroidered on the heel, but they are crazy expensive. Even though I know I’ll be able to wear them for a long time, I can’t pull the trigger on them.

Boots or Shoes?

I love sneakers. I have two pairs of Taos Plim Soul sneakers that I wear with jeans, pants, and skirts that are perfect to travel with. I have a pair of black Born riding boots and a pair of Frye chelsea boots that I feel great in. I like classic pieces. I don’t mind paying a little more for quality clothes or shoes that I know I will wear for ten years.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

www.kebonner.com

Instagram: @kebonnerwrites

Facebook: karenbonner

BOOK TOUR DATES

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED WITH KIND PERMISSION OF K E BONNER , APART FROM THE HEADER PHOTO AND PHOTO OF ICELAND( BY ETHAN HOBDEN). THANKS ALSO GOES TO K E BONNER FOR A COPY OF THE WITCHING MOON FOR REVIEWING PURPOSES.

Linda x

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An Interview With Children’s Author Heba Hamzeh

Born in Beirut , but brought up in the UK , my guest on the blog this week is children’s author Heba Hamzeh. Retaining her love of Middle Eastern adventure tales and myths from her childhood, she regaled her own children with her exciting adventure fantasy stories and now every child can be enthralled with her tales of Prince Zaaki and his kingdom. I caught up with Heba recently to find out more about her Prince Zaaki series of books that appeal to children and teenagers alike. Hi Heba and welcome..

Hi! My name is Heba Hamzeh and I am the author of The Prince Zaaki trilogy.  My third book, Prince Zaaki And The Knights of The Altar of Truth was released in October this year and I am excited to share it and the whole trilogy with your readers.  I have lived in London for most of my life, due to fleeing my home country, Lebanon, at a very young age because of the civil unrest and war.  When my three children were young, I would make up bedtime stories for them and these stories evolved into the Prince Zaaki books.

Your 3rd book in your Prince Zaaki series for children/teenagers has just been published. Who or what inspired you to start your writing career? 

My children inspired me to write these books and continue to inspire and motivate me.  They love the stories I weaved for Prince Zaaki, especially my son, who, at bedtime, always asked me what is Prince Zaaki doing today and so I would come up with another adventure for Prince Zaaki.  Also, my faith and culture inspired the adventures and storyline within my books.  As a young child, growing up, I would hear stories of family members remembering their past lives and souls passing from one body to another.  One of the beliefs as a Druze is reincarnation and this fascination with transmigration led me to unknowingly write about it in my books, in a fantastical and enjoyable way for children to understand and begin to ask questions about this topic.  For me knowledge is power and I like to write something meaningful and thought provoking to put to the readers, although the books are fiction fantasy, they do contain some form of reality.

“Prince Zaaki” is an adventure/fantasy series, that tells the story of a boy growing into his purpose of life and becoming King of his kingdom.  It is filled with wizardry, magical beasts and adventure that all good bedtime stories are made of. Did you base a lot of your characters on you and people you’ve met in life? Which character did you enjoy writing about the most?  Which character was the hardest?

The protagonist, Prince Zaaki, is based on my son, Zaaki.  He is kind and caring and always tries to help others.  The two Goddesses are based on my two daughters, Lulu and Ella, who since they were both very young showed wisdom beyond their age.  As my father would say, they are old souls.  I enjoyed developing Prince Zaaki’s character as he is a young teenager in the first book who is a Prince and heir to the throne.  By the third book he becomes King of his Kingdom.  His travels across his Kingdom, open his eyes to what reality is like for his people and this changes him for the better. The challenges and obstacles he faces, make him stronger and want to stand up to injustices.  He becomes the Knight of Justice.  The hardest character to write and develop would be General Scarytis as he is the sly antagonist in the first two books.  I don’t want to give too much away but I will say the reader will see General Scarytis’ development throughout all three books and there is a big transformation at the end of the third book for the evil General.  

You were born in Beirut, Lebanon but have spent your childhood living in the UK and your love of Middle Eastern adventure tales and myths shows through your writing. However, if you could visit any country/place in the world, to base a future novel in, where would you go and why?

I would love to spend some time in the Buddhist monastery set up by the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala in India.  I actually sent my books to the Dalai Lama and he responded very kindly to me, which I am very grateful for.  

As a child, my father was the storyteller at bedtime  – sometimes from his imagination, other times he read Enid Blyton’s Famous Five/ Secret Seven series… but yes, still adventure stories !  I carried on reading to my 5 children at bedtime & it was a shame when they no longer wanted me to read to them – one of my sons was in his early teens as he enjoyed it!! I know you tell stories to your children, but who wove their love of stories spell on you?

I used to read Enid Blyton’s Famous Five when I was younger as well! But I would have to give credit to my English primary teacher, Miss Gamble, who has sadly passed. She was amazing in all sense of the word! She gave me my first poem to memorise, The Tyger by William Blake and as soon as I read it, I fell in love with poetry and that was the beginning of my journey into the world of books.


Are you a bookworm? What is your favourite genre and/or authors? Kindle or actual book? 

I love reading and my favourite would be Khalil Gibran who was a Lebanese author, poet, philosopher and painter.  His words carry so much knowledge and wisdom.  The Prophet is one of my all time favourite books.  I also enjoy reading Paulo Coelho’s books and my favourite would be The Alchemist.  Call me old fashioned but I love holding a book and turning the pages. The earthy smell of an old book gets me in the mood to sit down and read and read and read.

