Dolly's Dreamings

Such a special day

Today has been lovely in many ways.

First and foremost Indy is more himself. They had their vaccinations last week and since then Indy has been very quiet and subdued, eating slowly, not playing and not being his usual happy self.

Although he still has a large lump on the vaccine site he is much more himself today and that has made me far happier.

Then we went for a walk along the stour and this time we took cameras and we saw, almost straight away, a gorgeous kingfisher. They are not perfect photos but we are pleased with them.  The squirrel was from our garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's also been new release day at Pickleberrypop and (#ad) I have worked with three wonderful collections

 

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Precious Memories Bundle by Carol W Designs

 

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Pretty Day Bundle by Carol W Designs

 

 

This is for the digital album - the Geographical centre of America

 

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Life Stories Templates Volume 1 by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

 

 

It's been an all round lovely day. I hope that you have found joy in your day too.

 

Today I am thankful for

• Indy being better
• Nature's wonders - those kingfishers were amazing.

Proper chilly

I have no idea why today feels so cold. It is currently 2 degrees and it has been below zero other days but it is that bitter sort of chill that eats through you.

Had a lovely time at art and have started a tiger but I think it could take weeks to complete! I am thinking pencils may not be for me and I might return to my first love of water colours.

 

I had a pleasant morning making embellishments

 

 

 

 

 

 

and I have this to share made as part of my design team work for A Trip Down Memory Lane

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• double glazing and central heating
• being indoors
• art club

 

and these just made me smile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enforced rest

Today has seen enforced rest from walking as my knees have been playing up. The Apple watch is driving me harder than my body can deal with so today was cycling not walking - gentler on the knees.

But that has also meant scrap time which is always good.

Before I share the scrapping Jackey you asked about where it was that we went for a meal that was quiet. That was Prezzo in Ringwood but we find if we have just one meal the day we go out and have that about 2.30 - 3 we are pretty much guaranteed an empty restaurant. We did that even pre Covid to be honest - we like the quiet.

 

So scrapping today I tackles a DAF challenge which was to interpret a sketch two different ways

 

 

I spent way too long cutting bits of die cut foliage for this - but I do like the finished effect

 

 

 

and this is the second take on it - I made this as part of my DT work for A Trip Down Memory Lane as this was my DT kit this month - Simple Stories Hearth and Home

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing more to report today so I will leave you with some internet marvels at the end.

 

Have a good week ahead.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a quiet day
• contentedness at home
• audio books

I am in awe of the handwriting of these pople

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glorious Days

This week has been utterly gorgeous - the sun has shone and it has raised the freezing temperatures a little and my goodness it has been cold. We hit -3 this morning. But I will take the cold over the heat any day and I have loved the weather.

We have enjoyed a few trips out and about.

I share these in the knowledge that several readers have commented they like to see where we have been and it gives them ideas of where to go!

 

The sun hadn't burnt off the early mist at Hamworthy park

 

 

 

I love that ethereal look on the water.

Yesterday we went out for our first meal out in 3 months and it was such a treat. We knew the quiet time and were the only people in the restaurant

 

 

 

Looks like a nice G and T doesn't it - just water. I swear

 

 

Yummy

 

Today we drove out to the Isle of Purbeck (I have a good friend from Swanage who get's mad when I say the Purbecks!) and it was glorious

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a little scrapping to share too

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh and there are a few boy photos too

 

 

 

 

and my 3 boys all together

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• lovely days out
• sunshine and frost
• my three boys

 

 

Beautiful Berry Big Deals

It is Berry Big Deal day today at Pickleberrypop and as a member of the Creative Team I have been given some gorgeous collections to work with

 

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Dreams BBD by Natali Designs

 

 

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BE … by Fayette Designs

 

 

 

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Very Romantic BBD by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

 

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Note to Self Bundle by MDD Designs

 

 

 

 

As always everything coordinates so do go and check it out in store.

 

Today I am thankful for

• Being a CT member for Pickleberrypop
• Not having to have anything done other than a clean at the dentist

 

 

A New Forest Treasure Trail

It has been utterly glorious here (the calm before the cold apparently) and so we headed off to do another treasure trail - this time in Lyndhurst in the New Forest.

It was an easy trail - we found everything but once again we love how it makes you look at things.

 

The Church of St Michael and All Angels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were beautifully carved angels in the nave roof and a famous fresco on the reredos. It is also the church where Alice Hargreaves (nee Liddell) is buried. She was the Alice of Alice in Wonderland.

