Dolly's Dreamings

Missed but for a positive reason

I have missed a fair few days of blogging, largely because I have just been too busy - but yesterday I missed because I was having fun.

After a weekend of work we popped out yesterday late afternoon for an event. Proper out. Out out!

We went to see an outdoor production of Pride and Prejudice at Deans Court in Wimborne. It was the perfect setting and it was a superb production. The language of Pride and Prejudice is so beautiful, coming from a  time when every word counts.

It was a lovely late afternoon and evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is something wonderfully relaxing about watching a  play outside in the summer.

 

I have new scrapping to share too - made for the weekly on UKS

 

 

It celebrates Fiki's love of his blankie Aunty Dawn bought him. It is a real winner - he loves to wrap himself up in it

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a bit of time off. There will be no more this week!
• The English language and the classics.

 

I will be absent for the next couple of days - working late. Bear with me. I suggested Nigel could write but that probably wouldn't benefit anyone!

Saturday slow down

So the blog has taken a hit whilst work has been stupid ... and it will take a hit next week too as I don't think I have one normal evening when I am not doing stuff.

So today has been a chance to catch up on work and on design team commitments and also just chillax.

I so needed that.

I have a new page to share ... It was using more of the pickle barrel goodies.

 

 

I wanted a companion page to the other fife and drum page for a photo book I am just making.

 

I also have to share some truly good images of how life has changed ... sadly all too true. I hope you enjoy them. This first one will really resonate with my teaching friends.

 

 

and after a week where technology - or failing technology has literally driven me crazy, alternating between tears and anger and hysterical panic ... these show technology isn't always better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• time
• chillaxing
• replacement credit cards after ours were compromised.

 

When dinosaurs ruled the world

Setting this in advance as I know life is manic.

But the new collection from Dawn Inskip is way too good not to share.

 

 

I know Dawn's daughter loves her dinos and is so knowledgeable about them so I know this collection comes from the heart.

 

I used some pictures from Universal Islands of Adventure.

 

The collection is vast and I loved all of the elements. This is another for printing for one of our many many Florida books.

 

Today I am thankful for

• my knee not giving way too often ... just a few times
• a computer that almost works
• a nice ink pen - love that. You write so much more nicely.

 

 

Still rocking the red white and blue

I loved the pickle barrel colours this month so much I did kind of overload on the pages.

But it was worth it.

They were glorious colours.

This is another I made, this time using an amazing collection by Anna BV called summer escape

 

It was such a lovely mix of clean and sharp and also of grungy and distressed.

 

The photos are from Discovery Cove when we visited in 2012 ... my second visit but the first time Nigel and I were able to share the experience together. As a non swimmer her was reluctant the first time, but once he knew he could enjoy the interaction in shallower water he loved it.

 

Today I am thankful for

• it largely being over
• our credit card fraud being found quickly (Nigel was on the ball) and rectified and re-sorted. Our bank were brilliant and so quick to resolve the issue. Banks get a lot of bad press but in this instance we were most impressed.

 

Father's Day

Father's Day is always hard - along with mothering Sunday.

The pain of losing my parents has altered. It isn't raw like it was, it doesn't knock me sideways any more, but not a day goes by when I don't miss them.  And when the country is celebrating it makes it even harder.

I was always a Daddy's girl.

My Dad was a dare-devil, a speedway rider, a trick motor-cyclist.

 

 

 

He was a sailor and then a soldier

 

 

 

 

 

 

He was amazing at everything. He built me a bedroom - literally - from the foundations to the roof and everything in between. He could fix anything, he was clever. her was funny, he was fierce and he was totally wonderful

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and so in honour of my Dad some pages about him.

Sadly when I started scrapping I used many of the old original pics and scrapped them badly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cherish those you love and tell them every day how much they mean to you. You have to shout a lot harder to reach heaven. Daddy this is a shout out for you!

 

Sleepy Saturday

I had a lovely sleepy morning today. I decided I wouldn't do any work until the afternoon and I really relaxed. It was lovely. Waking late, reading the paper, fur babies with us in bed. Perfect.

Was also a good day to be in as we have had stormy skies with dark black clouds and a couple of heavy downpours.

I do have some more Pickle barrel work to share.

 

This time I used a collection by Vero  called Wild and Free which was just lovely - all patriotic. You know how I love America.

I made this page with it

 

We will really miss these players at Epcot. They were so good and I was sad to hear we won';t get the chance to see them again when we visit.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a chilled out morning
• some relaxing time
• my fur babies - they are lovely

 

 

That Friday feeling

It's been a heck of a week.

Long long hours.

Lot's of problems and stress.

Coupled with really bad hay fever to the extend my eyes just seize up and a knee that has given way completely about a dozen times, is the size of a football and painful as hell.

BUT

 

It is Friday so I don't care.

 

It is also Pickle Barrel time and I am in total love with the colours this month. All red white and blue and fabulous.

This is the first collection I worked with

 

 

Called Latitude Adjustment is by Jen Yurko and is lush.

 

This is a page I made with it with a photo or two  of Nigel on Portland.

Do go check the pickle barrel deals out here - they are too good to miss.

 

And if anyone knows anything that works on sore runny burning hayefever eyes please let me know.

 

Cat tired

You have heard the feeling dog tired.

Well you know I am a cat girl so I have to say cat tired. And anyway, I am sure cats sleep more than dogs anyway. Cats LIVE to sleep.

That's how tired I am and it is only Wednesday.

So far this week I have done 2 14 hour days and today looks like being 13 or more.

I am just so tired.

I feel I could sleep for a week and still be tired.

 

I did do some new scrapping at the weekend though with a brand new collection by Dawn Inskip.

 

 

As you can see it has me written all over it. It is called Fur Babies and is awesome.

 

And - in keeping with Cat Tired I wonder what fur babies dream. Maybe this!

 

 

I had such fun thinking what my little Kira might dream about. And right there, in the background, is her brother. I'm not sure if she is dreaming about him because she loved him or because she just cannot get away from him.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a book I finished at the weekend which was totally amazing. It was called Leaving Time by Jodie Picoult. I love her books but this was terriific. I highly recommend it.

 

 

A brief moment

I guess writing this today counts as my brief respite.

It is most certainly silly season at work with so much to do in so little time.

It will be like this until the end of term now, but then at least I will get to relax for a while in the summer.

I always say teachers are pushed to the limit before they get their holiday.

Anyway I digress. I have a very simple new page to share which is for my 8" x 8" Treasure trails album. This album isn't meant to be anything complex - just a simple record of the trails we have done.

 

This is the start of the Tolpuddle section.

 

 

I  had forgotten I had the little postcard stamp which makes for a cute journalling block for this size of album.

 

Today I am thankful for

• getting through the day
• my little cats - always so pleased to see me
• my neck feeling much much better today

 

 

Super Sunday

I did the rest of my work this morning then we headed out for a frap.

I also wanted to get a new pair of trainers - the same as my new pair of trainers of course. They were just so comfy ... shame to miss a spare!

We drove back along Hengistbury Head and Southbourne and the beach - as you can see - was jam packed!

 

 

and we did see these gorgeous wild flowers. A hedgerow full of poppies and Marguerites and cornflowers and dandelions. Just beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a new page to share made for the weekly challenge on UKS. I am afraid at the moment it is digi scrapping only. No time to get paper out sadly.

 

 

Nigel on a treasure trail ... looking closely for a clue!

 

Do pop over and see what the girls create on the Great Scheme of Things blog this week. The scheme is below. Maybe it will inspire you to have a go.

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• nature - it's so beautiful sometimes and I'd rather see wildflowers than all of the manicured gardens.