What a load of Cockadoodledoodle!

What a load of Cockadoodledoodle!

Hi there,

Thanks for popping in. Friday already. Where did that week go? In fact, where have the past 9 weeks gone, since lockdown began 23rd March ?? It’s actually uncanny how quickly we humans adapt to new, changed circumstances, isn’t it?

Friday’s blog a private peep, right? Well, I think that the daily doodles on Facebook Live have really opened a door into my private life! I’ve always been quite open, but our relationship – yours and mine – has been more focussed on the art, don’t you think? Matters of the heart have certainly been there always in the background, though…

The pandemic shifted the balance. It would have been crass, in my opinion, to just plough on regardless, demonstrating products and flogging craft stash. Of course we have to sell stuff to keep the business running! You know that. I know that. But my gut instinct – and that of the Clarity Team – was to focus on YOU, make sure YOU were okay, put things in place to keep YOU okay with what was happening around us. And now, 8 weeks on, I feel we are much closer than we were. And the stories and anecdotes, the banter and philosophy – they are all part and parcel of the SHAC-Shack, aren’t they?

To thine own self be true, and all that. I suppose it has happened naturally, quite simply because we’re all in the same boat, we’re all trying to figure out a way through this nightmare. Each and every one of us.

I can only speak for myself, but I’m guessing I speak for many. Life has changed so much!

I had things all mapped out weeks nay months in advance. Knew when to go to the office, who to have meetings with, what to plan for, when to work from home, when to go to the TV studios, where to shop, what to buy, what to cook. Etc Etc Etc

That’s all changed. More importantly, my priorities have, and so my life has shifted to accommodate accordingly. What I do every day, my routine, diet, dress code – EVERYTHING. And it is okay.

To quote Charles Darwin:

It is not the strongest of the species that survivesnor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.” 

We have to go with the flow, roll with the punches. Whatever happens, it is not the event, but how we respond to it which will ultimately affect us. And so we adapt, we morph, we change.

It’s a survival instinct, and humans do it well. Some better than others, but in the main, we are intuitive and we KNOW what to do to survive. We also KNOW the difference between right and wrong.

Personally speaking, this pandemic has taught me some very important lessons, and I am grateful for that. Ironically, I feel more empowered than I have for a long time. It’s almost as though you have to sink to the bottom of the swimming pool to be able to kick back up to the surface. Do you get me?

As promised, here are some close ups of our week’s Cockadoodledoodle. I have thoroughly enjoyed this. My artwork is not brilliant; there is much better out there. I am not concerned with my brilliance though. Never was, never will be. I am not here to impress. I am here to motivate and keep you company.

Know thyself. Know your weaknesses, but know your strengths too….

I felt that the dotting around the edge really added something lovely to the piece. And then, when I found the little mountboard frames in the cupboard – and remembered we custom cut these for the postcards, well! Happy days!

So we’ve dropped the price on the Frame mounts, both large AND small. CLICK HERE. Let me just add that we don’t have loads of these in stock. And that’s not a ploy – that’s a fact.

As promised also, here are the Polychromos colours I used this week. I am sorry about the delay on them. They should have landed by now, but I’m hoping soon. Please bear with us. We’ve ordered plenty! And you can pre-order!

Ahh. I hear Dave’s car in the drive. Time to stop.

Stay safe.

Love and hugs

Barb xxx

28 thoughts on “What a load of Cockadoodledoodle!

  1. I am relaxing with some colouring now too Barb as I worked through lunch. I am finishing yet another tag with Douglas and Annabel as company this time lol. Thanks for helping us all to keep sane! Stay safe.

