Owls and Lace – a winning combination….

Owls and Lace – a winning combination….

Hi there.
Thanks for popping in.
I’ve been busy blitzing the house today.
It certainly needed it.
There’s something very rewarding about leaving housework
 to the point where it looks like it’s been burgled though.
Firstly, you see a really significant result instantly.
Just by folding the mountain of clothes 
and thereby creating a clear pathway through the bedroom!
And there’s nothing like a Dysson vacuum cleaner for actually SEEING the benefits through the window.
Quite worrying really….
But that’ll do for another wee while;
let’s not get carried away!
Instead, let’s take a look at one of the colouring preps I have done for the 5pm Show tomorrow.
I can’t get enough of these Petite Gel Press Plates and lace.
So I thought I would see if you can use it to create a funky background ….
Let’s take one of the Bookmarks – the Owls.

Ink up the Square Petite with a lovely Pink. I used  
Artistry Rosy Cheeks

Press through the flowery lace,

Start in the centre and work your way outwards.

Mmm…. So do we think we will be able to bring the delicate owls back out of this busy camouflage?

Here’s a Postcard prepped too….

Grey and pink pencils only.
Now watch how they appear again.

Tackle each owl individually, 
and watch as they slowly begin to take form.

Can we bring them out of the lacy background?

Not half!
And the shattered lacey design in the background really sets it off.
Good enough to frame.
Or make a very long card!

Delighted with that.
I reckon this would look excellent in blue too. Towittwoo!

Hope you can join me tomorrow on HOCHANDA.
2pm Stamps
Two beautiful Christmas stampsets illustrated by Jayne Nestorenko.
These two sets, Poinsettia and The Holly & the Ivy, are created in the same way as the Rose, Dahlia, Agapanthus and Fuchsia which we launched a couple of months ago. 
Built to sit in the huge window or picture frame.
We already have them in Groovi; 
tomorrow we launch them as stamps. 
5pm Colouring (The mountboard frames are in!)
We shall take another look into our Feathered Friends Colouring Book. It’s time to start thinking about Christmas Presents!
And this colouring bundle complete with mountboard frames would make an amazing gift. Or two. Or three. Or thirty!
8pm Groovi launch: Build-a-wreath Linda Williams Style!
Now these Groovi Plates you have to see to fully appreciate just how brilliantly versatile they are! 
You do realise that you can watch on the HOCHANDA website too, don’t you? It is streamed LIVE, and then available to view for about a week on their catch-up.
So if you live in the States, or Australia, or Europe, or you simply can’t get us on your TV, go to HOCHANDA.com – and there we will be!
Looking forward to it!
Love & Hugs,
Barb
xxx
PS
Just realised something.
Do you know I have blogged every single day since 16th October 2013? That’s over 3 years.
And today is a very special number of blogs.
Ready for this?
1,111 posts.
One thoudand, one hundred and eleven.
That’s substantial.
Can I stop yet?
Time for a cup of tea…

86 thoughts on “Owls and Lace – a winning combination….

  1. Oh Barbara that is spectacular! Fascinating to see them peeping through as you coloured them in. Must add them to my growing Christmas wish list. Lay in bed last night listening to two owls in the garden trying hard to outdo each other in volume. So looking forward to tomorrow xx

    1. Sorry Barbara how rude not to congratulate you on your 1111th birthday but I was so blown away with looking at the fabulous artwork I did not read the full blog until after I had shown hubby. I don't often comment but do check in every day. Congratulations on such a dedicated achievement xx

  2. Do you know what Barbara? To be honest i thought where is she going with this? Well bloody hell BRILLIANT what a fantastic idea Cannot wait for my Gelli plates and imgonna raid me mums net curtains draw lol. Hugs Ali xxx

  3. Hi Barb,
    OMG ! They are absolutely fabulous! I love them! ( can you tell I like them lol!) So looking forward to the shows, the wreaths look really cool ,although I will wait to see them in action to decide which I want as I really can't afford them all. Going back to the owls – I would never have thought about using pink and grey to colour them in but it really does work. You are very clever. Thank you yet again, for all of the inspiration. Have fun tomorrow, even though I know it will be a long day for you. The recorder is already set as well. Love and hugs Alison xx

    1. Hi lovely bloggy friends,
      Hope today has been good for you. It's been a lovely day here, just what Autumn should be. Got my next set of Grooving cards finished and mounted up – so chuffed with them. Love and hugs to you all, Alison xx
      Ps- cushions to the ready I think!

