Dolly's Dreamings

Looking back, looking forward

New Year’s Eve is an odd time isn’t it; that moment when the clock ticks round past midnight and whole year ends and another whole year starts. It is nothing more than any other second in our lives and yet so often we set great store by it. We so often see a new year as a whole new beginning, a time for making new resolutions, for starting new things and giving up old ones, for trying to become better, fitter, healthier, slimmer, braver, stronger, more optimistic, more faithful, more thankful.

I guess the fact we do all of this at all is a good thing, and 1^st January is as good a time as any.

However, this evening is also a time for reflection on the past. January is named after the Roman God Janus, the god with the two faces, the god of doorways, the god shown looking back and looking forward.

I actually like the Jewish concept of New Year; that celebrated at Rosh Hashanah. I like the idea of thinking of God balancing he books, weighing the scales, seeing whether there is more good than bad, more positive than negative.

And so I sit here, when I should really be starting to prepare dinner, reflecting back and looking forward.

2011 has been a great year – one with so many blessings and so much to be truly grateful for.

First and foremost we are both fit and healthy, we are safe and warm and we still have the three fur babies we started the year off with. There are many years when we haven’t been able to be thankful for all of those things.

 

This year will always be remembered as our 25^th anniversary year when we renewed our vows in such a special way, taking part in a high mass at Sacre Coeur and then reciting our vows to each other, before God, with the nuns singing. We are both blessed to have married our best friend and soul mate and we thank God daily for that blessing. Our marriage is by no means perfect; we argue on occasions, one of us gets snappy at times, we don’t always see eye to eye, but our marriage is blessed with a great deal of love and a lot of laughter. I can honestly say there isn’t a day go by but that we laugh … a lot… and that laughter is so important. So as I look back, that 25^th anniversary is a great milestone and I pray we enjoy another 25 together … at least.

I look back and am thankful for the ever growing faith I have and the way in which that sustains me through everything. It has given me a changed perspective on life and any trials that come my way and I feel a sense of peace that I have rarely known so much before.

I am thankful for the friends and family that bring so much to our lives in so many ways

I am thankful for the opportunities Nigel has had this year, the determination he has shown with all of his new ventures and, if I could hope for anything, it would be that he gets the success he so richly deserves.

I am thankful for the joy I continue to get from my creative pursuits and from my work. Both bring me joy, though the work hours are long and some things are challenging. I have to say, however, that I love my job and whilst I do look forward to the day when I join Nigel in retirement, there is nothing else I would rather be doing.

I am thankful for all of the great trips we have made this year and the joy that being outside brings us. It doesn’t matter if we potter next door on the heath, walk the local neighbourhood or travel further afield, we love being out and doing things almost as much as we love being home.

I am thankful for the things we have achieved at home too. Our home is now finished with every room refurbished (some more than once) and we can now just sit back and enjoy it.

Finally I am thankful for the lovely people I have met through my scrapping and through my own blog and those of other people. I have had so many wonderful comments on my blog this year from people who come by and read on regular basis. I have met people who read the blog and have stopped to tell me so. I always say I blog primarily for me; it is my way of recording my life, collating my scrapping, stories, quotes and photos, but it is so nice that I get so much positive feedback from you. Thank you. I plan on continuing my blog and again, for the third year running, having my daily thankfulness on there as it does make me stop and think each day about the many things that happen, often very minor, for which I need to be thankful.

And so I look forward to a new year in 2012. Yes there are things I will be promising to do, to change, to develop and to start this year and no I won’t be sharing them as I would hate to publically fail!

I wish you all a very happy New Year’s Eve. I hope that 2011 has been filled with more positives than negatives for you and your loved ones and I hope that 2012 will be a year filled with health and happiness, love and laughter for all of us.

Snowfall album

I have been enjoying scrapping frenzy and have lots of new things to share, but today I want to share a mini book I have just finished. It is actually quiote a large mini book but I am just so pleased with it I can't wait to share it.

I have to thank Jane for my wonderful Secret Santa present which included many of the papers I have used. I had some from the range but she sent me some lush papers, lace, chipboard etc from the Bo Bunny set which made this album possible.

