Dolly's Dreamings

A good month

January has been a good month for us and we have managed to get out and about, explore new places, walk a lot and have a jolly good time.

Today we headed off to Salisbury as Nigel's car had to be in the garage early. We were out by 8.30. Amazing for us. Retirement means our days start later!

So as we were up we decided to head off further afield and planned a walk we hadn't done before, walking round the water meadows in Salisbury.

 

It was cold but the sun came out at times and it was a glorious walk which we will do again.

 

The cathedral was as beautiful as ever

 

 

 

 

We saw some wonderful snowdrops

 

 

 

walked by the River Avon

 

 

The water meadows were beautiful. We wanted to see the 'Constable View' where John Constable painted his image of Salisbury Cathedral. We will go back in the summer as I am sure it will be beautiful.

 

And then there was THIS view

 

 

 

 

 

and we made a new friend too - a little Robin who perched so close to us. At one point we thought he was going to jump on to Nigel's hand. He stayed for ages and was beautiful

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have even scrapped him for a challenge on DAF and Scrap Squad

 

 

 

 

 

I have other new pages too

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely new walk
• beautiful view
• nature's gifts

 

A bit of drawing

I have little to say today as we haven't done a great deal - which is GOOD. Just a 40 minute walk and a lot of drawing.

I wanted to share my finished tiger. I am very much learning with this new medium and am still following tutorials - kind of.

But I am quite pleased with this one. I think I still prefer water colours as they are a lot faster but this appeals to my tiny detail mind quite a lot.

 

 

I thought it would be fun to share his evolution too. I must remember next time to take all the photos at the same angle.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely chilled out day

 

 

A chilly but lovely morning

It was much colder than we expected this morning and we all enjoyed snuggling in the warm this morning.

 

Koda likes to be full stretch, though still holding on to his brother, Indy obviously found the light too bright!!!

 

How cute is he!

 

But we forced ourselves out of bed and enjoyed a lovely walk round Longham Lakes. It was misty and frosty and quite lovely. But it was time to break out the big Polish hat!

 

Oh and the selfie isn't filtered. The lens was obviously misted up - but I like the effect!

 

 

I have new scrapping to share of course

 

 

 

 

This one has two photos taken one year apart!

 

 

and another for A Trip Down Memory Lane

 

 

and this using Fayette's new collection

Credits

Love you More by Fayette Designs

 

 

 

Fayette has an amazing sale on this weekend at her store HERE

 

 

 

and my tiger is starting to emerge

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely frosty morning
• snuggly boys
• creativity

 

 

Such a special day

Today has been lovely in many ways.

First and foremost Indy is more himself. They had their vaccinations last week and since then Indy has been very quiet and subdued, eating slowly, not playing and not being his usual happy self.

Although he still has a large lump on the vaccine site he is much more himself today and that has made me far happier.

Then we went for a walk along the stour and this time we took cameras and we saw, almost straight away, a gorgeous kingfisher. They are not perfect photos but we are pleased with them.  The squirrel was from our garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's also been new release day at Pickleberrypop and (#ad) I have worked with three wonderful collections

 

Credits

Precious Memories Bundle by Carol W Designs

 

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Pretty Day Bundle by Carol W Designs

 

 

This is for the digital album - the Geographical centre of America

 

Credits

Life Stories Templates Volume 1 by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

 

 

It's been an all round lovely day. I hope that you have found joy in your day too.

 

Today I am thankful for

• Indy being better
• Nature's wonders - those kingfishers were amazing.

Proper chilly

I have no idea why today feels so cold. It is currently 2 degrees and it has been below zero other days but it is that bitter sort of chill that eats through you.

Had a lovely time at art and have started a tiger but I think it could take weeks to complete! I am thinking pencils may not be for me and I might return to my first love of water colours.

 

I had a pleasant morning making embellishments

 

 

 

 

 

 

and I have this to share made as part of my design team work for A Trip Down Memory Lane

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• double glazing and central heating
• being indoors
• art club

 

and these just made me smile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enforced rest

Today has seen enforced rest from walking as my knees have been playing up. The Apple watch is driving me harder than my body can deal with so today was cycling not walking - gentler on the knees.

