Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year !!!

I won’t keep you long. Just wanted to thank you for all your loyal support and custom throughout what was a very challenging 2020. Past tense. Done. Finished. Gone.

There have been a lot of positives too. If you’re reading this blog, then you made it!! A lot of people didn’t. That’s the truth of it. So with that in mind, let’s keep smiling, and let’s keep going.

New year, new start, new beginnings. New Year’s resolutions? I definitely want to lose some of the poundage that I’ve piled on during 2020! Nothing complicated. Smaller plate, smaller portions, drinks lots of water and lay off the chocolate and bread! That usually works. Keep it simple.

I’ve got a list as long as my arm of Clarity business things that need doing, need sorting, need solving or resolving; so I guess I want to pace myself and not let the mountain become insurmountable. It isn’t. It’s all achievable, one thing at a time, one day at a time.

Calm it Kermit! I guess that’s what I want to say to myself. I’m 62 this year, and although they say age is a frame of mind, my frame is telling me to slow down a bit!

And pottery. I would like to explore the world of clay more. Improve my game. Get wheely good! I get lost in it – and I like where it takes me. It’s creative messy too. You get your old clobber on, roll your sleeves up and dive in. You get with your hands. You get your hands dirty. You get it in your hair. It’s earthy. Light years away from computer screens and TV screens. And at the end, you have a hot shower and wash it all away.

I made a little New Years message card for you, using the new ABC+ stamps which I am showcasing on HOCHANDA on Sunday at 2pm. Groovi plates too. We’ve called them our Happy Alphabet. Designed by Barb.

Hope you can join me then. Josie Davidson has also prepared a superb new Grid Feast for the ODS – I just have to serve it. Absolutely fantastic. A larger format this time. I think you will be impressed.

Here’s wishing you good health and happiness.

Let’s Travel Gently through 2021 together…

Time for the SHAC at 10am. That‘s another good thing to come out of 2020.

Stay safe. Love and hugs,

Barb xxx

54 thoughts on “Happy New Year!

  1. Happy New Year, thanks so much for all the help and support and most importantly fun during the last year 💗

  2. Happy new year to yourself and all at Clarity xx let’s hope everyone goes from strength to strength from now on there is light at the end of the tunnel and with you driving the bus we will get there one step at a time and safely xx thank you for all you do in keeping all of us grounded even if you don’t feel it yourself sometimes xx enjoy the things you love and move on from those that upset you xx

  3. Happy New Year Barbara, think we all need to travel gently, there is a light and it will shine brighter as we go into this bright New Year. Enjoy your pottery, you need to take the pressure off the pedal once in a while to be able to cope. Have a great day but don’t work too hard! Love to you and Dave and of course the kittens x

    1. Happy New Year Barbara, really looking forward to Travelling Gently through 2021 with you at the wheel of the Clarity SHAC shack bus! Hopefully being a part of this wonderful community can turn the washing machine on superspin in my head into a gentle windmill by a babbling brook next to the welcoming wild woods under blue skies! Take care and stay safe.

  4. Happy New Year. Can’t wait to continue travelling with you on the Shac bus. I too am 62 this year and was lucky to retire at 60 just before the pandemic hit. You have kept me sane during this time learning new skills. Thank you xx

  5. Happy New Year to you and your family also everyone at Clarity. Without you and the shac a lot of us would have gone crazy. 2020 done and gone 2021 won’t be easy but hopefully better and with all the shackers taking one day at a time we will get through.xxxx

  6. Happy New Year to you Barbara, Dave and family, your Clarity family and all our Shac Shac friends. This new year has brightness on the horizon to look forward to.

  7. Dear Barb. Another lovely post. I wish you, Dave and the kittens (how long can we keep calling them that)? A very happy, healthy and calm 2021. I hope we are able to continue spending time in the Shac Shack, it’s been amazing. You’ve started pottery and I’ve started drawing, something I never thought I would be able to do. No more stick man drawings when playing Pictionary! Lol and that’s thanks to you. I don’t always join in at the time, sometimes I just listen to you chatting, you have such interesting stories and you make me chuckle too, when you get the giggles (which is quite often)! Two simple words, but very heartfelt….Thank you xx

  8. Happy New Year, to you and all at Clarity. Travelling gently together with you into 2021.
    Enjoy pottering! I can see your new alphabet stamps entering the world of pottery.😄