We rarely get snow down here - it's always sunny you know and at least 20 degrees LOL. Seriously, snow is a rarity but last year, like the rest of the UK, we were in the grip of a really cold snowy spell with two significant falls on 2nd and 20th December. It was stunning and I took so many photos and just wanted to record them all together.

 

I based it on the album design by Laura at Following the Paper Trail (seriously, that woman is my idol, everything she makes is so inspiring and I just want to follow all of her classes and guides. She is amazing) I haven't included every page - and yes I hear those sighs of relief - but you get the general idea.

 

 The nice thing about the album is there are so many pockets and spaces

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• solving a technical computer PSE issue I was stuck with
• a lovely day scrapping

A wintery wet walk

We have had a more active day than usual today (we have become very slothful this holiday) and been for a walk round the old fortified walls of Wareham with two friends and their dog. Apart from the good company it was a really interesting walk as we learnt a great deal about the town and its history. I hadn't appreciated how far back it went and how important Wareham had been, acting as the main port for the area. It was only when the river became silted up that the main port switched to its local neighbour, our home town, Poole.

We went into St Martin's a gorgeous saxon church I haven't been in since I was 10 on a school trip and saw the effigy of T E Lawrence (of Arabia) and the 11th century frescos still in evidence.

It was a bit wet and cold so the camera didn't come out until we were back at the car really but a couple of snaps.

Oh yes - it was hat day. I actually love my hat. Not the most photogenic of hats, I love that it is waterproof and warm and keeps the rain off my glasses too.

All that walking worked up quite an appetite and so we ended with a lovely lunch at St Peter's Finger and a good old chin wag. I love days like that - very chilled (quite literally at times) and leisurely.

Dawn has a brand new collection out today and - I know I say this about every kit and collection - it is fabulous. I am really fascinated with wildlife and native americans and this is both combined. It is called dream catchers and is beautiful and was also inspired by some of her very very talented daughter's art work. It is on sale at her store at Scrapbookgraphics.

This is a page I made with it using pictures I took whilst out with Dawn herself at Paradise Wildlife Park

I couldn't resist calling it 2 socks as we both love the wolf in Dances with Wolves.

 

I have more pages to share with it tomorrow. But aren't the colours fabulous.

Today I am thankful for

• winter walks and old friends
• Being part of such an amazing creative team as Dawn's

Completed Journal Your Christmas number 6

I have just finished my Christmas journal for 2011 and have to say I am pleased it is done. I do quite like the finished project, but I have learnt a very important lesson for me. Making it ahead of time and filling it did save time each day but it is not the way to go for me. I didn't like it. I am a make it as I go sort of girl.

I liked the novel way of linking the envelopes, but next year - Oh yes there will be a next year - I need to make it as I go along and I think I will probably make a digital one again.

Anyway here are the final pages. I am only going as far as 27th December. I rarely go beyond this date in the journals.

This is the double page for 22nd and 23rd

 

 
23 was about our first ever home made Christmas cake which we cut into on 23rd and it was delisious

This is Christmas Eve

I love the sunrise picture as it was taken on the night before Christmas but the morning. Gotta love that irony I guess.

 

 

 

Above and below are the Christmas day pages - jopined witha present of course

This is the insert for Boxing Day 'oop north'

And this is the final page - our day at home. The day we stay in just we two is always very special to us and hence the reason it is joined with the little house

 

Another journal complete and only a day late too!

 Today I am thankful for

• all the blessings we have enjoyed during this special holiday season
• the excitement of watching a welcome to your holiday video this afternoon about our trip top Florida.

A third Christmas

We have had a blessed Christmas this year, spending what has amounted to three Christmas Days with almost all of our favourite people in the world.

Christmas Day dawned beautiful and dry and mild. The sunrise was actually from Christmas Eve though
We collected Nigel's mother and had cake and sherry before heading out for the day.

For the past 20 years, almost without exception, we have spent Christmas with my best friend from school and her family. We are god-parents to both of her children - children? ..... young adults now. Vicky wasn't there but James was and, as ever, it was such a pleasure to be with them all on Christmas Day. They remain such important people in our lives and enrich them so much in so many ways. Jim, who was always an incredible little boy has grown into a wonderful young man and we count him as one of our main blessings. Seems impossible when I see the strapping young man he has become to think I helped deliver him! WOW!

