A Lightbulb Moment…

A Lightbulb Moment…

Hi there

Before I climb up the apple n pears to winkin blinken and nod, I just want to thank everybody who joined in this afternoon, with our first official paid online Workshop. Judging by the dozens of fabulous landscape scenes which have been proudly popping up all over Facebook, I’d like to say, it was a success! You have to have it in your hand in front of you to really get how cool it is!

This artwork is what we worked towards…

It took 5hours from start to finish. All we used was a selection of our Collage Papers and a Pritt stick. It was my goal to create something beautiful with nothing more than paper, a glue stick and a clever process. I reckon we nailed it.

There was a moment when I glanced up and read Jackie Couling’s comment on the screen in front of me. It said something like, ” I think I’ve just figured it out.” And I tell you what, I could HEAR the penny drop. A real lightbulb moment. It made my heart sing.

There’s so much to be grateful for – not least our magic Clarity community. I just love being able to work with such clued in, creative people! And curious to learn, too. There was so much excitement in the Circle beforehand, People genuinely excited to be trying out something new.

I’m sure a few people got tired – it was a long session for anybody! But worry not! Anybody who bought the Lighthouse Workshop has the key to the door – and can get back in for a whole year! It will all be recorded in the same place, waiting for you, so you didn’t miss anything.

The general consensus was to try again. Do another landscape collage together in early December – in time for making a fabulous gift for somebody special. Next time we”ll make the Viaduct…I’ll get an email sent to all our guests from today as soon as I work out a time and a date.

If you didn’t join in today, but now you wish you had, why not enrol for the Viaduct? Or you can still enrol for the Lighthouse – we will send out the kit and you can still watch and follow the course in it entirety… We will update the website next week, and both courses will be available then.

Time for bed.

Love always

Barb x x x

43 thoughts on “A Lightbulb Moment…

  1. Hi Barb, When you said put all the papers together I thought, what ?! Hows’ this going to work, after the next couple of steps it clicked. Reading your blog I’ve just realised we only used papers and a prit stick and that’s amazing in itself. I took it down to hubby halfway through and he said ‘oh is it fields’ and I thought result! He’s impressed with the finished piece, I’ve just gone back and put in the last windows, had to give up earlier as my hands got too shakey!

    I’m going to look forward to giving it another go with my great niece next time she comes for a craft day. I’ve got all the other bits numbered in a box so she’ll be able to sort them out first and pick her own colours. I’d like to do it with other papers too. Can’t think of the last time I enjoyed a Saturday afternoon so much, I usually nod off in the conservatory with the paper or a book!

    Thanks again to Jim, Paul and Sue and, of course, yourself and Dave – looking forward to the next one! X

    1. I KNEW you were enjoying it! I feel you were completely absorbed in it. Thank you so much. Andy am so happy to hear you are up for another session with me!! X

  2. Thank you for coming up with concept – couldn’t believe we had sat there for so long – be it with a couple of breaks but the end result was great. Looking forward to the next one – a little more involved by the look of it but I am sure once broken down into stages it will be fine & all work out like today’s did.
    Your first challenge for the weekend completed, now for the Retreat – sleep well tonight & have a fantastic time with Linda & Rob tomorrow followed by two exciting days parching with everyone at the Retreat.
    The rest of us will be waiting for you on Wednesday to see more of the A4 plates that Paul showed us sneaky peeks of on Thursday & Friday.

  3. “If you build it, they will come.” Well you built it, loads of us came, and then you taught us all how to build it too! Such a clever idea, a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and a fabulous piece of art to be proud of. I’ll look forward to the next one! Thank you Barbara and team.
    Jane x 🌸🌼🌺

  4. I’d like to add my thanks too Barbara and I couldn’t work out exactly how we’d do the cutting out. Now I know, and can put together 4 more pics but must sort out how to make the carpentry and glazing a little simpler! Looking forward to The Viaduct.. Night night all. Sleep well x

  5. That was a great afternoon! I was totally focused for the whole time. It was great to have all that time to myself doing something creative. I didn’t manage to get mine finished – I still have the buildings to do. Hopefully, I’ll get those done in the next couple of days.

    Many thanks to Barb, Paul, Jim and everyone involved in making it all happen. It’s a great idea for people like me who live a long way from Kent and can’t usually get to Open Days, Retreats, etc.

    Sue xxx

  6. Had a most enjoyable time doing something completely new to me. It wasn’t perfect but, hey, I love it and can’t wait to try again with my leftover pieces. Thanks so much Barbara for explaining it all so well and coming up with the process in the first place. Will there be a kit available for the cottages one too for those of us who weren’t at the retreats?
    Janice xx

  7. Oh, that viaduct looks just like one near where we live! Except your version has more houses as we’re in Highland!!!
    Hopefully I’ll know more about when I’ll be having surgery and/or treatment by December, so I’ll be able to join in.
    So happy for you that it was a successful new venture though x

  8. Well had best nights sleep! It was brilliant Classroom, you are such a good teacher and how you came up with this amazing idea is beyond me. Loved loved it and chuffed with my end result although my windows and doors need a bit more attention! Going to have another go with the ready, numbered pieces. Hope you had a good nights sleep and all goes well with the Retreat. You certainly are a busy Bee x

    1. Ahh Thelma. That‘s music to my ears. A good nights sleep after a successful afternoon making something beautiful . Now THAT‘s very very good xxx

  9. It’s been a very difficult and very sad week for me so the Classroom was a brilliant distraction when I got home even though I was late arriving and could only watch. Still a lot to do to help my sister in the coming weeks so not sure when I will be able or want to sit down and create my own lighthouse scene which is why I am so pleased the tutorial is available for the next year. A big thank you.
    I joined in when you were using inks so will be curious to learn what prompted you use them.
    Thank you again and enjoy the retreats.
    Lynn x