  2. What a beautifully written piece Barbara. You are so good at putting things into perspective and making us look at the bigger picture. I have spent the shac time with you this week, doodling on to small cards to make into notelet packs for friends, as I haven’t joined in the colouring. I have thoroughly enjoyed the company.
    Hearing you talk about Carmel and Monterey brought back lovely memories of the time I visited there. The drive along that coast was stunning. Looking forward to seeing where we travel to next week. Have a lovely weekend. Hugs. Annette X

  3. Thanks Barb. Just what we needed. Miss my family and I’m just about getting used to having hubby home full time when he usually works away during the week. No blood shed yet! Yesterday he dyed my hair for me! First time and we’ve been married 26 years. You bring joy to so many. Thanks. Xx

  4. Have loved every minute of the SHAC SHAC and always look forward to Monday after the weekend xx You have shown me I can do things and I enjoy the banter and the company even if it is only for that hour xx Thank you for being you xx

  5. Hi Barbara. Thank you for all the time you have spent teaching us and the stories. It is like having a friend come to visit. When I see you in your patterned tops, I realize most of mine are plain
    Just watching my lovely roses being blown about.
    Hope you have a nice afternoon with your parents.. would love to see some of my family, but thank goodness for facetime etc.
    Hope you have a rest this weekend. Xxxx

  6. I agree with your quote from Darwin. We must all learn to adapt to whatever situation we find ourselves in. I don’t think the world will ever go back to exactly what it was before Corona 19 but if we’ve learned anything it is that by pulling together we are at least reducing the risk to others by staying at home.
    I think I speak for all Barbara/Clarity fans that however long it takes for this to be over we will support you all the way.

    After the horror and chaos of yesterday we have had a wonderfully peaceful day today. All jobs done early while it was cool, then colouring the postcards and bookmarks, but my eyes are getting tired now so plan to stop soon and this evening I need to do some embossing on my Groovi projects.
    There is certainly plenty to keep us occupied which is a blessing as we have to stay in lockdown until Ray gets his appointment for more tests for his ongoing health problems. The consultant, during a telephone conversation last week, said he would like to see some results before he sets us free to roam again. In the meantime we wait, adapt as necessary, keep smiling and enjoy each other’s company.
    Sunday has been set aside as a Cock and Hen doodle and colour day but before then I will have to dig out another set of pencils as the current ones are getting rather short unlike my hair which I swear grows a half centimetre a day.
    Finally managed to get the SHAC Shack projects printed in colour. Felt a right 🍌 when I realised what I was doing wrong !!!
    Can’t thank you enough for all you are doing for us, keeping us occupied and out of mischief.
    🍒🍒🍒
    PS: just had an email from our storage unit that people have been using their yard as a race track. Unbelievable !!!!!

  7. Wonderful week colouring our cockadoodle’s. Thanks for keeping us safe and sane. Have a good weekend Barbara x

  8. Have followed you from the beginning, and it has changed my life also. Everything is centred around 10am. Originally a watercolourist, turned to parchment and groovi about 3 years ago. But never satisfied with my colouring until now. Learned a lot from you and your philosophy. Many thanks. Hope your business comes through this pandemic. Must be a big worry to you – Margaret from Cumbria
    (Wish we had your weather but we have got the scenery)

  9. I have definitely got into colouring after completing the two postcards! I would have told you I didn’t have time for such an activity a few weeks ago. Now look at me! Was there at 10am and just finished Salma and Nella a few minutes ago at 4pm!
    Thanks as always Barb, for steering all of us through the mess outside into the warmth and safety of the SHACshac. I can’t wait to see where we’re off to next week. Got my sunglasses and boots all ready 🤗

    I certainly feel closer to the clarity community now and am hugely enjoying the new friendships and camaraderie.

    By the way, are we going to do more on the doodle flag or are we completing it ourselves?

  10. Thank-you for the colouring and doodle sessions. You explain it all so well and speaking for myself I have improved my colouring and loving the doodling. I have achieved far more than I ever imagined.
    I know we are in this isolation for a long time, got to keep Fred safe ,so I love having some projects to do. We had the year mapped out as well, lots of things booked up and planned more trips out as well. I have watched everything slowly disappear off the calendar but hey there is always next year. So stay safe everyone see you in the SHAC SHACK on Monday. X

  11. I too can’t thank you enough for being there for us every weekday – I have learned so much over these last 8 weeks and love having you in my home every day. Yes, I did say every day as when we aren’t in the ShacShac, I watch you on videos on Saturday and Sunday. My husband thinks I have an addiction – maybe I have but it keeps me happy. Thankyou – love Beryl (((hugs)))

  12. Hi Barb, glad you are finding your way through, and onto a better path forward for you. Wish I could have been part of your SHAC Shack gang, sadly not to be.

