Caught short!

Caught short!

Hi there.
Thanks for popping in.
Today has been a long one.
Picking, picking, picking, picking, picking.
Picking what?
PICKING ORDERS!!!!

The Clarity Elves, having worked Sunday too,
were there at 7 am, as was I,
and left at 7pm, as did I.

You can’t really expect your team to do it if you’re not up to it, can you. And actually, I really enjoyed just tucking in behind the counter and picking orders, like the good old days, when there was only me there! How times have changed!
It was actually pleasant to do something productive but uncreative, if you know what I mean. 
Not mentally draining, just requires a bit of focus is all. 
And after all that, it felt like we really had actually made a dent in the mountain of orders from our Gray Friday Sale.
Then Steve optimistically told us that we were over halfway through them, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. 
But hey, it was a super deal, and 2,000 orders is a lot of orders.
Especially, because they were across the brand.
People picked literally the most obscure stamps on the website, 
and we promised to honour all orders.
It just takes time. We’ve had a few people getting angry and threatening to cancel their order, but you can imagine what my response to that is. 
None of us mind working hard, but not for rudeness and strop. 
Anyway.
We had a good, productive day. 
We’ll get there, and we’ll get there before Christmas too.
On the TV yesterday, I did a Groovi card with the 
It was quite a longwinded one, and I would like to blog it for you, so you can go back over it if you like. 
Traced the Three Wrens, 
made a rectangular frame around it using the Square nested framer,
then added hills in the background using the landscape plate from the Starter Kit. 
Added some dots to the birds.
Soft mat underneath, No. 1 or 2 tool.

Added some trees along the hill line with the leaves from the flower plate. 

Made double-lines along the lower hills 
by just dropping the plate a tad. 

Check out the front.

Turn the work so you are looking at the front.
Place a sheet of tracing paper over the work 
and write your words on the tracing paper into the lower hills,
straddling the lines.

Flip the work,
flip the tracing paper.
Now you have your writing template.

Using the No 2 then No. 1 tool
copy the writing freehand onto the parchment.
Soft mat underneath.

Easy does it.
Take your time. 

Check the front…

 Colour in with Distress Markers.

Add a drop shadow to the letters.

At that point the air too turned blue.
She realised she hadn’t taken a photo of the finished piece.
And where was said finished piece?
Yes, together with all the other demo stuff from the TV show,
in the boot of her car.
And where was said car?
Yes, at work.
So could she complete the Trees and Flowers blog tonight?
Not easily.
Not without driving back to work in Dave’s car.
Hour round trip.
Not a chance.  
But will she sort it out tomorrow?
Yes, she will.
Of course.
That’ll do for today.
Tomorrow, I have something else very exciting which I have to turn my attention to too….
Can you guess what it might be?

Love &  hugs,

79 thoughts on “Caught short!

  1. Hello Barbara
    What a mountain of orders. (two of them are for me) YaY!! Can't wait. Great to see you on Hochanda and thank you for your lovely demonstrations.
    Maybe you gave the game away and answered your own question tonight – Are you turning your attention to Colouring Book/s? That would be way too exciting for me as I love to colour. No good at it mind you but still love it.
    Take care and have a good rest.
    I'm just away to prepare to make a card for the Clarity Challenge.

  2. Good evening Barbara,
    my god you have to handle with such a mountain of orders.
    So everybody can understand that it takes time. Don´t know why some are angry and can´t wait…
    I knew that I have to wait longer as usual and of course it has to be shipped to Germany.
    Und wie es so schön heißt:
    Vorfreude ist die schönste Freude!
    Rolf

  3. I was amazed to receive an order today that I only placed on Wednesday or Thursday on behalf of a friend.(Well a little of it was for me!!!) I should have waited until Sunday, as I then had to put an order in for my Christmas gift from my daughter. So giving you double the work. You really are doing a marvellous job. As has been said previously, worth waitng for!!

  4. With 2000 orders to process no wonder your all working overtime….sorry I'm partly to blame, I put in 3 orders, but they're SO worth waiting for!!!
    Received the first parcel on Saturday morning, which being my birthday as well felt like you'd sent me a present personally, even if the contents were bought by my best friend, I love my new goodies.

  5. Good evening, well I have to say huge thank you to you and your teams marvellous efforts, I got my order on Friday, thank you so very much, I knew it would arrive when it would arrive, didn't even think to chase it as I knew you had received a massive amount of orders, hey ho there's always one or two. Fantastic team effort. I had to order these two plates absolutely love them, can't wait to play. Thank you xx

  6. OMG! 2000 orders……and not all from me 😉 I really wonder what people expect when they start moaning about how long it takes, do they not realise the stamps are hand made? Instant society these days must have it now! Some people need to learn the art of anticipation. If they cancel their order it's their loss.