Are the Prince Zaaki books available to purchase worldwide?

The Prince Zaaki books are available worldwide on Amazon, and other good bookshops.

You taught mathematics at an International school for year but growing up had you always wanted to be an author, a teacher  or did you have other career aspirations?

As far as professional careers, I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was at school. Some days I thought I wanted to be a lawyer and some days I thought maybe I would make a good doctor.  Most days I dreamt of publishing my own book. Mathematics came very naturally to me and so I took the easy route and pursued that subject.  Teaching mathematics for many years, was extremely rewarding and I enjoyed creating projects for my students to see why mathematics is so important to everything in our lives.  After having my three children, I found my love of creative writing thus began my journey with the Prince Zaaki books.

You are a successful children’s /YA  author but have you ever written for another genre?  If not, would you and what genre would you loved to try?

I am not sure.  I have been told to write a cook book as I make Lebanese food for my children every day.  I call my style of cooking – Lebanese with a twist of Heba. The recipes I use are old mountain recipes from my Gran, mother and Aunty.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I like to be comfortable so blue or black jeans and a plain black or white t shirt/vest, converses during the spring, Uggs during winter (so now) and sandals in the Summer. For evening wear, I do love a pair of black stilettos – occasionally – accompanied by a black tux with a tie.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I do like to go to shops and try on clothes more than shop online.  I don’t have a preferred clothes shop.  I window shop a lot before I buy my clothes.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

Christmas jumpers for me and my kids!

Boots or Shoes?

Right now – boots! Ugg boots! It’s so cold in London and need to keep my feet warm!

For pinning later

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc

www.princezaaki.com WEBSITE FIRST BOOK: Prince Zaaki And The Royal Sword of Luella: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prince-Zaaki-Royal-Sword-Luella/dp/1942549652/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1HFDPN9FXGDVE&keywords=prince+zaaki+book&qid=1670502809&sprefix=prince+zaak%2Caps%2C271&sr=8-4
SECOND BOOK: Prince Zaaki And The Momentous Battle of The Kingdoms: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prince-Zaaki-Momentous-Battle-Kingdoms/dp/1955690103/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1670502869&sr=8-3-spons
THIRD BOOK: Prince Zaaki And The Knights of The Altar of Truth: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prince-Zaaki-Knights-Altar-Truth/dp/1955690340/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=Heba Hamzeh books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heba-Hamzeh/e/B09GYJHTZK?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1670503041&sr=1-1-catcorr

Fabulous to chat to you Heba – I’m glad to find a fellow Paulo Coelho fan – The Alchemist is my favourite of his too! It takes pride of place on my main bookshelf with a couple of other favourite classics 😊 Long may Prince Zaaki reign in your mind!

Linda x

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Heba Hamzeh.

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An Interview With Meee

Not an interview with me but an interview with Sid Madge, founder of Meee (My Education Employment Enterprise) ! To date, Meee has transformed the lives of over 20,000 people, from leaders of PLCs and SMEs to parents, teachers, students, carers, the unemployed and prison inmates. That is a lot of people! I caught up to Sid to find out more about Meee ….Hi Sid and welcome 😊

Hi, my name is Sid Madge. 


What made you decide to launch Meee (My Education Employment Enterprise)?

I started the Meee program after I was giving a talk in a school in Wales to a group of young teenagers. I asked them to describe themselves using one word. 

The first lad I asked answered “weirdo”. I smiled and said well what a great word, so creative. And he said, “No I’m bullied, I don’t like being at school, don’t see the point in education and don’t like learning”. I was horrified. I went round the rest of the class andothers used words such as freak, misfit and weirdo.

That session had a profound effect on me, so I did some research on young people and mental health. I started running workshops in schools with teachers and then worked with the unemployed and people in prison. I did a Tedx Talk and wrote my first book and followed up with two more.

My belief that this really could work, grew.

We started working with businesses and we’ve had tens of thousands of people through our programmes. We’re developing specific tools for personal development, and professional development around leadership, around culture. It’s been an amazing journey and I’m very grateful.

I guess your job isn’t an easy one as some people’s aversion to change is not that easy to solve! What sort of reasons hinder their adaptability?

Yes, people have multiple barriers to change. There’s a great saying is there no one likes change, except a wet baby!

Too often we see the process of change as negative and that’s what makes it so hard. We have to accept the situation we’re in and then create change – think of those amazing people who have got through extraordinary adversity, for example, Helen Keller, John Wilson who started sightseers International. It’s those people who have determination and the ability to regard change as positive. Others include Kobe Bryant who sadly died last year, Michael Jordan Ariana Huffington. They embrace change and that’s what Meee does. 

What approach do you tend to use to help people believe in themselves?

It’s best to start in safe conversation, exploring values and where our thinking comes from.We’ve got a great programme called Fuel and that’s all about Feelings and Understanding Emotions and Logic and Learning. I think once you start having those conversations around values, purpose and your own performance goals people start to change. They realise that they are their own instruments of change. They may have developed negative beliefs but a process like this can help them change their internal script, and help them change their lives. 

