Dolly's Dreamings

Lovely to have zoom

I think there ARE some good things that have come out of the awfulness of the pandemic. They don't outweigh the bad with so many awful losses, but there are some good things and we need to embrace them because if we only dwell not the awful we will spiral down and down.

One of the good things for me is zoom. I'd never heard of zoom before and it has become a bit of a lifeline to be honest.

We zoom every week with the family who are spread across the country and in fairness I see more of them - virtually - than I did in real life as the distances made it tricky. I value our zoom evenings so good - a chance for a quiz or just a natter is lovely.

I haven't been to real crops in a long long time and so going to zoom crops is great fun. I get to chat sometimes to my scrappy team mates from UKS and I get to crop with the scrapmates lead by the lovely Ann and where some of the people I have been online friends with for years go. And it is lovely.

It was family zoom night last night and it was crop day today, although I only tend to join in after lunch.

 

I have made a lot of pages today but three of them I cannot share as they are class pages for ATDML but oh my - I do love the collection I was working with - really really lush

This is a page devised by Ann that I made at the crop

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a lush box of goodies this month - as always

 

and here are a few other pages

This was for a Lottie Loves Paper challenge

 

This for Scrap Squad

 

and another for Lottie Loves Paper

Today I am thankful for

• zoom - bringing people together
• scrappy time
• new stash to play with

and I share these because, in the most part, they are dreadful ways to serve food to people. I don't get the quirky arty - use a plate for goodness sake

 

 

Stupid but I'd go along with it

nope

 

 

nope - can you imagine that ever being washed properly!

 

nope

 

Stupid but I guess the plastic would at least be washable

 

 

why????

 

hell no

why???

 

never ever ever

 

oh for goodness sake

 

I have refused food before served on wood

 

what goes through their minds?

 

nope

madness, utter madness

 

 

runs away screaming

 

seriously!

 

 

not fit for animals to be fair

I think they call is 'a mixed bag'

Today said there might be showers later on so we headed off in the morning for our walk. And oh my what a day.

We walked in bright sunshine and then we noticed the sky had gone a deep indigo colour which looked quite threatening so we turned around and hoped we would make it back to the car in time. we did - just before the most incredible hail storm. Then it was beautiful again, then dark as night and more hail. A cycle that has repeated over the course of the day.

But these were photos BEFORE the hail

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are new releases at Pickleberrypop today and I have a couple of pages from that and from the mojo challenges to share

 

 

 

 

This was the mystery box this month - you can grab it for free if you do the challenge

 

 

and this was the use it all - a mini kit by Chunlin Designs, again free if you do the challenge

 

 

 and these were for challenges

and yes I scrapped the pictures from this morning

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• challenges - such fun
• a lovely walk
• missing the hail

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Scrapbook Day(s)

It has been National Scrapbook day this weekend and the celebrations are lasting all week - and more.

I have had such fun playing on various sites and facebook groups, making pages, completing challenges and hosting challenges too. It has been fun and I have a fair few pages to share.  I won't share them all today - I don't want to go into overload.

 

This was a fun one to make as it recalls how the goose decided to accompany Nigel on his walk last week in the park

 

and this one remembers walking along the Cobb at Lyme Regis

 

I was really pleased with his one. I don't do grid pages but I had fun with his and made my own project life style cards too (and Koda is beautiful)

 

 

 

enjoying an ice-cream in Christchurch last week

 

and yesterday we went for a walk through the park and along the quay. Some very naughty people had added some sort of detergent to the fountain - very very naughty but it looked absolutely beautiful.

 

This was made by printing out some new elements I bought for National Scrapbook Day - well I am sure I read somewhere it was meant to be shopping as well as scrapping.

 

I really liked the colours on this one

 

 

 

 

And this one was a very different sketch for me

 

I have to say I have loved the challenges on Scrap Squad which have really stretched me - and the challenged at Hey Little Magpie too.

 

I will leave the pages there for now but I have scrapped 15 pages in 3 days which I am really quite pleased with.

 

Today I am thankful for

• being back indoors as the wind and rain is not nice. We are forecast 60mph winds all day
• national scrapbook Day
• the talented people who share their creativity around the scrapping world
• my boys being better ... we have no idea why but they had 24 hours of terribly upset tummies - both of them - for no known reason - and now they are all better. Very odd but we are just glad they are OK now.

And I just loved these fake things to buy - so clever.

well they amused me

More water

Yesterday we explored an area close to home that we haven't visited before. Not even 10 minutes drive away was a gorgeous pair of lakes we enjoyed a walk round. Very tranquil and we will go back when the sun is shining. We also met up with a friend of Nigel's for a chat

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today we wandered round another part of the Stour (we are seeing it all bit by bit) at Christchurch. It was beautiful and sunny though a bit chilly. Not too cold for icecream though

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a special new release day at Pickleberrypop today in readiness for iNSD on Saturday and there are sooooo many bargains to be had in store.

 

 

 

 

 

Having worked with the free collection I can tell you it is awesome

This is what I made with it

 

and these are other collections I played with

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do go and check out what they have on sale because it really is a fabulous time to snap up bargains ... store link is HERE

 

Today I am thankful for

• water  everywhere - it's lovely
• Feeling better
• walks with Nigel
• ice cream of course

 

 

Lovely days

We have had a lovely couple of days with some highlights too.

