Today’s the Day! My Paid Subscriber Launch 🎉💌

On valuing my own creativity and crafting a community for us here.

I have big news to share! Today I am launching paid subscriptions here on my Substack. The button below has just gone live - woohoo! 🎉

Together in this wee corner of the Internet we are creating a beautiful community of like-minded old souls who want to slow down, simplify and connect with the seasons.

My readers defy age brackets: they might be “grand-millennials” like me, or they may be younger or older. What they do have in common is a desire for a more natural, slower, sustainable way of living inspired by nature and nostalgia, and to be more present throughout the year. My readers want to learn practical skills, to connect with like-minded individuals and to create stronger ties between inner and outer worlds.

My newsletters are rooted in the seasons and small, daily joys that anyone can enjoy. A practical resource but also a supportive community.

None of that will stop. I still want to guide and inspire you to slow down, simplify and celebrate the everyday. My free newsletter will go out once a month, on the last Sunday of the month. I will still be sharing recipes, crafts, seasonal to do lists, slow living tips, and more.

The paid subscriber tier is for extra, bonus content around living slowly and seasonally as well as the ability to participate in a private reader community - including my seasonal reading group. Here is my current planned publishing schedule around the following headings:

• Rosie Makes: craft projects, extra recipes and exclusive opportunities to be involved in the development of exciting projects! Watch this space…

• Edinburgh and Scotland Slow Living Guides: my favourite local places to visit in Edinburgh and further afield, as well as Scottish makers that share my ethos.

• Home Updates: seasonal decorating, renovating updates (topical at the moment!) interior tips and step-by-step styling how-tos and videos.

• Community Focus: discussion threads on all things seasonal, slow living, and the Celtic Wheel of the Year, Question and Answer sessions where you can ask me anything, a seasonal reading group.

• The Creative Life: personal updates on projects I’m working on, interviews with other authors and creatives, and a look behind the scenes of publishing.

Paid subscribers will receive their first exclusive post this Saturday night. Paid subscriptions will cost £5 per month - or are slightly discounted at £50 a year. As a founding member you can also opt to pay a little more to support me - £100 is the suggested payment. I opted for £5 a month so it would be less than a coffee and a cake at your favourite indie coffee shop, and certainly less than a gin and tonic costs in Edinburgh these days. Joking aside, I know that many parts of the world are entering a cost of living crisis and that your hard-earned money is precious, so I promise to provide you with tonnes of value, even more of your favourite posts - and exciting future plans that involve that large writing project I’ve been working on…

This is such a big moment for me as it has taken to the age of 32 to value my own creativity. Art was always my “extra” subject at school and - as an insecure overachiever at an academic school - I was funnelled down an academic route. I went to study languages at the University of St Andrews, then switched to English, which I did enjoy - but looking back I always wished I’d gone to art school.

For a while after graduating I worked as a journalist (went to London Fashion Week, the works) then freelanced my way through a Master’s at Edinburgh with pieces published in the Times and even writing press releases for Paul Smith as well as writing my lifestyle blog and growing my Instagram (@everythinglooksrosie) where I collaborate with lifestyle brands such as Toast, John Lewis, Laura Ashley, Boden and Denby.

But adulthood beckoned and the need for a steady, “forever” job. I loved working with young people and embarked on teacher training. I was good at it - and have been an English teacher for 8 years now, and like to think I am still good at it! There are parts of my job I love. And having a busy job certainly means I know what it means to need to slow down and take stock, balancing the demands of a stressful day job with the need to rest and recuperate. But when lockdown happened and I started writing again, really writing and working on my book proposal, I realised that creative piece of the puzzle that had been missing for so long.

Soon after that, I found Substack. A place where I could grow a community without algorithms and prioritise my words. There are now over 1000 of you here and - in spite of the imposter syndrome that is yelling at me that I’m not good enough - I really want to take this next step with you. To offer you more and to keep building this community together. To value my own creativity after all this time. To provide me with the financial security to pursue my passion.

Before my vulnerability hangover kicks in, here are some lovely things readers have said about me and my newsletter:

“Rosie's beautiful, seasonal vignettes are a balm in troubled times – I'm soothed by scenes of her lovely home. Rosie inspires her followers to notice and celebrate the passing months through books, crafts, baking and gentle styling.” - Laura, author of ‘Little Stories of my Life’ and Substack Small Stories with Laura Pashby.

“I am so much more conscious of seasonal changes thanks to you. I’m so grateful for your prompts and inspiration. I’ve learned so much about letting the seasons guide me more in my day to day. It’s such a lovely offset to my hurried urban life.” - Vilupa.

“Just wanted to say what a lovely cake this made - I have struggled to bake with nuts and fruit in cakes without them coming out dense/undercooked and this recipe worked a treat, and I added a cheeky chocolate ganache drizzle on top 🤫 I also loved making the elderflower and strawberry Victoria sponge from earlier this summer, which was a beauty. So hard to find recipes online that consistently give great results! Such simple yet delicious baking 💙” - Ella

Thank you, lovely readers, and I hope you will join me on my next step.

I’d really love it if you could share this newsletter to help me spread the word! Your support means the world. Xxx