It’s a Wrap!

It’s a Wrap!

Hi there!

Thanks for popping in.
Just about had enough of present wrapping for one day.
Have run out of gift-tags, which will amuse my Mum.
She always makes me a big batch of gift tags, 
beautifully stamped with little robins, tits and holly.

This year, when she gave them to me, 
I ribbed her, and asked her if she’d written her name in each of them too, which she found highly amusing. 
Imagine giving somebody a big bunch of gift-tags already written out to you !
Nope. Wrapping gifts is NOT my bag, so to speak. 
Having run a mail order company for over 25 years, 
and having spent the first 15 of them picking, packing and wrapping all the parcels,
I can’t say that wrapping presents is something I particularly relish.
I love the buying bit though! 
I have got something I really really want to tell you.
But I can’t ! Not yet. About a fortnight from now though.
I’m pretty good at keeping secrets if it’s best I do, actually.
But this particular piece of news I really really want to shout from the rooftops. But not yet.
Exciting? Yes
Big? Very
Game changer? Yes
What a tease I am !!!
Right change the subject before I cave. 
How about a beautiful card to distract you?
How about a few ?

This beauty is made by our good friend and one of the founding members of the Clarity Design Team, Elaine Milner.

She doesn’t do Facebook, 
and she has been poorly for quite a while now, 
but she still does the best shrink plastic in the business!
Elaine, if you’re reading this, I hope that 2017 is kind to you,
and that you are HAPPY xxx

Now here’s another beauty, kindly made for us by a very talented cardmaker: Rachel Howkins.
She has used our word Chain ABC here,

and combined it with some fabulous Groovi bells.
Look! Clearly a parcher!
Talk about detail!

And thirdly, here’s a super little jumper card,
made just for me by a young man in fact…

Thank you so much Matthew!
You are very clever!

Now THAT is COOL.
So now it’s time to wipe the counters in the kitchen and go to bed.
Random? Yep.
But my Mum’s arriving tomorrow and the first thing she will do is stroke the corian counters, because she loves the feel.
And the LAST thing I want is for her to get stuck!
Mmmm. Yummy!!!
Clarity Christmas Dinner tomorrow.
I’ll be sure to take loads of pics for this ere blog tomorrow !!!

Love & Hugs,
Barb
xxxx

77 thoughts on “It’s a Wrap!

    1. Evening Sheila my lovely, just caught you! I am off to bed now – us being an hour ahead here and we've been out all day in the sun, shopping with friends! Sending you lots of love and caring hugs, Gilly xxx

  1. Your mums tags are delightful, can't wait to hear your news. Also thank you for the groovi plate, can't wait to try it out and I will try the background, shamefully I have a brayer sitting in a box, never been used. 😘

  2. Lovely cards Barbara. Can't wait to hear your news. My ndc stuff arrived today..love them all. You enjoy your Mum and Dad I miss both of mine especially at this time of year. Xxxl

  3. Hi Barbara – you are such a tease! Really looking forward to hearing your BIG news! More great cards, sorry to hear that Elaine is not so well – hope that she improves soon. Have a great time tomorrow – hugs Gilly x

    1. Hi Gilly,
      Oh lucky you being in the sun! I've been doing lengths in the swimming pool with Dave. It was pouring down when we came out! Love and hugs Alison xx

  4. Lovely tags for your parcels! I use last year's cards for mine and cut them into circles with an old pair of pinking shears that belonged to my mum!
    I am feeling happy and excited tonight…I have my reasons, one of them being that Amy, our daughter,is coming home on Saturday and will be with us for a while! The other…well I'll just say… Yay!
    All will become clear eventually.

    You have had some beautiful cards… Thank you for sharing them with us!
    Off to put my feet up for a bit and watch a bit of telly.
    Love and hugs. Xxx

  5. Hi Barb,
    Oh you are such a tease! I'm hoping you're being summoned to the Palace in the New Year – if not, you should be!!! Really looking forward to hearing what your surprise is. Have a fabulous Clarity dinner tomorrow and enjoy spending time with your parents. Love and hugs Alison xxx

    1. Hi bloggy friends,
      Hope today has been as good as possible for you all and that Barbara( the storm that is!) has not caused too many problems. I think tomorrow is going to be worse according to the forecast. Typical when I'm going to get my hair done! Fitness regime has begun today – Dave decided that he would join us both into a local fitness centre and swimming pool ( for part of my Christmas present mind you!) . Went swimming today for the first time in about 25 years. Bit stiff now but I actually enjoyed it even though I was tired and my knee was hurting a bit. We are both determined to get some weight off so even though I'm dreading the gym I'm going to enjoy the swimming. Stay safe and warm everyone, love and hugs Alison xxx

