Chuffed.
Hi there.
Just got in from Ally pally.
What a stonking day!
BUSY???
Thank you so much if you visited us today.
It’s as I said. We can’t control the outcome, but we sure can influence it by prepping well!
Thank you so much if you visited us today.
It’s as I said. We can’t control the outcome, but we sure can influence it by prepping well!
The TV show went well too, although it is pretty different working with a live audience! I think they enjoyed it.
This is the parchment work I did.
I was really chuffed with it.
I know there is plenty of room for improvement – of course there is!
But I have only been doing parchment since we came up with the Groovi System, not even 2 years ago,
so YES! I am delighted to have come this far!
Even more importantly, it’s the fact that I have WANTED to learn the traditional parching skills used here.
Thank you Groovi xxxx
With the help of experts like Linda and Tina, always willing to share their knowledge. I just watched them very, very closely and then emulated what they did. Until it clicked.
And it does. Eventually.
Here’s the Brand New Plate I showcased:
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| La Dame aux Camelias |
I photo-stepped it up when I was making it the other day,
because I figured I wouldn’t have time to go right through it all on the telly, so here it is….
A5 clear parchment.
Emboss the larger of the two images, using the No. 2 tool first, to stretch the parchment, then the No. 1 stylus at the other end over the same lines again.
Transfer the art to the soft side of the black mat, and start to introduce gentle folds into the fabric of her dress.
I used a shader:
You can really build light and shade with the edge of the shader.
Let’s do all the whitework first.
Next came the pattern in the dress.
For this I went with one of the patterns in Tina’s No. 1 Straight Pattern Grid,
which we showcased last Sunday.
What a great little book that is!
It has certainly opened my eyes,
and made the elusive gridwork so achievable!
 |
| Click here |
See the grid in the Mate here?
Emboss the dots from behind first.
Like Tina says: go with whatever you are doing more of.
If you are perforating more, then start on the front with that.
The Lightwave is an invaluable piece of kit for me.
I can see exactly what I’m doing for a start!
And my failing eyesight IS becoming a bit of a challenge…
For the perforating in between the embossed dots in the dress,
let’s use the 1-Needle Bold Pergamano Tool and the basic border grid. See it in the photo?
Let’s add a little pattern from the same pattern grid over the arch.
From behind. Embossed dots first.
Start in the centre and work your way outwards.
Now to cut out the areas between the trellis in the background…
Let’s do all the piercing next.
Along the straight lines I used the straight grid to guide me.
Snippy snippy….
Study the picture and work out which parts needs cutting out BEFORE you even pick up the perforating tool!
Let’s zoom forward to the finished piece….
If you look at it, you can easily see how I made the frame with the nested rectangle,
added a little gridwork inside the frame lines using one of the simple patterns on the pattern grid again.
Used a punch to attach to black card.
No colour, not even coloured card.
I know that black card is less forgiving than a more vibrant,
busier background.
But I really wanted to show off the whitework,
and this is best done on black.
I spent hours on this card, but it was perfect for perfecting the picot cutting. I think repetition is the key to this gig, don’t you? The more you do it the better you get at it.
Time to kick back and eat something.
Day 2 tomorrow.
Love & Hugs,
Barb
xxx
35 thoughts on “Chuffed.”
Hello Barb,
Glad you've had a good day and your artwork is stupendous. You should feel very proud of yourself at the amazing work you've done.
love Maureen xxx
Great work Barbara. I haven't seen the show yet, but I look forward to catching up on my Sky+ later.
A fabulous show today! Seeing what you have achieved in the two years since you started Groovi is amazing and has really made me realise that with practise I can get there too. I am loving parchment work and can't wait to see results like yours. Thank you and have another great day tomorrow.
Glad all went well. For always worry in advance and you are always brilliant. I started a piece before we came away that I intend to pierce and snip. I've started small with a baby plate. Will try to watch the show on catch up on my phone. Just got the grandchildren to bed so enjoying a glass of wine while half listening for them as their parents ate out for the evening. Have a great day tomorrow xx
Wow amazing job. Excellent!
Thanks for such a brilliant session today. So good to see you – am really looking forward to the retreat!
Brilliant Barbara! Your work looks amazing!
And I think you're absolutely right about parchment! It's practice that helps to make perfect! The more you do the better and more consistent you get at it! I like you am enjoying the challenge since groovi has brought me into the world of parchment!
Love and hugs! X
Beautiful Barbara. So glad today went well xx
Beautiful piece of Groovi. I love that you are learning like the rest of us how to improve our Groovi and parchment skills. I am very lucky to have tuition from the amazing Emma Burns.
Hi Barbara, glad it went so well today. Made me smile when I read "chuffed".