  9. A very happy, healthy and creative New Year Barbara!!!🥰
    Without the Shac Shack I think wasn’t now with happy feelings and so creative.
    Take care and see you for a happy hour in the Shac!
    Lots of love, Trijntje Huppel

  10. Happy New Year. Barbara we look forward to travelling gently with you through 2021. Thanks for everything you and clarity have done for us throughout these last months,

  11. Wishing you, Dave, your family, the Clarity family and all my crafting friends a very happy, healthy and safe New Year. Love to you all. Annette x

  12. Can’t wait to see you Sunday with all your goodies. Thank you for so much this year – so much fun, so much laughter, so much happiness, so much to explore, so many ideas, yes and so many tears but at the end of it a rainbow 🌈 you’ve taught me so much about all sorts of things and the most important one – Travel Gently. I’ve said this to so many people since you said it to us in the Shac. Happy New Year and much love

  13. Happy new year Barbara and Dave. Thank you for being there for us…we have learned so much. Age is not a frame of mind , I can vouch for that….but… we crafty folk make the most of our time and that’s good for us and for those around us. I shall be 85 this year, God willing, and am truly thankful for a full and interesting, productive life. But life is what you make it, we know that. All good wishes for you and Claritystamp, keep safe and thank you.xxx

  14. That’s a good motto for 2021, Barb. Travel Gently. Be kind to yourself. It was a genuine pleasure to walk with you in 2020 and as far as I know, I’m going nowhere in 2021 so will gladly walk with you into this new year. A very happy new year to you, Dave, Paul and all your families, near and far. Lots of love, Hxx

  15. It was a pleasure being a passenger on the Shac Shack Bus in 2020. We laughed cried and crafted together and if you are still happy to drive I’ll be more than happy to jump onboard.

    Gently does it- be kind to yourself, enjoy your hobbies and more than anything let’s look forward to seeing our loved ones and enjoying a hug.

    Bring on that vaccine and bring on a better 2021 full of more Love fun and creativity.

    Thankyou Barbara!!!! 🥳 Happy New Year.

  16. Happy New Year Barbara. Thank you for all you have done this year. I don’t know what I would have have done without the Shac Shack. I love the card. There is the border we drew. Take care. Hugs xxx

  17. Happy New Year and may it be a peaceful one. Enjoy the pottery, as we enjoy the Shac-shac (I was going to say doodling, but I think you’ve guided us far beyond mere doodles). Good health, happiness and prosperity are my wishes for you and yours, the whole Clarity team and all fellow crafters within the Clarity community.

  18. Happy New Year Barbara, Dave, family, Clarity team, friends and kittens. Thank you for being the driver of the wonderful shac-shac bus, I have enjoyed the ride, and will continue to, as we travel gently with you into 2021. xxx

  19. Happy New Year Barbara to you, your family and all the team.
    You’ve done a wonderful job in 2020. You have been a shining star.
    Keep safe
    XX

  20. Happy New Year Barbara, Dave and to all the Clarity team. Thank you for being our dedicated bus driver and I look forward to many more journeys in the year ahead xx

  21. Hello Barb, thanks for sharing the lovely card. My body is telling me to slow down too. Missed the Shac this morning, was making Hubby a posh New Year Breakfast. Take care and stay safe everyone, lets all go forward with kindness and care into 2021. Bx

  22. Today is the first page of a new book, let’s hope this year is going to be a whole new story of hope & joy with a feel good ending! I didn’t much care for the horror story of last year! – Barbara, all mountains can be climbed, even the really steep ones but at a slower steadier pace. I too will be 62 in a few months and it’s scary! because our heads (apart from a little memory blip at times) think we are in our 20’s still and yet our bodies start arguing about that with our brains😂 So, it is what it is and we have to obey and take time to do what we want to for our peace and quiet time, In my case crafting and in your case Pottery. So, go and enjoy it as much as you can!! – I’m learning to finally! 😂 XX

  23. A Very Happy New Year to you & Dave, Barbara..!! …& to your family & all the Clarity Family. A huge thank you for everything thing you have done for everyone in these crazy times!! Love , Health & Happiness for 2021 …Anne xx 🥂 ✍🏻 xx

  24. Happy New Year to you and Dave and Clarity family, thanks for this morning. Look forward to seeing more of your pottery this year. X

  25. May this New Year just be better. Don’t want to ask for too much. Just better in all ways for all of us💗.
    Thank you for everything you do to keep us same. Keep driving our bus to the Shac!!

