New Year’s Day
Happy New Year to you!
Thanks for popping in. I can‘t stop long – got la famille coming for roast lamb. The leg’s in the Aga. Tick. I’ve been looking up whether you can use baking potatoes to make mash, and apparently it’s a thumbs up! Who knew?! This may be the best yet. Steam them, they say. So I peeled one, then thought of you, dried my hands and came to wish you health and happiness in 2024 – which to my mind is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than blimming spuds!
It feels strange today. Like moving across an invisible threshold. I am full of hope and optimism for the new year. But I have also learnt that what we get out of something is usually in direct proportion to what we put into something. And I am going to give 2024 everything I’ve got! The clock is ticking and I have so much to do. Having watched my dear old dad deteriorate over the last couple of years of his life, and then (almost a year to the day) be so worn out he closed his eyes and died, I have a very healthy awareness of what’s a coming – and I want to make the pot before my hands sieze up, improve my lino-cutting before my eyesight fails me, write that book before my mind wanders. Sitting around watching crap on telly, or mindless memes is off the menu in 2024! Don’t misunderstand me – I’m not going to turn into a step-counting, seed-eating nutcase (I’m saving that for next year!) But I really know in my heart that Old Man Time is unrelenting – and there’s no time like NOW for getting it done. Let’s face it: it won’t happen unless we make it happen, right? Or in the words of my shero,
Nothing will work, unless you do.
Maya Angelou
Anyway, those spuds aren’t going to peel themselves either! So I’d best get back in that kitchen and keep on keepin on…
From one arty crafter to another, may you have a great year, may your health be good, may you have friends and family to hug you, and may you, like me, love making things.
Travel gently for sure – but TRAVEL nonetheless!
Love always
Barb x x x
44 thoughts on “New Year’s Day”
Lovely sentiments Barbara. A brush with breast cancer 10 years ago changed my way of thinking (as I think it does with a lot of people in that situation). I now take time to smell the flowers…..and if I want to sit in my crafting room all day occasionally I do. You have to make the most of your time as no one knows what is around the corner. Let’s hope 2024 is a happy, healthy and peaceful one for all xxx
May the new year fulfill your dreams and have a wonderful and healthy new year.
With love, Jane xx
Happy new year Barbara, I pray the whole world travels gently with us 💖
May the New Year bring happiness and all that you wish for, Barbara.
Enjoy that roast lamb. mmmmm
Wishing you and your family a Very Happy New Year Barbara. Look forward to travelling through 2024 with you. Thank you so much for all you do and keeping us company on so many different levels. You are an inspiration in this broken world. Love Pam xx
Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us all in 2024. Hope you have a lovely lunch I’m off to watch Hubby play in his band this afternoon. It will be loud but I’ve always got my ear defenders in my bag 😂. Best wishes to all for 2024 xxx
Have a great day with family Barbara. I am already looking ahead to theatre visits (4 booked for 2024), the retreat and lots of family/friend time.
Hi Barbara,
Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and safe new year. Over spilling with nothing but good things, cos if anyone should reap what they sow it’s you. You invest and give so much of yourself to each and every one of us and I will always be VERY grateful and blessed to have found such a kind and friendly shac environment. Have a lovely New Years Day, roast lamb….scrummy! Penny xXx
2023 What a year!! Did some lovely crafting with help and inspiration from team Clarity and the Shac so thank you Barbara. The last couple of weeks have not been so good but things are getting better and hopefully will be able to sit at my desk and craft again soon. It is what it is as you say and I’m defiantly travelling gently at the moment. Enjoy your leg of lamb it’s roast beef and Yorkshire pud here. Happy New Year to you and all at Clarity.x
To Barbara, Dave & Family, Happy New Year to you all. xx
Roast lamb in the Aga – mmm sounds really tasty. Have a lovely lunch with the family & yes I totally agree time is ticking by & we must make the most of every minute. Looking forward to seeing what you & Clarity have lined up for us this year – those stamped images at the top of your blog look interesting – don’t recognise them but perhaps all will be revealed in due course !!
Just watching the New Year’s concert form Vienna – something we have always done & it reminds me of my Dad as it was a favourite of his too xx
2024, let’s see what it brings! life is what you make it, you can sit around and let it pass you by, and regret it when the time comes, or you can grab it with both hands and roll with it. So which side of the fence will I fall. My 2024 calender is a quote calender and January’s says, “Dont complain, just do it”…. travel gently friends.x
Happy New Year to you Barbara, your family and all the SHACers.
