Dolly's Dreamings

A very significant day

Today is just a Wednesday.

Today is just a day.

But actually, in this house, it is not.

Today is a significant day.

 

Today is the last day I am officially employed - by anyone.

 

Although I kind of finished on 4th July when my successor took up her role and my office, today is my final final day at work. Ever I hope. I am not planning on another job but never say never. No-one ever knows what is around the corner. But it is not in the plan at the moment.

 

So my last salary has been paid, my last day has been worked (though it wasn't at work) and I am officially, as of midnight, a retired lady of leisure. And it feels so good.

 

I will be toasting that tonight!

 

It is fitting to share a little of my retirement gift today. I asked for any gifts to be int he form of vouchers and I bought myself a shiny ne iPad Pro and apple pencil and I love it.

 

I have actually spent quite a lot of today playing with my best friend on our iPads, teaching each other new tricks. It was also Jakki who showed me the Millie Marotta colouring app which, of course, we both have now!

 

This is my first properly completed picture on it - and it took me longer than with pencils or paints I think!

 

I am not sure if I prefer it on the black background or the white.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dawn has a new release on 50% off at the Lily Pad today - Yarn Craft

 

 

and I made this page about how having Fiki meant I could no longer be a knitter or crocheter. Small sacrifice really - I'd rather have him any day!

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• 29 years doing a job I loved with amazing children
• freedom - from the stress, the accountability, the politics, the difficulties
• the chance to have early retirement whilst I can still do things
• a morning with my BFF
• my iPad Pro

 

 

so ... do you know what ... I am NOT going to!!!

 

 

And this was my randomly generated word for 2016. Funny old world isn't it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missing posts

Sorry

I am not doing well with blogging since I have retired.

 

Note to self - must do better!

 

I think when I don't have routine and structure I just amble. Nothing wrong with ambling though. I am liking it.

 

I have had a super chilled day today as I have lay down for most of it.

Yesterday we were at a craft fair and it took its toll on my ankle which ballooned up again and is incredibly painful. In fairness the hospital did say that it would take longer than a break and that I had to rest it.

So I lounged in bed, then lounged int he sun then lounged int he shade then lounged int he lounge. I have read and watched TV and it's hard! I am not a lie around person. But sitting at my desk crafting isn't good either so I am trying really hard to be sensible.

 

I am just so glad I am not returning to work next week. I would never cope with the stairs and being on my feet all day. Never ever ever. And of course that is not the ONLY reason. I am loving retirement already. No .... glad I am not going back.

 

I have a new page to share though - made with a collection called Nantucket Island

 

 

 

I scrapped one of Jo's beautiful daughters again. They are such fabulous little models to use.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the time needed to try and heal
• retirement
• friends allowing me to scrap their children ... I am always in need of things to scrap for some of my CT work

 

 

Chinese Laundry

I feel like I am running a Chinese Laundry today as these days we have our washing and MIL washing and we forgot to pick it up mid week last week so we have a bumper load. Thankfully it is dry very quickly in the hot weather .. a blessing.

 

I have another page to share made with Dawn's new template set and I have also used her Deep collection and Beach Light and shade collections (I am so lucky I have all of her stuff because it is all fabulous)

 

 

We tend to go to the beach more in the winter than the summer but I honestly do love living so close to the beach. It makes me happy.

Today I am thankful for

• a good drying day
• clean washing for all of us

 

and today some weird morphed animals - 2 merged into one - quite bizarre in some cases

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

wall to wall sunshine

Oh my but it has been glorious today.

Wall to wall sunshine - but very humid indoors - so we headed out.

 

The cats were flaked out ont he bed - though how Fiki can cope with little miss hot legs draped all over him I have no idea.

 

 

 

 

It was cooler out than in and so we headed off with a picnic. We didn't go far - let's face it we don't need to. Poole has to be the most beautiful town int he country - well it is in our minds anyway.

