Picot Victorious!

Picot Victorious!

Hi there,

Thanks for popping in. Last day of the Clarity retreats today. Whilst it will be nice to have a little lie in tomorrow morning, I shall miss spending time with all these wonderful people, watching them get to grips with new skills, seeing their sheer delight when they nail something. I’m not kidding. There’s nothing like it.

Yesterday afternoon, for example. Day 2 in the afternoon, we always do Groovi. So we got on the virtual Groovi Bus after lunch. We started simple, so that everybody could join in, and we added skills as we travelled along. There were several bus stops along the way, and you could get off at any time, depending on how you felt and how far YOU wanted to travel. Well, yesterday, there were about 10 ladies who wanted to stay on the bus right to the end. They were determined to nail the Picot cutting. Many others got to grips with the gridwork, with the positioning, embossing, whitework and perforating. But by 4.30 they were ready to get off the bus. So we waved them goodbye and settled back down to tackle the cutting.

None of the ladies in the photo had had any luck in the past with their picot cutting, or they had never even tried it! So the driver (that’ll be me then!) settled them in the comfy seats, and took them very slowly up the hill….

Bit bumpy at first, but they had the right approach. They knew that there was nothing here that time and a little patience wouldn’t solve. They didn’t get frustrated, they just kept trying. The driver parked up a couple of times and adjusted the angle of the scissors a bit, and then off they trundled again.

One by one, the penny dropped.

Lucy. Never done this before. Just keep going, the driver said. And she did.

This is Anna. Never had any joy with cutting before. Got off the bus yesterday after half an hour or so, smiling from ear to ear.

Every single one of those ladies nailed the cutting yesterday. Every single one. They were so chuffed – which made me chuffed too. A few of them even took the gear back to the hotel because they wanted to keep going.

Glynis – a fellow Lefty. She cracked it almost instantly.

There’s nothing quite like it. When you set your mind to achieving something – be it stamping, pottery, parchment – whatever ! The moment when you experience that breakthrough, that moment when you realise you have nailed it. It is like a drug, I think. It gives you a rush, a high, and makes you want to do more.

Must dash. Running late!

Love & Hugs,

Barb xxx

PS. Maria is on HOCHANDA.com TV today, at 9am 1pm and 5pm. She launched a fab Clarity Christmas stampset and Groovi set yesterday at 6pm. Superb demos and ideas. Very very cool designs by Mel. She’s headed for a sellout, so check in and see what she’s up to! You can watch on your PC or Tablet or phone too if you’ve got wifi! In fact, if you’re reading this blog, you can watch Hochanda.com! Cor blimey!

23 thoughts on “Picot Victorious!

  1. Brilliant they got it! Do you know what? I Have too, finally, 2 days ago. I have brought my parchment on holiday with me and when it was all quiet and not beach weather on Thursday I sat and practiced and practiced and hey presto I’ve now got it. I understand that feeling well! – no more ruined projects! – I am now like a factory pushing out parchment pieces. All simple still but I’m off! Yay! – Turns out it was my eyes. If I put my super foam over my light pad and get real close, I can do it! – I’ll be having yet another word with my optician!

    1. My optician took one look at the grid work I produced, agreed a light box was good and made me a pair of special glasses for the close work as I found the piercing difficult especially locating the multi needle tools. Worked like magic. Suggest you take a piece of work with you when you go to the optician.

  2. Barbara enjoy the last day but enjoy your lie in and rest tomorrow more ! Thanks for an amazing two days X

  3. I think we all learn from these events however far we think we have progressed. There is always another good new tip to be picked up. I personally loved your trick of lining up the grid plates and will certainly use it again. Hope the last day goes well and well done to those ladies who nailed their picot cutting. X X

  4. Like Lynne, I learned so much from all the projects and the way of lining up the grids and extending them was such a revelation, and will be used in future. With the picot, it is so much better if you can get a one-to-one lesson with someone who has already nailed it. I was so proud of my daughter, when after one very short demo from me, she succeeded in perforating a straight line free hand, and a random shape too (with the two needle fine), then mastering perfect tiny picots. Well done to those ladies who completed the journey on the bus. xxx Maggie (Silvercrafter)

  5. Its a fantastic feeling when you suddenly realise that you have cracked a new technique.
    Just caught a bit of Maria’s 9am show so will watch back on my recording. Off to finish the fence, it got too hot yesterday so need to get it done before the sun comes round to that side of the garden & so I am ready for the 1pm show.
    Have a great last day at the retreat.

