Dolly's Dreamings

Highs and lows

 
Today has been a day of highs and lows.

The low was low - literally on the ground. I had to have some routine tests today and,  no idea why, I fainted. I suppose the good thing was it was in a hospital so if you are going to faint - do it in a hospital.  I think it was just one of those things - hopefully not one of those things that will happen again. The other low is that fact that the Ikea order due today is NOT coming. They have messed up big time and we are still trying to resolve the issue. The latest is that they will deliver on 21st September. Ludicrous as we paid for the stuff 8th August. I am just glad that, apart from having NO garage for my car because the old furniture and all the stuff from the dining room is int here, we can actually manage without it for a while if we need to. There are worse things could happen. It's not like it is a lounge and we have nowhere to sit or a kitchen and we have nowhere to cook (now there's an idea!!!)

The highs were high - ladder high! The lights for the arch int he garden arrived and so I put them up. One side was especially tricky as there is a huge climbing rose and the thorns are awful sharp. I was NOT prepared to be defeated and up they went. they are solar powered and I think I put them in too late in the day to work tonight, but hopefully they will shine tomorrow. I blame Samantha, totally! Her idea ... well and Pauline's.

I am trying to finish off my California album - though I know I won't get it completely finished this week. This page is a tribute to a little place we visited in the Napa Valley.  It was in a town calledCalistoga and I can't remember how we heard of it. I am not sure if any of you read - and love - Bill Bryson but I remember vividly in one of his books he talks of beinga  child and doing road trips and going to out of the way places that were not quite bona fida attractions and had handmade signs saying things like 'Just 60 miles to Atomic Rock'. It made us giggle and there was an 'atomic rock' sort of feel about Calistoga.

At the time we had not visited Yellowstone and seen the BIG Old Faithful geyser and so, unlike some of the other visitors there, we were suitable impressed. It was sort of someone's house - but with a small visitor centre attached and do you know what, the fact it was so understated was really very nice.

 

 

Today I am thankful that

• Nigel's big event he is organising is almost done and he can relax and chill out afterwards
• I CAN cope with no furniture
• Life is good

 

Weekly challenge

When I saw that the weekly challenge used butterflies - I figured that I might just be able to manage that one. Seemed tailor made.

I used it to create another page for the California album - this time Santa Monica pier.
Santa Monica reminded us in many ways of Bournemouth - just bigger, hotter and, well more American I guess.

 

We loved the pier and it really was like stepping back in time in a way. It was somewhere we hadn't been before and I am sure if we return to California (which I am sure we will) we see again.

Had a fiddle witht he curtains now, addinga  separate layer and making tie backs (none of the bought ones were right for what we wanted so it seemed easier to make them) and am now happy witht he windows. Just as well as it is still the only thing in there. Not a stick of furniture, but hopefully that will change as it is due to be delivered tomorrow and then once it is built - Oh the joys of flat pack eh- I can start puttinge verything away. Busy days ahead then I feel.

 Today I am thankful for

• Dunhelm Mill (LOL)
• Window dressing

 

 I don't want to tempt fate but .... the CFH have never done this .... so far!

 

 

More bang for your buck

I can honestly say that we have had value for money from our National Trust membership this year. We have visited so many places and have saved a lot. We take the view we don't mind if we don't get our money's worth as we view it as donating to a charity type thing, but I must admit it is rather nice when you look back and see how many places you have visited - for free.

But do you know what ... today we went to our most local NT property that we have visited many times and actually went inside. Kingston lacey is our closest stately home and we go often to walk, to see the gardens and woodlands, to craft fairs etc. But we have never been inside the house. And we were enchanted. It is beautiful and is one of those stately homes that seemed 'homely' if that was possible. Because most of the decor was Edwardian it was stuffed and overcrowded and really rather cosy and lovely. We both really enjoyed it.

Just a few quick snaps.

 It's not the prettiest from the outside butt he inside was lovely.

 

 

 

 The walls of this room were leather. Gorgeous.

 

 

 
The dining room was set up for a party where everything was pink as one of Lady Bankes' friends liked pink and she really did this. Gosh I love the concept of a pink banquet.

I love intricate chests and they had a lot of them around the house. This one was stunning.

 
This was Nigel's favourite room - the tented room (well rooms) and it was all painted. The ropes were carved and painted. really unusual and stunning.

 

 

 

Today I am sorry that I didn't measure the window first- oops

Today I am thankful for

• Lovely places to visit from home

 

A photographic journey through Cambridge

 
Cambridge was a beautiful town and we both took so many pictures I had no idea what to do with them. Then I remembered the numerous mini books I had been so ashamed to have a glut of ... perfect. And it brought my mojo back too.

It is just a trip through the town with some of the photos we really liked. It serves as a good reminder of a lovely little break we enjoyed.

 
The basis for the book was an old K and Co mini kit. It opens out like an accordion album.

 The Bridge of Sighs was so wonderful it has to be on the front page.

 

The views ont he right were the first views we had when we came out of the carpark - absolutely stunning and the sun was shining at that point, making the white stone gleam.

I love when you have dramatic skies in pictures.

Nij took the picture of the old Morris Minor in front of Kings - such a lovely image.

 

 

We both loved the Backs - I guess because it was water and we both love water. I always imagined punting ont he Cam would be tranquil and idyllic. Well on a Monday in August it was pretty but NOT tranquil. I have never seen so many boats navigating rather narrow waterways together and as they were also being punted by the public as well as by the 'student' tour guides I am amazed there were no accidents as they didn't look very easy to control. Judging by the people punting you needed a fair bit of strength to take the bigger tour boats out too.

 

 The only college we toured round was St John's. You could actually spend a lot of money very quickly if you went into a lot of colleges, beautiful as they are.

 

 

I have a great e mail to share today. Please do click the link - it is safe - I promise.

It was sent to Nigel by a friend who often sends the most amazing things. I am in awe of the fine detail in the model. Enjoy watching.

A jaw-dropping model of San Francisco... You've probably made model houses out of popsicle sticks with your children.  This man made a model of the entire city of San Francisco.  And he decided to use toothpicks.  He used more than 100,000 toothpicks, and it took 35 years to build.  Not only is it huge, you can take tours using little plastic balls.  Prepare to be amazed. http://player.vimeo.com/video/22461692?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0

Today I am thankful for

• enjoying what I am doing

 

All scrapped out and Card-a-palooza

 
Do you know

I truly think it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Oh yes. Too much scrapping actually.

Having not been away this summer I have enjoyed having scrapping time as well as time to walk, go out, read and relax. But I feel quite scrapped out. I have been trying to finish a page that has been on my desk for 24 hours and it is just not happening as I am just not motivated. But it is, after all, a hobby, and so I don't HAVE to do it.

I do, however, have an assignment to complete so really must crack on with that.

I took part in Card-a-palooza over August. Challenges set daily to make card with no sentiments. It was a little unnerving the make cards and not add the sentiment, but I could see the logic in it as then they are generic cards you can add appropriate sentiments to when you need them. Well, I think I can.

It was a card a day for 15 days and these are just a couple made for the event.

  
 

The second one used a lot of techniques which have photographed badly - but used embossing and misting and resist. Heck, two more for the box and hopefully more money for Lewis Manning hospice.  I would like to be able to get over the £500 raised by Christmas really. I am up to £480 so far so not too much to go and not a bad sum to have raised just from scrapping really.

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely walk and a sense of peace

 

 

 

A day of changes

Today has been a day of changes at home.

We have had a new internet system and Virgin box installed. It is MEANT to be hugely fast but actually doesn't seem that much different. The new box will record three things at the same time, store 200 hours of recordings - I think - be interactive like a computer (how?) and pretty much do everything other than make the tea. Nij is really thrilled with it. My contribution is that I thought it looked like a nice box! Boys and girls ... different eh. I am just glad I wasn't here for the install as I don't like the mess and the wires.

We also had the dining room carpet fitted. It looks fab and maybe, just maybe, we have found a carpet that works for us. Having always gone for a high wool content as we thought it was 'the best' we have gone for the opposite. It is the exact carpet our neighbours have had down for a year and it looks fab. They are brilliant neighbours and even gave us their invoice and a sample to take tot he store to say 'we want THAT one!' Apparently it is one of the bleachable carpets. When it was fitted next door, our neighbour (and I so admire her for this) put beetroot juice on an offcut, left it all day. Then bleached it off. Good as new! Ha ... that should stop the cats int heir tracks. No more marks if they are ever poorly.  I'm just glad it is the right colour and feels all soft and bouncy.

Nij is just hanging the light, which is a bit of a statement I have to say.

I haven't finished the scrapping I was doing this morning as I have been out this afternoon, but I have a page from yesterday to share. It is the cover for my digital circle journal a group of us are making.

 

 Today I am thankful for

• the fact there are some truly genuine, open people in the world and that dealing with them is a joy. It refreshes the soul.

 

 

Busy as a bee

It's been a busy old day for both of us today as Nij had a programme deadline and I have been catching up on work.

Schemes are now all complete, new initiatives worked on and even my circle journal is made, bound and decorated.

I also managed the weekly challenge on UKS which was to scrap about home in some way, include a list and your favourite colour. Well no surprise my page included turquoise then eh!

I chose to scrap a dream home (although I do love my actual home and it would be a tall order to beat it - in the real world)

 

I love the websites that are all home plans and if I won the lottery (which will never happen as I don't DO the lottery) I would certainly rather have my dream home built as you can go for just the spec you want. I love browsing the plans and can happily lose hours. I don't think my dream home is excessive ... there is no heli pad, there wouldn't be oodles of bedrooms (actually two bedrooms would do - one for us and one for guests) but I would want quite specific reception rooms and I would love a pool. I made the page for my 10 album so it has 10 things I would love, but by far the most important is big windows letting in lots of light. Light is so important to us and one of the things I love about our home here is it is always light. We get sun all day and the windows are huge.

My fantasy home would have an in and our drive - I love the concept of not having to reverse out! It would also have a walk in wardrobe. Boy I would love that - a huge walk in closet all railed and racked out. Mind you, let's face it, unless it was a walk in closet with a big door on it, it would never work for us. Not with the CFH. I am meticulous in changing my clothes when I come home from work so I don't get covered in cat hair and yet I get cat hair on my clothes because our wardrobes are, apparently, a magical place just begging to be inspected by cats. You can never open a wardrobe but that there is a cat right there.

 

The other thing I would love is a family room, kitchen, breakfast room all flowing into one and all with doors opening onto the garden. We'd live in that room.

So, it was fun making the page and I challenge you all to have a browse of the dream house plan sites and just let your imagination run riot.

 Today I am thankful for

• living in a home that pretty much fulfills my dreams

 

Handmade - in all sorts of ways

I have had a work day today - and do you know what ... it feels really good.
I think we all need a break at times,a chance to switch off, chill out, relax,  but once you have had a break it is good to get back in the saddle again and my brain, which was turning to a very nice mush for much of the holidays, has enjoyed being switched back on and challenged.

I have also found time to sort out TV package out. You know how it is, you have 'jobs' to do, weeks of summer holidays stretching ahead of you so the jobs are not pressing - you have oodles of time - and so in reality you just never get to do them. Virgin were so helpful - as they always seem to be - and we have a shiny new package sorted out which will cost us no extra and have a lot more features including a new all singing all dancing super duper box (no - I don't have a clue what it does but it sounded impressive LOL)

Dawn Inskip has a new kit out today which is so cute. I know many of you who read the blog are really gifted with your stitching and sewing and knitting and this is a kit you will love.

 I love it - even though I no longer knit (though I did make a scarf this year ... but that is a bit different fromt he intricate baby clothes I used to make) and I no longer do crewel work and cross stitch. I haven't the time, the patience or the eyesight for the fine details now. I have a sampler to finish for Elinor for her birth (yes she is three now!) that her mother started and never finished and asked me to finish. I am thinking it will make a wonderful 18th birthday gift!

I digress - the kit is lovely and the elements would be great for hybrid too.

This is one of the pages I made with it.

 

Apart from the papers and elements which are lush, the alphabet is gorgeous so check out the collection in Dawn's store at Scrapbookgraphics.

Today I am thankful that

• I didn't make too big a lump on my head when I cracked it ona  cupboard - though it is pounding a lot!

 And the reason I don't wear lipstick .... I couldn't bear Kira judging me (and Oh yes ... she would!)

 

A visit 'ooop North'

We have just come back from a  couple of days 'ooop north'. Well let's face it, anywhere beyond London is up North for us. However, we have been up to Stockport to see Sam and her family and visited a couple of Stately homes in the process. And once again we were blessed with beautiful weather.

On the way to Sam's we went to Lyme Park, a place I have long wanted to visit since seeing Pride and Pejudice on TV. It was the location used for Pemberly and the famous scene of Mr Darcy coming out of the water all wet and wonderful! You know the one.

 

I have to say the place was beautiful. Whilst the house inside was not one of the nicest we have seen, the sun came out and the house seen in the reflecting lake looked utterly spectacular. Whilst Colin Firth wasn't there, formally dressed or otherwise, it was wonderful!

 

 

 

 

I would love to have been there on a day with a little wind as the singing sculpture was quite unique and must sound fabulous when the wind whistles through it. We were there on a very still day.

 

Sam and I had a great time catching up on everything whilst the 'boys' went to Speedway. It was wonderful to see the girls as I get to see them so rarely. Stockport is a long way, almost a 5 hour journey, so we don't get together as much as we would all like and each time the girls have changed so much.

 

On the way home, amongst other things, we visited Shugborough and it was, in many ways, the opposite to Lyme. The house was not nearly so photogenic, but we both agreed it was one of the nicest National Trust properties we had seen inside. It was very 'homely' and it was lovely to see the very personal appartments of Patrick Litchfield and to see so many of his photos which were really beautiful.

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• Samantha and her family - as always
• National Trust membership which forces us to go out and about!

 

That'll do 'micely'

Something is not quite right with the Fiki monster. He is not a happy chappy and we have caused it.

Both of the cats have lots of toys and they really do play with them endlessly. They have dangles and things they chase, they have play tunnels and cat gyms but most of all they have small toy mice. Kira's are all pretty and look like mice. Fiki's are largely things that look like they have been nuked with radiation to make them mutants. But they love them. They play fetch for hours, bringing the chosen toy to you, dropping it in your hand and then jumping and catching the thrown toy mid air, killing it a bit then bringing it back.

At night we gather all of the toys up and put them back in their toy basket. They really do go and choose which ones they want to get out, rummaging through and picking the one they want.

Fiki also likes to make sure his toys are nice and clean - dunking them in his water bowl - and that they are safe and hidden from the tidying up monsters. He likes to hide them under anything he can. Most of our furniture now has battons fixed underneath to stop this. He can still get them under the beds, but we can clear under there. The one place we could never clear was the two big wall units in the dining room. So we knew we'd find some mice in there when we moved them out. And we did. 29 of them!!!!

So I had to record it.

 

However, he has not been happy since. I think he doesn't like having nowhere to hide his treasures. Every morning since we have come down to mice strewn literally everywhere round the house. He has never done that. He usually goes and gets one mouse and leaves it by our bedroom door as a gift when he starts crying for attention at about 6 am. But I seriously think moving his hiding place has knocked him for six bless him.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• Having cats with such character (I need to remember that sometimes when they are driving me crazy)