What is it about your job (& Meee) do you enjoy or gives you the most satisfaction? The downside?

I love what working both with young people and adults and taking them through a process of change. People of all ages have change their lives, but they do the changing and we’re there to guide and support.

When you listen to the stories of what they’re achieving for themselves, for their families, for their friends, for their communities there is no greater gift. 

The downside? I want more people to do the programme but finding the money is often challenging. But we’re getting more corporations involved so that we can then subsidise the education work and work in prisons. 

You are also an author of “Meee in Minute” series of books which each offer 60 ways to change your life – work or family – in 60 seconds.  What are 5 of your top tips?

• Words matter – think about the words that you use and how they impact others

• Never stop learning – there is so much to learn from yourself, from other people from going places, from doing things e.g., reading, writing, watching films etc, exploring the world. There is learning in everything that we do.

 • Remember that we all matter. Every single person matters. We’re all in this together and everybody can make a huge contribution to this wonderful world when you find your purpose and your passion.

• Think about the energy that you have – it’s a finite amount that we get every day so spend it wisely, 

• Honour your negative feelings. We all have them in a regardless of who we are. What’simportant is to acknowledge them but not to feed them. If you’re in a bad mood find out why, and what you can do to move the dial and put yourself in a better mood.

Growing up, did you always want a “People related” career or did you want to pursue a completely different direction?

At one point I wanted to be a vet, but I thought I wasn’t clever enough! I discovered the world of branding and design which has been great to work in, but it was never truly fulfilling. When that young lad said the word weirdo that changed everything.

Do you think the COVID pandemic has made a difference in the people’s mindset regarding change and life in general?

I think Covid has changed a lot of things. It has made some people more fearful but it’s made some more optimistic. It’s made us question things and what is truly important. I hope we’velearned that we’re not invincible and need to look after each other and this wonderful planet.

As you are based in the UK, are your services available worldwide too?

We are based in the UK but we deliver worldwide

©Linda Hobden. – Jeffrey West store in Piccadilly, London

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Trainers shorts and T-shirts mainly. I love being casual but also love dressing up smart too for the right occasions. 

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I love John Lewis and Fortnum & Mason. For convenience Amazon is useful – although I don’t think they aren’t doing the retail world a huge favour at the moment.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

My clothing Wish List is more about the children. I have three young children and I like buying clothes for them. I also like finding second-hand clothes. Recycled cool stuff is good for me especially as since the start of Covid I haven’t had any in-person meetings.

Boots or Shoes?

I used to wear a lot of Jeffrey West boots love love love his boots but now it’s trainers, it’s shoes and I love my slippers.

For More Information:

For Pinning Later. Lincoln’s Lego Exhibition 2019. ©Linda Hobden

Web: www.meee.global

Web: www.meeebooks.com

Twitter twitter.com/Meee_HQ
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MeeeHQ/
Instagram www.instagram.com/meeehq
YouTube https://youtu.be/fISupZWZMQc 
TEDx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR3Cyjs62c8

Photographs have been published with kind permission of Meee (apart from header, Pinterest photo, and Jeffrey West shop – ©Linda Hobden)

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An Interview With Driftwood Designs

Inspired by Wales – its beautiful scenery, language and culture – my guest this week is Lizzie Spikes, artist and illustrator based in Aberystwyth in West Wales. Lizzie founded her company, Driftwood Designs, in 2005, which she runs along with her friend Becky who apparently has a passion for spreadsheets! I caught up with Lizzie to find out more… Hi Lizzie!


Hi! My name is Lizzie Spikes and I’m the arty part of the partnership that runs Driftwood Designs.  I live and work on the West coast of Wales, near Aberystwyth, in a cave-like Welsh cottage with my two sons, our two hounds, two cats and our mildly grumpy goat.

What inspired you to set up “Driftwood Designs” ?

Becky Barratt and I have known each other since school,and we found ourselves as new mothers with complementary skills and the need to make a living around our children.  Driftwood Designs was conceived and created at Becky’s kitchen table with a handful of cards and a couple of poster prints run off for us by the friendly printer up the road.

I am always curious to know the origins of brand names, so why did you choose “Driftwood Designs”? Did you consider other names?

I came up with Driftwood Designs as a company name.  It was my second choice – I had my heart set on Flotsam and Jetsam Designs but it wasn’t available as a domain name and with hindsight would have been a bit of a mouthful.  Driftwood Designs was next on my list and it’s served us well.

You have a lovely wide range of illustrated products including posters, greeting cards, lampshades, cushions, tea towels, mugs and so on. What products and designs are proving popular amongst your customers so far?

Our cards are still our biggest seller and the pandemic has definitely increased sales as people strive to keep in touch.  Alongside this Becky and I both love the product development aspect of our work and like to dream up new designs and creations – hence the ever-increasing array of designs.  We try to put our imagery onto homewares that are both practical and beautiful.  

I particularly like the Colonnog Hearty design in the velvet cushion and tea towel.  Do you have a particular favourite design? 

I also love the hearty designs and now that we’ve found a British company who can make our textile products as bright and beautiful as we want them to be I would like to make more! Our china mugs bring me joy every day and I love my ‘Seasons’ lampshade.


As you are based in Wales, are your products available to purchase overseas? 

We’re happy to send things overseas and our website is fully stocked with our many products.

