Dolly's Dreamings

SpringTime

Well there is hope all around. Covid cases are falling, lockdown restrictions are slowly being lifted and the sun is shinning. The washing is outside and we have been for a couple of lovely walks.

 

Yesterday a walk along the Stour.

 

 

 

Today a lovely walk and picnic in the Spring sunshine at Kingston Lacy. I love seeing the changing seasons there and everything is coming into bloom. 

 

The house has had all the frost protection boxes removed

 

 

 

The magnolias are blooming

 

 

 

The acres are budding

 

 

There are still glorious camelias in all colours throughout the park

 

My fairy tree had lots of blossom offerings

 

 

 

 

there are still daffodils in abundance

 

 

 

and lots of blossom

 

 

But can anyone please tell me what this tree is  - this is the long shot and the others are closeups of the flowers

 

 

 

The clocks have gone forwards and the boys are adorable - though struggling with the change of time!

 

 

 

 

Tired boys

 

 

and the look on Indy's face is priceless

 

 

 

These pages are the class pages I made for ATDML for my march classes which I can now share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• spring weather
• hope
• time together
• outside dried laundry
• my boys - all three of them

 

 

 

A whole new kitchen

Well it's been quite a year here at Koda and Indy's house and they have NOT liked it. Lots of shut doors, strange men, strange smells and banging nd drilling and sawing and just general stress stuff for them. Plus a Mummy who was very stressed over the whole things.

BUT

 

The new kitchen is finished - well apart from a few bits we have to paint like the strut of the breakfast bar and the new flooring which we cannot pick until the stores re-open in April. But we are pleased with it. MK Interiors did a great job.

 

This was how it was Monday - old kitchen with the worktops I hated from the day it was fitted in 2008

 

 

 

 

and utility room

 

 

 

New kitchen as of this afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are all glad it is over and love the new bright light kitchen

 

I have been scrapping for A Trip Down Memory Lane as part of my DT work. I was sent some gorgeous papers from the PinkFresh Studios Some Days collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a completed kitchen
• no workmen other than Nigel
• scrapping time
• our home - more than just the bricks and walls - it is we 4!

 

 

One year on

What a year it has been and how important was it we all reflected yesterday not hat year, on the losses so many have suffered and on the wonderful staff who have kept this country going through it all. I want to add my tribute to the politicians who were on a hiding to nothing to be honest, who faced an unprecedented challenge, made mistakes along the way, but tried their hardest. To the medical experts who guided the government throughout with their scientific knowledge independent of any political agenda, To the wonderful staff int he NHS from he doctors and nurses, the the technologists, the admin staff, the paramedics, the cleaners and all of the thousands who had left the NHS and returned to help out, putting themselves back on the front line. To the teachers who carried on educating our children either in school or at home, to the delivery drivers who made sure we had what we needed, the the supermarket staff  who ensured we were fed and the supply chain who kept them stocked, to the refuse collectors  who kept our streets clear and to all of the other workers who carried not through the pandemic, working from home to keep things running.

So many people to thank for trying to see us through these awful times when not only have people lost loved ones, but they have lost livelihoods, homes, freedoms. And we are not out of this by any means. We now need to find a way to live with COVID though I fear some aspects of life will never be the same again. We lost so much but I feel we also gained much. We gained back a sense of slowing down, of appreciating the simple things, of connecting with people in different ways, of being aware of our neighbours, of community, of selflessness. And Ihope those things remain in our new world.

It truly is a time for deep reflection.

 

I made this yesterday

 

 

Using this collection

 

This was for a challenge at Pickleberrypop

 

 

This is another new release

 

 

and this is another for a UKS challenge

 

Today I have so much to be thankful for - not least because Nigel and I are still here.

 

 

 

Spring has sprung

It's been glorious here - really springlike - and the pollen count is convincing me too.

 

We had lunch in the park today which was gorgeous but my eyes are paying the price now

 

A feisty goose protecting his girlfriend from the other geese

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and my weekend scrapping for the gogo crop

 

The boys on their new tower

 

 

a painting I did for a mood board challenge

 

This I found touch - white only - nothing else at all

 

 

 

 

 

and the gorgeous flowers from Samantha now 10 days old and lovelier than ever

 

My hug ring from my second Mum

 

 

a page for a UKS challenge

 

Lots of work not he letters making them distressed and coppered

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• Spring
• the park
• picnics
• a tidy house - heaven help me the kitchen work starts tomorrow

 

 

A whole new experience

The boys will be six months old next weekend and so we bought them a rather nice half birthday present which, of course, they have had already because I think we were more excited than they were.

Koda likes to stretch and scratch and he has been inclined to stretch and scratch on the wallpaper which we are not very keen on! So we did some research and ordered them a scratching barrel. Think postbox made of lovely beech wood (which smells divine_ but a bit fatter and with three little dens cut into it and covered in lovely sisal matting for scratching.

It was so perfect watching them explore it - cue lots of photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope the novelty doesn't wear off as it is quite a statement in the lounge!