    I feel even more isolated and blocked than ever, rudderless, and with my autism and OCD my days are pretty miserable, spent cleaning, hand washing, and doing my headless chicken act until my body/energy is spent. Head catastrophising the whole time. That’s an autism thing, we can’t do probabilities, rationalising etc. If something is a millionth of a percent risk/chance, all our brains can do is to see it and feel it as a risk/chance of not far off 100%. That’s where my problem lies in this pandemic, and will do until a vaccine or successful treatment is found and given. I wish someone out there had the answer for us, to help us manage through this even a wee bit better, so we can have some nice, calm, non bad, stuff in our days too. All we’ve come up with is to reduce the exposure to any risk as much as possible, but so far, that ain’t working either…

    And yes, at times you do need to sink to the bottom of the pool before you can rise again and in a better way. I’ve had an awful lot of that in my life, but I’m still here. I always liken myself to one of those blow up punch bags, people and life’s big challenges knock me down, but I WILL bounce back up, stronger, and/or with different thought processes, and carry on trying to find my way out. Often with a – stuff the lot of you, you ain’t destroying/getting rid of me that easily…
    Sometimes it may take a while to bounce back up but I do. I’m told I’m one of life’s fighters. People are amazed that despite my difficulties and the life I have had to have I’m still here, still me, still looking for the positives, still wanting to help others, still fighting on. I don’t think it’s/I’m anything special, I think it’s in all of us, if we want it enough and are prepared to fight with all our might to battle on. And no matter what, still be true to yourself, still be the person you are, not what the people/society try to turn you into. Let your goodness inside shine out. Aye that makes me more vulnerable than I already am, folk will take advantage, folk will try to destroy, folk will hurt and wound. My answer to that is to push them out my life and carry on trying to be a good person, the best person I can be despite them. I’m me, and if folk don’t like that, ain’t my problem. Life is very tough but I keep battling on, in the hope somehow, or someone, will find the key to the door to let me out to a better life where I can actually live instead of just existing. And that is my hope for me, and those like me, in our new life we are all about to embark on.

    I hope you, and all the gang here can have a happy, and calm weekend, doing something nice. Xxx

  13. Beautiful artwork from a beautiful soul. I’m still working so I’ve missed most of the live broadcasts, but I’m slowly catching up at weekends when I can, and I’m really enjoying the doodling especially. Thank you for all that you do x

  14. Hi Barbara yet again a great blog from you. I have signed in every day since your first one and have always had a smile on my face each time. There have been times when I’ve had a rough day but knew you would write something to lift my spirits up. Although I have crafted for many years I have never been any good at designing so I am so grateful to you and your team for helping me along the way. Especially coming up with the groovi idea, I tried a number of times to do parchment craft with no success but thanks to you it is now a doddle!
    Love to you and all the crew
    Iris xxx

  15. Hi Barbara, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and will continue to enjoy our time together, I often answer back to you and hubby says, pardon ! I say I’m talking to a Barbara. I’m sat at the dining table and he’s watching a Wheeler Dealers on tv – quite convenient as it’s on 10 – 11 ! He makes tea in adverts ! I only know our simple world which it has become and cannot imagine what you have to think about with running a business and all that involves …. looking after your staff etc. Let alone your parents too. I’m lucky that my sister looks after Mum, she’s just In the next road to her. I did see her last week, like you did and we sat in the garden. She’s at the point of saying she doesn’t care and, at 90, would rather see her great grandchildren, which she does In the garden, but she’s getting to the point of needing a cuddle, however the 3 year old would now take some persuading ! The 2 year old hasn’t got a scoobie but his little mind must must wonder why things have changed. 🙁

    Anyway, look forward to next week and passport is ready ! Have a good weekend with Dave and your parents xx

  16. Thank you for today’s blog Barbara. It is true that we cannot always plan for the future but it is good to be adaptable so we don’t drown.
    Enjoy visiting your parents tomorrow and have a pleasant drive.
    Looking forward to next weeks travels.
    Have a good weekend xx

  17. I think it is fine to feel OK one day and adapted and not so great the next. The important thing is to know when to ask for help and when to give it, as we all do both. You are impressive, Barbara, whether you set out to be or not. There is excellent news today that the virus causes problems with T cells and we already have a drug for that. Something to celebrate!