  6. Thank you for sharing some more lovely cards. Your mum is good making you such wonderful gift tags. Every year I think it's something I would like to do but come Christmas Eve I am usually still wrapping and having to use bought tags. Can't wait to hear your secret.xx

  7. Hi Barbara doing a bit of catch up here glad you're wee ones are home safe and sound and Grace's lovely chap Nick glad to hear your taking the time off to be with your family good for you Barbara enjoy you deserve it.
    Got the last off my Gray day orders and my diamond club parcel today WOW how happy is Granny Dot Thanks Clarity team your the best.
    Well done Barb's Mum beautiful tags.
    Beautiful cards from Elaine and wee Mathew thanks for sharing.
    Looking forward to your good news got a few ideas really hope its one of them God bless you Dave and your Family.
    Take care all off you…Love Dot..xx

  8. Lovely cards and tags. I hope next year is better for Elaine. We will all be speculating now until you let us in on the secret.
    Our kids big and small arrive on Saturday. No doubt the boys will want to try my crutches. I made mincemeat a few weeks ago and managed to make some mince pies today. Took ages but I'm pleased with myself xx

  9. Beautiful cards and stamps, thank you for sharing. I received two Clarity parcels today, my 2nd sale parcel and Jaynes lovey Christmas scene stamps which I ordered on Monday after discovering I don't have to pay my tv licence till next month! Great service. Janine xx

  10. great blog and lovely art work. I got excited before court work started this morning. I put up my "mural" 6and a half inches by 22 – nearly 23 inches. Broke my back doing it – all with CLARITY stamps. It is not perfect but admired by many and makes our little "restroom" (not the toilet) look so much more friendly. Each time I got stressed, I ran along to the room and looked at the birds and life was much easier. Now the bottom panel – darker and gloomier, fish, shells and sinister looking! Well in for a penny in for a pound.
    happy Friday to everyone – last day at work for a few days – whoopee. Also trying to get hubby to book my retreat
    Lots of love
    Anne (Reading)

  11. Well you are the second person today bursting with a secret to tell. I am really curious. I have got all our presents wrapped and it is no small task I can tell you. I love Christmas, just left my family after celebrating grandaughter reaching 13th Birthday. All back together on Sunday and that is the most important bit. I used to check all my cupboards were clean before my mum arrived, she had a habit of checking. The cards are wonderful how clever is that young man. xx

  12. I do make tags but not everytime. I love wrapping, especially if its a nice easy box shape. Just attempted a Groovi card for Saturday but it wasn't going well! Will see if I like it in the morning. Xx

    1. Hi Donna,
      Glad to hear you're feeling better. It sounds as though you are going to be ok by Christmas anyway thank goodness. Sending love and hugs to you and cuddlex for Phoebe, Alison xxx

  13. Oooooh! You're such a tease. I've got an idea I know what it is?????? Do we get a voucher if we guess right! Ha!
    I think you're going to have a fabulous time with all your lovely family around you, it's what Christmas is all about! X

  14. Not yet wrapped a parcel let alone know if I have enough paper or tags, if not can quickly stamp some A3 with Christmas images adding names with Alphabet Chain! As for the shh 'secret'… well that's me having sleepless nights – lol! I'm sure it's all good xxx

  15. What lovely tags your mum has made, now we know where you got your artistic and creative side from. What a beautiful card Elaine sent you I love the bright white scene against the dark blue and the shrink plastic boy and girl are so sweet. Rachel's mixture of stamping and parchment is wonderful too, and little Matthew has made a really great card, how clever of him. Enjoy your Clarity Christmas dinner tomorrow too. x

  16. Hello, a few days ago on this blog several people mentioned a Christmas Message from Barbara with Dave playing the guitar. I have looked everywhere including F/B but cannot find it anywhere. Can anyone give me a clue please.xx

  17. Some more beautiful cards ! Can't wait to hear your news ! I think I'm all wrapped up now bar one. Have a cat lying under the tree, I suppose that's better than being in it ! X

  18. Hi Barbara, glad you've got good things coming your way, you deserve to have. Thank you for sharing more lovely cards, and your mum's lovely gift tags, and for still blogging for us too. Brilliant NDC goodies and inspiration this month too.