 

Koda also has another picture to share

 

 

and Indy snuggled in with Nigel the other morning which was too cute

 

 

OK enough cats onto some painting

 

ONE MINUTE PEOPLE

 

Tree exercise

 

a lantern tutorial

Two very different styles now

 

A loose fox (didn't like this)

 

and a detailed pink cosmos

 

 

and finally a robin I really like and coming to a Christmas card near you

 

 

I will post scrapping tomorrow - promise

 

Today I am thankful for

• Indy starting to put weight on a bit
• the boys bringing joy
• painting - I love the process even if not the finished picture

 

 

 

Spring is in the air for sure

Spring is most certainly in the air as we draw closer to the spring equinox. And the new releases this week - the Berry Big Deals - at Pickleberrypop are very very springlike and totally luscious.

As always I remind you I get given these collections to work with as part of the Creative Team and I have to declare that, by law.

 

Do go and check out the deals which run until Thursday night because they are wonderful- as always the kit links to the store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do go and have a look in store - there are some amazing collections

It finally came

Nigel has  been waiting for this day for a long long time.

He took delivery of his first ever privately owned brand new car today. He has had brand new cars int he past but they have always been company cars and his own cars have always been demonstrators with 1000 miles on the clock.

He researched for so long which plug in hybrid he wanted and it came down to the Kia Sorento but they only did a petrol or a self charging hybrid. They kept saying a plug in hybrid was coming and it was finally announced in December, available to order on 1st January here int he UK. He ordered the same day. They only had a shipment of 50 coming into the country so he was quick off the mark and it arrived in the UK last week and at our dealership on Friday. We collected KIT today and he is beautiful with every bell and whistle imaginable and economical too.

 

I was worried it would be enormous but actually its not as scary as I feared and Nigel is over the moon and so thoroughly deserves it.

 

 

 

 

Other news today was not so good. We were alerted by a loud crash and bang in the lounge.

I don't have many nice ornaments but our pride and joy is a barn owl in flight we bought some 30 years ago and which we love. It is a big piece and had a wingspan of some 15 inches, or should I say HAD a wingspan.

 

Koda had tried to make a jump that was way too big for him and missed it. Thankfully he was Ok though spent a good hour looking very ashamed of himself though we gave him lots of fuss and told him it didn't matter.

 

In other news a little light scrapping all made for various challenges

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• Koda being OK and not hurt
• Indy seemingly so much better
• Nigel having the car of his dreams

 

 

Hopefully the mystery solved

Indy has been much better and we thought we were through it but having had the all clear for quite a few of the tests, the final result came through today and he has giardia which could well be the cause of the intermittent bouts of diarrhoea. We have medication for the next 7 days and it should clear it up once and for all. We so hope so because it is wearing for all of us but especially him poor wee thing.

It can be hard to get rid of so we hope one bout of treatment will see him cured.

 

I have scrapping to share - quite a bit actually

This was made for a UKS challenge and a sketch from Lottie Loves Paper and is for my new American landmarks album

 

One for the 2021 album so A4 size

 

 

and another

 

 

 

and today I joined in with the Scrap Mates on line zoom crop and it was so nice to meet everyone

I made these two with some of the stash from my Scrap Mates box

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• hopefully finding out what is wrong with Indy and hoping it is treatable easily and fixable for him. He is so very very good taking his medicine which the vet says tastes horrible. We are so lucky
• scrap friends
• pleasant days

 

 

 

what a change

Well the weather has totally changed. We have been so blessed to have beautiful unbroken sunshine for the last few days and enjoyed some amazing walks but today is wet and windy and wintry. Just makes us appreciate the sun more I guess.

 

Sunday's walk round our neighbourhood

 

 

 

and Monday a walk in our back yard - the heath ..

 

 

and yesterday Baiter and the water again

 

 

It was new release day today at Pickleberrypop and I worked with two lovely collections. I have to say the Other side of the Lens collection is a new favourite

 

 

 

 

 

 

and I want to share a very different painting I did last week ... I have no idea why it was just something I fancied playing with - the fairy is obviously copied but the rest is just made up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• sunny says
• the rain - it makes things grow
• my boys - loving being home with them - they are incredibly loving little cats

 

 

Better news

The better news today is that thus far no upset tummy from Indy - though getting the antibiotic liquid down him is not a joy. Me, the window and the cupboard were liberally coated and a teeny bit went down his throat. he has learnt not to swallow and then shake his head violently. I think we ought to have opted for the tablets.

However, a better tummy is good. Yesterday I said I wished it was me that had the upset tummy not him. Be careful what you wish for as I was up at 4am, 5 am, 7 am etc etc. However I would still rather it were me.

 

I have managed to get down and do some scrapping though I could cheerfully have stayed in bed today

 

 

 

 

 

and this was for a challenge to scrap a recipe - gosh I am not a good cook so this is the most basic lasagne in the world.

 

Today I am thankful for

• Indy being better
• me not being as bad as I was this morning
• Nigel - the patience of a saint