“Barbara Barbara Barbara!”

Hello! Grace here.

Firstly, thank you so much to those of you who donated to Cycle For Survival! It’s so generous of you. We cycle on Saturday! If anyone missed my last blog and would still like to donate to the fight against rare cancers, you can do so here.

Secondly, let’s send lots of positive energy and good vibes up to Scotland, where my Mum, Dave and the Clarity crew are working tirelessly at the SEC this week. There’s a lot that goes into these exhibitions. I did the SEC a few times myself as a kid, and it was quite the experience! So busy!

BIG Stand! Hall 4. A19.

I vividly remember (and often tease my Mum about) entering the huge building one morning, probably about 14 years old, wondering ‘WHY am I here for a whooooole week’. A despondent teenagers’ suffering. And suddenly a group of about 10 women ran across the hall entrance, practically rugby tackled my Mum, squealing and yelling, “Barbara Barbara Barbara” in very strong Scottish accents. I couldn’t stop laughing. I think, in that moment, I realised what a success my Mum was.

This was long before the telly, you see. And we were mostly a mail-order company, with craft exhibitions throughout the year. I watched these women (and I’m not exaggerating) FREAKING OUT to meet her in person. And it hit me how important these exhibitions are for our friends and customers.

You get to watch demonstrations in person, meet your favourite crafters and shop NOT online for a change. I get it.

Some can’t make the trips though, and that’s why we have things like Clarity Youtube. This is our most recent YouTube Tuesday video, and it’s all about the 3-Way-Overlay technique, which I find fascinating.

This gorgeous stamp set is available on Amazon USA and on our Clarity Website.

I do love those houses. Looks like England to me. And Amsterdam. Where does it remind you of? Enjoy!

Lotsa Love, Grace xoxo

Clarity – The Home of Art, Craft and Well-being.

13 thoughts on ““Barbara Barbara Barbara!”

  • 5th March 2020 at 10:03 am
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    I love watching the You Tube tutorials. Am fortunate enough to have a smart telly and can watch it on a big screen, here in my armchair with a lovely cuppa in my hand. Will be thinking of you on Saturday x

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    • 5th March 2020 at 10:45 am
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      Morning Grace,

      You never know you might, in the future, have Clarity Retreats/Open Days on your side of the pond!

      Love
      Roz.xxx

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  • 5th March 2020 at 10:04 am
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    Note to self: do not freak out when you see Barbara for the first time tomorrow, even if she is the sole reason you’re making the 300 mile round trip! 😂

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  • 5th March 2020 at 10:15 am
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    What a great memory and what it means too ! I’ve met your Mum at one of the Open Days (the only one I’ve got to so far!) and have a lovely photo of us as a momento ! She is an inspiration to so many of us, not only in her crafting but her general character, such a fun person to be around! X

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  • 5th March 2020 at 1:30 pm
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    Grace, I got to meet your Mum this morning, and there were lots of others jumping at the bit to see her do her amazing demos.

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  • 5th March 2020 at 2:18 pm
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    I would so love to meet your mom, Grace. I have actually talked my hubby into a trip to England for our 20th anniversary in two years. Is there a physical shop anywhere? Can people view live shows on Hochanda? Going to England and all I care about is Clarity HAHA! By the way, I clicked on the link to Amazon and see your still doing “English” measurements. Gotta help us out here Grace 🙂

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    • 5th March 2020 at 4:44 pm
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      The new building in Kent will have a physical store. I could not find the physical address on the website, but you could always call. A real person picks up the phone and they are very nice.

      We may be going to England this year and the first thing I did was check to see if the dates would coincide with any Clarity events. Very disappointed that they don’t. I’ll just have to make a special trip by myself someday.

      Don’t know how I would handle meeting Barbara in person. Would probably start babbling. She’s such an inspiration.

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    • 5th March 2020 at 5:26 pm
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      By the time you go visit, there will be a shop you can visit IN Clarity Towers!! And yes, good idea! We will have a look at the measurements 🙂 xox

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  • 5th March 2020 at 4:19 pm
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    Afternoon Grace
    I can remember the first time I saw your mum at a show it was at Doncaster Dome
    I was mesmerised watching her doing her stuff she makes it all look so so easy
    I’m originally from Scotland. I wonder if she needed a translator ?? Lol
    Hugs 🤗

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  • 5th March 2020 at 5:04 pm
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    I can remember meeting your mum for the first time about three years ago at Ally Pally. I thought she has been on the tv, owns her own company. She won’t want to speak to me. Well I was wrong on that one. The first thing she did was give me a big hug and say it was nice to meet me. How wrong could I have been. Being so friendly goes a long way

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  • 5th March 2020 at 10:29 pm
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    That’s what is so lovely about your Mom, no matter how busy she is she always has time to talk to the customers. Hoping to go to the NEC in 2 weeks time & I need to sort out whether we are going to Ditton or Leyburn Open days this year or maybe I can persuade the OH to do both. I just need to find some local fishing for him & he will be ok !!

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  • 6th March 2020 at 12:56 am
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    Love you’re in US. I use to watch your mom when we lived in England but now that we moved back to US I watch on Hochanda and order from there. I would so much like to order from Amazon but find it difficult to find Clarity products. When I put that in, I might get one or two items and then it scrolls so many other products. How can I find Clarity’s product line only on Amazon. This may not make sense but if you get my drift, I would love to hear back. akseng@aol.com

    Reply

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