What inspires your illustrations? Do you go out with an idea to look for something specific to draw? Do you draw in situ or do you take photos and illustrate from there? 

I find lots of things inspiring – nature, the changing seasons, quotes I hear or read, places and people. And I’m lucky that our customers send me ideas and things they think I’ll like.  I always have a working notebook on the go which is full of scrawls of the things I don’t want to forget.


I hear that you like to work with pieces of flotsam and jetsam driftwood that you collect from your walks on your local pebbly beaches. What was the hardest or most unusual piece of artwork you’ve created so far out of driftwood?  Favourite piece?  

I like Driftwood as a canvas – the pieces that wash up have always had a previous use and a history that makes them inspiring.  My favourite piece of driftwood treasure thus far is a wooden guitar that I found on a local beach one rainy April which I turned into a scene.

Have you always wanted to be an artist/illustrator or did your career aspirations lay elsewhere?

I have always painted and drawn and it feels wrong to go a day without doing so.  I studied Drama and Fine Art at university – I specialised in sceneography and costume design because it was another way in which to interpret, illustrate and communicate literature.  One day I’d like to revisit set design but for now I’m happy to illustrate things on my kitchen table on a smaller scale!

When you are not illustrating, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time? 

In my spare time I can be found out walking with my hounds and a flask of coffee or in the sea – swimming or trying to master standing up on my surfboard.  I like to be outside in all weathers.  I also like cooking, and eating, and my perfect weekend would be a hike somewhere new with good friends followed by a big meal, a glass of red wine and a warm fire.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I love clothes and have frocks in all colours, shapes and sizes but mostly end up wearing paint splattered jeans which are worn on the knees, jumpers and wellies!  On the days when I wash the paint off and head into town for work or meetings I like to wear less practical attire and can even be found in heels.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites? 

My favourite online shops are a local coffee vendor called Teifi Coffee who delivers my favourite brew, an art materials supplier, ebay for new and old dresses and I hate trailing around supermarkets so I try to buy most of my groceries online too.  The boys and I get the occasional Gousto food box delivered – it means that we try different things and the boys are getting adept at cooking by following the instructions so it counts as a home schooling task.  Locally we’re very lucky to have some wonderful independent shops and if you ever venture to Aberystwyth, Medina is definitely worth a visit for food and supplies.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I definitely, absolutely need a new pair of Saltwater Sandals.  I had a gold  pair for years and they finally gave up at the end of last summer.

Boots or Shoes? 

I wear boots in winter and sandals in summer… I rarely wear shoes and have never really considered why not- they were a part of school uniform that I was happy to leave behind.

For Pinning Later



Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Driftwood Designs

We can be found on the web at www.driftwooddesigns.co.uk or on Facebook as Lizziespikes-DriftwoodDesigns and Instagram as @drifteddesigns or in real life we have a shiny new shop on Pier Street in Aberystwyth and in Castle Arcade in Cardiff.  

Absolutely beautiful prints and illustrations, Lizzie, they definitely conjure up the spirit of Wales!

Linda x

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Lizzie Spikes/ Driftwood Designs

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An Interview With Breast Dressed

With Mothers Day approaching this weekend in the UK, it seems to me entirely appropriate to introduce “Breast Dressed” – a brand of sustainable maternity and breast feeding clothing to cover all stages of modern mum-hood. The company was launched in June 2020 by Hester who has worked in the fashion industry for over 12 years. I caught up with Hester recently to find out more. Hi Hester & welcome…

Hi! I’m Hester and I’m the founder and designer of breast dressed. I currently live in London after a 6 year stint of living in Hong Kong. I live with my husband and my cat Stu who we fostered in Hong Kong and brought back with us so he could experience the outdoors, and he loves it! I am a fashion designer and have been in the industry for 12+ years. I enjoy HIIT classes, going to the theatre and ice skating – although I am pretty terrible at it!

What inspired the launch of Breast Dressed?

I have always known that one day I wanted to have my own brand I just wasn’t sure what that brand would be. When I moved to London I started to feel unfulfilled so it was then that I really started to pin down what I wanted to do. A lot of my friends had started to become pregnant and have babies and they kept saying how little choice of maternity clothing was out there, and then how even less choice of breast feeding friendly clothing was out there. I did some market research and found everything looked the same, it was all frumpy, mostly striped jersey dresses and it just was all a bit ‘mumsy’. So I thought right, let’s do this! It took me a long time to take the plunge from the safety of my full time job, but I now work part time and do freelance work to help support my dream of growing breast dressed.

Have you always had an interest in fashion  designing or did you have other career plans whilst growing up? 

My mother and father both worked in the fashion industry, they actually met whilst they were both working at Speedo. My mum was a swimwear designer and then had her own business designing ice skating dresses and my father was a marketing director and then became a wholesale distributer. So I have always grown up surrounded by the industry. As kids we used to attend trade shows, have boxes of samples lying around the house, help with sample sales etc. My mum’s studio was at home so I remember when I was poorly and off school I would lie under her cutting table on all her piles of fabric and fall asleep to the sound of her cutting scissors clanging against the table and the rumble of her sewing machines, a noise I still find super comforting. So I feel it was a given I would go in to the industry, I always loved art and textiles at school, so after A-levels I did my art foundation and then went on to study fashion design at Uni.

