October 1st 2014…

October 1st 2014…

Hi there.

Tuesday’s blog – and the hours roll back, right?

So I thought I’d roll back the hours to 10 years ago. Do you know what YOU were doing 10 years ago today? One of the biggest advantages of having a phone full to the gunnels with photos, is that I can pretty much track to the hour what my activities were a decade ago! My photos tell me even more accurately and irrefutably what I was up to than this daily blog! According to my picture trail, I definitely looked 10 years younger! And so did Dave!! 😂😂😂😂😂 Still got all our teeth and hair! Well, almost!!

And what was on the crafty table at this time? Well, interestingly, our Cool Yule Christmas Jumper!! Now it’s even available in Groovi size, but back in 2014, our Groovi system hadn’t even been born!

CLICK HERE TO FIND

So who designed this clever Jumper? The clue’s in the title! Yep, our Jim! He also played a big part in the development of the Groovi System. He and I work very well together. He gets me, and I get him. Jim’s been a key player at Clarity for many years now. I reckon 16 years or so. Clever bloke. Wicked sense of humour. Very kind. I like working with him a lot. He’s also very consistent and reliable. So you always know what you’re walking into. I like that too. The older I get, the more I realise how important that quality or personality trait is for me. In short, I cannot be doing with people who run hot and cold; they are an energy suck, and I just don’t have the energy to pad around them any more. I bet you know what I mean.

Back to the Jumper. Here‘s a little video I did almost a decade ago too, showing you how to make a really Cool Yule Jumper. Inspired by my dear friend Dee Paramour. xx Oh. Guess who the cameraman and editor was…yep. Jim. A man of many hats. And sweaters!

Here are a couple more variations. Very neat!!

The mark of a good jumper or outfit is when you can wear it again and again, season after season, and it never ages or goes out of fashion. Much like a stamp actually. And I’d like to think that this little jumper set of Jim’s, with all its accessories, is a real timeless little number! Even the mittens and hat make great little cards and tags!

The background here involves another super cool little backdrop stampset, a Bijou Backdrop Stamp: CLICK HERE TO BUY. Brilliant for a thousand cards!

Thanks for keeping me company on this little trip down Memory Lane. Let’s all give Jim a hearty pat on the back too. For just always being there in the background, quietly plugging away. Respect where respect’s due.

Love always

Barb x

29 thoughts on “October 1st 2014…

  1. Love the jumper and it will probably come out again this year along with my Christmas sweater which I wear.
    Lovely picture of you and Dave – you both look just as good in the wedding pictures we’ve seen.

  2. Hi Barb,
    Team work makes the dream work and the Clarity team are all fabulous! Well done Jim and all your colleagues. I’m off to find my jumper stamp and have a play.
    Enjoy your evening.
    Zara

  3. Well good evening Barbara- I would never have guessed that photo was taken 10 years ago!

    I love the jumper and accessories stamps. Think I may use them to make my Christmas cards this year- think my granddaughters will love them with their names on. Thanks for the reminder!

    I’m looking forward to the SHAC shack !

  4. Well done Jim (and you too Barbara) I remember this first time around. Still a great demo ..thank you for guiding us all with your energy and inspiration x

  5. Lovely photo of you and Dave.
    This little jumper stamp set has been used a lot over the years, it’s great for small cards, but I don’t seem to have the Groovi plate so will add it to my next order for next years cards.
    I like that you revisit earlier items, it reminds us of what we have and it gives us new ideas.
    Clarity has kept me sane during this last difficult year, Groovi is a soothing craft and was just what I needed to help me to relax. Hubby’s health will not improve but it seems to have stabilised for now. I plan to carry on crafting till I drop!!!!!

  6. 10 years – how time flies, the jumper is a classic that will never look out of date & can be used for all ages. We were talking about photos in the Groovi Tuesday session this morning – remembering having to take the films into the shop or sending them by post & waiting for them to come back to find half were blurry or heads were missing. Where as today we have a majority of them on our phones & we can check them immediately.
    Looking forward to all the crafting that is lined up for October.

  7. Well done Jim ! The jumper has stood me in good stead for some winter birthdays for men, often with their initial on the front ! 10 years ago is a bit frightening ! then again I’ve just done a 65th card for a school friend on Saturday and have another to do for the 12th and it’s me on 13th, all 65 together and still in touch. Sadly we lost one of our October girls when she was in her 40s with two young children but we raise a glass to her every year. We have one more 65 in November and then, the youngest one, will be in January, we still all meet up at least once a year or more especially as 4 of us are local and have a little WhatsApp group.