 

People travel from all over (and the traffic jams have been awful to get here) so we know how lucky we are to live in such an idyllic place.

 

Poole Park for the picnic today and then ice cream at the Lake - Lake Pier - our happy place ... though I kind of prefer it when it is winter and just us there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a couple of shots from other days this week involving sunshine and eating al fresco and enjoying Poole

 

 

 

 

and let's not forget our own little Damien Hirst. Forget his cow in formaldehyde. Kira treated us to toy mouse in water glass! It's probably worth a fortune to an art dealer somewhere.

Post modern ironic I am sure!

 

I didn't find time to blog yesterday ... how I am so busy doing absolutely nothing at all I have no idea - so a bumper scrapping post today to make up for it

 

Today is release day at both The Lily Pad and at Pickleberrypop

 

Dawn has these amazing templates on offer today

 

 

and this is one of the pages I made with one of them and also her Arsty collection

 

 

She also has the following on special offer

 

Papillon Collection

 

 

from which I made this

 

 

and Optimistic collection

 

 

from which I made this

 

 

 

There are heaps of new releases at Pickleberrypop too including this amazing collection called Cup of Tea by Eudora Desisgns and she is the featured designer too

 

 

I couldn't resist scrapping my oh so special vintage tea set with it

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• Living in such a beautiful place
• such wonderful things to scrap with as a creative team member
• sunshine
• picnics out
• the breeze finally coming in my window right now

 

 

The sun causes it!

What is it about the sunshine that forces you - yes forces you - to dine out.

I mean we are usually quite reasonable people.

We might go out as much as once a week in good times. No where flashy just out.

But give us some sunshine and we feel the need to be in a garden somewhere eating outside and being waited on!

 

Today was unexpected. Nigel had been working and I had been having my toenails done and he rang when I was on my way home and said let's meet at a local pub by the water and have lunch. We had a very light snack and it was - quite frankly - perfect. We sat int he shade, there was a teeny bit of a breeze and then we walked along the quay. Lovely.

 

Now, however, I would like the heat to go please. England is a largely uncivilized country with no air con in most houses. If it is going to be this hot - and this humid - then we need air.

I am sat here typing in my own little pool of over-heatedness thinking I may go for a drive just to have the air con on!

Never satisfied are we!

 

I have a new page to share today made for  the weekly challenge and it may well get re-made as I am not keen! It is too busy and not me.

However it records a significant event for my retirement album. When I was introduced to Jeff Williams, the director of education for the Diocese of Winchester I thought how nice it was that he happened to be visiting when there was a special tea on - that he could stay and have some tea. I never even considered he might have been there BECAUSE of the special tea.

Anyway - he stood up and made a lovely speech - he was there FOR ME - and he brought with him a letter from the Bishop with his good wishes and his thank you for 29 years of Christian service at school and a gift as well. The small pictures is me cracking up laughing because I really didn't see it coming. I thought it was pure fluke he was there. He was such a nice man and he made the tea even more special - the letter and what he said being a real highlight of my whole career.

 

 

I also have news of two sales from Dawn

There is 50% off the Be Who You are kit

 

 

to make pages like this crazy one of me

 

 

and also 50% off Today was a Challenge

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely unexpected treat in the sunshine
• electric fans
• special moments in life.

 

 

 

 

Glorious weather

It is such a shame the weather was so rubbish for the Bournemouth air show and is now utterly glorious but I will take it anyway - it's lush

 

Rest is the order fo the day with my poorly ankle and so I have kept it elevated and iced as much as possible today - sadly that meant sitting int eh garden and reading then hobbling to the local beer garden for a late lunch early dinner in the gardens. It's a hard life but someone has to do it.

 

I am amazed how truly relaxed and regenerated I feel. It has made me realise I never really relaxed in school holidays - I was driven to cram everything in.

 

I kind of like this life! I think I will stick with it.