Gina again cooked an amazing meal and as well as Christmas pudding we had a very incredible 'bombe' full of lushness covered in white chocolate.

and here we are looking very chilled and replete

On Boxing Day we had Christmas Day number 2 as we headed 'oop north' to see my surrogate family.

Pauline is my surrogate Mom, Sam is my god-daughter and her gorgeous girls are the closest we will ever come to grand-children. It was another blessing to spend such a pleasant day with all of them. It was a second Christmas and meant so much to all of us to be able to this again. It has become an annual tradition. We don't see them nearly enough and even though we had seen sam, Chris and the girls in the summer, we hadn't seen Pauline and I miss her so much.

 Awful photo of me coming up! But it's with my little god-daughter LOL

Nij and Chrissy at lunch

Lunch was, as ever, totally amazing and we had an incredible desert. (Maybe I should say one of the many deserts LOL) It was the Marks and Spencer luxury (and I mean luxury) golden Christmas pud and we sprinkled it with gold dust powder too. It looked fab and tasted even better

 
The girls were engrossed in their DS games (and Elinor's hair becomes more incredible every time I see her - the most amazing colour like her Daddy and her Bossy Nanny

Pauline has a veritable menagerie with 2 dogs, 4 cats, rabbits, fish etc. The cats are all so beautiful (and I adore the dogs and getting doggy washes all day) but Louis was the one taken with the remote controlled cars and spent a lot of time watching them and pouncing

Today we had our third Christmas, just for us. We kept our presents back for our leisurely day. No where to go, nowhere to drive. We started with a champagne breakfast and opened our presents with the cats and Christmas music and the lights and the smell of Yankee Candles. And today is very much a 'not getting dressed day'

We have so much food (OK .... well I happen to think chocolate is a food!) so many DVDs to watch (Including the new Harry Potter) so many books to read and games to play I fear it will be a while before we move and do anything productive.

 

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas filled with love and laughter and feel as blessed as I do.

Finally thank you Jaci for the lovely comments.

Have a lovely evening everyone and normal crafting blogging will resume tomorrow.

Merry Christmas Everyone

I would like to wish all of the people who read this a very happy Christmas. May your holiday season be filled with love and laughter, peace and joy.

Thank you for visiting, thank you for reading, thank you for your support during the past year x

I leave you with one of my all time favourite poems

Christmas by John Betjeman

The bells of waiting Advent ring,
The Tortoise stove is lit again
And lamp-oil light across the night
Has caught the streaks of winter rain
In many a stained-glass window sheen
From Crimson Lake to Hookers Green.

The holly in the windy hedge
And round the Manor House the yew
Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge,
The altar, font and arch and pew,
So that the villagers can say
'The church looks nice' on Christmas Day.

Provincial Public Houses blaze,
Corporation tramcars clang,
On lighted tenements I gaze,
Where paper decorations hang,
And bunting in the red Town Hall
Says 'Merry Christmas to you all'.

And London shops on Christmas Eve
Are strung with silver bells and flowers
As hurrying clerks the City leave
To pigeon-haunted classic towers,
And marbled clouds go scudding by
The many-steepled London sky.

And girls in slacks remember Dad,
And oafish louts remember Mum,
And sleepless children's hearts are glad.
And Christmas-morning bells say 'Come!'
Even to shining ones who dwell
Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.

And is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A Baby in an ox's stall ?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me ?

And is it true ? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant,

No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine.

 

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Happy Christmas Eve Everyone.

Just returned from Carols by Candlelight and share this with you all, wishing you all a restful night of reflection before the celebrations of tomorrow,

 

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town,
St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;
Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,
While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child;

The children were nestled, each snug in their beds,
The grown-ups wouldn't bother, there's no room they said;
When even the innkeeper sent them away,
Joseph was wondering, where they would stay;
He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,
Lets go there said Mary, it's silent and still;

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go;
And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,
Our Savior was born on that first Christmas Day!

The Father was watching in heaven above,
He sent for His angels, His couriers of love;
More rapid than eagles God's bright angels came;
Rejoicing and eager as each heard his name;

Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael,
Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel;
Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live,
Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give;

The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,
And saw in the heavens and unearthly light;
The Angels assured them, they'd nothing to fear,
It's Christmas they said, the Savior is here!

They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,
Till Mary invited them in to adore;
He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,
Never did the Shepherds see a baby so sweet!

He spoke not a word, but the shepherds all knew,
He was telling them secrets and blessing them too;
Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,
And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day;

Mary heard them exclaim as they walked up the hill,
Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of good will!

By: Sister St. Thomas, B.N.D. de N

Last minute shopping

Nij went out early and got the fresh food from tesco and I thought I would NOT be going shopping again this side of Christmas. But heck - I ended up having to anyway.

I was making a mini book using a new technique and I needed large beads to act as spacers and I hadn't got a single one. I took all of my large beads into school for the girls to make dream catchers with so I had to head out to Hobbycraft and, as always happens, a few other things fell into my basket!

Anyway, the mini book is now coming along well.

I have a new page to share tpday made with another new kit by Dawn Inskip. She was featured in The Digi Files this month and made a whole new gorgeous collection called White Christmas. It is really beautiful and I love the fact it is all white but you can colours bits in. Great versatility there.

It was perfect for this picture of Alice in the snow.

Goodness isn't she a pretty girl. I am so glad I get to scrap her pictures as she really is gorgeous - inside and out.

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely Christmas holiday of scrapping and relaxing
• no more shopping
• The West Wing (I know we are late on parade but we are loving that programme so much)

 

Tribute to her courage

We were very proud of our little Kira Monkey on Tuesday when she was so brave at the vets. And so thrilled to have the more optimistic news than we had been dreading.

So yesterday I felt I wanted to record the event.

When looking through my papers I found this sheet of Creative Imaginations with the title Live Without Fear which was just perfect for what I wanted.

I had a lovely suprise today - kind of special for 'us'. Nigel rarely buys me flowers (and I certainly don't miss them) but it does mean when he does it is really special and he often buys me them on Christmas Eve or there abouts. It goes back to our very first Christmas Eve in our first home. He doesn't do it every year (and I am glad as then it would be predictable) But he came home with lovely red and white flowers today.

We made our annual visit to the cemetery today to lay our wreath (having made our annual visit yesterday as well but forgetting to take the wreath with us!)

 Needless to say, both lots of flowers have found there way onto the pages of my JYC today.

Today I am thankful for

• wonderful parents and the special years I had with them ... just too few of them
• the thoughtfulness of my wonderful husband

 and sorry - but you know me an my puns ... can't resist them

 

All wrapped up

I can officially say, at last, that Christmas is all wrapped up. The final gifts were wrapped today and it is done, done done.

I used the concept of being all wrapped up as my JCY topic for today. Nigel and I like presents to be boxed nicely and wrapped in coordinating paper - this year black and gold which is much nicer than it sounds.

The background paper was another piece cut fromt he parcels we received from Mike in Florida. It was truly lush paper. I am not sure if all American paper is like that or if he just had fabulous quality paper, but it was truly lovely.

There is a double folded tag that pulls out with journalling on.

I also took a picture of yesterday's entry which was, of course, about Kira.

 We cut our Christmas cake today  with great trepidation. Fist time we have made one and wow - if we say so ourselves it was gorgeous. Very moist and totally yummy.

Today we went to buy the last few things for the girls. Sam had recommended clothes from Next. Do you know there was almost no items age 9 in Next. There was ages 1 - 8 and 10 upwards but every 9 year old in the country must have clothes from Next as there was almost nothing for her age. In the end we bought from elsewhere - I hope to goodness she likes them and we are not 'uncool' Aunty and Uncle.

 Dawn has a new collection out today called Make Believe and it is beautiful. It has some of Dawn's trademark hand drawn characters which are so cute, lush art papers and lots of embellishments.

You can snaffle the collection at her store at Scrapbookgraphics.

I made this page using the new collection and also some papers from Peace collection. The templates in the Make Believe collection are amazing.

Quiet night in tonight as we were late last night. We had several of our neighbours over for drinks and nibbles and had a jolly nice evening.

Today I am thankful for

• Christmas preparations about done

And finally I share this with you. I shared it last year too but I do love it so much