What are the sort of things you have to consider when designing maternity clothes as opposed to designing clothes for the non pregnant woman?  

I guess the main thing is comfort, it’s so important that my customers feel comfortable wearing my garments. I strive to make my styles as versatile as possible so I actually design them to be suitable for all stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding and for before and after pregnancy too so that they have longevity. Sustainability is key to my brand so I want my styles to be able to be worn for a long time and to want to be worn for a long time. Each style supports your growing bump, up to full term, and they all have easy breast feeding access which is subtle enough that these styles can then be worn and loved long after pregnancy and not look like they are your typical maternity dress. 

I love the Ada Jumpsuit from your collection. It is just the sort of garment I would have wanted to wear when I was pregnant (many moons ago!)  What products/designs are most popular at the moment? 

The Ada is definitely one our most popular styles as is the Lucy dress. I think they are both so easy to wear and style up or down and the suit all body shapes. We just launched the Margot Mummy Collars too which are made from our scrap fabrics and they are proving to be a popular accessory.

 Do you have a favourite style from your collection? 

My favourite is the Ada Jumpsuit – I have it in a few different colours. It’s just so comfortable and easy to wear and I feel really stylish in it too. I wear with my Dr Martens in the winter and my sandals in the summer. Eek, I also love the Airi dress, I feel so feminine in it and our deadstock navy gingham fabric is fab, it’s a printed gingham so feels really unique and its so easy to wash and requires very little ironing so its really practical, a really good throw on style when you don’t know what to wear but want to feel a bit glam.

When designing items to go into your collection, do you go for popular trendy styles and colours, customer requests, personal favourites or do you take all 3 into account?

I take all 3 into account, I think it’s really important to listen to your customers but also mix it with my knowledge of design to try and create something unique and new that’s not already out there. Before I began designing I did a big questionnaire asking peoples favourite kind of styles, colours, prints etc and I still refer back to that when looking at designing new pieces. As I want my styles to have longevity and be trans-seasonal I do try to make them classic shapes that will never go out of style but bring in an element of trend. Collars are a hot trend at the moment so we created out Margot Mummy Collars using our scrap fabrics and designed them to fit in to a mummy life style. 

As you are based in the UK, are your items available to purchase overseas?

Yes we ship worldwide through our website www.breastdressed.co.uk. So far I have sold styles to Australia, Singapore, Switzerland and Canada, It’s super exciting knowing that breast dressed is out in the world!

You have a Re:Loved collection – I have heard of preloved clothing, so what is re:loved? 

Yes so we source pre-loved garments from Ebay etc and we unpick them and mix them together to create new pieces that can then be re-loved by our customers. I love denim so I wanted to incorporate denim in to the breast dressed collection. But it can be costly to produce as you need special machinery for the heavy washes and I didn’t want to use raw denim as it can be quite stiff and I want all my garments to be soft to touch. So this was the perfect sustainable way to be able to incorporate denim in to our brand. We re-invent, re-wear and re-love. The other positive of this collection is that all profits go to charity. Giving back to the community is a long term goal and one we want to keep building on as a brand.

Your brand is striving to become a no waste company – so how are you achieving that aim?  

We use all of our scrap/waste fabrics left over from the pattern cutting of the main garments to create scrunchies, our Margot Mummy collars and brand labels so that our waste is very little. All of our packaging is sustainable and/or biodegradeable. We source fabrics and trims from deadstock suppliers in the U.K, so one man’s waste is our treasure. And we work on a made to order basis so we are only making stock that has been sold. We manufacture in the U.K which is also helping reduce our carbon footprint as the seamstress I work with is local to me so I don’t need to travel far to collect the garments. This will be an ever evolving mission and we are always learning of new things we can do to keep being as sustainable as possible.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Oooh, I’m a sucker for some high waist Levi’s, a boxy tee and high tops or Teva sandals! I do enjoy dressing up too but that feels like a distant memory during these current times!

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites? (Apart from your own)

Since launching breast dressed I’ve learnt what it’s like to be a small brand so I’m trying to explore new brands and shop from them. I love Paynter, their business model is really refreshing and their approach and customer interaction is brilliant. I also love Gung Ho London who raise awareness of global issues through their clothing.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

My Paynter jacket! I am so excited, it was my main investment in 2020 and I know it will last a lifetime. I get a weekly update from the brand, last week it was being sewn!

Boots or Shoes?

Hmmm, can I break the mould and choose sandals? I hate wearing socks so yeh a pair of comfy sandals are winners for me!

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Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Breast Dressed

www.breastdressed.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/breast.dressed/

https://www.facebook.com/breastdressedlondon

Fabulous chatting to you Hester! Your designs are so wearable and desirable, pregnant or not!

Linda x

All photographs have been published with kind permission of Hester/ Breast Dressed

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Create Your Own Calm

2020 has been quite a year, to say the least! All the more reason why my guest’s latest book, “Create Your Own Calm” is creating quite a stir. Author Becky Goddard-Hill has written this book that is simply bursting at the seams with simple, practical ideas and fun activities to stave off boredom and, more importantly, to manage feelings of stress, anger and anxiety. Although it is aimed at children aged 7 – 12, adults would still benefit from Becky’s words of wisdom. I caught up with Becky to find out more… Hi Becky!