  6. Glad everyone got on so well ! I’ve got some picot to do but quite happy with it now. So far I haven’t had any trouble lining up the plates either but perhaps I should keep my mouth shut about that ! Enjoy the last day x x I’ve missed Maria so far but will catch up later. X

  7. Hi Barb glad everyone left happy and fulfilled, and that it filled you with such good feelings too. I would like to experience that eureka moment and the feelings. Hope you have a good day, and quick dismantle. Love you xxx

  8. Lovely to see your group of happy snippers! Hope your final day ends on a high, and that you have some restful plans for tomorrow x

  9. When I first started with Groovi, I didn’t think I’d like Picot cutting, but gave it a try as I wanted more than just a plain edge. First few tries were real disasters, then I watched a few videos, got the Pergamano scissors, read the brochure, and practiced some more. When it finally worked, I was hooked. Now I’m trying snowflakes and lacework. It’s so relaxing.

    Many mentions of a trick to lining up grid plates . Could we see in in a future blog? Or is it already on the web somewhere?

  10. Glad everyone managed to get to the bus stop at their speed and achieve a new set of skills. Unfortunately my Groovi bus got a flat tyre and had to be parked up…BUT the plates and tools are still there waiting patiently and I WILL get back to it! Have a great last day. XX

  11. So good to see everyone enjoying themselves. It’s great feeling when you nail picot cutting. Not sure if I have yet or not but I get more right these days than wrong so I seem to be getting there. I never thought I would but I am also determined. Not going to be beaten by a pair of scissors and a bit of parchment!
    Enjoy what remains of today and enjoy the rest of your weekend. Looking forward to seeing what everyone has been doing.

  12. Just finished the last day of the retreat and what an amazing couple of days. Thank you Barbara, Paul and the Clarity team. Have so enjoyed myself and met some very lovely people.

  13. I got off the bus early, but then I’d never really got in the groovi, but today I buckled and bought a few plates, so if the bus is running next year, maybe I’ll get to the last stop! Got to say I loved my first workshop. Thanks B, P and the rest of the team.

  14. Well done ladies! You can see on their faces the look of satisfaction at a job well done, and well done to you Barbara for enabling them. Hope you last day of retreats has gone well. x

  15. It is so satisfying when people crack a skill, both for the crafter and the teacher. Great photos.
    I had a teacher who insisted I used scissors with fingers pointing down through the handles and cutting on the foam on the table. Never worked for me so I nearly gave up. Being the contrary cuss that I am I bought a pair of Pergamano snips (awful price at the time) and held the work in my hand to cut. Worked like magic. 22 years later the snips (straight points) still work but hubby bought me some new ones “just in case”. They have curved points and I don’t get on so well with these.
    Watched some of Maria’s programmes,will save the rest for later.
    Received the club package yesterday – lots to look forward to over the next 10 days.
    HOT HOT HOT here, very uncomfortable, so not much getting done.
    Have a safe journey home and a relaxing Sunday.
    🍒🍒🍒

  16. Thank you Barbara,Paul and the whole team for the last 2 days it’s been fantastic. I was one of the snippers that stayed on that bus. And after giving up years ago on parchment work because I just couldn’t pivot cut. I can now say I can do it and so pleased with the results. Loved it all x

  17. Thank you Barbara, Paul and all the team for the last days it’s been fantastic. I was one of those snippers that stayed on the bus. I’d given up on parchment years ago because the teacher at that time insisted, that things had to be done a certain way and I just couldn’t do the picot cutting and I wasn’t that good with the mapping pen either. But now I can picot cut and so pleased with the results.

  18. It was great feeling last year when I managed pico cutting still go to get grips with more detailed cutting but need to get practicing more getting a square not an oblong mind you eyes were tired at end of day but will get it finished and post pictures x

  19. I’m glad I’m not the only one who really struggled with picot cutting! The first time you look at a piece of work with a neat picot edge, it makes you want to run around the room singing and dancing – I did!

  20. It was a lovely 2 days. Thank you Barbara, Paul and all the team for the hard work you put in. I stayed to the end for help with my cutting and with your help and advice I can now picot cut, really chuffed to say the least. X x

  21. Hello Barb, it must be so gratifying to both you and the “pupils” achieving these milestones, and the smiles speak volumes. Take care all. Bx

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