But that has also meant scrap time which is always good.

Before I share the scrapping Jackey you asked about where it was that we went for a meal that was quiet. That was Prezzo in Ringwood but we find if we have just one meal the day we go out and have that about 2.30 - 3 we are pretty much guaranteed an empty restaurant. We did that even pre Covid to be honest - we like the quiet.

 

So scrapping today I tackles a DAF challenge which was to interpret a sketch two different ways

 

 

I spent way too long cutting bits of die cut foliage for this - but I do like the finished effect

 

 

 

and this is the second take on it - I made this as part of my DT work for A Trip Down Memory Lane as this was my DT kit this month - Simple Stories Hearth and Home

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing more to report today so I will leave you with some internet marvels at the end.

 

Have a good week ahead.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a quiet day
• contentedness at home
• audio books

I am in awe of the handwriting of these pople

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glorious Days

This week has been utterly gorgeous - the sun has shone and it has raised the freezing temperatures a little and my goodness it has been cold. We hit -3 this morning. But I will take the cold over the heat any day and I have loved the weather.

We have enjoyed a few trips out and about.

I share these in the knowledge that several readers have commented they like to see where we have been and it gives them ideas of where to go!

 

The sun hadn't burnt off the early mist at Hamworthy park

 

 

 

I love that ethereal look on the water.

Yesterday we went out for our first meal out in 3 months and it was such a treat. We knew the quiet time and were the only people in the restaurant

 

 

 

Looks like a nice G and T doesn't it - just water. I swear

 

 

Yummy

 

Today we drove out to the Isle of Purbeck (I have a good friend from Swanage who get's mad when I say the Purbecks!) and it was glorious

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a little scrapping to share too

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh and there are a few boy photos too

 

 

 

 

and my 3 boys all together

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• lovely days out
• sunshine and frost
• my three boys

 

 

Beautiful Berry Big Deals

It is Berry Big Deal day today at Pickleberrypop and as a member of the Creative Team I have been given some gorgeous collections to work with

 

Credits

Dreams BBD by Natali Designs

 

 

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BE … by Fayette Designs

 

 

 

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Very Romantic BBD by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

 

Credits

Note to Self Bundle by MDD Designs

 

 

 

 

As always everything coordinates so do go and check it out in store.

 

Today I am thankful for

• Being a CT member for Pickleberrypop
• Not having to have anything done other than a clean at the dentist

 

 

A New Forest Treasure Trail

It has been utterly glorious here (the calm before the cold apparently) and so we headed off to do another treasure trail - this time in Lyndhurst in the New Forest.

It was an easy trail - we found everything but once again we love how it makes you look at things.

 

The Church of St Michael and All Angels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were beautifully carved angels in the nave roof and a famous fresco on the reredos. It is also the church where Alice Hargreaves (nee Liddell) is buried. She was the Alice of Alice in Wonderland.

 

 

 

 

The trail also took us right past a gorgeous old fashioned sweetie shop - well it had to be done. I couldn't take a photo and not buy anything - that would have been plain rude

 

 

 

And you can't have the forest without the New Forest ponies and the trees

 

 

 

 

We had a lovely day.

 

I have some new scrapping to share

This from our Mudeford walk last week

 

 

This from our beach walk last week

 

 

These two were for Peartree Cut File challenges

 

 

This is the year I have set myself a target of learning to draw with coloured pencils. This is my first full picture that I am part way through

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely day out
• fun together
• sweeties

 

 

Still a bit chilly

We went out first thing for a walk and it was only 1 degree. But we walked fast and soon warmed up - gotta get those rings closed!

But then I felt justified in sitting and scrapping taking part in various crops and challenges on the internet.

 

These are my pages from today

Our chilly beach walk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and finally a bit of Koda time

 

The photo doesn't so it justice as the light had gone.

 

Today I am thankful for

• getting the all clear from he chest x ray and the breathing is definitely getting better
• closing those rings
• scrappy time