    Anyway back to pleasant thoughts, just need to put the finishing touches to me challenge entry this month and then I will be sending it off to Sazz. Two months in a row, I may need a lay down! Good luck with your picking. Time to get that coach out girls. XX

  7. Lovely demo and great new plates which dare I say I need to order along with the wee trees. Shame that some people are being rude there is no need, everyone is so busy this time of year. As for tomorrows project, maybe the new colouring book. Anyway I think your customer service is amazing and the products are wonderful. xx

    1. Hi Donna hope you are ok – you must be in that funny state at school at the moment, the count down to Christmas with the children getting more and more excited as the days pass! Lovely!!!! I've been adding a touch of glitter to my bells and holly today – just a touch – it went everywhere!!! We even had sparkle in our dinner tonight! Xxxx

    2. I will look out for yours too. Left it to dry overnight and then I can mount and add finishing touches ready to send in tomorrow. New to entering the challenge, this will be my 4th time (with about an 8 month gap between the 2nd and 3rd). Exciting to see all the different cards as they are loaded. Xx

    3. Hi Donna, Diane, Sheila, Brenda and Dot, Cold a bit better today but back still sore. Got the rest of my cards ready to post now. Hoping to have a go at some groovy bookmarks next. Haven't tried the blog challenge as yet, good luck to those who have. Hope you are all ok.xxx

  8. Wow. Some people are so impatient. My order will be worth the wait. You made it clear at the time that things might take a bit longer to send out. If anyone is rude I'd put their order to the back of the queue!

  9. Wow. Some people are so impatient. My order will be worth the wait. You made it clear at the time that things might take a bit longer to send out. If anyone is rude I'd put their order to the back of the queue!

  10. Thank you Barbara, the dedication of your and your team is phenomenal. I know my order will be near the bottom of the pile, but that doesn't matter. Happy to wait, and it'll bring a smile to my face, as always, when it arrives. Claire x

  11. Wow! A lot of orders. I received my second one today. So exciting. More groovi plates and storage. Looking forward to spending time practicing. I am now thinking I should have ordered more parchment paper!!
    I like the effect of the double lines on the hills. I will give that a go when I next get my groovi plates out.

  12. Hi Barb,
    Wow, that's a heck of a lot of orders! I have to say that 2 of them were from me and guess what? They came this morning – yeah!!! Now that's what I call customer service. I don't know how people can be so awful and not just wait a little. I wasn't expecting my parcel to arrive for a few days yet but for a small firm you turn the orders over really quickly and I for one am extremely grateful. I waited nearly two weeks for an order from a very large firm so I don't know what these people are complaining about. Anyway is tomorrow's project the colouring book? Can't wait! Love Alison xxxx

  13. Thank you to the Clarity team for working so hard to get our orders out. I have to hand my parcels straight over to husband for him to wrap! Sorry people are rude to you and your team so unnecessary! Love the new groovi plates and the wee trees? Thanks again xx

  14. Hi Barbara
    Now there's a sign of a well run company when the boss rolls up her sleeves and mucks in too. That's good for staff moral and probably made you feel good to be with the team getting all hands on deck too. That's a lot of orders and look at all those Groovi starter sets getting ready to go out – that must give you quite a buzz. I think I might be safe for a couple of days yet – always have a little panic the postman will ring the doorbell when I'm in the shower! How rude some people can be, they must expect miracles especially at this time of year – I've got orders outstanding from large companies, they will get to me when they will. Love the little bird artwork today, I'm looking forward to seeing the finished example – I'm happy to wait rather than you having to drive all the way back. Now I think tomorrow's excitement is the colouring books, you are spoiling us 🙂
    Take care
    Love Diane xxxx

    Hi Brenda, hi Sheila hi Dot hi Pam hope you are all ok xxxxxx

    1. Oh Sheila that's a thought, a Groovi DVD! It's ok Donna I must have been asleep too. I think Sheila must have taken the buss down for a rummage in Barbara's bins again! Xxxx

  15. Evening Barbara why people order then moan it's not there in quick time how do they know it's not stuck in the post I have two orders waiting to come plus my wonderful gold club envelope have got plenty to craft with while waiting I haven't ordered my things from Sunday's show as give your team at clarity towers to take a well earned tea break rest .hugs to all on the blog xxx

    1. Evening Dorothy thinking of you today and sending a warm hug to give you surport over this this week dear blog friend xx
      Evening pam how are you today ?xxx
      Evening Brenda how are you and daisy today? xxx

