Dolly's Dreamings

Happy Birthday Pickleberrypop

It is birthday time at PBP and that means fun and freebies and bargain and wonderful diginess.

 

 

Grab the bargains, win your wish list, and collect the great party poppers

 

 

So now for some of the lushness I have been able to play with just to whet your appetite.

 

First off Laughing Out Loud by Chunlin Designs and a fun picture of the ever-gorgeous Alice 

 

 

 

Enjoy Life by Lara's Digi world - and believe me we do enjoy our life - a lot!

 

 

 

 

 

Everyday Beauty by Lorie M and another picture of my cousin's gorgeous granddaughter

 

 

 

 

Don't wish it away by Fayette and I chose to scrap how hot it has been, how we have moaned and how sad we will be when it is all over (actually I am not sure I will be sad - I do like me a bit of cool weather)Photo is us at the beach the other day trying hard to cool down

 

and finally Travel album mini kit by Tiramisu

 

 

 

So do go check it all out and enjoy some digi - or some hybrid as they work so well for both -scrapping

 

Today I am thankful for

• yesterday's rain -we so needed it but all of our daisies and dandelions on the lawn have come out to celebrate - no green on our lawn just white and yellow!
• Digi fun kits to play with

 

 

A little cooler

Thankfully it is a little cooler than it was - but I could stand it a heck of a lot colder to be honest.

 

I planned a scrappy weekend but didn't quite manage it as I was too flollopy and so spent more time reading than scrapping. Oh, and making t-shirts with lots of logos. That was fun! The iron was at full pelt and it was like a veritable sweat shop. 

We also found time to watch Horrible Histories the Romans, which was good, to have a meal at Frankie and Benny's (well they gave me a voucher for my birthday so it would have been rude not to) and to meet up with an old school friend for an evening of chatter and laughter.

But some scrapping did happen.

This was for a challenge at ATDML - and it shows the duo Aphrodite at Poole Vintage Fair - they are amazing singers.

 

 

 

 

Gotts love me a bit of Minnie.

 

 

A page about my birthday boat trip

Another ATDML challenge page - this time a he said she said page. Nigel and I both journalled about things we remembered from our wedding day.

 

 

and we had the girls page so only right to have the boys

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• just relaxing and not stressing
• finally putting away a whole mess of pages into albums

 

 

 

Way way too much

It is way too hot for the UK. We are an uncivilised country, bereft of air conditioning, and me no like. I am a winter girl. 30 degrees and humid is not the weather I enjoy!

Last night we were so hot we went down tot he beach to coll off and it was much nicer down there and the sea was warm Trouble is you have to come back into the house.

And the heat isn't bringing out the best in the cats. Enough said!

 

I have managed some scrapping though.

This was with a new bundle by Jen Yurko called Are You Game by Jen Yurko - a great night of Mario Kart with Chris and Sam

 

 

and this is a new collection called Summer Sunshine by Natali Designs

 

 

And I made this page for the Mind The Scrap summer challenge

 

 

 

 

Today is too hot to do anything though so I am just floppy and reading - but that is good too.

Today I am thankful for

• living near the beach
• fans
• ice cubes

And I never knew this was a thing - embroidery style  tatoos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Messing about on the river

Funny isn't it. I have gone for years and not been on a river and now twice in a week.

When I was a little girl my parents owned a hotel and so I could never have a birthday party as the summer was the busiest time of the year. So on Sunday closest to my birthday, I would be allowed to pick one friend and we would go on a 'birthday treat'. I would almost always pick the same thing. Go to Tucton and go for a small boat ride where you could hire the boats down the Tucton river and to Christchurch and then have dinner at the Copper Skillet in Christchurch.

Nigel took me back to my childhood for my birthday this year. It has been unbroken sunshine and almost 30 degrees today so we were pleased of the breeze on the water. We hired a little motorboat and pootled around on the river and it was lovely.

 

 

 

 

 our little number 6

 

Unlike the last time Nigel took me on a boat - this went well. The last time was in the '80s when he took me out on a rowing boat at Blenheim Palace and we got stuck. Turned out he was not a rower! This one had a motor so we were fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Copper Skillet has long gone so he took me to Prezzo instead which was lovely and we enjoyed a walk int he sunshine. Glad my car has cooled seats though!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such a lovely day and I am glad to be a year older as I dreaded last year, putting me at the same age as my Mom when she died suddenly. I had a real phobia about it so, for once, I am happy to be a year older.

