Throw NOTHING away!!

Throw NOTHING away!!

Hi there

Thanks for popping in. Had to laugh yesterday, when we were rifling through the mountain of paperwork. I wandered off piste whilst looking for that oh-so-important document (which I incidentally never found), and came across a folder in Dave’s music room (where else??) which contained stamping projects from a retreat we did in Forest Row over 20 years ago, at the Brambletye!! Now why would you hang on to that stuff?!?!

It was fun actually, taking a snapshot of what we were up to then. I wonder whether anybody reading this blog was at the retreat? I remember it well. Check this out..

First stop, the brayer….

Landscapes with the inky brayer pulled over scrunched up paper. Landscapes with an elastic band wrapped round the brayer. Cor. The Naked Tree!! Who remembers the Naked tree?! Trip down Memory Lane or what??

Next stop, a grid card. This was very popular. Quite a thinking person’s card, where you created a kind of grid and packed each section with mini stamped images…That would be well worth a visit again, I reckon! Especially with the wonderful designs we’ve got now.

Next up: Clever corners. Oh the hours of play to be had with these little fellas! And they’ve certainly passed the test of time; they’re still among our most popular stamps! Here we see the Victorian Corner in action…

What next? Ah. Now these stamps I love! Don’t even know whether they’re still available, but I do remember drawing them in the Maldives underneath a straw umbrella once, when it was persisting down one day! There was the Koy Carp, the Humming bird and the Entwined Cats. Mmm. Maybe time to revisit those designs and give them a facelift. They were lovely to use.

I remember well that stamping onto dominos was a trend for a while too. Whenever anybody found a cheap source of dominos, it was a race to get there first!

Last but not least, do you remember those hard sponges that Ranger used to sell, together with bottled inks by Dee Gruenig. I really got into using them. Amazing what you can do with a few drops of ink along the edge of a hard sponge!

What a trip down Memory Lane, eh? And if I weren’t the dreadful crafty hoarder that I am, that lot would have got binned 20 years ago, and all those arty little ideas would be lost in space.

In truth I’ve got dozens of box files up in my art room of all the retreat and workshop projects we have done over the years. It’s quite nice right now, to have the time to be able to look back and smile.

Does anybody remember these techniques and trends? I quite fancy trying some of them again.

Quote for the Day? The Serenity Prayer. My daily mantra.

God.
Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Love always,

Barb x x x

30 thoughts on “Throw NOTHING away!!

    1. Barbara I remember buying those inks and sponge from you at a show at the old Commonwealth Institute, what a dark drab place that was. But the yearly craft show were good. Stay well Sallyx

  1. Oh Barbara, I definitely remember these techniques, even though I wasn’t at that Retreat! My favourites will always be the Clever Corners, the transparent stamps that really got me into Clarity stamping! Loved the Grid cards and anything brayered of course! So many great memories of great techniques from a great teacher. Definitely must try all of them again!
    Love the Quote of the Day.
    Take your time to look back and smile – smiling is a great medicine and will help your recovery.
    Step by step, day by day!
    Take care.

  2. Thank you for reminding me why I found a box of dominoes in the craft room. Any idea what the wool and the wooden pegs are for. Cx

  3. I think the earliest retreat I remember was stamping pierrot, and venetian masks! A while ago!! Hope you are on the mend. Just don’t overdo it! x

  4. The first time I saw you on TV, Barbara, you were demonstrating the clever corners. I love that quote, one of my favourites xx

  5. I remember a lot of these stamps, especially the naked tree and the clever corners. Remember seeing you demoing the corners in the downstairs theatre at Ally Pally many years ago.
    lovely to see you back Barb, take it slowly and take care.xxx

  6. You sound quite chipper today which is a good sign.
    So nice to see what has gone before, sometimes it can stimulate the crafting juices. I got into Clarity round about the time these delightful corners came into being. Couldn’t be without them.
    You sound like you are getting on well with your decluttering but good job you found these small masterpieces, they were worth saving.
    Not much time to craft today. Two extractor fans packed up day before yesterday, the main thermostat broke down yesterday, so no heating which froze us nearly to ice, and because of this hubby clobbered a socket. Electrician supposed to come yesterday between 2&4, got a call at 3.30 to cancel and they rebooked today. Took all my time to clear up the mess after their visit so tomorrow is going to be an all day crafting marathon with the big delivery which arrived today.
    Keep getting better.
    🍒🍒🍒

  7. I remember the retreats in Cowden and staying at the Brambletye – such a wealth of techniques and some great friendships made and kept. What great crafting memories Barb xx

  8. Cor blimey talk about a blast from the past…..I’ve still got the clever corners along with the die club joy carp plate. My favourite was using the edge of the sponge with the inks, loved the results of that. So glad to feel that you are gradually getting better xx

  9. Its nice when you come across something that evokes so many memories. I recognise some of the stamps & the techniques are timeless so well worth revisiting them.
    Looking through your box files of art treasures would be a great way of relaxing over the coming weeks between doing a little bit of important stuff – travel gently.
    Yet another great quote today.
    I am looking forward to seeing what Paul has lined up for us tomorrow x

  10. Clever corners and the elastic band around the brayer I remember well. Still not very good with the corners. Love the quote. Thanks.