Hi! I am Becky Goddard-Hill,  a children’s therapist and a wellbeing author. I blog at Emotionally Healthy Kids  and Simple Parenting and my podcast Emotionally Healthy Kids can be found on ITunes. I have 2 teenage kids and I live in Nottingham. My background is in  Social Work. My latest book, Create Your Own Calm is published by Harper Collins and came out in September 2020.

As a former social worker & child development trainer, what inspired you to write “Create Your Own Calm”  and the other books you have written?  

I strongly believe emotional health and wellbeing to be as important to life as physical health and intellectual pursuits. If not more important. But how often do we actually focus on teaching them the kinds of skills they need to manage their mental health? Rarely. I wanted to give kids a tool kit of coping skills to help them be robust and resilient and I wanted to introduce these in fun and light hearted ways  and that’s the focus and purpose of my books. They each contain loads of activities that teach kids great emotional health skills whilst having fun. 

I admire the fact that you run 6 blogs, all highly ranked within the UK, predominantly focused on family life, emotional well-being & being active/creative. How do you find writing books compared to writing blogposts?

Because my books are activity books I find each activity a big like a blog post to write. I love, love, love that my books are illustrated though and interactive.

What do you like most about blogging?

My blogging community is awesome and my various blogs are diverse and interesting. I  have to do quite a lot of social media to promote my blog – I don’t love that quite so much.

copyright © Linda Hobden

“Create Your Own Calm” is aimed at children aged 7 – 12, and yet looking through the book, I think the tips and activities to create calmness in these stressful times could also help adults. Learning the science behind emotions was especially good. Do you have a “favourite” tip to help when you are particularly stressed?

Yes. My favourite tip is to do something mindful, eg colour a mandala, bake bread, gardening. When you are focused you cannot worry about the past or the future and your brain clears making problems much easier to solve. 

The activities suggested in the book are really fun & quite innovative – such as growing a pizza garden & cloud watching (my favourite). What inspired the thoughtful activities? Any favourites? Any activities that you tried that didn’t quite work out?

Oh, I tried to make a lava lamp to show how people  are like oil and water – that they could coexist even though they could be very different. I ended up with about 20 lava lamp attempts all sitting round my house, none of which had worked!  My favourite activity in my teen book, Be Happy Be You, is that they have to befriend an apple for the day, name it, really get to know it and spend time with it. It’s to show them that whilst you might just think all apples are the same they aren’t at all, they are all individuals and deserving of your time in getting to know them. Appreciating diversity and inclusion are so important to instil.

copyright © LindaHobden

I noticed a lot of reviews for the book (and I am in agreement) commented that the language you used got the point across to young people without talking down to them or being patronising. That is a great skill to have. Is it a lot harder to write a book/ article aimed at a young person?

I don’t think so. My language is never formal when I write and I have teens myself. The publisher has a reader to check the language is just right too.

Your career background has been in the field of social work/child development; was that the career you aspired to have as a youngster or did your career aspirations lay elsewhere?

I want to save the world! I don’t know how to, but that was my grand plan. I’ve since realised that might be a tad ambitious but I do still desperately want to help people and make a difference. 

Being an author of 7 books already, are you a bookworm yourself?  If so, what genre(s) do you usually read?

 I am a huge sucker for a gorgeous romance and I love David Nicholls.

copyright © Adam Hobden


Looking towards the future – have you got other books in the pipeline?

Yes,  Create Your Own Kindness will be published in Feb 2021. It teaches kids to be kind to themselves, other people and, in fact, to the whole world! 

As you are based in England, is “Create Your Own Calm” available overseas?

Yes, on Amazon – pretty much everywhere.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

Ah, I’m a very comfy dresser. At the moment, it’s oversized cosy jumpers and jeans/joggers with my trusty silver Superga. I also love a pair of dunagrees.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

I like FatFace and Hush.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I am desperate for a cosy coat and some new tall boots as mine are battered!

Boots or Shoes?

Neither. I have about 15 pairs of converse and rather a lot of other lace up pumps too. They are my go to.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc so that readers can find out more about You & “Create Your Own Calm”

 I blog at Emotionally Healthy Kids  and Simple Parenting and my podcast Emotionally Healthy Kids can be found on ITunes.

Create Your Own Calm is published by Harper Collins and is available on Amazon and in all good book shops 

I have also co-written a  happiness boosting book for teens Be Happy Be You which was published earlier this year 

You can find me on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/beckygoddardhill

Thank you so much for the chat, Becky. I love the idea of befriending an apple! Highly original!

Linda x

The author & book photographs were published with kind permission of Becky Goddard-Hill. Other photographs are by Linda Hobden & Adam Hobden.

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Spotlight On The Money Box Tree

You’ve most probably heard the saying, “Money doesn’t grow on trees” …. well, my guest this week is out to prove that money DOES grow on trees, especially when it involves the Money Box Tree. The Money Box Tree is a cleverly designed flat “savings” tree that hangs on the wall … savers can see their money “grow” when they add their pound coins or dollars or euros. The creator, Jackie Swainston, is my guest today …. Hi Jackie!

I’m Jackie Swainston, a fun-loving older mum of two young teenagers. I’m an artist and graphic designer by trade, but I’m also interested in being money mindful, reducing waste and being as eco-friendly as I can.