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• being very spoilt
• a lovely day out
• the fan currently blowing on my face.

 

They came today

I think nature always sees it as a very special birthday gift for me - the flying ants always come around my birthday - they came today. Thousands of them.

A quick batten down of the hatches and I looked wistfully at my washing that was on the line, but when I finally send Nigel out to fetch the washing in when they had gone as I was too scared there was not a single one on it. Phew!

 

Nice ordinary day today - a doctor visit - nothing to worry about - Nigel's crown was fitted and I finally blitzed my school stuff.

Five boxes of stuff from the garage to the charity shop. Four bin liners of papers etc to the tip for recycling and a huge box for a friend who I used to work with of all the things that were so nice I never used them! Yes - not only scrapping stuff I hoard but also lovely papers and certificates for children.

 

I did manage a bit of scrapping though for a challenge to use pinks and purples. And it just worked with the wedding photo as Nigel's tie was perfect.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely ordinary day
• ants are gone
• good news at the doctors (not to do with health but with the GP we love so much)

 

And these are just awesome drawings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh my - awesomely good

Yesterday we went to see the new live-action Lion King - well CGI action I guess.

 

I was very apprehensive as The Lion King is one of my favourite ever Disney films. I hoped they hadn't messed with it.

 

I can honestly say it was the best film I have seen this year - and we go at least once a week. It was awesome. It was so real, it was so subtle, it was so true tot he original. The few small tweaks were very good and - no spoilers - but one made me laugh out loud. The only sad thing was the cinema needed to up the volume a bit and although Mufassah was James Earl Jones it didn't sound like him.

Do go and see it

It was amazing

 

Official trailer to whet your appetite

 

 

 

 

I have also managed digital and paper scrapping. I am trying to finish the Fabulous Fall photo book and have a fair bit to do before my credits tun out.

I had nothing on Concord so these were two missing pages

 

 

 

I also made this today which was for a colour challenge and a sketch challenge (Love multi-tasking like that)

 

The photo was taken just a week ago

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely few days just enjoying retirement
• my cats - some days I am just overwhelmed by how lucky we have been with them
• the Lion King - awesome

 

and a little bit of Disney wisdom to end with

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Messing about on the River

I didn't get round to uploading this the other day - but we had a terrific day out this week. For years - seriously years - we have said we wanted to do the local Wareham River Cruise. We have been out round the harbour countless times, but never sailed down the river to Wareham and so we finally got to do it. 

We could not have picked a better day to be tourists in our own town. It was hot and sunny but a breeze too and it was just perfect.

I am afraid this post is very photo heavy but they are cute pictures of our home town, of the harbour, of the river, of boats and of having a fabulous day with lunch at Wareham sat by the river and dinner on Poole Quay.

 

The boat heading off to Brownsea Island

 

 

I love that Poole is such a mix of the proper old harbour with working ships and fishermen as well as the sunseekers and luxury yachts (more of them later)

 

The small square house in the middle on Hamworthy beach - just the small one - is new and still being finished. The land alone went for £1,500,000. Goodness knows the cost of the house when it is finished.

 

These apartments on Hamworthy beach are gorgeous - we looked at them and maybe one day, when we downsize, we will live in one with a view over the harbour. It is also just where the cousins stayed when they visited - they rented an Airbnb there.

 

Moriconium Quay - I have looked there at apartments too

 

 

And beautiful Lake Pier where we so often sit and have lunch - lovely to see it from the other side.

 

and into the River Frome towards Wareham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous summer house overlooking the water

 

 

 

 

 

Our boat tied up

 

 

Where we sat for our lunch

 

 

Beautiful church with the most glorious stained glass windows ... old and new

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We saw lots of birds, little egrets, gulls, cormorants, sparrowhawks and - most thrilling of all - we saw HARBOUR SEALS!

 

 

 

This house is open two days a year (we need to find out when) as some of the rooms are furnished as cabins from the Mauretania as they bought the furniture and fittings and fixtured when it was decommissioned

 

Back into the harbour

 

 

And back into the quay - which I love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A rare shot of both bridges - just in the distance at the top right you can see the twin sails bridge sails going down

 

 

 

Sunseeker is one of the biggest employers in our town - building luxury yachts many of which are for export.

