You are the Apple of my Eye

You are the Apple of my Eye

Hello again!
Thanks for dropping by this Saturday!
I am running out of steam here at yon NEC, so I have an idea.
Here are the step by step pictures for a really cool stencil project.

Help me out!

Here are the ingredients:
Apple of my Eye Stencil
Tangle Stencil

Add the rest and the instructions…

Send your instructions to me at 
barbaragray123@hotmail.com
I will gratefully pick the most accurate, and send you 
a £20 gift voucher!
much love,

49 thoughts on “You are the Apple of my Eye

  1. Hi Barb, fab card, will give it a go, sorry to hear you are running out of steam, at least try relaxing in the evenings, and nearly the end of what I am sure has been a highly successful endeavour. Bx

  2. OK so this will just go to prove how much we've learnt from you ! I think I may be one of those students who sits at the back sending notes around class….. but I'll give the homework a go. When my son didn't sleep through the night for 3YEARS (!!) I lived on caffeine & chocolate – might be worth a try for a day or 2 for you guys. Keep going you're doing an amazing job & pay no attention to the throbbing feet & achy bits

  3. Hi Barb,
    Sorry to hear that you are running out of steam, but I'm sure that with a good night's sleep and a lovely cuppa you'll feel better. Also, once the adrenaline kicks in who knows what will happen – just keep going and have a peek or two at the shrink plastic video – that will cheer you up I'm sure!!Great idea to get us to see if we've picked up any tips etc I will have to have a go at this. Have a fantastic day and hopefully some rest. Love Alison xx

  4. Hi Barbara. Sorry that you are running out of steam but what a great idea to get us to fill in the gaps. I missed what you had written the first time I looked and couldn't work out why there were no instructions….doh! Good luck to everyone that has a go, I will come back later and try and have a go as I'm off out shortly. I hope you manage to get through the next couple of days Barbara, with the support of your fab team and plenty of water and food. I will be thinking of you : ) Take care.

  5. Hi Barb
    Great to see you yesterday and watch you do a fab demo on the gelli plate and thank you so much for the finished card. It has pride of place in my craft room to give me lots of inspiration. I am looking forward to joining you and the other ladies on the retreat in August. Have a great weekend at NEC. Love Alex x

  6. Keep going hun. I haven't got the patience to try and type out some instructions on my tablet but I feel sure you will get lots of entrants.

    Enjoy the rest of the nec..not so many stands do demos like they used to its a shame, but everyone flocks to see yours cos they're just brill. Xx

  7. Lovely piece of artwork Barbara. Sorry to hear your energy is waning, hopefully the crowds at your stand will give you a boost, that and lots of tea! Will be thinking of you during the day, take care xxx

  8. Fab result I might just be able to have a go at this one. Sending you some energetic vibes, have a fabulous day and I'm sure everyone's enthusiasm will carry you thro today and tomorrow. Hope you've planned some days off afterwards to recharge those batteries properly xx

  9. What a great challenge! I have been looking through your blog to get ideas for working with stencils at my Craft Club next Thursday, and you have certainly provided us all with plenty of inspiration. Working through this project step-by-step has definitely got the old brain cells going – I hope I have got the steps right because I'm going to be brave and try it myself. Fingers crossed that I can translate the technique to stencils I currently have (wish me luck!)

    Hope you have a fun day, I'm sure your flocks of excited customers will give you a boost

  10. A lot of instructions there Barbara, how many pictures???? That'll keep people busy. You can do it Barbara, just think about how happy you are making all those people who make a beeline to come and watch you. And keep drinking the coffee!!! xx

    1. No! Cut down on the caffeine. It makes you twitchy and totally hyper. It does that to me anyway. I had too many coffees when I went up to my son' in Derbyshire. It was nearly 48 hours before I got it out of my system enough to function again. Try chamomile tea instead to relax you. xx Maggie

  11. Fab challenge Barbara – and what a lovely finished result. Best of luck for today, I'm sure the time will fly over and that you will all have a great time. Hope the neck is improving. Pat x

  12. We the customer can usually forget about the planning what you need to take , the getting it there and then setting up before you start then the restocking ready for the next day and the next ……
    followed by the reverse packing up , getting home , restocking etc .
    Then the days of repeat demos and all when your tired out!
    So the need for a little help and understanding from ones friends is more than deserved – Here is the but – I can do card following the photo guide as that's the visual bit that sits in my head each time I finish reading your blog and head to my craft table to play , so I shall pass on my attempt at written instructions as they will be rubbish and I am prone to witter on lol!
    However just thinking about trying made me even more grateful for the time and effort you put into the photos and instructions .
    I hope you have a good day and by negating the written instructions have fun with the crowds that will be keen to see you work your magic as you always do .
    Xxx

  13. Looks lovely I love stencils have a good day at NEC hope you get plenty of energy to get you through look forward to rest of tutorial instructions xxx

  14. Hiya Barbara, You have been so busy eh?

    You will need a well earned rest,say for at least the next fortnight?

