Ooh La La!

Ooh La La!

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. On my way out to the Craftstore TV Studios, to launch a superb grid collection designed by clever Josie Davidson. These are big and beautiful and very easy to use – as I shall be showing you at 6pm this evening! If you love the look of beautiful grid work, but don’t have the patience to count out or create a design, clever Josie has done all the hard work for us, making it easy to achieve a beautiful result.

This new collection of 4 x A4sq designs are based on a diagonal grid pattern and We have named the 4 A4sq plates after French Cities – Bordeaux, Marseille, Paris and Toulouse:

I think I’ll take you on a whistlestop tour of the Bourdeaux pattern at 6pm this evening!

A memory has bubbled to the surface…I stayed in Bordeaux for a couple of months when I was a student in the 70’s. I recall a room on the top floor of an old house, with a huge stained glass window that folded outwards. I remember looking out over the city and the rooftops in the early morning sunshine, and thinking it was the most beautiful moment I had ever lived. Don’t remember the street, don’t remember who I was with (except I had a French boyfriend who was a dentist, and who insisted on calling me his little pigeon! Sounds better in French) But I do remember FEELING the beauty of the city.

I also remember getting charged 50 francs for a glass of water in a nightclub. The conversation ran something like this…

Barman: Cinquant Francs ( I know. That was back in a life before Euros…)

Barbie: COMBIEN?!?!? (that means HOW MUCH???)

Barman: Cinquant Francs (£1 was about 7 francs, and £7 for a glass of water was tooo much for this poor English student.

Barbie: Et combien pour un gin tonic?

Barman: Cinquant francs. (Barbie puts 2 and 2 together, and quickly figures out that All drinks are cinquant Francs.

I’ll let you guess what happened then! Gin n Tonic – and go easy with the tonic!

Here is some inspiration from our ever clever Clarity/Pergamano design team:

Bordeaux – Sheila Bradley
Marseille – Carol Baker
Paris – Glynis Whitehead
Toulouse – Josie Davidson

You may already be familiar with some of Josie’s other diagonal designs, so we have added the Italian Cities to the show as well. These are smaller, A5sq plates.

Italian Cities

The gridwork is primarily used to frame centrepieces, so we decided to shine a light on an alphabet I designed myself a while back: The Floral ABC, complete with ii-book, for ideas and inspiration. These are perfect for framing with the gridwork – and we shall be presenting them at an irresistible price too.

Floral Alphabet & Numbers Complete Collection

All of the demos have been prepared by Josie Davidson and Jane Telford, and I hope you can join Paul and myself on The Craft Store as follows:

Wednesday – 6pm – Barb
Wednesday – 8pm – Paul
Thursday – 8am – Paul
Thursday – midday – Paul
Thursday – 4pm – Paul

I’m only down for the first hour, because I want to get home for the SHAC SHAC tomorrow at 10am. That hour of company and arty distraction is most important! In fact, twice a week is sounding quite appealing to me. What do you think? It just seems like a long time inbetween Thursdays! Maybe Mondays too? Just a thought…

Stay safe.

Love always –

Barb xxx

32 thoughts on “Ooh La La!

  1. Good morning Barbara!
    I love these grid patterns that Josie has designed for us this time. They are so pretty and the plates are easy to use. It’s also easy to extend or shorten the patterns and use them within the design not just as a border.
    2 days of Shac Shac sounds great but only if you are able to.
    Hope all goes well with the ODS. I’m sure it will
    Love and hugs xxxx

  2. Those plates look fantastic. Twice a week in the Shack sounds great to me. Would love that. Hope the shows go well. I’m sure they will. Safe journey to you and Paul. Lots of love. Hxxx

  3. Wowsers! They are superb! Shall look forward to seeing these in use! The clarity team have certainly been busy behind the scenes. Would love two shac shacks a week but not to the detriment of anyone’s health. Looking forward to the shows.

  4. The designs are beautiful and another day in the shac would be fantastic if you are sure you can manage it. Take care lots of love xxx

  5. Hello Barbara
    These look amazing (as usual). Can’t wait!
    Safe journey there and back to you both. It was a hard frost this morning but the sun is now shining.
    Love
    Roz.xxx

  6. Love these plates they are so beautiful and clever very versatile cannot wait to get them xx
    Twice a week sounds great but only if you feel you are able and it’s not detrimental to your health and well-being xx
    Look forward to your demos and Paul of course xx see you in the SHAC xx

  7. I’ll be watching. Thanks for your blog it made me really chuckle I’m having a bad day. 2 days of the Shac sounds good but please think twice and don’t make a positive decision if it puts pressure on you xx

  8. The new plates look great & look forward to seeing the shows. Not sure OH would agree that they are needed but we will see !!
    2 days in the SHAC Shack sounds good – love listening to your tales & reading the comments from everyone. See how the majority feel (so far everyone) & more than that how you feel about it as a lot of us are at home with no pressures of work commitments !!