    2. Hello Sheila ooooh yes the club envelope, that's exciting too – oh dear though, I bet Barbara hasn't had 5 minutes to think about that yet – it will come when it comes . Hope you are ok xxxxx

    3. I finished of my blog challenge card and sent to sazzle today a special lady does our club envelopes I think it not mistaken it comes with our members sale this month oh dear more falling of the CCA wagon clarity towers will be on a lot of overtime bless them all xxx

  16. so you were well and truly inundated. i am waiting for my order very patiently. some lucky people have said that they have received theirs. ell maybe i was one to chose obscure stamps as i love the 'older' stamps. my brain is not working properly at the moment either. I bought 2 chocolate santas for the kids to give them yesterday being st nick and all. i put them somewhere safe, so safe that i couldn't find them so they had to do without. so you are in good company, lol! hugs xx

  17. Barbara Gray, you are such a tease. Every time we think we have sussed out what you are up to, you do something completely different. I reckon it is either that wedding you keep teasing us with, or collecting either or both children from the airport. Can I say a big thank you to everyone at Clarity for the remarkably swift turn around of my orders from Gray Day. I was not expecting my goodies for at least another week, so when it arrives this morning, I was delighted. I am ploughing through writing my Christmas cards tonight so that I can concentrate on a few "specials" for the rest of the week and the presents that still need finishing off. I just want to play around with some of the ideas from Sunday and From Maria's class on Saturday. A great Clarity weekend all told. Don't work too hard, all of you, and blow the monsters. If they are not happy, suggest they come and do it themselves. Love Maggie. xxx

  18. I am quiet happy to wait , and I think we all know how busy you would be after given us all such a really good deal , so why some people are so rude , just drop them like a hot potato lol,,,,. I have placed an order and I'm just waiting and not worrying anyone about it .,it will be something nice to play with when Christmas is over , take your time and don't fret,,. xxxxx

  19. Great blog – sometimes good to do something not too challenging. Been to my allotment – first time in weeks – and did a bit of ground work so to speak. Does make a difference to the grind of "proper" stressful work. Came back k…….. but had some fresh air. House is a mess – christmas cards and wrapping done. Tomorrow is another day. Like you had a successful, rewarding day – pat yourself on the back.
    Lots of love
    Anne (Reading)

    1. Well done, Anne. Both for getting that fresh air to blow away your stresses, and for getting your cards and presents sorted. I have nearly finished my cards and need to sort everything else tomorrow. You deserve a great Christmas. love Maggie xxx

  20. Oooooh you are a tease Barb!!! now, could it be the Colouring Book [I love to play with colouring in], or maybe a Christmas wedding [well, your youngsters are coming home, so what better time……!] I too loved the Sunday shows. Happy Christmas to all at Clarity Towers xx

  21. Thank you for my order which arrived today. The clarity elves must have been working overtime. I really didn't expect it to arrive so soon! That's one more Christmas present sorted!
    I can't believe people are rude and expect miracles. What unhappy lives they must lead.
    Merry Christmas to all the clarity team.
    Gill x

  22. Perfectly happy to wait, you kept us all informed of what was happening and you are a small business after all! Why does everything have to be now, now, now these days, people have no patience or understanding! Makes me cross, there is enough to worry about in the world at the moment, the anticipation of a lovely parcel dropping on to my door mat eases it a little, in my world. Thank you, and your team for your hard work, you will all deserve a proper rest after this. xxx

  23. You and your team must have amazing stamina and organisation skills to be able to handle all those orders. You can put my orders at the end of the list, I just appreciate the chance to buy your gorgeous products at such a good price. I can't believe people have been so inpatient and so rude; there really is no need for it at all and it is wrong.

    I love your Groovi work of art today, it truly is wonderful – thank you for the step by step instructions too

  24. I got my Gray Friday order this morning!! Hooray!! I can't wait to find the time to play with it 🙂 I must say, I can't understand why people are so impatient. I was told my order might take a while to be sent out, and was quite happy to wait. My Mum always said…'If something is worth having, it's worth waiting for!' And it was!! Well done, all at Clarity…you are all amazing! xxx

  25. I was amazed last week when my order arrived, it was my Mum's Christmas present and a little something for me but I'm afraid I am going to be adding to your workload again as I can't resist these plates or the wee trees you showed on Hocanda on Sunday, still catching up on th know several and then there's Maria on Wednesday with no doubt more things I can't resist. Hey ho, loved the samples on Sunday from the team, they are on fire, those stencils have to find their way to me too. Am knee deep in Christmas stuff, rashley decided to make several as well as Christmas cards, so have projects everywhere and my mum in law came to stay for what I thought was the weekend and now seems to be a week! Help, can't take the endless commentary on everything when I am desperately trying to finish stuff and do some work too! Patience, patience, need a bit of Groovi therapy desperately, roll on Friday. Much love and hugs for you and the wonderful team Karen xxx.