 

I have a final Pickle Barrel page to share - this time made with a collection called Love Lives here by Jennifer Labre

 

 

and this is what I made with it

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• my many many blessings. I am truly lucky
• sunshine
• clean washing - I love washing when it has been outside.

 

Home is where the heart is

Just as well that home is where the heart is as it is also where the ankle is!

 

We have been a bit limited the last couple of days with the ankle issue. It was the size of a reasonable rugby ball - so swollen and unbelievably painful. However the swelling has started to go down a great deal and the internal bruising is now coming out - thankfully. The black and yellow isn't a good look but at least it is healing. Just wish I wasn't so jolly clumsy.

 

We did venture out today to look for some new things for display for my craft stand as we have a lot of fairs booked now. I wanted some different ways of displaying the felt items and I think I have found them. I bought a lush little painted wicker basket for £4 and a great shadow box type display box which has wires and little pegs and will give me a bit of height. I know what I would LIKE for the stall but it would need to be bespoke built and whilst Nigel is on it - he is busy at the moment. It will come.

I have another new page to share today - your last chance to snag Pickle Barrel products

 

This time I worked with What I'm really made of by Jumpstart Designs

 

 

 and this is what I made with it

 

 

I need to do a paper page witht his picture too as it was one of the pictures from my summer scrap challenge - plus it is an important picture to scrap as it summarises my summer somewhat!

 

Today I am thankful for

• bargain finds at Molly's Den and Toad Hall
• the sunshine returning
• the yummy smell of dinner cooking ( part of my ... I am retired so I am cooking from scratch' resolution

 

 

and THIS just because it made me laugh

 

Summer snap challenge completed

I have finally completed all of the pictures from the summer snap challenge

 

It has been fun - some were hard to find and I did keep just forgetting too

 

The photos are all in this post HERE

 

The next part of the challemge was to use at least 6 of them on a scrapbook page

 

Voila

 

 

 

Remember it is still pickle barrel time over at Pickleberrypop

This is Perfect Moment by Eudora Designs

 

 

and this is what I made with it

 

 

 

You have to agree the colours are amazing this month - really lush. And remember each pack coordinates and is just $1 and the 6 packs have loads of extra goodies in too.

 

Today I am thankful for

• the bruising coming out on my ankle now - odd when the bruise is inside first. Hopefully the swelling will go down soon
• Nigel's computer living to fight another day

 

 

and some cartoons to end ... although they are not really funny - a little too close to the awful truth!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's that time again

Friday is release day for Dawn Inskip and for Pickleberrypop and it is a bumper day today as it is also Pickle Barrel day - so lots of great bargains to be had.

 

Firstly Pickle Barrel

 

 

This month the colours are awesome and I am hosting the Pickle Barrel mojo challenge again as well.

 

I used an amazing collection by Vero the French touch for the challenge called on the way to fall

 

 

 and this is what I made with it - featuring my very favourite little boy

 

 

I will be back tomorrow with more pickle barrel goodies but do check them out - at $1 each you cannot go wrong and the colours are amazing

 

Dawn Inskip over at The Lily Pad has a new bundle called I Do which is gorgeous

 

 

and she has also re-released Knick Knacks and it is on special offer - too good to miss

 

 

 

So lots of bargains for you to check out today - don't miss out.

 

The good news is - no more falls today! Yey!

 

Today I am thankful for

• a good visit out with Nigel's mom
• no falls
• scrapping time
• a clean and tidy home

 

 

 

 

Lush crafting day

Nigel has been at work today and I feel guilty if I am sat doing nothing. So I cleaned the house - slowly and limping LOL

 

Then I made a range of 4 new box frames for my craft stall ready for the next fair. They are made to order stuff - really for my etsy shop I am setting up - but we will see how they are received at the fair.

 

I have a new page to share today made for a challenge on UKS

 

 

The photos were take on a friends boat watching the Poole fireworks earlier this month and the materials are all by Jumpstart Designs at Pickleberrypop

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely crafty day
• less tooth pain