This artwork looks amazing, like it's carved into marble or something. You really are progressing at a rate of knots now! Well done you. And yes it is all about practise, practise, practise, as is most things in life eh! I was lucky first time round with the picot cutting, got it really quickly, but when I had to change the scissor hold, because they were too big for my fingers, I could no longer do the picots. It's taken all this time to work out where I was going wrong, but once I did, now it's just practise until it's good enough again, and I'm definitely getting there. I've been sewing today, while watching you I got my curtains cut and pinned ready for the sewing machine, hopefully tomorrow. And almost finished my wee privacy curtains for the bottom half of the craft room window, all hand stitched as it's open weave fabric. A long but enjoyable job for me. Certainly found my sewing mojo again, hand sewing is very Mindfulness. Next task will be to get my arty/papercraft mojo going properly.
Hope tomorrow is at least as good for you. Love Brenda xx
Hello Brenda, you have been busy. Sending hugs to you and Daisy xx
Hi Diane, aye, makes a change!!! Now I just need to try hard to keep it up! Wishful thinking, but nothing wrong with that, you never know, I might find the energy somewhere!!!! Hugs back xx
Hello Barbara
A beautiful piece of work. You really are progressing. Unfortunately I am still playing catch-up!
It was lovely to say hello to you and Paul today. You were just rushing off to get ready for the live show.
Have a good day tomorrow.
Love
Roz.x
Such a beautiful piece of artwork, I
It was a amassing show and your demo card is ace. Followed you on this journey since Groovi appeared on Hochanda and it's really lovely to see how your parching has just got better send better x
Hi Barb,
Watched you do this on tv and I was so impressed with the finished piece – massive well done to you! Thank you for the step y steps. The new plates are lovely but my favourite was the expanded octagon with the smaller version of the beautiful Art Deco alphabet – I love that alphabet!!pleased the day has gone well and hope tomorrow goes as well or better. Love and hugs Alison xxx
Watched the live show, it was great. I am full of admiration of the standard you have achieved in this short time. You are an inspiration to all the budding parchers out there. By the way, just had to order the new plates too. Lol x
Enjoyed the show, wonderful stunning card, thank you for the step by step. Hope tomorrow goes as well as today or better. x
This is fabulous Barbara and I saw your demo on it at the show. You did so well as it must be very difficult to work under those conditions in front of a live audience. I hope tomorrow is as good as today. x
Hi Barbara
Wow oh wow this is amazing! You have progressed so much haven't you. What a beautiful plate too. It's good to hear today has gone well for you all, I hope tomorrow is more of the same as it makes the cost and the hard work involved by you all worth it.i haven't seen the show yet, will catch it on rewind tomorrow. I think I must persevere with my wonky picot cutting as I know the knack must be in me somewhere! Enjoy your evening.
Love Diane xxx
Hello lovely blog friends hope everyone who went to Ally Pally had a good time. We've had a family day out today so I've missed the show, we had a lovely couple of hours in a music shop while emma tried out guitars, one happy bunny tonight and a new instrument added to her collection! Sending hugs xxx
Hi Barbara, great to see you again at Ally Pally today. Could see,you all were very busy. Glad it was such a good day for you and hope tomorrow will be, too. Unfortunately, missed your live show but looking at what you made, I must say "Wow!Your work is just amazing!" Have fun tomorrow and then enjoy your holidays! Love to you, Dave and your team. I think you all are doing a fantastic job! xx
Hi show was great katie was glued to watching you shouting top of her voice to you. Sad or making it tomorrow but September should roll around hopefully quickly. Enjoy day two hope not to tiring night night xxx
Settled down with cuppa and choccy biscuit to watch your live show…brother in law decided to arrive just as prog started… thank goodness I'd set the recorder! Loved this beautiful card as soon as it was shown, wonderful piece of work and I can't wait to try my hand with this fab plate – Topaz and Le Plume arrived this morning so 'Camellias and Amethyst' will be ordered soon. Have a great day tomorrow xxx
That parchment Groovi card is really lovely and of course it shows how much you have developed your skills
It does take a while to do and it shows.xxx
Love your work have s good day
Love June horrocks xxxxxx
Brilliant.
Hi Barb, wow this is an incredible piece of art, and I think it is just perfect on the black. I bet the audience enjoyed it too. Have a great day 2 at AP. Take care. Bx
It was lovely to meet you yesterday and thank you for taking the time to talk with me. Also a big thank you to Paul who took the time to show me picco, allowing me to have a go – will need to practice loads before using it on my artwork! Have a super second day at ally pally, it was my first visit and well worth travelling down from Burton on Trent. I will for sure visit again in September. Can't wait. All the best, Nikki xxx
Ein Traum.Das ist aber eine wunderschöne Karte, gefällt mir sehr gut
glg Gertrude
WOW this is stunning! Gorgeous new plate too! I hope you have had another good day at Ally Pally.
Hugs
Linda xxx
That's beautiful Barbara! Your so talented xx
Stunning!!!!
Gayle x
das ist das schönste,was ich jemals in parchment craft gesehen habe,einfach großartig. Danke,daß Sie es auch noch step by step gezeigt haben !Liebe Grüße aus Wien, Erni
Hi Barb
This is a stunning image and a fab card x x x