    I digress, lovely blog looking back. Well done to all the Clarity team. You and Dave scrub up well too 😻

    Feeling better than last night as our Mikey is now home sleeping in a soft bed he wouldn’t look at when I first bought it a couple of years ago ! Hopefully he’s not going to need an operation on his jaw either. I think we might have had our little miracle but definitely not speaking too soon. I bet E & R missed you while you were away ? Xxxx

  8. I bought the jumper stamp when you did an appeal for Christmas Jumper Day. Was that 10 years ago? I’ve used it for children’s birthdays with a number on the front.
    You and Dave really don’t look any different now. I met up with a school friend I hadn’t seen for many, many years last week. I was shocked at a photo of us looking like two old ladies! Xx

  9. Well blow me down with a feather. I’d not even guess that stamp set came out 10 years ago. I loved it then and still do. And it’s not just for Christmas! I’ve made a few cards with it for birthdays. Or even made a gift tag from it when I made a jumper for my son in law.
    Classic designs never date though and this is definitely one of the Clarity Classics.
    Mind you it’s amazing how quickly time seems to go now. I’m sure someone has turned the calendar over two months at a time especially this year. Last time I looked it was March and now we’re into October. How did that happen. Let’s put the brakes on for a while.
    Love and hugs. Xxx

  10. Time flies when you’re having fun! I love this jumper set – funnily enough I was just looking at it yesterday! I bought it when you first released it and it’s stood me in such good stead for Christmas and winter birthday cards.
    Here’s to the next 10 years!

  11. Hi Barbara,
    Lovely to have you back doing the blogs – missed you xxx
    As I pledged before, I will always leave a comment now, even if I don’t feel I have anything worthwhile to say…..
    I am making Christmas cards while on holiday. I realised that, once I had done any colouring and embossing and cut out the backing cards, the parchment embroidery is ideal to take with me – just a small box of stuff needed – 3 out of 8 done so far……

  12. Oh my goodness was that really 10 years ago! Why is it that as you get older time seems to speed up. I can remember as a child waiting forever for my birthday & Christmas to come around each year and now it feels like it’s happening every three or four months & the 1980s were only 20 years ago. Jim really is a talented man isn’t he. Fab photo of you and Dave as well. Xxxx

  13. I absolutely love this Christmas Jumper stamp, well done Jim. I love Christmas and have more jumpers than I care to admit too. So this stamp has been well used.

    I’ll tell you a funny story about my Christmas outfits. My favourite Christmas film is Elf. Last year they showed it at the cinema as it was an Anniversary of when the film was first made. I was thrilled when I found an Elf suit. My friend reluctantly came with me. So picture this, we’re standing in the cinema lobby waiting for them to open the door so we could go in and take our seats. I’m standing there dressed head to toe in an Elf suit. There was a lady with a little boy also waiting to go in. She started chatting to us and said “so what film have you come to see” I looked down at my suit and just smiled, the whole foyer of people burst out laughing.

    Can’t wait for the Christmas open days, I’m dusting my jumpers off as I speak.

    Thank you so much everyone at Team Clarity what a talented bunch of people

  14. Great video. Lovely stampset. We might be 10 years older, but this is timeless. Is it still available. Glad to have you back and blogging again.

  15. Wow! Ten years ago! I remember making some Christmas cards like that but really didn’t think it was that long ago.
    I think I will be getting this stamp out again as I’m behind with my Christmas cards this year.
    And you two don’t look as if you’ve aged one bit!

  16. Love this stamp it’s so versatile. Comes in useful for winter birthdays too. Can’t believe it’s been around do long

  17. 10 years really since this stamp came into production – wow. Lovely picture; whilst you may have aged a little, like all of us, I bet if you took a picture today you’d still both have the same shine for life and love for each other in your eyes.

  18. I can remember when I first saw this this stamp but can not believe it was 10 years ago. You and Dave don’t look any older now than in the photo. So good to have you back looking forward to resuming the Shac journey and can’t wait for the craftalong with the stencils.x

  19. Great stamp, I shall enjoy having a catch up the video later today. Fell asleep last night on the sofa, then overslept this morning, so on the catch up with things, although still feel half asleep, despite already taken the dog a walk in a breeze that really should have blown all the sleepiness away!
    Great photo, off now to do the housework!! xx

  20. Wow Barb, I don’t think you and Dave look any older now, you both still have an amazing vitality about you. Love this stamp, also can’t believe it has been around for 10 years. I think I need to get mine out again, have not used it for a while. Well done Jim, let’s see some more designs from you. Will watch the video after work today. Take care everyone. Bx

  21. I agree I don’t think you and Dave look any older. Yes a very talented team at Clarity and we do appreciate it. Think, at long last it has stopped raining .
    Looking forward to seeing you on Monday morning.
    Take care.

  22. Hi Barbara
    I know I have been missing from all things Clarity
    But I do keep an eye on what is going on in clarity towers .
    You see I am now my husbands carer after he had sepsis that then caused a heart attack then in turn caused him to fall and he broke his back.
    So as the saying goes it is what it is.
    Not crafted for nearly a year now. Never enough hours in the day .
    Anyway I loved looking at all the wedding pics you all looked so happy.
    You have a great day and welcome home. ❤️

  23. Love that jumper stamp! It’s fab for paper piecing too and using up those little pieces of paper that are too nice to throw away – or is that just me? 😂

Leave a Reply

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