    2. Hi Alison.
      Just in from the craft show at the secc. Don't need cushions, but a padded room!!! Got lots of wooden shapes to decorate as gifts for Christmas.
      Need to Mount my groovi night before pieces for my cards.
      Have a good evening.x

  4. Amazing, I can't believe how this comes to life with just two colours. I'm not great at colouring but this is truly inspiring. Looking forward to tomorrow's shows Mary x

  5. Stunning. I love the colours you have used here Barb – just perfect. Glad you got all your housework done too – must get a wriggle on with mine. Lol. Have brilliant shows tomorrow. xx

  6. Gorgeous background, I do love using lace with my Gelli plate too. The owls look fabulous. Glad to hear you have made headway with the housework. Thank you also for my signed calendar, did a happy little dance. Hubby thought I had lost the plot 😉
    Hugs
    Linda xxx

  7. Wow.love the lace effect. I think I will need to dig through my fabric and find some lace to try this.
    I saw Emma Burns at the SECC doing groovi demos. As always she was brilliant and so many more people now know about Groovi. It was also good to hugs!
    I too need to clear a path through mountains of clothes in my room for Mr Dysson to get to work on making it clean again, but there are too many things to craft first! My new stencils and stamps that arrived on Thursday are shouting to get played with, and groovi pieces need mounting onto cards. Perhaps I should pace myself and do an hour of housework for every two hours I craft!!
    Hope every one has a good weekend! I am going to stay over with my friend from school tonight. Can't believe we have been friends now for 34 years now!

  8. I would never have thought of using the owls like that- beautiful. We've been away too long for me to set the recorder for the shows and hochanda breaks up when I watch online so I really will just be watching bits of you!
    Safe journey xx

  9. That is some record Barbara, well done. Love the owls and what you have done, if only I can get somewhere near when I tackle them. Recorder set for tomorrow – out for lunch.

  10. Can you stop yet? – please don't!! Your daily blog is a tonic and a great source of tutorials – and, with such a diverse range of techniques to cover, it's great to know that, even if a particular step-by-step doesn't appeal, there'll be another along in no time that will inspire. Not only that, though – we don't really know each other, you and I, but you're so open in your blogging that reading it feels like I'm catching up with an old friend.

  11. Happy Blog Birthday to you
    Shove that Worka down the loo
    Kick old Hollicks in the b*llicks
    Happy Blog Birthday to you

    Thankyou from the heart for all 1111 bloggy post's and for my signed calander
    which arrived today so happy made my day.
    Lovely artwork today how do you come up with these ideas but beautiful
    Take care see you on line tomorrow…Love Dot..xx

  12. Wow Barbara, this is… wow. You are soooo talented. Thank you for sharing. I could look at your art all day, mesmerised.

    Please can I ask, how do I clean my gelli plates? Aye, I'm seriously considering cracking them open for my Christmas cards! Thought I best get my priorities right, before I start though! I get mixed up with what to clean blending mats, gelli plates etc. with! Recently I had an oh no moment, when alarm bells started ringing in my head that a baby wipe clogs up the pores, AFTER I had got glycerin, of all things, on my blending mat! Hopefully the wash in soapy water sorted it out. If not it has 2 sides eh!!!

    You made me laugh, picturing your house pre blitz today. Wonder why it put me in mind of the telly programme "The Hoarder Next Door"!!!! 😉 Ach, dinnae be worrying about a wee bit messy hoose, houses are meant to look lived in, that's what makes a house a home. You only live once, and it sounds to me like you've got your priorities right! I wish I could miss out doing housework sometimes, but I learned the hard way my CFS says 'no' to big cleans!!!! Bet it feels good to have it all done now.

    I've been looking online for wee bundles of cheap scrap lacy/netting type fabrics but had no luck in finding anything. I'm not a lacy/fussy type person so don't even have something I could chop up. Anyone had any luck in finding this kind of thing?

    I'll be watching all your shows tomorrow and Monday. Looking forward to them. Have a safe journey up.
    Love Brenda xx
    P.s. that's some dedication, all those posts. Amazing to give us all so much. Wonder what the world record is! And no you can't stop now, but you can have that cup of tea, and why not push the boat out and have a biscuit with it!!!! 😉

    1. Hello Brenda, would your lovely garden man pop into a charity shop for you to see if there's a net curtain at a bargain price or a cheap fabric shop like fabric land? Sending hugs to you and Daisy xxx

    2. Hi Brenda, You can use baby wipes or soapy water to clean the gelli plate and if it needs refreshing after a lot of use you wipe it over with baby oil before you put it away.

      You do not use baby wipes on the blending mat as it does block the pores, it can again be washed off with water or soapy water. Hope this helps. Love and hugs to you and Daisy. Pam xxx

    3. Hi Brenda,
      You'll love your gelli plate. All the advice has been given for washing/ cleaning it and your mat. Enjoy the shows tomorrow, love and hugs Alison xxx

    4. Brenda, I've bought plenty of lace for everyone! Cheap too x Just have to cut it up and bag it now. So many people were asking after the 'one that works' that I decided to go find it! X

    5. Yay, brilliant Barbara. That solves that problem. Wonder who is going to have the sore hand and wrist cutting that up!!! 😉 Thank you xxxx p.s. glad it's cheap stuff, me being a sewer/dressmaker I couldn't bare to 'waste' good stuff getting it inky and painty 😉

    6. I bought a metre off eBay for a couple of pounds. Has anyone tried putting a feather on the inked up gel plate, pulling a print, carefully lifting off the feather and quickly pulling a ghost print? It is amazing!

  13. Great colouring technique with the lace background. My calendar arrived yesterday but I was out all day so only opened it today. It is sooooo beautiful! Can't wait to hang it up in January. Will be ordering the stamps tomorrow can't wait for the shows. Xx

    1. Hi Donna, calendar super isn't it. Think I'll have to give up on the calendar challenge this time. Somehow I splodged it with some ink. Have a great weekend. Love and hugs Pam xxx

  14. Hi Barbara
    Wondered where you were going with this but wow oh wow aren't the owls beautiful. Would never have thought of pink and grey but they work so well. I came across an owl sat in the middle of the road when I was driving home last week, it stared at me then flew softly away, quite beautiful, even though it had given me a fright! Good to hear you have found the floor again, that's enough cleaning now until next month! Congratulations on the number of blogs written, what a great acheivment, well done. Safe journey tomorrow.
    Love Diane xxx

  15. Hi Barbara, This creation is gorgeous and a brilliant combination of owls and lace and colouring, I love this !!
    Congratulations on the number of Blog posts, wow !!!
    Lots of love from Patricia xx

  16. Congratulations Barbara, that's a hell of a lot of blogging. Love the bookmark how you've done it. Amazed how lovely the pink lace background looks and how when you start colouring it in that the owls just pop out. My Calendar arrived today with my cracker groovi plate and the icing on the cake it was signed too. Hope the shows go well for you this weekend, have a safe journey and return, hope the traffic is better for you as well.xxx

  17. Hello Barb,
    I thought I'd try to comment on the day you actually post instead of me always being a day late – and what a day to do it. 1,111 it deserves to go into the Guinness Book of Records – congratulations. And not only do you blog, you do your monthly newsletter as well. Not forgetting running a business and appearing on TV. Blimey, I'm exhausted!!!! I'm looking forward to your shows tomorrow.
    Today's offering is absolutely beautiful. It fuels the mind and feeds the soul.
    Maureen xxx

  18. Wow Barbara 1111 blogs is a mammoth achievement. Congratulations.
    Got my calendar today….. Super fast service, thank you.
    I am kicking myself now because when we bought our house nearly 20 years ago, all the rooms had very heavily patterned lace curtains. I didnt like them so we took them down and replaced them with blinds. My husband took the curtains and used them in the garden to protect the soft fruit from birds, and the rhodedendrons from being eaten by the squirrels. Do wish I had kept a few because ey would be perfect for this art work. Hey ho, hind sight is a wonderful thing.
    Have a good day tomorrow. I'll be watching.