  10. Loved seeing everyone’s finished artwork. Sounds like a great day.
    Still
    Not sure it’s for me but the viaduct looks great.
    I think for me it will be something to admire from a distance like the intricate picot cutting and cross stitch which I love to see and did try but the happiest moment was when I donated the kit I had persevered with for 18 months to the charity shop for someone else to enjoy

  11. Absolutely brilliant classroom Barbara, what an innovative idea that you have brought to the Clarity family.
    My piece is finished but I want to add some stamped images before I mount it on the canvas board. That’ll have to wait until the end of the week as we are off to Norfolk today for some sea air.
    I shall be thinking of you all at the Parchment retreat tomorrow and Tuesday and hope set up goes smoothly today.
    I am most definitely up for making the Viaduct and hopefully the Cottages will be available to us too at some point.
    A huge thank you to you, Dave, Paul, Jim, Sue, Jilly and anyone else I’ve missed – you did us all proud judging by the artwork all over CW xx

  12. Hi Barbara
    Leah, Reuben and I loved the workshop, and looking forward to the next one, many thanks to all the team, I am moving the clock to make way for my three collages after I finish the viaduct its the only staight wall in our granny attic above my families house. Hope the parchment retreat goes well maybe I can attend next year.
    Love janet Cummings x

  13. Judging by all the fabulous artwork that has been appearing this was most certainly an outstanding success. Well done you and everyone involved in making it happen. You must have been a bit nervous wondering if it would actually work on the day and exhausted now. Have a lovely restful day with Linda and Rob and enjoy the parchment retreat. Congratulations everyone xxx

  14. From the lovely art work I saw popping up on Facebook I’d say your afternoon was very very successful. Congratulations.xxx

  15. So glad to hear that the online workshop was such a success! Everyone’s artwork looks great!

    Have a wonderful time at the retreat and enjoy your time with Linda!xxx

  16. That was such an afternoon x absolutely loved every second and it feels so good that so many got so much out of it too xxxx can’t wait for the next one xx I’ll be picking up little brown windows from my office for an eternity lol 😂 thank you Barb x with love x

  17. Brilliant afternoon. I am going to get it mounted in a simple oak frame and put it on the living room wall. Really looking forward to the next.

  18. It was a brilliant afternoon, doubly so being able to craft with my daughter. Thank you so much Barbara.
    I have a simple collage planned for my craft group tomorrow. Let’s hope it works as we only have 2 hours!
    Have a good two days at the Parchment Retreat. Xx

  19. I absolutely loved it Barbara. It felt like you were sitting across the table from me especially aside from cleared all my non essential stuff away (well mainly on the floor) and put my laptop opposite me so I could see it more easily.
    I gave the one I’d done at the retreat to my sister in law for her birthday and she loved it, but this one is for me. Colin got me the workshop as part of my birthday and so this is mine. I will find a place to hang it proudly!
    I’d love to do the viaduct one too especially as there is a viaduct in Stockport.
    Thank again for coming up with this idea and I’m looking forward to the next class already. X

  20. Hi Barb, it certainly sounds like you had a big hit with the classroom workshop. Am going to have a look at FB now to see all the lovely artwork. Take care everyone, quite cold today. Bx

  21. What an afternoon! I am chuffed to bits I joined you all. I had no idea how the process would work, as Barbara said trust the process I did and it worked! I managed to keep up as you explained it so clearly. what a clever concept I will certainly try to adapt for other projects. Today I will mount it as it needed flattening out! Thrilled to bits it can go straight on the canvas too. Thank you so much and to everybody’s company yesterday afternoon. xx

  22. A most enjoyable afternoon & coming away with new skills & a most fabulous piece of art work as well is a real bonus.
    Many, many thanks for sharing your knowledge with us all.
    My Husband & my Son were so impressed with the finished result.
    I will be definitely joining you on the next project as I already have a commission from my Son for one.
    Thanks to the whole Clarity Team😊

  23. Just curious and definitely up for the next one, but would the trees be related to the arches in the viaduct by any chance. 🤗

  24. I have just spend a couple (or two) starting on the canvas nearly at the beginning. You would think that doing SHAC since the beginning I would know what to do with the tracing paper. For some reason I didn’t think we needed to go over the lines on the back which is why it didn’t show. Hence being behind with everything. I apologise for causing stress Barbara, my fault entirely. I did enjoy the afternoon and look forward to doing the next one in December. Big thanks to you all. Lots of hard work for you all.

  25. As I was not able to join you yesterday afternoon, I am looking forward to catching up when its been uploaded. The results on the Facebook look brilliant, and even though I’ve not started the lighthouse picture yet, I would love to do the viaduct picture. xx

  26. It sounds wonderful, hope my house renovations will be at a stage where I can get back to crafting soon. The viaduct looks fabulous

  27. Hi Barb,
    I have been reading through the comments above and can understand people’s enthusiasm for your designs, they are beautiful and so innovative.
    I can’t manage to attend Retreats or join the Workshop, but just looking at the designs has given me ideas on how to use the mountain of Clarity papers I now own.
    I watched you on Facebook last night while hubby watched the footie and was so appreciative of your comments about helping folks in care homes to enjoy art. Tina’s Mum demonstrated how rewarding this can be. I am praying Clarity is able to keep rolling as you all do us the world of good every time you, Paul and your team appear on TV, Facebook or YouTube. Thank goodness for my I-pad.
    With all that’s going on you are likely to be worn out if
    you, Dave, Paul and the team don’t take care; I sure my fellow customers will remain loyal, whatever the outcome.
    Looking forward to Wednesday and new goodies being demonstrated.
    You are one helluva lady.
    Ros 💝

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *