Dolly's Dreamings

The final bits of Wales

Well the Welsh album is now away and will re-appear only to be looked at when we want to remember that little break, significant in that it was the first time we left our boys too.

 

I loved the wild rhododendrons clinging to the slate hills

 

 

Visiting Aberfan was such an important thing for me to do and it was terribly moving. The first news story I ever remember, it killed children my age and so I felt I really had to go and pay my respects

 

The mass grave site and memorial is beautiful but heart-wrenching

 

and that garden on the site of the school was at the same time dreadful and beautiful.

 

 

I struggled enourmously with this page as I couldn't work out how to do it so the map unfolded. I got there in the end

 

 

 

 

It really was a lovely little trip. Not a proper road trip by our American standards, but none the less, a lovely trip.

I think we have to get used to holidaying in the UK for the foreseeable future.

 

 

Little else to report here.

I have been sewing - and for once not on paper or card. I have been making the boys little bandanas for their 1st brithday and also some bunting. Yes, it's offical. I am crazy cat lady!

 

Today I am thankful for

• a task completed
• my boys - all three of them. They made a great team the other night when a massive - and I do mean massive - spider ran across the loungs. Koda spotted it, Indy chased it, Nigel 'dealt' with it. We try never ever to kill spiders but he was huge and fast and nothing to catch him in other than a slipper. We were very sorry.

 

 

Days just fly but memories remain

I seriously don't know where the days go - they just vanish

However, whilst days fly by some memories last forever, indelibly marked on our collective unconsciousness. Today is such a day

20 years ago ... cocooned in a school where we don't have TVs or radios on,  we didn’t hear the news immediately... I remember going outside just before collection time and talking to parents... some very worried. We had a lot of parents who worked for J P Morgan who had offices in the twin towers. For me it is also inexorably linked to Daddy. We watched the news coverage together as I packed his case for his final visit to hospital. He never came home, passing just three days later.

The world changed for everyone that day. Visiting the 9/11 museum and the memorial was something we both felt we HAD to do and it was hard. There was much I couldn't watch or listen to and we left emotionally drained after our visit. The anniversary seems even more poignant in light of the withdrawal from Afghanistan and it seems we are once again on the precipice.

The world needs to remember and pull together forgetting these petty differences that seem to consume everyone so much

 

This is a photo I took at the 9/11 museum in 2018

 

I have been scrapping a lot as I wanted to complete my album on our little mini break to Wales. No idea how a three day break has ended up with a thirty page album but there you go!

 

But I have completed it now which is excellent.

 

So here are some welsh pages ... I won't bombard you with all of them in one go!

 

This is the title page

 

 

 

 

I have also been working with some lush digital things. One of my favourite designers - TirAmisu Designs  - was our Gal Friday this week and I worked with her gorgeous Gal Friday Just September collection which is heavily discounted and has a free gift at the moment.

 

 

and I don't think I shared this one though I made it last week

 

 

and finally I have two pieces of art to share. One was just a bit of a fun doodle and the other was a painting from art this week. we had to use acrylics as watercolours and paint a picture completely from our imagination. I found it really hard to not have a reference photo but I gave it a go.

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• relative peace in the world I habit - so many people are NOT living in a safe peaceful place. They loose loved ones, see things no-one should see, live in fear of their lives and the lives of those they love. I pray that all of the leaders of the world can work together, setting aside differences and trey to bring peace to all

 

Hug your loved ones just a little closer today because none of us know what lies just around the corner, ever!

 

Finally turned the corner

Well it's been a hard old few days but I think I am finally over whatever the heck the nastiness was that struck me down badly and I am on the mend.

The last two days have been far more normal.

Yesterday we met Nigel's brother and sister in law at Poole Park for coffee by the lake.

 

 

 

And we also had dinner at the RNLI college which was a lovely view over the harbour

 

 

 

 

 

 

And today we were so privileged to help my best friend with her bee hive. She needed a hand lifting and so Nigel got to dress up and help which was awesome. They really are amazing creatures and Jakki is so knowledgeable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

not one of her bees - a wild interloper

 

and pure liquid gold - literally

And a little scrapping to share. First a brand new collection from Dita B Designs using a kit called Thank You

 

 

and this with Autumn Dayz: A Berry Blends Collab Kit by LorieM and CarolW Designs Free with $10 purchase

 

 

and these are a few pages made for challenges

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• feeling better
• living by the water
• best friends

 

almost out the other side

Well it's been quite a few days here on the home ranch!

 

I was hit with some sort of bug - no idea what but it was evil. I can't remember ever having stomach pains like or being so sick. Haven't really eaten for anything other than a slice or two of white bread for 48 hours but that's good for the diet, right!

 

I am left feeling very wobbly and weak and still nauseous - haven't even felt like scrapping much - unheard of eh!