  9. These look absolutely fabulous, so pretty, I’ve not got the alphabet flowers but am seriously thinking about a considered purchase now.

    I’d love twice a week as I struggle with a live Thursday especially every other week as I do my volunteering!

    Have a good show x x

  10. Hi Barb
    Whatever day is good for you with the Shac is good for me; I’ll be there!
    Lovely artwork for this evening’s ODS. Hope it flies.
    Zara

  11. Looking forward to the shows and 2 days a week would be brilliant only if you don’t mind .
    What would we do without Barbara and clarity and all that goes with it ❤

  12. The new plates look lovely. Looking forward to seeing the demos.
    The Shac Shack twice a week sounds fantastic.
    Take care xxx

  13. The new plates look great and two days in the Shac sounds even better but only if you are up to it – nobody wants you getting stressed out. Xx

  14. Love the new plates hope all goes well safe trips to tv studio. Two days in the Shac would be good but only if it doesn’t put too much pressure on you. X

  15. These plates will be in my basket later. Love the samples. Clever team. Lovely sunshine today, lifted my sagging spirits.
    I usually catch up with the SHAC on you tube. Twice a week will be great but I do worry about you taking on too much. We love you, Barb, and would rather have you once a week than have you overdo things.
    See you at 6pm.
    Safe journey to TV land.

  16. WOW these Groovi plates look great. 2 days in the Shac Shack would be fab, I so enjoy being part of this creative group. Thank you Barbara for everything you do.
    X

  17. Evening Barbara,
    I don’t do groovi as I have so many other crafts on the go but can appreciate the skill and experience involved.
    I have greatly increased my skills of drawing , painting and colouring and stanping with your teaching and encouragement( and products!)
    I would love you to increase the shac sessions again as it does seem a long gap between the sessions but would hate to see your health or business suffer as a result of it. We all appreciate whatever you can give. Take care x

  18. Oh YES PLEASE! 2 days in the SHAC would be great if you can manage it. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
    Look forward to seeing you in the morning, safe journey home.
    Stay safe, take care everyone

  19. Good luck with ODS tonight hope all goes well,i will be watching plates loom amazing. Two days of Shac Shac would be nice, but only if your not taking on too much. Thank you for all you do for us, safe journey home see you in the morning x

  20. Oh, more Josie plates – my absolute favourites and a passion. However, i can’t invest at the moment, and they are the big ones too. I shall just have to drool and covet and admire all the beautiful samples. I have just managed to watch 15 minutes of the show, and will catch up tomorrow. Enjoy! XX

  21. New plates are fabulous! On my wish list!

    Two SHACs would be great for I go to my mother on Thursdays so would love to be able to watch live.
    But only if you can Barbara!

  22. Hi Barbara these plates are gorgeous. We have been out all day sorting out things for our parents. I will do some catching up some time soon. Take care. Hugs xxx

  23. I too would love 2 SHAC days a week, especially as my hubbie and I still have to isolate on health grounds and it doesn’t look likely to change for a good while yet👎

  24. Yes please Barbara for extra shac time if you can do it without your health or business suffering. Does feel like a long break between sessions, but any day works for me. Take care XX

  25. Love these designs. Haven’t done any groovi for a while but these are tempting me. Don’t do anymore Shacs than you have time and health to do Barbara. I could watch you all day every day but you must not over do things xx

  26. As everyone else has said, I would love another SHAC shack session, but do remember you’re health and wellbeing is paramount. Now Christmas is over I feel an extra hour would be appreciated by so many.

  27. Hi Barbara
    Love the look of these plates, I have all the others and they are very useful.
    Shac shac sounds fun and lots of people would like more me included thank you very much.
    Love
    Ruth & Jackie xx

  28. Enjoyed todays shows, lovely new plates, which have been added to my wish list. I bought the Rome grid to complete my Italian Cities set in the Gray sale, in November, but alas, it has escaped to a safe place, taking with it, two of Linda’s contour plates, so the hunt has been on for over a week, still, I’m tidying up as I go (well, that’s the theory!) recorder set for tomorrows shows. A extra shac would be great, but only if you have the time, and it doesn’t affect your health. Take care. xxx

  29. Hi Barb, that is very expensive water. The artwork from the team is just incredible. Hope the shows went well. Take care and stay safe everyone. Bx

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