  11. I never did take up stamping, but I always watched you demonstrating on tv, as you were so good to watch. Yesterday’s mention of ‘Feeling Groovy’ became an ear worm, which stayed with me all day today. I love Simon and Garfunkel and that song brings back many happy memories for me, but enough is enough for one day, so hopefully it will be the Serenity Prayer tomorrow.
    It is so good to hear you sounding so much better and may you continue to improve daily.
    PS. Today the postman delivered my September Groovi Club envelope, postmarked 22.09.2022. Talk about snail mail! Xx

  12. The first time I saw you was at a craft show in Bolton and you were the first person I saw. You were demoing the clever corners using an Adirondack ink pad with 3 colours on it. I thought it was magic and it was that demo that introduced me to stamping. Look where that got me!!!
    I loved doing that grid style card. I remember you putting a challenge together and a few of us had a go at it. I’ll see if I can find a photo.
    I bet that style of card would look great with the bijou Kiss stamps. I might give it a go!!!
    Don’t be overdoing things but keep on getting better and stronger.
    Lots of love and hugs. Xxxxx

  13. Would live to see the sponge technique. Sounds intriguing. Keep up the good spirits and while still looking for the lost document you might come across other treasures. 🥰 Take care Barbara.

  14. I have the brayer which is still in fantastic condition that I purchased from you in Harrogate oh so many years ago. I believe you still do the Koi carp as I thought I saw them when looking through the site at the Groovi section. This isn’t the only golden oldie I have saved – I try to let go but it never seems to happen. Good to hear you are having a good day.

  15. Hi Barbara
    I remember my first retreat. You showed us how to mask off 🐑 sheep and drawing birds on a wire. We also ended up outside trying to dry something off as it wouldn’t dry inside. Blimey just got the folder out and it was in 2012 not sure where it was but somewhere in Surrey. I had never stamped before but feel quite confident now mind you after 10 years I ought to be. It’s great to look back and see how little things have moved really.
    Love Ruth and Jackie xx

  16. I love using the corner stamps! I have the entwined birds and cats but not the koi carp for some reason. I can also remember doing a grid card using chalk inks on shiny card.

  17. A very apt thought for the day. My first face to face class with you was a day retreat at Wollaton, the one where Dave took pity on me trying to park a new (to me) vehicle. After that day, I couldn’t wait for the next one which was at the Rugby Club.
    However, I do have the clever corners, one of my first Clarity purchases. Time to get those out again, I reckon. I would love to try some of those vintage techniques too. It is good to revive things like that. xxx Maggie Craner (Silvercrafter)

  18. I still have a couple of examples of the ink & sponge designs which you did while demonstrating at Stamperama in Stevenage. They are stashed away safely in my craftroom (somewhere!)

  19. gosh – I remember the clever corners back then & seeing you do a craftalong with them on TV. my first retreat was with you in Little Baddow – we used the split tree stamp & drew birds on a wire, snd then spent ages cutting little sheep masks from post-it notes! I’ve still got all the project sheets xx

  20. So glad you’re making progress and found these old gems. I still have a folder with our early samples of these in that you showed my daughter and I at a craft show when she was very young. I will dig them out and have a play. The inks were still runny when I last looked. Wonder if I’m better or worse with age? Maybe when you’re stronger you can give us all a refresher or relaunch for the newer people? The entwined birds and borders have been well used and I’ve still got some of the glossy white card. Take care and enjoy the art therapy.

  21. Hello Barb, The Serenity Prayer should be my mantra at the moment with my day job! Love the step back in time, I remember the sponge trick, and the entwined cats and the birds. I still have all your DVDs and get them out now and again. I am still quite rubbish with the brayer though. Take care and stay safe and warm everyone. Higs to all that need them. Bx

  22. OMG Barb, I still have all those inks just sitting in a drawer doing nothing. I really need to get them out again and play again with that technique! I also remember the domino stamps. We really need to get out all those older techniques that you taught us in those early days of the craft business.

    Perhaps you should get back on that bus sometime and teach us those techniques especially all those new crafters that never had the pleasure of your techniques and to revise with all those that were there in the early days.

    Take Care

    Zena.

  23. And throwing nothing away is the path to the paper mountain 😁
    Seriously though, it would be great to see some of the oldies revisited. I love the carp!
    Hope you’re feeling better every day.

  24. Updated versions of the Koi carp, Cats and Hummingbird stamps would be fabulous thank you Barbara! I remember all these stamps and techniques as every so often I dip into my old Design Club membership folder for some idea to play with again. I would really love a larger hummingbird stamp and to play with the dominoes once again xx

  25. How interesting to look back on these projects of long ago. Such lovely ideas. I was probably along the trad parchment trail at the time , and also kept many treasures. So much for looking back, today with list in hand To order my sale goodies out very helpfulJeannine pointed out that my membership had expired. She quickly had me paid up ,and order on the way. Thank you @Jeannine.
    Good shows on tv @ paul Church today, more ideas to think about. Hope you are not doing too much Barbara. Keep safe and rest a while.

  26. Hi Barbara! – Wow love these! – I’m having a lovely Clarity Friday today, I’ve been watching Paul on the TV, put my members sale order in and have just opened this months Club envelope love the designs as usual! I’ve just read your news letter too. I am still in shock at how poorly you were and what you went through last month! – I just hope you bounce back to your old self soon. I get the feeling you are still getting a bit of ‘wheel spin’ though! Still go slowly, one day at a time. I’ve taken a leaf out of your book. I don’t do ill. However, I’ve had a cough and not feeling 100% but played golf twice this week and yesterday got SO cold and so today I feel worse. Hence, I am taking it easy as I don’t want to end up very ill. Its scared me after what happened to you!
    I’m off to emerse myself into some Clarity crafting now!

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