Thank you !

Thank you !

Hello there.
Thanks for popping in.
Waved goodbye to Mark and his girl Alex this morning.
So the house is very quiet again.
Doesn’t seem that long ago they all landed! 
And already that’s it for another year. 
It was a great visit though. 
You know I struggle with the distance between us and the kids;
it’s the one thing that really gets to me from time to time. 
But it’s their choice to live in the States, and as long as they are happy, that’s all we can hope for, eh. 
They were cute when they were nippers too….
Anyway, here’s a little Thank you card,
complete with mask and cat and dog and birdies!
and one of our brand new Designer Papers
which are being launched on HOCHANDA
Sunday, 2-4pm and 5-6pm
This is from the Brighton Rock Book, 
the first in the Candy Shop Collection.
The main thing to point out here is that I have used coloured inks 
to stamp out the main Thank You Framer, 
instead of black, which is what me mostly tend to do. 
Then simply outline the lettering with a black Micron Pen. 
A matching Promarker, chisel end if you please, will make a nice divider between the artwork and the background paper. 

I really use these Glue Pens a lot for assembly, you know.
They hold it so well.

Then just trim back the background paper, run a Sharpie pen around the edge, to make the line art pop,

and the job’s a good’n.
Look out for the 4 Clarity paper books on Sunday.
They are excellent. 

Sunny day here, so we are heading out for a walk 
before it gets dark.
The days are already getting longer though, which is a good thing.
Love & Hugs 
Barb
xxx

66 thoughts on “Thank you !

  1. Thank you for being you Barbara. Have had time to catch up with your blogs today.

    Must remember that "the sun always rises in the morning " and not to keep looking back.

    Crafty hugs Pen x

  2. Thankyou.
    My daughter has gone back to Edinburgh today so my house is quiet and very much feeling empty, although son is still home but in his room and hubbie is still at work just now.
    I am cherishing the quiet after so many days of busyness and noise.

  3. That's lovely Barbara. These paper stacks look exciting. We are quiet today been tidying up and getting house back to normal. I love Christmas but I am always ready to pack it all away after New Year. I would struggle too if my kids were that far away but like you say so long as they are happy and healthy that is the main thing. Enjoy your walk. xx

  4. Hi Barbara! And thank you! You bring us so many lovely products to play with!!!
    I've just parcelled up some samples to send you and now I need to get ready for Amy coming home again…it's the last day in their flat today and she'll be here til they move into their new home. Exciting times ahead!
    Enjoy your walk…it's a good way of clearing your head isn't it!
    Love and hugs xxx

  5. Hi Barbara! And thank you! You bring us so many lovely products to play with!!!
    I've just parcelled up some samples to send you and now I need to get ready for Amy coming home again…it's the last day in their flat today and she'll be here til they move into their new home. Exciting times ahead!
    Enjoy your walk…it's a good way of clearing your head isn't it!
    Love and hugs xxx

  6. A beautiful card . I will be watching . Can someone tell me where you get card stock so large you can fold and make a card and an enevelope that must be 7,8,9 inches . The largest imcqn buy paper here in the USA seems to be 12×12 . So I can get a 6×6 card . Thanks so much . When I use the seven in stencil card I can't frame it and make a card base or envelope . Sigh !

  7. It is lovely to see the days starting to stretch out again. Although it is is very chilly here, the sun is shining beautifully and encouraging us outside into the fresh air and giving us the chance to absorb a little vitamin D to keep us going. Helps to continue the PMA. The way your two lovely children fly around the world so freely is a credit to you and the way you gave them their roots but also gave them the wings to fly. Because of that, they will always happily fly back to you as often as they can manage. You are rightly proud of them. Hope you enjoyed your walk today. A lovely card, nice and sunny too to cheer the recipient. xxx Maggie

  8. Hi Barbara, it was lovely you had them all for Christmas. I'm sure it wont be long before you see them again (even on face time/whatever it's called! my niece called me up on my ipad the other day – I always forget which button to press !). Lovely card and I'm looking forward to the new papers. I must admit I think about using different colours instead of black for stamping and then I'm not sure. New Year Resolution – go for it I think! xxx

  9. Hi Barbara, I know just how you feel as my daughter and 3 grandchildren live in Australia and I miss them so much but they have a great life as I saw for myself when I was there. Just love the card and can't wait to use all my Christmas goodies including the gel petites hamper….see you on Sun x

    1. Thank you Hiliary
      I have been searching on Amazon and still not able to find . Tried copy and paste of the address and no luck. I'm probably not doing something right . I will try again later . Thank you so much for answering . Hope to see you on Facebook with Barbara . Janice

  10. The frame sets are so beautiful to use stunning card looking forward to the launch of the new paper pads .
    Your children are so well grounded they are happy and know your always there that's a special parent relationship if you don't mind me saying xxx

  11. I think mark and Grace's cuteness factor is still evident! Thye are such lovely kids and you have a special relationship with them. The plus of having them to stay (as with mine) is you can reconnect properly and spend quality time together.
    Love the card and papers. I do like that stamp I made 7 thank you cards with it yesterday! X x

  12. Hi Barbara, I feel for you, your heart must be heavy and aching. But knowing what great adults they have turned into and that they are happy, should make the positive side of the scales overflowing.

    Your card is very pretty, very spring like in colours. The O really jumps off the page. Thank you for sharing. I was just thinking myself yesterday and today that I can really notice the difference in the length of daylight. Happy time for me, hate the short days so much. The sun is just setting here now, beautiful colours at the back, was working out which inks while the kettle was boiling, weathered wood, and cloudy blue, with dried marigold tinged with various amounts of fired brick, I think!!!