Enjoy your family dinner and do more of what you would like to do. I know I want to try and travel gently this year .
More peace in the world would be wonderful too .
Happy New Year, Barbara may it bring happy peaceful and creative times to you and the family/ team. Your company must rank in the top ‘Classiest’ of Art companies and long may it continue.
I love to read your wise words and as time relentlessly creeps on ( I’m 77) I hear what you’re saying and will definitely take heed. X
Happy Healthy New Year to you Barbara, Dave and family. Its a beautiful morning here, have taken my dog out for three walks, as alas she has tummy trouble, but on the plus side, lovely blue sky, a pair of swans on the river and birds serenading us along the way. Thank you for all you do for us Barbara, once I get my girl settled I’m hoping to start on my January Birthday cards and a thank you card, then hopefully travel gently on 2024’s journey. x
Happy New Year Barbara and all of your family.
I too have roast lamb cooking and need to peel spuds !!
Just the 2 of us, I saw my daughters for a get together yesterday along with my youngest granddaughter.
Hope 2024 is a good and better year for everyone. Take care and have the best year you can xxxx
Happy New Year to you all and hope you have a great family get together and yes James Martin says the best mash is from jacket baked potatoes! Looking forward to everything Clarity in 2024 and wherever you drive our Shac bus xxxx
You never know what is around the corner so it is best to live every day the best you can. Don’t put things off for another day. Last year we did because there were so many hospital visits and we are still catching up. I have started the day well and made progress. Long may it continue.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.
Happy New Year Barb, Dave , Grace, Paul and the whole Clarity crew. Seize the day it is then for 2024, I’m in! I hope the lovely linocuts at the top of your post will make it to your next C&C show.
Enjoy your day.
with love
Zara
Wishing you, Dave, all your family, everyone at Clarity Towers and all crafty
friends a Healthy, Happy New Year.
Barbara, have a lovely time with your family today! May 2024 will bring you health, happiness and everything you wish for.
FROHES NEUES JAHR and as always
Alles Liebe ❤
Enjoy your roast – family coming round but beef here . I’ve often used baking potatoes for mash or roasties- Lovely and fluffy!
Looks like we are looking after grandson while my son and partner go and do more decorating in their new house. Busy evening I think! But family is everything!
I’m looking forward to a crafty Clarity 2024! I wonder what goodies will be coming our way 🤣🥰
Happy New Year ! I’m in the same mind, worrying about eyes, fingers and the rest, we’re also the same age. I often didn’t think I’d make this age, no reason why I shouldn’t but it was often in my head that I wouldn’t. But I have !! Last year I said I was going to get some cross stitch out but I didn’t – this year then ! Got took over by groovi and all things clarity ! also started some tangling.
Just been to see Mum, she’s happy in the home, it’s a lovely atmosphere in there and I was chatting to a few of them this morning. She’s happy so we’re happy.
Happy New Year everyone xx
I’ve borrowed this from someone as they’ve summed up my hopes for the coming year.
I don’t want next year to be “the one”. I also don’t want it to be “my year”, someone else can have it. I would like to slip through 2024 quietly and unnoticed, to get through it as lightly scuffed as possible. An adequate, inconsequential, nothing-to-write-home-about 365 days would be just fine. I like my years like I like my tea: with biscuits. That’ll do for me.
Keeping everything crossed for my family and friends, everywhere. ❤️
Happy New Year one and all!
Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year to you all. I have just been watching the concert from Vienna that always reminds me of my dad as he used to love it. Hope this new year is a better one for all of us.
Love and hugs
Yvonne
Hello Barb, a lovely blog post and a lovely quote from Maya. Have a lovely New Years day with the family and enjoy the Roast lamb and mash. Hubs and I have just had a brunch of poached eggs, salmon, wilted spinach, crumpets, hollandaise sauce (ala James Martin, Saturday kitchen). Really proud of myself. Take care everyone and enjoy whatever you do in 2024. Bx
Wishing you all the best for 2024. I like your approach and think I need to refocus to spend less TV time and do more meaningful things, whether finishing a project, trying something new, learn a language (I’m taking an Italian course this year) or whatever my heart desires. Time is limited and precious, more so as we age.
I love Maya Angelou. I personally interpret today’s quote in a couple of ways – we have to work and put effort into it if we want to learn or accomplish something, but also, nothing will work if our body doesn’t work so more focus on health, eating better and more exercise this year.
Just caught up on the Nutcracker SHAC sessions and coincidentally my daughter booked her and myself tickets to see the Nutcracker Ballet at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on 28th Dec…..it was fab. I don’t know if there are still tickets/shows still available(as our tickets were bought for my birthday last Sept) but ,as you Barbara, kept asking in the SHAC, thought I’d let you know. Programme I purchased said it was for shows 2023/2024, by International Ballet Company for Swan Lake & Nutcracker so maybe you would be able to find it somewhere.Happy New Year to you all and fellow SHACKERS!
Wishing everyone at Clarity a very Happy New Year – may it be all you want it to be!!
Happy New Year Barbara to you and your family.
In 2024 I plan to spend more time with clarity and Clarity Crafts – they have to be good for the soul.
Definitely with you on those decisions, Barbara.
The aches and pains are creeping in so your other favourite of JFDI will probably become my daily mantra.😂
Well said and a Happy New Year. I have just discovered Clarity crafts and look forward to learning from you.
We are glad to see the back of 2023. The sound of Big Ben with my husband at my side was very emotional.
In October he was rushed to hospital with Sepsis. For 5 days we were not sure if he would make it. Thankfully he pulled through. But sepsis leaves a lot of problems behind and it has taken him until now to really start to see life as he was before it happened. He has also said, that the shock of near death, has made him realise what is really important in life. And its not that car, house, holiday or anything material. Its your family and friends, because without their support he would not be sharing the New Year with us. Lets hope 2024 is a better year for everyone.
Very well said Barbara, I’m with you all the way 💕🥰💕
May the year ahead be everything you’re wishing for, with a few happy things thrown in there too!
Love to you all 💕💕💕
Difficult couple of weeks for us both Barbara. I find remembering the time we had with our loved one when it mattered served to preserve our sanity when the going gets tough. Grief really is a reminder that we should embrace every second of every day xx ❤️
Very sobering words indeed! Most of us start out the New Year full of hopes and dreams. I for one are one of them! I have a new year’s resolution but I am keeping it to myself for now.
Last year was a tough one for me too with the passing of my Mum. My Dad passed away in April of 96 so at 55 I am left with no parents. It is for sure a strange feeling to know you will never see them again in this life, it’s still early days and the grief is still roar but I just have to try my best to make her proud.
A happy,healthy New Year to you and may all you dreams comes true.
Don’t forget to enjoy!
Hi Barbara
Happy and Healthy New Year to you Dave, family and all at Clarity Towers.
Love Ruth and Jackie xx
Succulent lamb, mashed tatties – what’s more to like – perhaps a homemade steak pie (with enough for tomorrow) as a hark back to my mum and her New Year’s Day menu.
Wishing a healthy and prosperous 2024.
May you achieve all you wish – and work for – in 2024.
Happy new year Barbara and to Dave, your family and to all the Clarity family. xx
Love that quote Barb! Like you, I’ve decided the time for new adventures is now, so I’ve already got a few plans made for 2024 (not counting a little challenge from you, too!)
Wishing you, Dave & Grace a happy and healthy 2024 xx
Someone asked me why I don’t go to the big craft stores anymore. It’s simple, I only buy from Clarity if possible. The help you gave during lockdown was amazing and so gratefully received.
Happy New Year to the amazing Clarity Team.
Thank you Barbara for your tremendous work creating the Penguin Hunt. Your creativity is so admired and appreciated. Some of the clues made me think which is great- travelled around the website many, many times😀. When I read the answers today – made me smile – the ones that I was stuck on – were not as hard as I thought- your clues were very clear if only I didn’t overthink when on my hunt😀.
I am so very grateful for the Clarity Team and everything Clarity- your generosity with all your time and support, your amazing products, for being real – the laughs and tears, kindness and postivity shared and so much more.
Love and hugs.
Love & best wishes for a happy & healthy 2024 to Barbara, Dave & family & all the Clarity Team. xxx
Lovely post Barbara and I completely know where you are coming from. However after feeling like I know you pretty well I cannot believe you had to Google “Can you make mash with Baking Spuds”? Seriously apart from Meris Piper they are the best for mash!!! Xxxx