  26. Dear Barbara! You know I love reading your blog and I don't always comment but I still read it. It brings me to a good place in my head and that's what it's all about! But sometimes little snippets make me angry….not at you though….at the ignorant and selfish people who can do nothing but moan about everything! And they need to learn about manners, and that being patient and pleasant gets you far further on in life than being a cynical and nasty person. Some people need to learn to engage their brain before they open their mouth.
    Your artwork looks fab and I will look forward to seeing it completed tomorrow! Love and hugs! Xxx

  27. Dear Barbara! You know I love reading your blog and I don't always comment but I still read it. It brings me to a good place in my head and that's what it's all about! But sometimes little snippets make me angry….not at you though….at the ignorant and selfish people who can do nothing but moan about everything! And they need to learn about manners, and that being patient and pleasant gets you far further on in life than being a cynical and nasty person. Some people need to learn to engage their brain before they open their mouth.
    Your artwork looks fab and I will look forward to seeing it completed tomorrow! Love and hugs! Xxx

  28. My order arrived today!! but my wish list for next time is already growing!! But I have it on an Amazon "birthday and Christmas' wish list too so 'others" can look and buy items for me if they are stuck!! People are so rude to complain!! I like the suggestion to put them at the back of the pile but I know that you would never stoop to such childish actions (but we all would on your behalf!!) Anyway, I now have more groove plates to stroke – one day I will get around to using them!! quick question for anyone who knows. The demo on Sunday with gilding flakes? Barbara used A6 adhesive sheets on an A5 stencil? so only gilded part of the design? or are there bigger adhesive sheets? I need to go back and revisit the recording! Need more hours in the day as well as more days in the week!!

  29. Thank you for blogging the groovi you did on Sundays show. Love the new groovy with the birds, must try to get it ordered tomorrow along with some of the others and the new stamps. My Xmas present. Must say I couldn't believe how quickly my parcel arrived, expected it to take a few weeks at least, it came last Friday. You definitely are a tease, a guess would be announcing a wedding tomorrow. Lovely that you muck in with your team when the going gets tough, I'm sure they really appreciate you helping out. Not many employers would do that. Can't wait now to know what you're up to.xxx

  30. I call that a productive day! My parcel arrived today it said it was coming between 12.02 and 1.02 p.m. – do you know it turned up at probably 12.04 – what service is that! I know I have another envelope on it's way too as I forgot something in the first order! I'll leave the newer plates till next week to let you get the bulk out of the way first 😉 x x

    p.s. I haven't opened my parcel yet – I put the tree up today and decided I'd save the opening of the parcel as a treat for tomorrow, even knowing what's in it (I've probably forgotten some of it) doesn't matter as it's still a treat opening a Clarity box !

  31. Hello Barbara

    You must be one of the best bosses to work for!

    I have already received my Gray Friday order but please pass my thanks to everyone on the team for doing such a good job under, sometimes, vety difficult circumstances. I am sure all your customers (apart from one or two!) would agree with me. Although we are all eager for our goodies we know you are all doing your best and will get them out to us as soon as is humanly possible.

    Is the something 'very exciting' anything to do with colouring books?

    Love
    Roz.x

  32. Oh my goodness that is a lot of orders. Hopefully I will win the lotto then I can order some new stuff too.
    I hope it is the colouring book, my son is buying it for me whenever it comes out, so I hope it's soon. Xx

  33. That's a lot of orders Barbara and there are only so many hours in a day so people have to accept it takes time and hassling isn't going to make any difference! Perhaps that little tease is to do with the new colouring book but we must be patient. x

  34. Really enjoyed seeing behind the scenes at Clarity Towers and all the orders being prepared. I just don't understand why people are moaning. You are a small company with a small team of hardworking staff. Not a large organisation like Amazon (who don't pay tax in uk) with a huge workforce. I bet the boss of Amazon doesn't help pack orders. These new Groovi's are a must have, especially as my mum calls me Jenny Wren so love these little birds.
    Hope you have fun working on the new project tomorrow. Higs, Jeamette xxxXxxxx

    1. I currently have an order in at Amazon, which I placed nearly a month ago. Just had notification that it's expected delivery date is now 29th December. Not much use as it is for my granddaughters' Christmas presents. xx Maggie