    Thank you Barbara, for giving so much of you to all of us. My life is so much better for having you and your blog in it, and not just craft wise. Hope you enjoyed your walk. Love Brenda xx

    1. Hi Brenda I love the thought of you watching the sky while waiting for the kettle and how clever to work out the colours in your head. You sound as though you do a lot of backgrounds. I am going to try and think like you when I next see the sun rise or set. I also agree with you about Barbara's wonderful blog. Best wishes for 2017 Ann

    2. Thank you everyone xx
      Ann, I make a lot of arty stuff in my head, just don't get much of it down on card/canvas (none on canvas)!!! But I'm working on it!
      Best wishes for 2017 to you too xx

    3. Hello Brenda that sounded a gorgeous sunset, we saw a few lovely ones when we were in Scotland last week ( once storms Barbara and Conner had passed!!!).sending hugs to you and Daisy xxx

  13. Really lovely card and although I like messing about doing backgrounds (not very well) I will find the new paper background books really useful when short of time or when my background efforts haven't gone quite to plan. Looking forward to the shows.

  14. Lovely card today Barbara. Have been busy making a Groovi engagement card for my neice today greatly inspired by yesterday's blog. Quite pleased with the result but what a nightmare choosing a backing paper! Will be watching on Sunday with great anticipation! Thanks for your inspiration xx

    1. Hi to all of my lovely blog friends – we have had a day in today, the weather is a little bit cooler, but still very nice! I hope that you are all as well as can be. It's nice to think that we are now starting to get a bit longer days – love and hugs, Gilly xxx

  15. It is difficult having to say goodbye to them when they leave as I know only too well Barbara, but knowing they are where they want to be and doing what they want to do helps to soften the blow. I think this card is great and the new backing paper you have used shows off the 'thank you' beautifully. Hope you had a lovely walk, and I love it when the days lengthen out a bit, it at least makes you think that Spring is on the way. x

  16. Hi Barbara
    What beautiful background papers, I'm looking forward to watching the shows to see what they look like and what you do with them. Beautiful card again today, I must try using a non black ink to stamp with. I hope mark and Alex have a safe journey home. I know how hard you find it living so far away, I'm sure your mum said the same thing when you lived so far away from her. Oh I have a hall and lounge full of 'stuff', Emma is back home with us for a couple of weeks which is lovely, who minds a bit of mess when you don't see them as much as you would like. Hope you had a lovely walk.
    Love Diane xxx

    1. Hello lovely blog friends sorry for the patchy posting over Christmas and new year we have been in Scotland for the last 10 days. We had Christmas in a castle with a family group, stone spiral staircases lots of candlelight, high windows and 4 poster beds. We had the full brunt of the storms and being on the top of a hill was a bit scary but you do feel safe in the huge stone walls! New year was spent in Edinburgh, the fireworks were amazing. It's lovely to be home though. Hope everyone is ok, sending hugs xxx

  17. Sorry not up to a comment today as I took a slightly backwards turn today. Nothing to do with my cancer, just a tummy bug but it has knocked me out. Will try tomorrow. Hugs.

    1. Sounds a nasty bug Susan. Have you tried things like ginger, cinnamon, chammomile, mint to see if they'll help ease the symptoms, settle your stomach down. If you're allowed these things. Hope you get over it really soon xx

    2. Thank you so much for your kind comments. Probably because of the chemo that it knocked me out. Still really looking forward to Hochanda on Sunday, that will buck me up.xx

  18. Hi Barb,
    Beautiful papers and I'm looking forward to seeing them on tv at the weekend. Really like the card you've done for us today as well. Love and hugs Alison xx

    1. Hi bloggy friends,
      Hope today has been good for you. Sorry I've not commented on your individual posts, but just this minute got back from lovely day with my cousin and her family and my sister and brother in law. Just shattered now but wanted to leave comment before I go to bed. Love and hugs to you all Alison xx

  19. Love the framer stamps and am building up quite a collection of them (this one's on my wishlist!), the paper pads look great so may be heading my way soon once they've been released. As you say sad to see them go but then again you can start looking forward to the next time you'll be together… every cloud and all that! Looking forward to your shows at the weekend, desperately in need of a 'live' Clarity fix after all the nothingness (in my humble opinion) of the Christmas viewing, must say I enjoyed the Harry Potters tho' – read all the books but hadn't seen the films. xx

  20. Brilliant cheerful card today, must remember to use different inks instead of black all the time. Looking forward to getting a proper look at your paper pads at the weekend. What a nice photo of Grace and Mark, so cute with their lovely curly hair. Keep smiling Barb I'm sure you'll see them again soon. Love and hugs, Pam xx

  21. Hi to all my lovely blog friends, hope you've had a good day. Been cold but lovely and sunny here today. Did some stamping this evening, one card finished and two ready to colour. Love and hugs to you all, Pam xx

  22. Happy New Year Barb,

    I know the pain of separation from your children only too well but you are right we have to let them spread their wings and as long as they are happy that's the main thing but it doesn't make it easier on us doe it? lol!

    All the best for the coming year

    Love & Hugs

    Jacquie J xxx

  23. Hi Barb, your children have to go to come back again, so that is what we look forward to. Waiting in anticipation for the shows, to see what other loveliness you bring us. This card is beautiful, and thank you to you too for all the inspiration and laughs, looking forward to that this year too. Bx

  24. Morning Barb

    I love the photo of your children when they were small. They look like two peas in a pod! Heart breaking for you when they leave

    Beautiful card, love the stamp set and the colourful background paper

    June x

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