    That sounds fair,you lie on the chaise being fed grapes by a hunk and then bathe in a scented warm bubbly bath!

    Sound so good and like an advert too,hope you are ok and that you do take the time to rest after the NEC !

    Take Care.
    Big Hugs
    xxx

  15. Love the look of those little apples – you could just eat one! Just having my cuppa and if I get some time after I make some mother's day cards, I'll have a go at your step by step challenge! To be honest though I could probably have a go at doing the project just from your pictures which are excellent. Sending a little burst of energy your way to help you through the day. Susan x

  16. Doing four days at the NEC would make anyone run out of steam – please try and pace yourself. Love the mask, I wish someone would send me a card like that. I can't think of anyone who would regard me as the apple of their eye, sadly.

  17. I have written my ideas so I am off now to try them out. I am in desperate need of two birthday cards for today. Oops!! I hope it works, otherwise they might get boughten cards for this year. The first part threw me totally to begin with. It was a very good exercise, really waking the brain up this morning. You think you have got it and then realise you have missed an important step somewhere along the line – a bit like reading the questions properly in an exam.
    Keep going, not long now and you can be on the way home again for a well deserved sleep. Thanks for all your hard work. Just think, where you were this time last year – just diving into the Gelli plate, and as far as I can see, the stencils were just something to provide interest for the stencils. They have grown and developed a life of their own, working with the Gelli, or on their own or with the stamps. Five years ago, I was never going to get into this boring stamping rubbish. My cross stitch and a bit of decoupage and peel offs were my limit. Oh boy, did you change my mind? I certainly have no time to be bored these days.
    Go Clarity!!!
    xxx Maggie

    1. Should have said that the stencils were just something to provide interest for the Gelli. I did say, my brain hurt today trying to decide exactly what you have done with this challenge. I gather Dave has had to go back to base for more supplies. Hope he has got back safely. xx Maggie

  18. Oh Barbara please try to delegate as much as you can, you need to keep the brain fresh for the artistic bits. I'm knew to crafting so I couldn't take up the challenge, but I'm looking forward to see what all the clever crafty ladies taken on your challenge. I wish I was there too. Take good care of yourself. xx

  19. Not surprised you say you are running out of steam it was extremely busy today at NEC. You did look tired but as usual you still provided lovely demo. I was with my daughters and you certainly had us in stitches with some of your comments. My one daughter still not sure about the Gelli plate but as you told her she will" get over it ". Hope you manage to survive one more frantic day then home. Now I just got to see if I can work out some instructions for your demo. Will probably make you laugh again. Lynne xx

    1. Lynne, my daughter cannot cope with the idea of not washing the brayer and the Gelli plate between colours. She is somewhat OCD with it, but her daughter just dived in and was coming up with her own ideas by the end of our session. xx Maggie

    2. Oh Maggie wish you could have been there we were all howling with laughter I thought Barbara was going to cry laughing so much. Anyway I have bought a gelli plate so watch this space. Lynne x

    3. I was totally in hysterics at my daughter. I had bought the two of them Gelli plates for Christmas to try to get my granddaughter to stop being so fixed on things having to be perfect. But it was my very artistic, ex art student daughter, who was having a total meltdown because I was making her leave an image on the plate to pull off with another colour later, and I would not let her wash the brayer. At the Christmas show, I am going to drag her along to see if Barbara can change her mind set. Glad you had a good time at the show. xx Maggie

  20. Am just sitting down after a long day at the NEC. Got home after 7pm to an overexcited 3 year old. He is finally settled quietly in bed and I can relax. Had a lovely day and it was good to meet you today. Had fun watching a few of your demos and enjoyed some good laughs this afternoon. Your team as usual were great and Maria's demos were excellent too. Need to make a quick card on Monday so will try your Gelli plate demo from today. Amongst lots of goodies, I bought the brick stencil and the birdhouse set, so I can hopefully get something that might resemble your work today. Hope poor Dave makes it back ok, with all the right things! I will see if my brain is up to studying to work out the instructions for today's blog. x

  21. Keep going Barbara! We really enjoyed it this afternoon. Look forward to the You Tube tutorials which will allow you much more free reign. (The classroom is soooo yesterday – he he!) One more day and you can try and catch your breath…

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