 

 

 

 

The trail also took us right past a gorgeous old fashioned sweetie shop - well it had to be done. I couldn't take a photo and not buy anything - that would have been plain rude

 

 

 

And you can't have the forest without the New Forest ponies and the trees

 

 

 

 

We had a lovely day.

 

I have some new scrapping to share

This from our Mudeford walk last week

 

 

This from our beach walk last week

 

 

These two were for Peartree Cut File challenges

 

 

This is the year I have set myself a target of learning to draw with coloured pencils. This is my first full picture that I am part way through

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely day out
• fun together
• sweeties

 

 

Still a bit chilly

We went out first thing for a walk and it was only 1 degree. But we walked fast and soon warmed up - gotta get those rings closed!

But then I felt justified in sitting and scrapping taking part in various crops and challenges on the internet.

 

These are my pages from today

Our chilly beach walk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and finally a bit of Koda time

 

The photo doesn't so it justice as the light had gone.

 

Today I am thankful for

• getting the all clear from he chest x ray and the breathing is definitely getting better
• closing those rings
• scrappy time

 

 

Pickleberrypop Relases and other stuff!

It is new release day today and I worked with two different collections, both gorgeous

 

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Seek Balance MDD Designs

 

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Warm My Heart bundle by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

 

In other news we have had a glorious walk on the beach - cold but unbroken sunshine and I closed two of my three rings before 10 am (For those of you not Apple Watch users it's all about moving, exercising and activity and you have three rings to close each day - to stand and move every hour, to burn a specific number of calories by moving and to exercise. Closing the three rings becomes addictive and I have done it every day so far but not usually by 10 am)

 

 

the new cooker

and a beach walk

 

 

and my latest pencil drawing beginning to emerge

Today I am thankful for

a lovely walk

the beach

Amazon service. I bought a helical pencil sharpener and it broke after a couple of uses yesterday. Amazon service is brilliant. reported it as unsuitable at 4.30 yesterday afternoon. New pencil sharpener (different make) arrived today and full refund given. Label printed and dropped off free of charge at local store.

 

Just a quick post

I was reminded today - by Nigel no less - that I hadn't blogged. At least it shows he does read it to see what his wife has been up to!

 

I am still having breathing issues but am incredibly impressed that I am having a chest x ray tomorrow only 5 days after referral. I know everything says the NHS is under huge pressure but I think that is pretty good. Mind you, the precautions one has to follow are huge. You wait outside, you tell them when you arrive, you wear no jewellery or bra just a  plain t shirt so you don't even have to undress and they come to the car park to fetch you, you go straight in, photo and out. How incredibly efficient is that!

 

I have little new scrapping to share as much of what I have been doing is for guest DT slots next month which I am very very excited by

 

This was for a Scrap a Sketch challenge and I found it hard to scrap as it records my departed fur babies who have crossed to Rainbow Bridge but are Never forgotten.

 

 

 

 

 

and this is one to record how proud I am of our boyz. They are used on social media in an advert for the cat food we use - amazing cat food I have to say. It has transformed them. It's not cheap but it looks like real food and they thrive on it. I get a thrill every time I see the advert with the boyz on. Hot off the press for a UKS challenge and a Rediscover your stash ... something that makes me happy

 

 

 

 

 

Look at them!

 

 

Am very proud of my boyz (all three of them - just 2 of them are cuter and furrier)

 

Today I am thankful for

• a speedy hospital appointment
• progress on my next pencil drawing - my goodness they are slow to do
• scrappy time
• all of my fur babies, past and present. They have all been different and have all brought joy.

 

A Happy Scrappy Day

It's been wet and miserable and horrible - but that's fine. Perfect weather to stay in and scrap.

 

Our new cooker came yesterday and I know we had to have a new cooker as the old one was, well old and not reliable, but it's going to take some getting used to and at the moment I'm not keen. However as the old one was scrapped there is no going back now.

 

I have had fun scrapping though and have scrapped some of the photos from Wednesday. And I also managed to catch up via zoom with scrappy friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and yes, I am going for A4 for my annual albums again. Last year I filled 4 A4 double-width binders with over 350 pages and so it is a far more financially sustainable way of scrapping. I still get plentry of 12 x 12 with other albums but my dailies will be A4.

 

Other than that not much to report from here

 

Today I am thankful for

• a working cooker (I WILL get used to it)
• scrappy fun
• my apple watch
• a new skin care product (I am a real non skin care person. My face gets washed with soap and water and I use the worlds most basic moisturiser. I don't wear makeup and my face gets neglected, although for my age I don't have many wrinkles so it must work. But I do use an exfoliator once a week and mine seems to be a deleted product so I bought a new Tropic face polish and I am in love)