How one unexpected creative detour reminded me why Clarity is the bridge to art. Hi there. Thanks for popping in. On Friday afternoon, during our live Clarity Social TV show, I found myself heading off in a completely unexpected direction. We were launching this month’s Product of the Month: A set of Butterfly stamps, hand drawn by myself, and a new pack of very summery Cloud cards to add to our Elements range. I was demonstrating a pair of cards…
There’s something wonderfully restorative about spending a whole day in the pottery studio. And yesterday was the day! No agenda. No deadlines. No “must finish this by…”Just clay, and the simple joy of making. I love getting completely immersed in the processes — be it throwing, turning, or coming up with a completely new construction. The birds in the garden were in full song, so I decided to listen to them instead of a book or music. Opened the garage…
Hi there, Thanks for popping in. Sunday morning feels like a good time for stories…. There are certain places in the world that leave a mark on your soul. For me, New Mexico and Arizona have always been amongst those places. Dave and I were fortunate enough to spend some time there again this April during a wonderful 3,000-mile road trip through the American Southwest and California. It was one of those journeys that stays with you long after you’ve…
There’s something rather lovely about a few simple words landing at exactly the right moment. That’s really where the idea for our new Affirmation Cards began. Not because life is always easy. Quite the opposite, in fact. Most of us are juggling far too much far too often — work, family, worries, responsibilities, deadlines, laundry baskets, ageing parents, aching backs, forgotten passwords… the list goes on! And somewhere in the middle of all that noise, it’s very easy to lose…
Well, that was fun! If you joined us on Clarity Social TV on Friday, you’ll have seen something a little different from us — our brand new brush pots and pen pots. And my word, what a response! A complete sell-out… just like that. Thank you. Clarity Merch!! Who’d have thunk it… But what I really want to share with you today isn’t just what we launched — it’s how it came to life. Because, as always here at Clarity,…
It has been a while since I sat down to write here regularly. Apart from the 100 day countdown to Christmas, that is! But that was Clarity-centric, and a simple case of creative focus. Fun too! No no. I’m talking about a much deeper connection. For years, this blog was part of the rhythm of my days — a place to share thoughts, artwork, stories and the little things that caught my eye. Then life shifted. When Dad died, something…
Hi there Happy Sunday. I went for a Japanese meal with my good friend Carron the other evening. She talked about “Santosha”. A Sanskrit term, meaning “complete contentment”, “satisfaction”. “acceptance”. Carron does yoga, and in Yoga philosophy, it represents an internal state of peace that is independent of external circumstances or material possessions. I guess it’s what I’ve always referred to as “an inside job”. Apparently, when we speak of acceptance in connection with Santosha, we don’t mean settling for…
Hi there As promised, here is a little gallery of the art samples from Sunday’s TV launch of our new Folk Art stamps, new Landscape masks and those irresistible Dawn & Dusk Toppers… Available HERE I also wanted to add a little step by step project here – one we didn’t get to during the 2 hour show – for you to try when your stamps and masks arrive… I used this rather useful mask set to create the backdrop,…
Hi there Maybe you caught the 2pm show on Monday? We introduced a super useful little set of Bijou Backdrop stamps, combined with matching mini 5×5 inch BOW-WOB papers. Available HERE So what will these stamps and papers do for you? If you are a card maker, but you often wonder where to start, then THAT’s where these backdrop stamps help a lot. They are the ideal size for a mini make, and they create a perfect little background. YOU…
Hi, or should I say こんにちは Konnichiwa ? Dave and I went up to London today, to visit an exhibition of beautiful art and craft at Japan House in Kensington High Street. The Exhibition is called Hyakko. 100+ makers from Japan contribute to a collection of almost 2,000 beautifully hand-crafted pieces. Mostly ceramics, which was like heaven for me. Clay, glass, wood, leather, metal and bamboo actually, but primarily ceramics. Exquisite work. There is an energy in the gallery that…