 

Yesterday Nigel had his second vaccination. It was originally booked for Saturday at a large venue, but there was a mix up for a lot of people who should have received a letter rescheduling and didn't. They were only doing Pfizer that day so Nigel couldn't have his. They said they would reschedule but he could book himself in on line if he wanted. He did it on the journey home and found a slot on Monday at the small pharmacy I went to for mine. When we arrived there was no one else there and so Nigel was cheeky and asked if I could have mine too and the lovely man who did my first jab said yes of course. So we were both second jabbed and mine was much earlier than I expected at just 8 weeks. And thankfully, 24 hours in, we have had no side effects at all. So excellent news.

Last night we had a wonderful evening. My bestie and her hubby cycled over and we had dinner in the garden. It did get very cold but we were able to sit in the early evening sun for several hours and just feel a bit more normal.It was lovely

 

 

Today we had a walk round the park - still one of my favourite places in the world actually.

 

 

 

 

 

and this was too cute - a goose decided to join us and follow us for a bit on our walk.

 

 

I did a painting yesterday

 

and a couple of new pages to share

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely few days
• vaccinations

and these were just clever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Normal continues

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day again - so was today actually - and we were thrilled to have our neighbours round for a picnic lunch. We were sticking to the rule of 6, sat outdoors and well apart, but it was lovely.

 

 

 

I have also been playing this weekend with the Peartree Cut Files crop and managed all 4 challenges. I have to say I am NOT loving the A4 size. I am kind of committed to it now as I will see the year through (though it is tempting to say I will stop at the end of June. I just don't feel it works for me. I like square! I am still doing everything else 12" x 12" just my annual album at A4

 

I did love this one of Koda though

 

 

 

 

 

 

and I finally finished the Scrap Squad 12 days of scrap lifts

 

 

 

 

I might not like A4 but the album is bulging and full - 4 months. That means 3 albums for the year in all likelihood, possibly 4. But at least they are A4 rind binders and so cheaper and easier to store.

Today I am thankful for

• lovely weather
• good neighbours
• restrictions easing
• Indy seeming to be much better

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little bit of normal

It is taking a  while but life is slowly slowly getting back to being a little tiny bit normal.

Yesterday we went for a walk to Longham Lakes which was lovely and then - shock of shocks - we went out to eat, to a restaurant. First time since September. We went to pizza express and went at 3.00 pm as we figured we would be the only ones as it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner. We were the only ones in their outside area. It was warm enough and oh my goodness the pizza was delicious. Let's be honest- it is just nice to have something you haven't cooked yourself.

I was going to take a photo as I was so excited but I was so excited when the food came I forgot!!! It was THAT good.

 

 

Then today we went to Lyme Regis - still in our own county. I have only been twice and so it felt new and like we were on holiday. We had a lovely walk and then - shock of shocks - we had lunch on the beach at a cafe - and yes - forgot to take that too!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The remains of dinner!!

 

 

 

 

and a little scrapping for ATDML using the new Vicki Boutin Colour Study which is way way brighter than I would normally use but I kind of like it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• little bits of normal - for the first time this week we ate out (twice) and I didn't wash the shopping!
• beautiful places and perfect company
• Nigel getting his second jab tomorrow

 

Berry Big Deal Day

It's that time again when the amazing PBP designers have brought out new berry big deal bundles all colour coordinated and all absolutely gorgeous. They are on offer until the end of tomorrow and they are gorgeous. I was so happy to be working with 6 different bundles this month

As always the picture of the bundle links to the store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The collections are gorgeous so do go check them out.

 

Life has been quiet here - apart from toothache which is starting to grate a little.

Yesterday saw a lovely walk at Hamworthy - the sea fret was thick when we arrived but had burnt off by the time we finished our walks

 

 

 

 

 

Today we took a circular walk by the Stour from Canford to Wimborne and back

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• great kits that I get to play with
• lovely walks
• retirement and an easy life

 

 

very summery

The weather has been gorgeous and we have had another lovely weekend, marred only by the fact Indy appears to have an upset tummy again. It doesn't seem to bother him but obviously it is not good and he is still so much smaller than Koda, so back t the drawing board tomorrow.

 

It has been the ATDML cyber crop this weekend and so I can now share my class pages. You can find full instructions through the blog and the website

 

This was my class using Simple Stories Vintage Cottage Fields

 

This first one which is really dimensional is now up in the hall int he special scrapbook frame I have

 

 

 

 

and this is my class using Paige Taylor Evans Wonder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will have other pages to share tomorrow but I think that's enough for today

 

We had a wonderful beach walk Thursday

 

 

 

 

We had a lovely drive out Friday too

 

 

 

 

and finally a walk along the quay today

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• people liking my classes - always a worry
• sunshine
• walks
• my three boys - love them so much

 

 

 

At last

I can finally say I have turned the corner and am feeling much better - thank goodness.

We had a trip to IKEA yesterday - just to get some drawers for the kallax really and a walk by the beach today and so life feels a little more normal.

I just need Indy's dodgy tummy to be a one off at the moment and then I will be truly happy! I don't want to have to do another round of treatment for him.

I have some new scrapping to share but only one page as the others are for release at the weekend for the ATDML cyber crop

 

 

 

and a few new paintings I have done

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• feeling better
• scrappy time
• the beach
• sunshine