 What inspired you to create the MoneyBox Tree?

When I had my children, I became aware of the amount we as parents spend on unnecessary rubbish – far too many plastic toys and gadgets – and how we inadvertently pass those values to our kids. I wanted to teach mine that they didn’t have to buy into the ‘I want it now’ culture. I wanted them to learn the true value of money, not only the importance of saving and to try to waste less… but also that it can be a fun and enjoyable pursuit. 

I got so fed up with uttering the phrase “Money doesn’t grow on trees!” when my kids pestered me for stuff in shops, it suddenly occurred to me that perhaps I could make money grow for them. An idea started to formulate and before I knew it, I’d sketched out a design for a flat moneybox with a clear front, so that money was visible. I made it tree-shaped so that the coins could drop into the ‘trunk’ and grow right to the top where the leaves and branches are. I created several designs on the back, punctuated by different amounts of money so kids could see when they’d reached £20, £40 and £60 and so on, one coin at a time. It’s so simple but very effective. Children love to see their money literally grow. 

What designs/colour choices are currently most popular?

I put so much care and thought into each and every design as that is what sparks young imaginations. Making saving fun like never before is what we want to build into the brand.We research current trends and try to incorporate those values into all that we do.

 WACKY TREE our best seller!

The WACKY TREE Money Box Tree is designed to appeal to those who love crazy colours. It will help build confidence and understanding, whatever the pocket money saving goals. In addition to being educational, the WACKY TREE Money Box Tree features lovable characters hiding among the branches. Each cute character will help everyone climb the top to success. Bright, bold, weird and wonderful, don’t ask us what kind of creatures they are … it’s a mystery!
Busy Town – Visit the Busy Town community, it’s where we all help one another. Make your way up that winding road and amazing things will happen. Save your precious coins for a sunny day and get to the top of the hill, then look down on all the lovable characters you met along the way. Remember change is good!
Magic Unicorn  – Magic Unicorns and fairies are what little people dream about. With their help you will magically resist the temptation to waste your shiny pounds and stop them disappearing down a rabbit hole. These sweet faces will watch over you as you save and reach the rainbow at the top of the waterfall. Good luck on your magic mission. 
The Bank of Mum and Dad – Bank of Mum and Dad says it’s a big world out there, so be street-savvy and stash your dosh away for a rainy day. Ratty will guard your booty, but have you got what it takes to count up a cool 100 pound or euro coins?

How much coinage can each MoneyBox Tree hold? 

Each tree holds 100 pound or euro coins. As soon as you get to the top, you can visit your bank, deposit the money and start over again. You don’t have to smash it like you do some money boxes. It’s totally reusable. 

From what age do you recommend teaching children about saving money?

With credit cards, online and contactless payments, money has become a virtual concept. Kids can pay with plastic as young as six! Parents and professionals are concerned that this is building bad habits. Children can get the hang of money earlier than you think. From three or four years old, let them handle coins. They can stack them into piles for fun and see how high they can make them. Then have fun  knocking them down. Hide coins in a room and get them to find them. Play shops and introduce the idea of how much money things cost in a simplistic way. As they get older, they’ll quickly get the hang of saving for things they really want.

Any ideas to make saving money fun?

It’s always good to have a goal. Kids love to have a sense of achievement. Make chores and tasks a  game (who can make their bed the quickest?) and then reward them with a coin they can pop into a  moneybox or savings account. Make it as visible as possible, with a MoneyBox Tree or even a simple chart on the wall so they can see how much ‘treasure’ they’ve collected.

When thinking of the designs to add to your MoneyBox Tree collection, do you select by what  has proved popular in the past, current trends, customer requests, personal preferences or all of  those things?

I look at trends in fashion and design for inspiration. I’m guided a bit by what has been popular previously, but I like to innovate as well, so the company is always pushing forward with new ideas and is never boring.

Is your career background mainly design or financial field or neither?  

I come from a design background, drawing was and is my first love. But I wanted to have my own business from a young age and a sense of control over my own destiny. This was borne out of an insecurity of not doing well at school. I’m passionate about people building savings and creating a secure future for themselves. I feel strongly that money skills should be taught in schools and that we should all have a strong understanding interest rates, and how mortgages and credit cards work. I think there would be far less debt in society if everyone understood how to manage money properly.

Can you remember the first thing you saved up to buy?

Worthy as it sounds, I did save most of my money to get my first mortgage, even in my teens! However, I do love clothes and spent some of my hard-earned cash on a gorgeous suede jacket that I wore until it fell apart, and a few singles (remember those?) of the Vamps, Chrissie Hynde, the Sex Pistols and Nick Cave.

Looking towards the future – have you got other savings items or themes in the pipeline to add in addition to the MoneyBox Tree themes you already sell? 

I’m constantly innovating and yes there are new products in the pipeline, both digital and physical, but they’re top secret at the moment, all I can say is that it will be character based!  I’ll come back and share those with you when I can.

 As you are based in England, is the MoneyBox Tree available overseas? 

I am UK based, but I’ll ship to anywhere in the world, at the moment we produce only to fit one pound or euro coins … but can adapt to any market . 