  35. Well I hate to gloat,but my order on grey Friday arrived within a few days, and yes I was thrilled, although surprised,as I really didn't expect them to arrive so quickly. So a big thankyou to all concerned. However, I would have been happy to wait, the prices were phenomenal, and they are handcrafted products, most made to order. What on earth do people expect, maybe they think your name is Samantha, and with a few twitches of your nose everything will materialise, just like magic. I have now got and played a little with my groovi kits. They will take some getting used to, I am usually a messy anything goes type of crafter, I will have to find a way of grunging up parching!!!! Xx

  36. Hi everyone, I read Barbara's blog every day, it rounds off my day. This is only my second post though. I too hope the news is about the colouring book but suspect it is the retreat dates that Barbara said would be announced soon. I would love to partake but it is a long journey from the North East. Time will tell. X

  37. Morning Barbara, I am very behind in commenting on the blog – busy few days with family and home stuff – oh and work.
    Team work is a critical thing when up against it…. and rolling up your sleeves and getting down on the front line is often great fun and good – lead by example – customer rudeness – there is absolutely no need for it – though I have to say – now some 6 months in to my job am finding that customers can be quit rude when you are doing your level best for them – in my old job I accepted customer rudeness – went with the territory – but new job – NO I do not like it and find it totally unacceptable – but hey life is too short to start getting too stressed about it – well just a little maybe! LOL.

    Sadly I missed the show – was very busy on Sunday then the recorder flipped out because of something I was doing but have found the re-run instead so have that to look forward to.

    Plates look great as always.

    Your new exciting thing…hmm…racking my brains…launching the new groovi club maybe in time for Christmas??

    Much love

    Kim xx

  38. This is such a fabulous piece of artwork Barbara – I love it. I am desperate for my order but I wouldn't dream of ringing and getting angry with folk – what do they expect when you do such fab sales? It will get here when it gets here end of!! Hmmm something exciting?? Colouring book – Wedding – New Groovi club?? Whatever it is it will be brilliant. Xxx

  39. Its really nice to hear that people like your goodies and have
    placed lots of orders and are supporting a british company. I
    think its definately worth the wait. I think you are about to
    launch your new colouring book with lovely birds.

  40. What do people expect when the offer was so amazing? Keep up the great work…looking forward to my order arriving although I'm not allowed it till Christmas..x

  41. Morning Barb, thanks for all your hard work you and your team are doing. I am sure in time our orders will arrive and as you offered such a great offer no wonder everyone ordered. Great.

    Love to see everyone behind the sceens …… wonder what today will bring …. think its the colouring book …… yippeeeeeeee

    Crafty hugs Pen x

    ps I tried the brayer on the chromo card and boy it works I have been trying on the wrong card. So easy. Thanks for all your wonderful tips. xx

  42. Cant wait for my orders to come. One of the calendars I have ordered will be winging its way to my daughter in Canada as she is a crafter too, just wish she lived near me, especially at Christmas.

  43. It was an amazing offer Barbara, I have to admit because you extended the deadline I kept thinking of something else I would like, and another, and another… Just for once it was lovely to choose and buy without worrying about the price, as it wasn't my money, it was Mum's present to me.

    I can imagine how busy you all are (I remember Mother's Day, Valentines and Christmas when I was a florist!) but I really can't understand folk who are nasty and have a go at you after the wonderful offer you had and then extended, there's no need for rudeness in my book.

    Thinking of you all, Julie xxx

  44. people think things are instant, i was in a gardencentre mid october and they starting to build up the Christmas corner and a woman passing by said oh no already? i don;t feel like christmas yet, why can't they wait 2 months?…I just looked at her funny and crossed, because assembling 200christmas trees, all the shelves to put the baubles etc on, it doesn;t magically appear overnight, that would be cool but I know the people in this garden centre and they work flat out for weeks to get everything presented, you can't so that a week before Christmas, silly women..;-)patience is a virtue you should tell those rude people and give them their money back and if they still want the items they can reorder at normal price hahaha (evil laugh)

  45. Good things are worth waiting for, I am looking forward to receiving mine but the anticipation is part of the fun and when it comes I shall gloat over it for a few days like a miser adding up the money.

  46. No rush for my order as I don't get home for another week. Love today's project, and I'm sure you enjoyed getting stuck into an order mountain with your lovely team. I'm thinking maybe there's a wedding to plan, what with the kids coming over for Christmas – always think a Christmas wedding must be really special! Susan x

Leave a Reply to SandyB Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *