I've made two cds of guitar-gush since I started playing proper like in 2003. I've done 'gigs' in Grantham, Manchester, Cheltenham, Burton on Trent and Nottingham since then. I once busked at Kings Cross tube station at half midnight with nothing but a melodica and a cheeky grin.
I record everything myself using things with strings, cheap plastic things that go beep and melodicas. Fun percussion includes my desk and my hands, which I clap together from time to time. Any samples that you hear have most probably come from ancient evangelical flexidiscs. I sometimes try and sound a bit like the Beach boys but that usually goes wrong.
Places to write songs include graveyards, benches at 3am, the Blue Pig, fields and on trains (especially slow ones that get delayed far too much). Good things include organised noise, benches, otters and nice.