Trees trees and more trees!!

Trees trees and more trees!!

Hello there.
Thanks for popping in.
I’m late tonight, but that is due largely to a very long day, 
wading through orders and Groovi Plates with my teamies!
We have a plan!
Now I have to trust in the good people at Clarity to
make and pick and pack and stack and
move the orders out !
Suffice it to say that we have never, ever, 
in the history of the company,
known a weekend like it.
I just hope we can dispatch faster than our blimming website 
was going on Friday!!! 
And me? What am I up to?
 I have to focus on the next TV Show,
which is Sunday 2-4pm.
Oh what a bind! I get to prep demos and do art…
One little voice in my head, (we call him Niggle) says,
“Well, nobody’s going to buy anything on Sunday, 
because they’ve just had a massive spend-up on the Gray Days!”
Then Giggle, the other voice in my head, laughs and says,
“Yeah, but hang on! Wait till they see the beautiful new stamps and Groovi Plates!”
So I’m going with Giggle.
Monday’s Blog is Flowers and Trees, right?
Well, on Sunday, on HOCHANDA,
I am showcasing a brand new pair of 
fabulous Wee Trees and Wee Grasses ClarityStamps.
Brilliant for landscapes and country scenes.
Quite by chance today, 
I found an old card I made donkeys ago,
with little scenes.
Remember the old Woodland inkpad?
The rainbow pad from Ranger?
Why they frequently discontinue such excellent lines
is beyond me. 
(Oops! Niggle’s woken up again)
I suppose you can make your own rainbow pads now, with the bottled Distress inks and Cut n Dry Felt 
(There’s Giggle pitching in, bless her)
Just 3 little panels,
with a larger tree and a moon mask.

a smaller tree,

torn paper and the side of the larger tree for the hedgerows.

And now, finally a set of Wee trees and Grasses!
These are going to be so brilliant for all the 
Wee Fairies and Wee Children too.
Anyway, I really must take my shoes off
and kick back for an hour before we hit the hay!
Love and Peace,

58 thoughts on “Trees trees and more trees!!

  1. Will look forward to Sunday Barbara – glad you are going back to your usual slot so we won't miss you! Loving the wee trees and grasses. Night night – sleep well xx Helen and MIke

  2. Hi Barb,
    These are fantastic and such a brilliant idea. Can't wait for Sunday and I bet they won't be in stock for long, so I hope you have a back up plan! I can just see them falling into my basket from Clarity of course. Think Giggle has the right idea! Love Alison xxx

  3. I would be very surprised if they didn't sell Barbara! I am in a very privileged position and know what will be shown on TV on Sunday and I absolutely love them! All of them…. So tell niggle to do one and stick with giggle for the rest of the week!!!
    Love and hugs to you! Xxx

    1. You are a worthy member of the Tease Squad, Jane. I, sadly, do not have your privilege,but I know they will sell and already have ideas on how I want to use them. Looking forward to seeing the demos and the wonderful samples from the team. xxx Maggie

  4. These look like a definite must have. I didn't have any money for 'gray Friday' but should have some for Sunday for these fabulous trees. They look just the job. Xx
    Thank you for always bringing something more, and for always being so innovative. Xx

    1. Hi Donna, Diane, Sheila, Brenda and Dot, think we'll all need more than cushions, don't you? Hope you are all ok, hope you feel more yourself today Donna, love to you all and hugs too.xx

  5. Hi Barbara, sounds like a good plan to me ;-). Wish it was only niggle and giggle I had in my head, try doom, gloom, useless, whatsthepoint, they're much nearer the mark these days!!! I've got a feeling you can rely on those two incorrigible members of the CCA who shall remain nameless (Sheila and Donna) to fall off the wagon within seconds on Sunday and take anyone wavering with them too!!!!! Me those wee trees and grasses are defo going on the wish list for my next order. Any chance of a wee set of tiny single miniature leaves for doing borders and frames and stuff at some point? Like the separate wee set of heads that went with the grasses stamp (that was with the windmill). Right now I'm trying so hard, unsuccessfully, to motivate myself to finish my Christmas cards! They are being collected on Wednesday – the only known chance of someone being able to come for them for posting, and I'm so far away from them being finished! And I'm sat here doing total avoidance. At this rate I'll be up all night tomorrow night frantically trying to finish them, or just deciding no one is getting a card this year is a bit nearer the mark! Any suggestions anyone? Hope you've both got your feet up before bed time. Big hugs to help ward off niggle, love Brenda xx

    Thanks for the suggestion Pam, I have checked it out, but as usual when you add in my big food allergies, and that I'm vegetarian there's nowt left!!! But I appreciated the thought and your time trying to help me. Love Brenda xx

    1. The simpler the better I think Brenda, perhaps a frame with a greeting in the middle? I know what you mean by avoidance I seem to be good at that at the moment! and then end up trying to meet deadlines in a panic. I've got a load of December birthdays to do and thought I would be so organised now that I've given up work but, no, I'm still the same!

      Good luck ! x

    2. I am trying to avoid the blind panic at the moment, having realised that I have a load of cards to write and presents to finish so I can hand them over on Friday for onward delivery around family. Late nights, early mornings and sore eyes coming up. I thought I was so organised this year……… Where did I go wrong? xxx Maggie

    3. Wow giggle will be winner when it comes to your shows it's a no brainer sell out sell
      Out. When do you friends let you down go go Barbara theylookamazing first startedseriesstamping with your trees a scenerystampingyou do hooked my night night and big crafty hugs xxx go clarity xxx

    4. Brenda have you got a snowflake? stamp a greeting then stamp around with snowflakes
      I've got the snowflake fresco paint I dabbed it on a red background it looks so good but so easy to do and if you have a tree you could use that as a Center piece then stamp snowflakes as a frame don't know if that helps but give yourself a big hug for blogging on here xxx

    5. Brenda, how about doing small cards, make a mask from the image you are going to use in the centre, then use an Xmas stencil such as holly or stars etc, and brushing ink lightly through it. Then remove the mask and stamp the motive in the centre, maybe the holly & bells from the design club or small scene. Colour image and mount on a darker colour paper or card, then into your card. Quite a quick card. Hope this helps.

    6. Hello Brenda lovely to see you. Now deep breath , look through your stamps and choose something simple. The funny thing is you can spend days faffing about thinking yo designs and oh I could do that and wasting so much time ( tomorrow's another day is another great time waster too!). Once you make a start you will remember why you like to craft and time will fly by! Sending you and Daisy a big hug xxxxxx

    7. Hi Brenda – I managed to do a whole stack of cards before I came away to save some postage here in the US. I used the design I put in for the Clarity Challenge which only uses one square of card, 2 stamps, versamark and white embossing powder – really, really quick and easy. Have a pile more to do when I get home, but happy for you to copy if you like the design and have the same/similar stamps. Can't say it's high art, but it's the thought that counts!!! Susan x

    8. Wow, thank you everyone. I had done a lot of work on and off in the last few weeks on parchment toppers for this year's cards but got stuck doing avoidance and sort of disillusioned or something with them too. After writing here I decided to see if I could finish them off before abandoning them and while doing that I've worked out one bit I wasn't happy with so I've done that to them all. So I've now got parchment toppers finished and the backing paper chosen, hopefully I'll be bale to make myself stick at it tomorrow to make up the cards and get them all written in time. But all your ideas for effective quick cards won't go to waste as I've still other cards and gifts, probably wall art, to make including thank you's for Nicola and the really good worker! Everyone I usually hand make something for Christmas for is also getting an IOU, as I've not even been able to think of what to do never mind contemplate actually doing it. I always seem to make life more difficult for myself thinking everything I make needs to be more, something new or more gone into it than the time before! So I'm going to use your ideas to come up with simpler cards and presents, see if I can get caught up. I hate the fact that no one has had or will get their presents on time, never happened before. I know people will understand with everything I'm being put through but if I can't get out of this and get going again the bad people win don't they. It's feeling like they have won already though, because I'm so stuck and struggling. Maybe that's why I'm finding it impossible to motivate myself.
      Thank you everyone, big hugs Brenda xx

    9. Morning Brenda nodded off last night to many nightshifts I think glad you had wee other friends to blether with take it easy and don't stress with your cards haven't even got mine finished yet and I only do them for the kids and grandkids ..take care..xx

    10. Ah Brenda it's just good to see you back again and posting regularly. Celebrate what you've done, it's a step forward and that's progress. Nobody minds waiting for the really special stuff done with love and thought, I think IOUs are a lovely idea 'coz you get all year to look forward to receiving them. BTW still not got a single card finished myself yet, loads are in part production, one has actually made it onto an actual card but still needs an insert and an envelope. Need 3 finished and written by this weekend, along with 10 finished cards for a stationery present for hubby's grandmother. I also decided to use old coffee tins, painted and decorated up as presents, very easy to do with fresco paints, stamps and a bit of varnish. Now all I need to do is finish them! I find it helpful if I drown the voice panicking in the background by just focusing on one thing/task. Now I will paint the second layer of acrylic paint. If I concentrate just on that one thing I find I naturally do a few more things and hey presto two finished pots. Good luck with the cards, thinking about you. Karen xxxx