  19. Wow Barbara! That is an amazing achievement, well done you! This piece of art is wonderful and I really look forward to seeing your shows – which I have set to be recorded. I hope that all goes well for you, but I know that it will! Hugs Gilly xx

  20. Hi Barb,
    Just me again. Just read your ps, congratulations on doing so many blogs. Don't even think about giving it up please! I love reading it and learn so much from the step by steps. Thank you for all the time you give us, love and hugs Alison xxx

  21. This is so different from anything I have seen done. Words are hard to find to say how much I love it that haven't already been used. Please, please don't give up this blog it means so much to so many.xx

  22. So very different using lace. Love the art work. I have tried to blog each day and bit its difficult. Missed several days which I a shame. Nit even just to say hi.

    Life goes on x 😊

  23. Congratulations on your 1,111 blogs, love to read them, and your step by steps are great, so informative, Great demo today, love the effect of lace, will try this out. Looking forward to the shows. xx

  24. Well done on the blog posts – reminds me I should update mine….. Pink and grey – one of my fav colour combinations, owls one of my fav birds put the two together and it's a marriage made in heaven for me! Have to say didn't think the lace and owls would work… okay so I'm wrong…. again – lol! Recorder set for Hochanda and will be watching too – hubby knows I've reserved the remote control. Safe journeys xx

  25. Hi Barb, love the owls! Fell in love with grey this year, living room and art space box room done in grey and greens but pink great with it too. Have booked my turn with the tv for your shows tomorrow, The Bro agrees to inhabit his railway man cave for the duration. Yay! Sofa, coffee and cake await! Safe journey and happy demoing xxx

  26. Hello Barb, what a fab idea, another one I need to try. Love the colours used. I love your blog, and very often it is the one that brings a smile to my face on a difficult morning. Really looking forward to the shows today. Travel safely. See you at 2pm. Bx

  27. Morning Barbara looking forward to all the shows I've put them on record so don't miss anything.
    Congratulations on this wonderful blog it's been a life line since you started it up and I've learned so much crafting hugs xxx

  28. I'm a bit late. The lace backgrounds are beautiful. I have the postcards on my shopping list for . I have just started colouring the Owls in my Clarity Colouring Book. I have only done the eyes so far. X

  29. Hi Barbara
    Just remembered to set the recorder for this afternoon, and i shall watch them later with Dawn.
    I'm a great believer in "Never doing today what can be put off until tomorrow", and when the children were little I never did 'housework' after 12 o'clock. Afternoons were always playtime. I remember 'Listening with Mother' on the radio, then 'Watching with Mother' on the television, before setting off for a walk, or a trip to the beach in summer, we lived in Portsmouth then, but moved back to Yorkshire in 1970.
    The girls have grown up, but afternoons are still my time, but now it is crafting that has taken over. I also enjoy sewing, but arthritus in my fingers makes things a little difficult at times. Still, musn't grumble.
    Enjoy your Blog every day, although I get frustated when I don't have the stamps etc that you use in your demos, but money will only stretch so far!!!
    Margaret xx

    1. Hi Margaret, you do.seem to have it right I must take a tip from you keeping some afternoons free to craft.
      I will try to catch the shows but if not will see them on catch up
      Hugs to you and all on this blog.
      Lynn xx

  30. I love the owls and the lacy pattern is so pretty in the pink, and then they appear so beautifully with the greys for shading and touches of salmon pink. I love the way you have mounted them to make a card too Barbara. Glad your housework was completed and it does give a sense of satisfaction when it all looks clean and tidy, it's just a shame that the effects don't last longer…lol. Looking foward to seeing you on Hochanda shortly and those new stamps sound fabulous. x

  31. Amazing project, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the new stamps. I bet Jayne is thrilled to bits that her lovely designs are being showcased, and that so many people are producing such beautiful work with her stamps. I'll be scouring the charity shops for lace now…x

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