One Snip at a Time!

One Snip at a Time!

Hi there!
Thanks for popping in.
Have been snipping away with Sheila, my brother’s partner.
While the men and Mum watch rugby, 
we sloped off to practice our picot cutting.
Sheila has got the Groovi bug!
So we started with a little heart, 
embossed from the Nested Heart Plate.
Now using the 2-needle bold tool around 
the inside edge of the heart 

Scissor testing time!
Always cut into or across the waste.
You can see here how Sheila is working across the piece which is going to fall out – the waste.

Ringlock scissors here
In the meantime, I was practicing too.
It really is just a question of taking it slowly, one snip at a time….
Next stop straight line.
Used the grid to perforate along the edge of the line.
Sheila was in the zone by now…
It was working out which direction to travel 
and which way to twist which baffled her.
But that might have something to do with the leftie 
sitting to her left !! 
She ended up travelling away from herself with the scissors, 
but twisting towards herself.
In other words, into the picot she had already cut. 
Don’t ask me what I did! It will only confuse you!
The one thing we both did was hold the scissors with the curve pointing upwards and go into the finger holes from underneath.
See here?
That was the key for me. 
And it’s working very nicely thank you!
Perfect thumb hole here!
4-Needle tool next, from the Pergamano Perforating Set
Again, exactly the same stance.
As you were before!
Just remember to cut across the waste.

So there we are.
A quick reminder of how to picot cut.

Sheila has got her homework!
She has taken to this like the proverbial duck to water!!
Time to go for a nice birthday dinner in Tunbridge Wells.
Ooh la la!!
Love & hugs
Barb
xxx

33 thoughts on “One Snip at a Time!

    1. Laurence, sit down, take an odd bit of parchment and do some perforating. It helps if it is regularly spaced as with a 4-needle tool. Deep breath. In with the points of the scissors, lower the scissors, turn to the left and snip. First one done. One point of the snips into the next hole, turn and snip.
      See? You have the knack now.
      Enjoy.

    2. Laurence, don't be afraid of it. I know how you feel as I had a serious blank white paper panic at my first watercolour class, but, as I was told, it is only a piece of paper. Just take an A5 piece of parchment and spend some time just practicing on straight lines and random shapes. Don't practice on your beautifully embossed hard work. Relax and enjoy the process and be happy when you see your progress. xxx Maggie

  1. Very impressive ! Coming along nicely, I must do more practice. What lovely nails Sheila has ! I haven't done a card for hubby yet and he's 70 on Weds, I might just have to get the Valentine card out again !! Have a lovely meal. Xx

  2. I've been practicing picot cutting today and at last think I am getting somewhere! The experts probably wouldn't agree but for me it is a distinct improvement. Have a lovely evening with your family, Barbara, and forget work. We get so engrossed in this parchment lark that we forget it is work for you. I just wish I had worked for a company like yours instead of a chemical company. Thankfully I'm now retired so more time for Groovi, Pergamano and all things Clarity. Love and hugs. X

  3. Hi Barbara, well I am still practicing on my picot cutting getting there but forget to piece from the front. So have put a sticker on the front of my mat so I won't forget bus getting there.
    Looks like you had a good afternoon with a very good friend.
    Enjoy tonight.
    Lynn xx

  4. Nice snipping, surgeons everywhere should be green with envy!
    Have a wonderful evening out. Hotel du Vin by any chance? Nice.
    Tonbridge Sue

  5. Groovi is so much more fun than watching the rugby. Today I made a card for an order and then started to tidy away some craft stuff to clear space on my table to work on. I have managed to gather all my craft candy into one box and I can't believe how much I have. I also refound my ouch for groovi corners as well as more double sided tape that I thought I was running out of! I now nearly have a space to work on again so I am looking forward to practicing my picot cutting so I can finish a few pieces in my groovi bag.

  6. Hi Barbara
    Sounds like you've had a good afternoon playing instead of working. I'm glad Sheila is enjoying Groovi, Steve spends so much time making the plates so at least she can enjoy the fruits of his labour. I'm still practising the picot cutting, not been brave enough to put it on a card yet! Holding the scissors curve up definately helps! Hope you have a lovely meal out all together, won't mention the rugby result, Brenda won't be happy!!
    Love Diane xxx

    1. Hi Donna,
      Hope you've had a good day with your sister. I did leave a comment for you a couple of days ago but I don't know if you saw it. It was just to say thanks for offering to post a challenge entry for me. That's really kind of you I'll have to have a think about it and let you know. Love and hugs Alison xx

  7. Hello Barb,
    Sheila is making a great job of the picot cutting. She's so lucky to have you and the team behind her, and that's the place to stay while she has those scissors in her hands ha ha.
    Maureen xxx

  8. You make it look so easy, I really need to get to grips with pricking and cutting. Lots of inspiration here and in Facebook and You tube. X

  9. Hi Barb,
    Well isn't Sheila doing well! I bet you had a good time this afternoon having a crafty session. Hope you have a lovely birthday meal with the family – you deserve it. My goodies from last weekend's shows came yesterday but I was too poorly to look at them so that was something to look forward to this morning. Thank you for getting them done so quickly. Love and hugs Alison xx

    1. Hi bloggy friends,
      Hope today has been good for you all. I've been washed out all day today but have been trying to empty the kitchen . Heaven knows where I'm going to put everything that's left in it – the dining room is full to bursting! I put things I there only to realise that I need it for cooking or something so really I'm getting nowhere ! The electrician is coming tomorrow afternoon to check what he needs to do, kitchen being delivered on Friday and fitters starting on Monday 20 th hopefully. So I'm assuming electrician will want to be in during this week and the blokes who are ripping out the old one, taking tiles off and plastering. I think I just want to move out!!! Im going to hibernate upstairs I think! Poor little Scamp knows something is up and is being extra clingy. Love and hugs to you all, Alison xxx

  10. Sounds like the 2days I have just had with Maggie. Men off in meetings leaving us 2 ladies grooving away. Introduced Maggie to groovi this time last year so have been helping her with cutting. Same time another of our ladies joined us in our Motorhome and we have now got her into the Groovi. June is going to be interesting, 400+ Motorhomes and I have been asked to demo groovi/ parchment at the clubs national,Maggie is doing stamping demo.help oh well a challenge coming up methinks. Barbara groovi is on the up within the motor caravanners club. Glad to help promote you and your products.

  11. Hi Barbara, hope you enjoyed your meal, and more importantly a day of quality time with your dearest loved ones.

    I'm getting there too with my picot cutting, maybe! Picot envy wasn't so strong today!!!!

    As for the rugby, we're good sports, we let you win that one! You didn't think we really play as bad as that did you?! Lull you into a false sense of security for hammering you up here next year.

    Hope you have a lovely birthday Sunday too.
    Love Brenda xx

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