  6. Oooh, Barbara, what are you doing to us addicts? I LOVE those little stamps. They will join the Wee Folk, who live in my craft bag so they go everywhere with me. I bet they will be a sell out on Sunday. The DVD is now set for all the Clarity programmes this year. By the way, I notice that the TV guide on Freeview says the programmes all start at two minutes to the hour, so I have had to change the recordings accordingly. Good luck to you and all the hard working staff at Clarity with all the orders that will follow on Sunday. xxx Maggie

  7. Hi Barbara
    Wow!!! Just what I was looking for. Will order as soon as they are in your shop.
    Try to get some rest after the last few days and recharge your batteries ready for Sunday.
    Hugs from Chris X

  8. Oh blooming heck my bank balance will be looking sad, there is no way I can see me passing these by. Definitely giggle time, as you know when people see these they are going to go mad for them. BTW I know you will have people watching on Sunday who don't see your website and blog and will be in blissful ignorance of Gray Friday/Saturday/Sunday so they will be ordering come what may, and the rest of us will need all the cushions and pillows that Diane, Donna, Brenda and Dot can find as we'll be falling off the wagon again. Spent all evening tidying my craft room with hubbies help, you can actually walk in there at the minute, most of my Clarity stamps and stencils are in one place too, miracle of miracles. Even sorted a huge box of old craft stuff that is off to the charity shop, all those freebies from magazine I am never going to make. Exhausted now so off to bed. Only a clock, 10 cards, 4 tea/coffee cannisters and a jewellery box to finish before the weekend, oh and full time work. Hey ho, no wonder I get ill by Christmas. Much love and a weary hug. Karen xxx

    1. Morning all, thanks for asking about Jill Sheila, her son's are doing well. Alex is back at work and coping we'll, Dan also doing his physio and getting stronger. Jill, unfortunately and unsurprisingly, is having difficulty coming to terms with it all. We are getting her help but as you all know there are no quick fixes to depression you just have to take it step by step. I am hoping we might get her back at work for a few hours soon as we miss her and it would be a great Christmas present to have her getting back to old herself but patience is the name of the game just keeping fingers and toes crossed that 2016 is a better year for her. Thanks heaps Karen xxx

  9. Ooooo! What are you like? Definitely giggle Barbara, how could we resist, just love the wee stamps. Thank you for the preview, longing to see the new groovy plates too. Have to keep on longing not very long to wait until Sunday, look forward to seeing your demonstrations.xxx

  10. Hi Barbara
    Isn't it lovely looking at old masterpieces , the original artwork is beautiful. Love the new little tree and grass stamps. I've not indulged in wee folk yet but I've just gone up to gold membership so who knows! Thank you for the cheeky peep of what a to come
    Love Diane xxxxxx

    Hi Donna – hope you are feeling brighter. Xxxxxxxx
    Hi Pam xxxxxxHi Dot hope you are ok xxxxxxxxxxx

  11. Hope you have fun with your prep, and I'm sure your team will have all the orders flowing out in no time! Everyone is so busy at this time of year, that I'm sure a few more days of waiting won't even be noticed. Good luck with the shows – won't get to see them as we're away, unless I can get them online at a reasonable time. Susan x

  12. On I love trees.these wee trees look right up my street. I have set the recorder as won't be able to watch live, so will have to order later in the week. Enjoy the prep, looks like fun to me

  13. Hi Barb, wowser, these are just fantastic new wee stamps, something else that has now appeared on my wish list. Poor hubby he can't keep up. Love the card you made. Looking forward to the shows. Go team Clarity, I am sure packages will be landing on doorsteps really soon. have a great day. Bx

  14. I like looking back over my old cards ( I take pictures of most) and sometimes find some that surprise me and that I can happily copy or adapt. The new wee stamps look great. Enjoy your prep; We'll certainly enjoy watching you.
    Carol

  15. Morning, Wow I am in "print" well on the Clarity Stamp Challenge blog as a Guest Designer – many thanks and the photo of me is not too bad.

    Looks like there will be extra items to put into my next shopping basket. Will need bigger storage container but there it is, always need that extra stamp.

    Beautiful – so love the stamps you are showing on this blog.

    Crafty hugs Pen x

  16. oooh Barbara!!!! I know some of whats on so looking forward to seeing the rest. I just adore those wee trees and grasses….my Birthday on the 9th…who can I drop hints to
    Have a great show on Sunday.
    Hugs to you and Dave xxxx

  17. Nice to have some little grasses and twiggy bits. It was you that showed me how to use the trees with a mask to make little hedges etc and the trunks for fences. Every time I do this I feel really clever and I smile and think of you. Have just ordered some things to go with the projects on the calendar a brilliant Christmas present. Hope I can persuade himself that I need some more!! Looking forward to the show.

  18. I think looking at those new stamps giggle will be in operation big time and niggle will be kicked into touch in double quick time! I am looking forward to your show on Sunday Barbara. x

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