    1. I saw that re the T cells too. Fingers crossed the trials are a big success. This could be the big game changer the whole world is so desperately in need of to combat Covid.

  18. After 3 hours planting and weeding on the veg plot, I settled for the doodling. How de- stressing it was. Thank you for all your hard work and care. I have learned a great deal. Love to you and Dave. Not forgetting Grace, Paul, Jannine et al

  19. Hi Barb, I’ve not started this yet as waiting for the postcards to arrive as I looked at the line art in the book of this one and felt a bit overwhelmed by the size of if and felt I should try smaller first. Really think I will enjoy it more then.

    By the way you’ve forgotten to put the brown colours in the list of Polychromo pencils for the hen. Look forward to the next colouring session in a couple of weeks time.

    Have a great weekend.

    LOVE ZENA. Xxx

  20. Hi Barbara
    I don’t tend to share my personal stuff and things going on in my life during this pandemic and not going to share it now one person worrying here is enough.
    I read some of the other comments on here and it totally puts into perspective my situation
    I prey all of you get the support and the help to see you through this time.
    Barbara I so enjoy joining you and everyone every morning I haven’t done any colouring YET but I will
    So have a lovely weekend and pass on my good wish to your mum and dad Hugs 🤗

  21. Hi Barbara
    I don’t tend to share my personal stuff and things going on in my life during this pandemic and not going to share it now one person worrying here is enough.
    I read some of the other comments on here and it totally puts into perspective my situation
    I prey all of you get the support and the help to see you through this time.
    Barbara I so enjoy joining you and everyone every morning I haven’t done any colouring YET but I will
    So have a lovely weekend and pass on my good wish to your mum and dad 🤗

  22. Hi Barb,
    The finished postcards look fabulous in the frames, especially the nuthatch. I have yet to start the colouring – in fact , I’m still trying to catch up with the doodling! I’m now working on the theory that I can take the postcards into hospital with me when I eventually go for my knee operation as I have downloaded the you tubes! It’s been a strange day today as it is my birthday and for the 1st time in 42 years, Dave has not taken me out for a meal. My sister and brother in law came to see me and spent about an hour which was lovely. We should have been in Norfolk this week too ( if I’d had my operation!) so it’s been a bit sad, but at least we are both well and there’s always next year to celebrate! So grateful to you for what you are doing for all of us. Lots of love, Alison xxx

  23. Very blowy here today so after doing the chores I did some sewing & colouring. Think I may have over done the dots but I think once it is in a frame it will be ok. As you said each piece is our own & not to be compared. All my doodles will be a lovely reminder of what I have learnt in the last 9 weeks with a few more to come. I wonder where we will be off to next week, case is packed as instructed so I will be ready at 10 on Monday to await our travel instructions. Meanwhile I will look at the Groovi Shac 6 project & I have a few birthday cards to do.
    Take care everyone & have a good weekend x

  24. I have enjoyed today’s doodling with you and our lovely doodling friends from all over the world!
    Didn’t any doodling so far because first I had to make cards for families who lost a loved one and cards for friends who had serieus operations.
    And now I cann’t copy the designs you gave us, because my laptop doesn’t work anymore and only by opening the laptop I can these print out.
    So have to buy a wireless printer but with these covid rules I cann’t go to the shop to buy one.
    So today I stamped a few great poppies and colored these while you did the background.
    Thank you for your doodling sessies with us. Stay save and healthy and enjoy your weekend.
    Greetings from the Netherlands.

  25. Well Barbara it’s 11pm just finished doodling I’m in the swing finished this weeks project that’s a first on time and done the wonky cottage the over last few nights tonight have done the smile frame you will laugh did it all then did the word street sign and did SILE LOOKED AT IT that’s not right !! Puzzled face idiot so started again few bits to fiddle and finish tomorrow have to laugh don’t you night night Joy xxx

  26. I have been with you since day one. I have learned loads and enjoying it very much. You are a great motivator. Many Thanks . I even try to fit in the Grovi challenge as well. So no time to brood.

  27. Hello Barb, time to get out my colouring pencils and postcards again. The framed finished articles are fabulous. Thank you for all the ongoing inspiration. Take care all. Bx

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