Dolly's Dreamings

jabs and joy and birthday boys

Yesterday began with flu jabs for both of us. I am quite pleased as, thus far, I haven't developed the usual egg-sized lump on my arm. No-one liked having jabs but it's a good preventative. we have covid jabs next week too. Having had flu before - just twice - I remember how poorly we both were and so if we can reduce the risk of that and of Covid I will be pleased.

After that, we went to a Macmillan Coffee morning which was lovely and for a cause dear to our hearts. Then came the joy of painting. I downloaded a photo taken by Deanne Hope a while ago and so painted my version of it yesterday afternoon.

It is by no means perfect but I had such fun painting it and so what if it just sits in a drawer now.

 

 

 

I also have new scrapping to share.

I am playing along with the 12 days of Autumn at Scrap Squad and this was today's

 

 

 

and this was my final page using a September premium Sketch from Scrap a Sketch - another for the Norfolk/summer album 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• both jabs and joy
• in celebrating the boys' third birthday this week - how did that happen!

and here, to finish, are a few Birthday photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A quiet few days

It's been quiet here - catching up on chores in the garden, gentle walks and lazy days.

I have a new page to share

I also have a load of new pages to share but I can't until the 1st October.

But I'm pleased with some of them.

 

Apologies for the brevity of this - normal service will be resumed soon!

 

Today I am thankful for

a lovely walk this morning - though I was NOT expecting to be interviewed on camera for the local news!!!

Autumn Days are the best

I am so thrilled it is officially Autumn now.

On the spur of the moment we headed out today.

Idyllic view at Pangbourne

 

 

 

Henley-On-Thames

 

 

 

Basildon Park

 

 

 

The original sketches for the huge tapestry at Coventry Cathedral

 

 

 

 

 

This amazing room was a faux shell grotto with thousands and thousands of shells. It looks like intricate plasterwork - it was all shells!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is another from me using a September Premium sketch and some of the gorgeous stencils in store I loved the detail in the sketch with a clear border which worked really well and opted to use circular flowers and a circle stencil instead of just circles. I followed the sketch reasonably closely on this one though. The photo is of Sandringham and I loved that we took the shuttle bus and so caught tantalising glimpses as we travelled round the lake. The background floral paper is extremely old, as is the floral paper I cut the circular flowers from (must be at least 15 years old ... I think the floral may have been sassafras lass) I mixed the old papers with some newer 49 and Market paper and rub on sand echoed even more circles with the gorgeous circular stencil available in the Scrap a Sketch store and you can use my code SCRAPDOLLY10 to get 10% off

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

1. Autumn - always
2. unexpected days out
3. cookie dough ice-cream!

 

 

Berry Big Deal new releases

It's that time again - New releases, all coordinated and at incredible prices at Pickleberrypop.

 

I loved the colours this month and had so much fun.

 

Credits

Suddenly September collection BBD  by Fayette Designs

 

 

 

 

 

Credits

Shades of Autumn Collection Dandelion Dust Designs

 

 

 

Credits

Wild Beauty BBD Collection by Tiramisu Designs

 

 

 

 

Credits

Falling Leaves BBD collection by e t designs

 

 

 

A lovely visit and some creativity

I have had a busy few days of creativity, some of which I will, typepad permitting, share here.

 

I have been trying to learn how to use pastel pencils. I confess I am struggling. I find pastels very very hard to use, but I will persevere a little more. 

 

I chose to draw a picture of the boys we both loved. They were sat on top of the kitchen cabinets and looked so indignant when we walked in. Bear in mind this is a new medium for me.

 

 

I had a lovely visit yesterday with my beautiful goddaughter and her adorable baby girl. It was good to catch up and they are both so photogenic I couldn't resist running off so many pictures. I think her look just captured love so much.

 

 

 

 

I have a design team page to share for Scrap a Sketch today - made using so many of the gorgeous printables available on the web site HERE  

and if you use my special code you can get 10% off your order of the goodies too

 

 

 

 

And this was a page as a design team page for A Trip Down Memory Lane

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for a lovely few days

 

I am also thankful for patience because yet again this blog post has taken for ever as typepad will simply not cope with adding pictures.

We went to Jail

As part of our mini mini break - well actually the real reason for the mini break - we went to jail!

Having visited Shepton Mallet Prison in February they recommended a tour of Bodmin jail so we added it to our wish list.