    Hope all Team Clarity have a great time at your dinner tomorrow
    Hope your mum and dad arrive safely
    Hope Elaine has a better 2017

    Love Brenda xx

  19. Well done to the Clarity Elves and everyone else for getting all those orders out so quickly. I got my Happy Post today and I love all three. It is fascinating seeing all the lovely artwork you have collected. Lots of new ideas to try, apart from just enjoying what we see. I am glad you are managing to take a real break to enjoy time with your precious family. You and they will always remember and treasure those new memories. Have fun with tomorrow's party. xxx Maggie

  20. Hi Barbara

    Enjoyed reading your blog. Mum's gift tags are gorgeous and the artwork is delightful as ever, especially from Matthew, a budding artist I'm sure

    I, with many others, will wait with baited breath for your exciting news. I was wondering if church bells were involved…

    Best wishes to the Clarity team, enjoy the Christmas dinner and of course having your mum and dad with you all makes it all the more special, and how fantastic to have son and daughter and her lovely partner with you all

    June x

  21. Well you are a big tease Mrs G
    Is it for us poor readers to guess
    Ehhh. Could if be all the nominations you received have now been won.
    Ohh I hope so it is well deserved. What a Christmas gift that would be ,
    Nice distraction method half way through your blog too
    Well I will wait and see
    I Wish You And Your Family every good wish for Christmas and throughout the coming year T. xxxxx

  22. Intrigued over the secret but it sounds like it's something good. Glad you're on top of things, and love the cards, especially Matthew's. Could be another Paul Church in the making methinks. xx

  23. Lovely tags Barbara. I wonder what you can be teasing us with – I hope something exciting. The cards are as enchanting as ever, such talent. It is good you are taking sometime for family over the festive period. Enjoy

  24. I'm tired of wrapping, and there is still more to do.
    My diamond NDC goodies came today, most impressed, love them. Just haven't had time to read through it all yet.
    Oh, secrets, secrets. How can we wait two weeks?
    Hope you have a fab day tomorrow x

  25. Oh Barbara you do love to tease and no hint so we will have to guess Mmmm I wonder. I had Mysore granddaughters today they wanted to help so they did some wrapping for me nearly there just couple bits that they could do and couple to arrive to day then that's it feeling lot better than was wish wis tickly cough would go but bless has been under control at right moments to have mevop etc well better get back to bed soon be time time to get up. Hopefully be able to groovi and craft again very soon have missed it all lots love you you and Dave and you lovely family xxx

  26. Hi Barb, yes you are a tease, you are going to have us all in fits, trying to guess what it is. Love the cards you have received, so much talent. Take care all. Bx

  27. Excited to hear your surprise, love my club goidies, managed to renew my membership online so I am a happy bunny. I do give all these beautiful cards you have shown over the last few days, such talented people.

  28. Hello Barbara

    Oooh Barbara you are such a tease, I am looking forward to hearing your news. Also, I am sorry to hear Elaine is not well her work is always lovely.

    Enjoy your week off.

    Love
    Roz.x

  29. I haven't posted much for ages. Not really crafted much this year either! But thank you so much for posting Matthew's card on your blog here Barbara. He will be so chuffed when I show this to him!! He loves your YouTube videos and has watched the Christmas jumper one so many times! He had a bit of help with the masking although he did point out to me a couple of times when I needed to take something away or add another part of the mask. ;). But the rest he did himself. I definitely need to try and do some Clarity craft projects with him next year. We scanned this design and used it for his family cards this year, but he wanted you to have the 'original'! x

  30. Barbara I follow your blog every day, but dont' comment often. You are a terrible tease, and I bet it's something I am going to want. Took me ages to get the starter kit for Groovi and now I'm hooked on those. Sadly I can't afford much else, so I hope its not too expensive. Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to you and the Clarity team.

  31. Oh Barbara, you have got us all intrigued! Can't wait to hear your exciting news. I don't always comment but do read your blog every day. Thank you so much for using my card. I was so excited to see it on the screen Jim, my partner, thought I had gone mad!! To get nice comments from such a talented and inspirational lady has made my Christmas. I'm now looking forward to 2017 with Clarity. With very best wishes to you, Dave, all your family and all the Clarity team for a very a happy and peaceful Christmas. Love Rachel xx

  32. Merry Christmas to you Barbara and all your family and staff but I dare say all your staff will feel like family to you.
    Thank you for sharing your life with us.
    Now would you be a dear and send me enough patience to last the two weeks we have to wait to hear your news??
    Love and light. xxxx

  33. Hi Barbara, what fabulous cards you have and thank you for sharing them with us, as for your gift tags there just marvellous, (your mum has done a great job on them)
    Hope your meal with your parents, family and your supper staff goes smoothly.
    It's a good job that we have Christmas and then the New Year to occupy us but I still not think that will do it really, as we all won't "No that's not the right word!! We all Need to know what you are going to tell us"?
    Take care and enjoy this day. Xx
    PS this month baby Groovi is beautiful! Well done to the designer.

  34. Hi Barbara
    I'm late listing but internet connection as been down, probably blown away by storm barbar!!! I was trying to groovi by candlelight thus morning, got an outline done – now that's desperation! Beautiful cards and I love the shrink plastic ( you and shrink plastic always makes me smile!!!). Ooh I wonder what your suprise is. Hope mum and dad arrive safe and sound and mark gets back from his travels too.
    Love Diane xxx

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