In the Countryside – SPA RETREAT

In the Countryside – SPA RETREAT

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. Sunday – and all is well. After a busy bustling and brilliant 4-day Parchment retreat at the iconic Spa Hotel in Royal Tunbridge Wells, I have finally found the time and energy to show you what we did and how it went!

Well, I can only speak for myself, but reading the room so to speak, I am guessing I speak for many when I say the workshops were a resounding success. From course content to caring and kindness, the event was wonderful. Linda, Lynne and Josie prepared a veritable parchment feast, and Paul and the Clarity Crew put on a seamlessly professional show. And a shout out to Ant, Emilie and the excellent SPA staff. Superb service – Nothing is ever too much trouble. We have worked with this team for many years; their approach to business mirrors ours.

A HUGE thank you to everybody involved in making it the joy that it was. I wasn’t heading up the workshop, or even officially teaching at all. I was there to top and tail, to mingle, to spend quality time with our friends and guests. And it was perfect. It was so good to be able to sit and have meaningful conversations with people, to help where help was needed, to banter, to sprinkle humour and levity over the course, without having to actually deliver. I left it to the experts to teach the classes!

So many smashing people! So many creatives under one roof!!

We had birthday girls, we had fun, we made some beautiful art – and we learned LOADS!

I think the course content was super achievable and super beautiful. A lovely blend of traditional and modern parchment art. Linda illustrated a superb trio of country scenes, brand new designs, which underpinned all that we did.

Here is a little sampler of what we worked towards.

On the second day we also worked on monochrome art, which was my personal favourite. And the results on all the tables were very VERY impressive.

To this end we have printed and compiled a pack of preprinted scenes on parchment, instructions included. Thanks Lisa@Clarity for all your hard work on this one. Perfect.

Then Josie came up trumps with a pair of excellent straight and diagonal Groovi Grids, which really hit the spot too. If you look at the artwork above, you will see many of the backgrounds have been created using these plates.

All available HERE

We have loaded the new Groovi designs and printed packs onto our website for everybody else to enjoy now too. And if the retreats are anything to go by, rest assured. – YOU WILL!!

So that’s it for another year. Now we will focus on getting that little Boardroom at Clarity Towers converted into a workshop space, and kit out the little shop right where Jeannine is at the front of the building. All in good time.

Take care.

Love and Hugs

Barb xxx

17 thoughts on “In the Countryside – SPA RETREAT

  1. one day I will get to the retreat. love the new designs. Linda is so talented and love josie’s grids. oh well beans on toast for another month !! x

  2. I loved the retreat just what I needed after a difficult year. Meeting up with good friends and learning new techniques. The monochrome project was a challenge for me but I enjoyed it. Thank-you to everyone involved already looking forward to the next one. X

  3. Linda has brought something different to Groovi this time, something for everyone with lots of extra elements that can been used stand alone.
    Josie has brought beautiful new grid patterns that save us having to count which is a bonus.
    Glad you all had a great time & look forward to seeing everyone’s projects over the coming weeks.

  4. Ooh that all looks superb! Wish I could have been there to enjoy it all! Never mind, it’s lovely to see you all having a great time! Sounds like you, Barbara also enjoyed it. Sounds as though you could wind back a bit and have more fun! The project of the craft room and shop sounds great! Wish I lived closer To be able to get to workshops! Thankyou to Barbara and all the staff for making all these things happen!

  5. Loved every minute of the Retreat and wholeheartedly want to thank everyone involved. If anyone has any doubts about going to a retreat there is absolutely nothing to worry about, worth every penny xxx

  6. please can we have in the countryside grovi plaits in,stamps please ,please they are fabulous.something abit different for us stampers .

  7. I really enjoyed the retreat.
    So well organised and led as always with lovely projects to get totally immersed in.
    Great group of crafter’s too sharing the experience.
    Well done and thank you Clarity.

  8. Thoroughly enjoyed the retreat, as always. It is such a lovely couple of days – learning lots, practicing techniques & mixing with like-minded people and all in the beautiful setting of the Spa Hotel.
    Thanks to everyone involved x

  9. So glad it all went well,I am sure everyone had a great time. I don’t have the time , skill or eyesight for groovi but am assuming that I could colour the images in the same way as the frosted flowers? Have made some pretty artwork with those so perhaps these images would do the same? Thanks Barbara and all the team for everything they do. Much appreciated.

  10. So glad the retreat went well; it’s on my ‘to-do’ list for the future. Looking forward to the shop and love the idea of workshop events on site, though realise will not suit everyone. 🙂

  11. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. This was my fourth Groovi Retreat and as before I learnt so much and enjoyed the company of like minded parchers. I’ve now got parcher friends around the country. Can’t wait for next year. Thank you to everybody involved in a fantastic couple of days. Xx

  12. Glad everyone had a lovely time ! Once Christmas is over and I’ve sorted that these look like they will be on my wish list! X

  13. Hello barb, it looks like everyone had a fantastic time, the designs and samples are beautiful. Take care and stay safe everyone. Bx

  14. Fabulous time, everyone was so friendly and helpful. I haven’t finished mine yet as I’m trying to finish my backlog of UFO’s before I concentrate on the beautiful new projects. A big thank you to you all. Even the police came up trumps removing the intruders on the bridge before our home journey 🤣🤣🤣

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