When planning to go I discovered that part of (as it happened pretty much all of) the jail was now a luxury hotel. It was roo good to miss. The buildings had been completely derelict and they had spent £64,000,000 on the hotel and jail attraction. I am glad I didn't know how haunted it was until AFTER I had spent the night, but the hotel was just gorgeous and a little slice of luxury. Sadly the attraction, though spectacular in it's own way, wasn't a patch on the Shepton Mallet tour as there was almost nothing left of the prison.

 

So - typepad permitting ... pictures of our stay in Jail!

 

Each room is three cells knocked in together. Cell 1 is the bedroom area, cell 2 is the lounge area and cell 3 is the bathroom area

 

The windows in every cell are like this - very small and authentic.

 

 

 

 

However, we were int he only room that had an entry way instead of the middle cell. You will see later from the exterior shots that it was the only one. This meant our loung area was beautifully bright with a huge arch window.

 

 

 

 

The bar was lovely

 

 

 

 

 

You can see our room with the arch window on the ground floor (and my gorgeous yellow car !!!)

 

 

 

 

as it is such an important listed building they were not allowed to have a lift inside so they built it out of glass outside.

 

 

As the trip was an early birthday celebration for Nigel they made him a towel birthday cake

 

 

 

and when the G& conference took place nearby the Secret service detail for Joe Biden stayed in the jail.

 

 

Breakfast in the old chapel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also have new scrapping to share - Design Team pages made for A Trip Down Memory Lane

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

finally getting these pictures to upload. Typepad isn't being a whole lot of fun at the moment

Back from a mini break

We have been away for a mini break - we know our limitations. We went away for just one night - but it was fabulous, and just as well it was one night only as the cats didn't eat again. At least this time they were just 34 hours with no food. I have no idea why they are so stubborn.

We headed off to Devon first to visit the Babbacoombe model village we have been wanting to see. We both love Bekonscot and this was way way better - and that is saying something as Bekonscot is brilliant. The buildings are more modern, in many cases things are very up to date, and the landscaping is absolutely superb. I highly recommend it.

Cue photo overload.

It's set in a valley and is huge with lots of models and there are so many funny quirky details hidden within the scenes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK you will have to take my word for it

Typepad isn't uploading photos today ... It's take hours over the last two days  and to think I pay good money for this service!

I am afraid I cannot post the rest of the trip. Typepad are trying to resolve it but I will share what else we did when I have a working system and far more patience.

I do however have new scrapping to share

Credits

It’s not ADHD it’s ADOS by Jen Yurko

 

 

 

Catching up

Oh my it has been awfully hot. They say it is set to be cooler - I so hope so.

I have been by the fan scrapping (apart from a couple of nights of socialising in the garden with friends and at a BBQ

These two pages were for various challenges at Scrap a Sketch, Twilight crop and crafts and Bramble Fox

 

 

 

 

and this was a digi page made with a gorgeous collection you can get free with a $12 purchase at Pickleberrypop this month

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• cooler weather ont he horizon - please let them be right
• lovely social evenings with friends

 

 

Days speeding by

The days just seem to whizz by and we seem to be busy - which is unusual for us. Normally we are very quiet.

Yesterday we met with Nigel's brother and family and had the chance to meet our great nephew for the first time and he was just as adorable and smiling and gorgeous as we anticipated. He was simply wonderful

 

 

and then we went straight from there to a committee meeting.

Today has been a chores day but I do have scrapping to share

Credits

 

 

 

and it was also my turn to share the take on the new weekly sketch over at scrap a sketch (free sketches for everyone - what is not to like)

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a little less heat (though I understand tomorrow is worse)
• babies - we have had lots of them in the family this year
• fans

 

Beach days are the best days

I do feel for the people who come to the seaside for a week or two for a holiday. I KNOW how lucky we are to have this here all the time and we do try and make the most of it. 

We knew today was going to be another hot hot hot day and so we headed off to the beach early. There was quite a bit of haze which meant it was a teeny bit cooler but the beach - well the beach where we go - was very very empty, the water was gorgeous and it made for a perfect early walk before it got too hot. It was starting to swelter by the time we left and we headed back to the sanctuary of a shaded patio

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have just one new page to share today

Credits

Love Life Collection by Palvinka Designs

 

Today I am thankful for

• the beach
• cool water
• shade