 

 

 

This one - not their biggest but big - estimated value approx £11,000,000

 

 and finally our dinner venue.

 

 

We are terribly proud of our home town, of the harbour, the quay, the natural beauty we have and the fact you are never far from the water.

 

 

Berry Big Deal Day

I love the day when all of the Berry Big Deals are released at Pickleberrypop

 

The designers all work with three set colours and then add three more of their own choice and then put together collections as stupidly good prices. I spend the week before working on the collections and it is such fun when they are released and I can finally share the creations.

 

The prices last until Friday so snap them up now as they are GOOD - they are $1 a pack and the bundles are so good with loads for either $4 or $8.

This is one of my favourites Let’s get lost collection by Fayette

 

I couldn't resist as we love to explore and this photo was taken at the weekend at Portland Bill

 

Happy Days collection by Tiramisu Designs

I love this collection so much

 

and this is such a great photo to snap

This was fun to think about too

Dear Karma by Jumpstart Designs

 and I used it with this photo taken of me last week. See I am scrapping the photos I take - honestly!

 

I had fun scrapping Emily as I had new photos of her and they are few and far between

This one used Seeds or weeds? Collection by Cheryl Day Designs

 

and this is her looking totally grown up and gorgeous at her prom

 

So I balanced it with this one as little Emily about 13 years ago.

Sea Adventure by Dita B Designs

 

And finally a new subject for scrapping - this is another second cousin of mine and she is utterly gorgeous. Expect to see more of her.

Another day collection by Jen Yurko

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for Pickleberrypop and the great designers and all of the fun I have playing with their creations. Oh and for having family and friends with such beautiful children!

 

 

Tourists in our own town

We live in a dream destination. People come from all over to enjoy our town and we know we are very lucky and we often don't make enough of it - but we have had two days of being tourists in our own town.

Yesterday we went down tot he vintage fair on the quay - always such a good event 

A few snaps to keep you going!

Beautiful old typewriter - wish I had kept mine now

 

Why does Nigel look a cardboard cutout

 

 

 

 

Aphrodite again - loved them last year too. Great great singers

 

 

 

 

 

when picnics were taken in style!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today -w ell today will have to wait for tomorrow as I am shattered but oh what a day we had on the water!

 

And to finish - a page made yesterday for a challenge over on FTLOPP. We watched this 'funny house' made of scraps develop over the years visiting Jim in Concord.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

Living here - and it being such an utterly beautiful and amazing part of the world.

 

Family time

Now they are all safely back home in the US I can share what a wonderful time we had when my family from America came over. It is the first time they have ever been to the UK (but I am fairly sure that it won't be the last!) We were so thrilled that they came over and that we got to spend some quality time with them and show them around our part of the world and beyond.

They are my Dad's side of the family. His sister, younger than him by 2 years and the baby of the family, married a GI at the end of the war and relocated to America at just 16 years old. That was in the days when people didn't travel and going to America was like going to the other side of the world.  Photo is with my grandad - her Daddy.

 

She and her husband Ricky had two children, my cousins Rick and Shirley and sadly Aunty Phylis was widowed very young, but she had made her life in America and there she stayed. She did come back to England once in 1985 and my Daddy was so thrilled.

We had the joy of meeting Rick and Shirley when we visited them all in Macon in 1989 and we met up again in the '90s at the beach and saw them all again in 2017 at Thanksgiving and in 2018.  We were so excited that many of them were coming over, though sadly Shirley couldn't make this trip and even more sadly my cousin Rick passed a few years ago and my how we would have loved to have him here. However, his wife Lynne and two of their three children came over with their families and we had such fun showing them around. Lots of good times, laughs, way too much food and a good time had by all.

Cue selection of photos - just a few of a heck of a lot more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was so wonderful to see them and here's to the next time - either here or there. And as Abbie, Lee and Family couldn't come we were doubly glad we got to visit them in South Carolina last fall.

 

And yes, of course, I have started scrapping the pictures!

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely time with my family - we had such fun and we both enjoyed it enormously.
• perfect weather for enjoying showing them the UK