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

I’m a classics girl with simple tastes. I live in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, which is a rural spa town, so I wear clothes suitable for being in town and the countryside – usually boots and jeans with a silky shirts and chunky jumpers…. I do love a chunky jumper! I love unusual fabrics and gorgeous scarves though. When I can afford it I go to Stella McCartney, I tend to go for investment pieces that last forever, rather than fast fashion.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

If I could afford it I’d just shop all the time at Stella McCartney. I love her simple aesthetic. Even  though it goes against my ‘slow fashion’ ethic a bit, I also really love Mango and Zara. The clothes are stylish, fun and reasonably priced. It’s all about HOW you wear something… I like to think I look good for my age so can afford to go a bit edgy with my looks.

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

I’d love an investment Stella Jacket!

Boots or Shoes?

Definitely boots. It’s mostly boot weather in Harrogate, you can wear a decent pair boots with anything,  even shorts. I have a spaniel, Jess who loves a muddy walk through the woods. Only boots will do really. You are always ready for anything if you are wearing your boots!

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Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc so that readers can find out more about CoinIt-In and the MoneyBox Trees.

To find out more about the best gift you can give a child go to https://www.coinit-in.com/ 

Sign up for when new stock arrives and you will get 15% OFF!
https://www.instagram.com/coinitin/
https://www.facebook.com/CoinItIn/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/37486075/admin/

I think the Money Tree is a fab idea – thank you Jackie for showing us your trees and giving us ideas of how to save money as a family.

Linda x

All photographs have been published with kind permission of CoinIt-In.Com

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5 Reasons To Choose Wool

There are so many textiles in the world, and when you pick out garments for your wardrobe, do you really think about the material? After reading the reports by clothing brand, Celtic & Co, about the impact that microplastics have on polluting our waterways and that every time we wash our synthetic made clothes thousands upon thousands are released into our waterways via the humble washing machine; I began to look into the benefits of natural textiles such as cotton and, as it is currently winter in the UK, wool. You can read my blogpost about Celtic & Co’s report HERE. There is certainly more to wool than meets the eye – and here are my 5 reasons to choose wool:


Photo::Linda Hobden

WOOL IS A NATURAL PRODUCT. Wool is renewable. Wool obviously comes from sheep, but also wool is obtained from other animals including alpaca, llama, camel, goat, yak, beaver, otter, rabbit…. Wool has many eco-advantages over synthetic materials, such as polyester, acrylic and nylon: synthetic fibres all derive from plastic and wool, unlike synthetic materials, is naturally flame retardant. It is the flame retardant properties that makes wool the choice material for garments made for firefighters and soldiers – also wool is a natural insulator and is breathable. Have you noticed that wool carpets are used on trains and planes too?

WOOL IS RENEWABLE AND RECYCLABLE. When wool is disposed of, it naturally decomposes releasing valuable nitrogen-based nutrients into the ground. Recycled Wool is made by cutting or tearing apart existing wool fabric and then respinning the fibres, sometimes adding raw wool – this process was invented in West Yorkshire. It makes absolute sense to me to unravel old woollen items and respin or knit …

Photo: Celtic & Co

WOOL IS ODOUR RESISTANT. Wool clothing doesn’t smell, it doesn’t promote the growth of bacteria and is stain resistant too! Good news if you do perspire a lot, especially as wool is breathable so you don’t feel clammy. Wool doesn’t need to be washed as often as synthetic clothes – saving water, power, and you’re not releasing those microplastics into the environment either via your washing machine. Superwash wool ( or washable wool) technology first appeared in the early 1970s – this is wool that has been especially treated so that it is machine washable and may be tumble dried. So wool is even more convenient. According to Wikipedia, in 2007, a new wool suit was developed and sold in Japan that can be washed in the shower, dries off ready to wear within hours with no ironing required. The suit was developed using Australian Merino wool.

WOOL LASTS. Fashions come and go, but wool garments are usually very classical in style. My navy blue wool coat has been in my wardrobe for well over 20 years, might even be nudging 30 years old – it is a classic style that hasn’t dated, it is still immaculate, it still fits and it is still very warm indeed. Wool garments may be more expensive than their synthetic counterparts, but they do tend to last longer.

Wool clothing by Celtic & Co: Toscana Gilet, Flecked Funnel Neck Jumper; Aran Cable Beanie. https://celticandco.com

WOOL IS MICRO-CLIMATIC. Wool is amazing! Wool can keep you warm in winter, and can actually keep you cool in summer! Wool has a natural high level of UV protection. That is why desert peoples, such as the Bedouins and Tuaregs, use wool clothes for their insulation properties. Wool fabrics have a greater bulk than other textiles, and they hold air, which in turn causes the fabric to retain heat. Weather and geographical locations do influence wool in terms of quality and type of fleece – for example, Welsh Mountain Sheep have fleeces that are strong and robust – as the animals have to endure harsh weather; Lowland sheep have fleece that is often softer and finer, which is perfect for blankets. Sheep are resilient animals and can thrive in the hardiest of places where other livestock struggle to survive and crops can’t be grown. No wonder wool is one of the oldest textiles in the world!

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Thanks to Celtic & Co for their report on Synthetic v Wool; Wikipedia & MakeitBritish.co.uk for the facts about wool.
Photographs are by Linda Hobden apart from the Celtic & Co photos that have been marked as such in the article

Linda x

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