  26. Happy New Year to one and all.
    A brayer and mixing mat arrived from my daughter for Christmas and I had a play with it yesterday. Was able to make a card from my first attempt so I was very pleased. I used to use a brayer to ink up lino cuts when I was at school all those years ago. Still got some of my work too forty or so years on.
    Looking forward to another year of Clarity inspiration and hopefully meeting again at the NEC craft show when it’s back.
    Positive thinking is the way forward.

  27. Happy New Year……enjoyed the Shac Shack this morning, looking back on what we have all achieved, very proud of all our results. Thank you for all the hours of teaching, the stories, the laughter and above all the companionship. Will be tuning in on Sunday. Just finished watching our recording of the beautiful Viennese Orchestra, music just flows throughout the troubles, very strange looking at all the empty seats. Brilliant the way this famous New Years Day event has been able to go ahead.

  28. Happy New Year to you, Dave and all of the Clarity family 👪
    It has been a pleasure to support you, and although I haven’t been well enough yet to use my new goodies, they are all there waiting for me!
    Really looking forward to watching you on Sunday. Take care ❤ and look after yourself Barbara. New Year hugs, Gilly x

  29. Happy New Year to you Barbara and Dave, and family, and workforce for everything that up you have brought us, you helped me through 2020, trying to move forward after the deaths of my husband son and later my daughter in law, I am now at home most of the time due to Covid, and miss my job dreadfully, as furloughed due to my age, lonely as had just moved house my grandson was 18 and now developed agoraphobia and has not left the house since Feb when he and I moved in, visiting the Shac Shack has
    Brought clarity to my life and I thank you, recently I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I had a mastectomy 23rd December, 2020 to put an end to 2020. But I look forward to following you in 2021 and thank you xx

    1. Good grief Diane! What a terrible year you have had! You poor woman. I do hope that 2021 is kinder. Come and hang out with us in the SHAC . Bring a pencil and a sheet of paper xxxxxx

    2. I know I am not known to you but I was so touched to read of trials that have sadly befallen you and I hope you don’t mind me reaching out to acknowledge what dreadful experience s you’re getting to grips with and I am pleased to read that you have found being some solace from Barbara and her crew….it just goes to strengthen the bond that being amongst fellow crafters gives. I do hope you
      and your Grandson do well from now onwards.

  30. Thank you Barbara, for everything, your heart is so so big, and I’m grateful for you.
    The same goes for Dave, Paul and the whole Clarity team.
    2020 wouldn’t have been the same without you, genuine lifesavers.
    With love, Claire

  31. Happy New year to you, Dave and your team. Thank you for all your help and support and friendship in 2020, without your Shac Shac lessons and get togethers things would have been almost impossible to get through. It has been lovely to gain such a friendly crafting family.

  32. Meilleurs Vœux pour 2021 Barbara, David et votre famille. Thank you for the shack, your time, your creativity !!
    And Bravo for the pottery !!
    I wish you serenity and confidence in what is happening everyday and laugh and music and dance and whatever brings you Joy and Joy and Joy everyday !! With much Love from Elisabeth in Guergaro

  33. Happy New year Barbara and Dave. The new stamps look lovely – really looking forward to Sunday’s shows. Thanks you for all you do for the Clarity community – we can all travel gently with you as the bus driver xxx

  34. Happy New Year Barbara ,Dave and your family . Hoping for a better 2021and to learning more in the Shac shack. Thank you for all you’ve done,you have been a lifeline for so many of us. it is a great community and wouldn’t be there without all the time and effort you have put in. Thank you so much.😘😘

  35. Wishing you Barb, Dave and all your family and the Clarity family a very Happy and Healthy New Year. Thank you for the Shack Shac and all your efforts through this pandemic to keep us all safe and sane. God Bless you all.xxx

  36. Happy New Year to you and Dave all at Clarity and every Clarity crafters. I know what you mean when you say you get lost in your own little world when you are doing your pottery. My husband as just been diagnosed with dementia and I am so glad I have my craft. I am in my own little world when I can get in my craft room. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have that. Everybody take care. Noritaxx😇😇🤗🤗😘😘

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