Dolly's Dreamings

International Scrapbook Day

Happy International Scrapbook Day

I have now officially christened my new studio and made my first few scrapbook pages ... one made whilst chatting to scrappy friends with a video call.

 

We enjoyed a wonderful day out at Exbury - at its peak

 

 

I am afraid typepad is now done for the day uploading pictures.

I hope you are all enjoying a great bank holiday weekend remembering these to whom we know so much as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE day

Today I am thankful for

• all sorts of hobbies
• a week's holiday (at home)
• brave people who died to give us our freedom

 

Glorious weather and a new scrap room/art studio

It has been glorious here. I love it when it is bright and sunny but I am already not loving the heat. I really don't like being hot and especially as we have been so busy refurbing the worst room in the house.

My scrap room had 30 years of stash in it. I cleared out boxes and boxes of stuff which felt really good. We then moved everything out, decorated, had new carpet and then built lovely new cupboards. Everything is now behind doors so is cat safe and looks oh so much better. It is a bright, well organised, clutter free space I am just going to love creating in. One side is all scrapping and the other is all art. (Oh and Nigel has a desk on the other side of the room and has some lovely new display cases for his models. 

Before

and if it hadn't taken me 20 minutes to upload those three before pictures I would have shared during - however, straight to after photos

 

I do love everything in boxes and labelled

 

I was going to share photos of longleat and scrapping but i ts simply NOT allowing it today.

I am hating TYPEPAD

Some recent art work - the first painted for the new room

 

 

 

No it is not allowing any more paintings

Today I am thankful for

• breakfast in the sunshine with friends
• a beautiful calm new room
• sorting the next DIY project - the last we hope
• Sitting in the garden
• A very productive check up with the eye consultant

 

I am NOT thankful for the way Typepad is behaving

 

Scrapping Chaos

Scrapping Chaos

Apologies for no updatesa. My scrap room is being completely revamped. That means everything - 32 years of hoarding scrapping supplies - out, sorted and then decorated and put back in. I am still on stage 1.

But I do have some new digital scrapping to share

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Never too old Bundle by Chunlin Designs

 

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Cherish Today by et designs

 

 

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Creative Charisma Bundle by Tiramisu Designs

 

 

I can't wait until the room is done and I can show you how fab it looks (said with everything crossed as I hope to goodness it all fits!)

 

Beautiful new collections

Gorgeous new releases this week at Pickleberrypop

 

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Be Complimentary Bundle Blue Heart Scraps

 

 

 

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Little Joys Collection by Bellisae Designs

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Feather and Pearls Collection Kakleidesigns

 

 

 

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Forest Tales Collection Neia Scraps

 

 

 

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Dirt Never Hurt collection by Bella Gypsy

 

 

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Wild Collection by Natali Designs

 

Today I am thankful for

• A fun afternoon with friends
• gorgeous stuff to play with
• sunshine

 

Days out and new stuff

The weather has been glorious here - still chilly but unbroken sunshine.

We had a trip out to the Purbecks, a trip to Longleat where we got the best tiger photos ever and a trip to Bletchly Park which was spur of the moment and utterly worth it.

There was so much information to take in that we left when we were 'full'. It was a fascinating place and how they ever broke the Enigma code is a miracle.

In addition to all of that I have been painting and scrapping with new releases

 

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Found it! By Carol W Designs

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Art Box no 25 by Tiramisu Designs

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Brewtiful Break by Chunlin Designs

And by competing the Great Digi Scrap off challenges over at Pickleberrypop you can collect the massive Childhood Wonder collection for free.

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Childhood Wonder Mega Collaboration kit – collect the parts FREE  throughout March by completing GDSO challenges

 

I am going to try and share some of the tiger photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

sadly it won't allow any more photos today!!!

 

Today I am thankful for

• days out
• sunshine
• clever people
• tidiness
• breakfast out with friends

 

 

ooops too busy having fun

I know there are still people who check in here - bless you for coming.

I know I am neglecting my blog. There are several reasons.

Firstly typepad is just so difficult to use with it having hissy fits over every single picture.

Secondly I am focusing on my instagram account (@scrapdollyart) and facebook as they are easier platforms to share my thoughts and work If you are interested in seeingt he scrapping and art work then pop over and have a look at my two insta accounts.

My scrapping instagram is http://www.instagram.com/scrapdolly   and my art instagram is http://www.instagram.com/scrapdollyart. You do at least get almost daily updates on those as they work. 

Plus my news and photos all go on my facebook page

 

However, Typepad allowing - I will try and do a bit of an update.

The weather is gorgeous at the moment (after a lot of wind and rain) and so we are enjoying being out and about in the sunshine. We have had days out to Longleat, Weymouth, The Purbecks, Studland, Branksome and it's been lovely

Sadly Typepad isn't allowing photos today.