 

But the GOOD news is that the boys had their final blood test yesterday and it was clear and it looks very like we have dodged the bullet. I can't tell you how pleased I am and I have even started planning for their birthday later in the month. I couldn't do that before - it was tempting fate, but now I feel I might be able to actually look forward to it. I can't believe they are almost 1

Here are a few pages I did before I was properly struck down

 

 

This is for my Iconic America album. The Golden Gate had to be there

 

 

and this for the digital coast to coast which I have neglected a lot

and one I managed to make today - but it was a bit of a step too far

Today I am thankful for

• a wonderful husband who looks after me so well
• my boys being all clear still
• bed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few necessarily quiet days

The last couple of days have been quiet - I haven't been very well so there has been lots of lying down and taking it easy. It's always over a bank holiday weekend isn't it when everywhere is closed. Ah well.

We did find the sunflower fields near Canford on Thursday and at that point I was feeling well enough to walk and it was a lovely walk too. Not only sunflowers but other wild flowers too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We even foraged for blackberries

 

 

and yesterday Nigel took me out for lunch before he had to go to speedway. It was lovely. The desert was way too much though

 

 

 and a little scrapping

 

 

and this is the class I taught for A Trip Down Memory Lane at their weekend online crop

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a quiet time
• my three boys - all been looking after me though Indy is a bit boingdy at times

 

 

Walks and wonderings

We finally got rid of all of our excess cat food today. We had lots of food we had bought for Kira to try and tempt her plus food the boys chose not to eat and so it has all gone to a lovely cat rescue lady who will make good use of it.

I think the boys were a bit aghast to see food LEAVING the house but we explained it was for boys who didn't have mommies and daddies and they accepted it - kind of!

They cheered up when the new car cooler appeared though and it was in a big box. I swear we only buy things to get them new boxes!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a lovely walk by the water this morning, washing was out and dry in no time and Nigel mowed the lawn. It was also lovely to have a long chat with Nigel's friend in Florida - we miss seeing him ad goodness knows when we will get back to the USA.

 

I also did some scrapping from yesterday

 

 

 

and this is something ,ade with a new release today by Carol W Designs - a gorgeous page kit and a set of templates

 

 

 

 

You can find both on offer at PBP today.

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely walk
• being able to donate
• friends from far away
• cardboard boxes and simple fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunflower heaven

It is no secret that sunflowers are my favourite flowers of all ... even better than poppies ... and so to see the sunflower farm today and enjoy so many varieties was awesome

 

Cue photo overload ... sorry, not sorry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and so many beautiful bees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and we went and saw some of the cruise ships back where they belong instead of Poole Bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely lovely day
• sunflowers and sunshine
• bees - no world without them

 

 

So very very special

Yesterday was one of my favourite days in a long long time.

Apart from seeing Ant and Elly in July and seeing everyone each week throughout lockdown via our family Friday quiz nights, I had not seen these wonderful people since 2019.

They are not my family but are so my family! Hard to explain. Pauline is my other Mom. She has been a constant in my life since I was 4. She has always been my other Mom, even when I had my own Mom (who she adored too) and I cannot begin to explain how special she is to me.

Her daughter, Sam, is my goddaughter and she is the daughter we never had, the sister I dreamed of. She is beyond special to both of us, as is her husband Chris, her two daughters and her brothers and wives and sister. Sam even lived with us for a short while and we were so thrilled.

So to see them yesterday as we all descended on Bossy Nanny's was wonderful. We had such fun. Great food was eaten, drink was taken in the Gin Shed, the six dogs were wonderful (6 of them were less trouble than my two boys) and the boys were safely looked after by my best friend. It was a day to feel truly truly blessed.

 

and today I am thankful for ALL OF THEM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bit of this a bit of that

Some weeks are quiet - this has been a quiet one - and I really don't mind that.

We went and took the art exhibition down, we have been for a few walks, we have chilled, and read and done a jigsaw and, of course, I have scrapped.

There was a fab challenge birthday celebration on at Peartree CutFiles and there were 20 challenges - and I have managed all of them - one each day - so I am chuffed with myself. And it got me using the cut files instead of just looking at them.

These are my latest pages

 

 

 

these were as part of my DT work for A Trip Down Memory Lane using paige Evans Wonders

 

 

 

 

and these were for Scrap Squad and UKS challenges

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• gentle days. I remember what I would feel like at this time in August when I was working. I would be realising my summer holiday had almost gone, panicing about all I still had to do and not looking forward to the new school year. It is so nice to NOT feel like that.

and just some LOL cats to make you smile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So summer went again

It's not cold but it's not glorious either. On balance it hasn't been a fab summer, but I am OK with that. I am not a lover of the heat - they are threatening it is coming back. I don't want it back thank you

 

I have had a busy few days with bits and pieces going on but have managed some scrapping.

Firstly there have been some stunning new releases at Pickleberrypop for the usual Berry Big Deal promotion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do go and check out the store for all the Berry Big deals. They are all on offer and they all coordinate. Too good to miss.

 

I have also done some paper scrapping

 

 

 

all three were made for Peartree Cut File challenges which I am so enjoying.

 

Today I am thankful for

• my boys continued health
• their growing confidence - they were very good with Jakki today
• a tidy desk - it had gotten messy (well by my standards)

and some internet disasters (some would make me cry for sure)

So if you think you are having a bad day - I am sure these people had it worse.