Art has been happening - a lot

A first attempt at acrylics - miniatures of course

Back to proper watercolours

My 10 2" square paintings for February

 

and a couple of my sketch a day pages

Today a new event has started at Pickleberrypop - The Great Digi ScrapOff GDSO 5

I am hosting a challenge and this is my challenge page.

 

On offer is a massive collaboration kit called Childhood Wonder which you can get for free, collecting one part each week for completing the three challenges for that week. It is an incredible incredible collection. This is the page I made with it

 

Today I am thankful for

• sunshine but not heat (I don't like the heat)
• days out
• Beautiful Dorset
• art and scrapping

 

Love is in the air

Gotta love the new Valentine related collections just released on heavily discounted offers today through Thursday at Pickleberrypop. I had such fun playing

 

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I’ll Follow You Collection by Jen Yurko

 

 

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Our Story Together Collection by Heartstrings Scrap Art

 

 

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Sweet Dreams Collection by Tiramisu Designs

 

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Graceful Moments Bundle by e t designs

In other news

There have been freezing cold beach walks (seriously cold) and a fabulous trip to Longleat - again - where I got amazing video of the tiger cubs.

And we have finally - it was a big big debate - agreed on a new front door.

Other than that life has been quiet and filled with art!

Today I am thankful for

• a decision made
• tiger cubs - they are adorable
• art time

 

A Bit of a scrapping catch up

There are new releases out today at Pickleberrypop so two digitasl pages first

 

 

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Lovely February Collection by Palvinka Designs

 

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Because Love Bundle Carol W Designs

 

 

and some design team pages for scrap a sketch  using some of the gorgeous new February Premium Sketches

 

 

 

Other than that it has been quiet here with just everyday things. Today was a good day - the light that has been out for three months was finally fixed and a blown window was replaced. See how mundane my life is at times.

And finally a few of my recent paintings

 

 

I'm afraid Typepad is refusing to let me add more pictures - again!

Today I am thankful for

• easy everyday days where nothing much happens
• essential repairs completed
• cnetral heating - it's very cold!

Feeling in Valentine mood - grab a freebie

Firstly Barb thank you for your lovely comments as always and Mary, thank you for yours too and I was sorry to hear of your illness.

I cannot believe it is February already. January has flown by and we seem to have been very busy - not doing anything special just busy busy busy

I have January things to share though. And them some February freebies

 

I do like challenge and I set myself a challenge this year of doing a sketch a day in a special gorgeous little sketch book which is aimed at getting me to practice my sketching skills every day. They are quick little sketches and are fun to do and I have now finished my first month and proud not to have missed a day. They are not great works of art and, where possible, I am trying to sketch something from the day.

 

 

 

 

I have also taken on a challenge to paint 10 tiny miniature paintings each month is a little journal. The paintings are just 2" square and its fun to do.

Here is the cover of the book I am making

and here is the January double page

 

I have news from Pickleberrypop to share too. We are in a new month and so there is a brand new free with purchase this month and a brand new scrap bingo challenge. The two kits are both called A Full Heart and you can get the first free with purchases this month and the second if you complete the scrap bingo challenges which are fun to play along with

 

 

This was made with the FWP kit

and this with the prize kit

 

Today I am thankful for

• the joy of hobbies
• challenges which keep me motivated
• decluttering - it is ongoing!

 

 

Drawing for mindfulness

I belong to a super art group and I am one of the three tutors - I use that word a little tongue in cheek - in the group. Really we are a group all about sharing, but three of us do two months each of 'taught sessions' I decided to take a risk this month and for the whole of January have been doing classes based on drawing for mindfulness - or as I prefer at times - drawing for mindlessness.

I have always been a doodler - always. My meeting papers at work were always covered in doodles and I think better when I am doodling. I started doodling a little more formally during lockdown and dabble with zentangles.  Proper zentangles are quite 'rule based'. The zentangle has to be a set size, start and end with with mindfulness meditation, comprise of four dots int he corners, a border and then strings which are filled in with a variety f patterns. There are hundreds of these, named and quite precise.I have drawn zentangles but my love lies more with more free flowing designs and with words and images based on zentangle type ideas.

So that is what I have been teaching - starting with basic patterns then moving on to words and letters, then onto animals and finally scenes.

We are predominantly a watercolour group and I wasn't sure if people would like it, but I am pleased to say they have loved it. They were all provided with what I use - in my book a definitive pen - a unipin black waterproof permanent pen, and they really took to it. I have my book always to hand and am constantly doing it and I am so pleased so many of my fellow artists are also hooked now. They have really enjoyed it.

Anyway - I thought I would share some of my tangles and doodles completed recently. Please feel free to skip - they may be of no interest at all. They are a tiny selection of what I have done this month

However, if they are of interest I urge you to try it - it is so theraputic.

Random designs without and with colour (I do prefer black and white personally)

 

 

 

words

animals

 

 

scenes

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a successful month of teaching
• the pleasure art and drawing brings me every single day