Dolly's Dreamings

New releases and a pleasant walk

We went for a lovely walk in Christchurch today and enjoyed the art exhibition (no photos allowed) and the gardens at the Red House museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and back along the cliffs, the entire span of Polle Bay (yes it is Poole bay not Bournemouth bay) visible from Hengistbury head right round to Poole, sandbank, Old Harry, Swanage, Peverill Point and Duslston Head. Incredible

 

 

 

 

And it is new release day at Pickleberrypop and there are some awesome new releases. I worked, for free, with two of them this week

 

Credits

Forever Bundle by Carol W Designs

 

My best friend and I being ladylike (doesn't always happen!!!) at her daughter's wedding last month

 

 

 

and the stunning bride herself

 

Credits

Life Stories Templates June  TirAmisu Designs

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely walk
• the sea
• being able to be on the creative Team for Pickleberrypop

 

 

 

 

 

A successful day

I was worried about today and teaching my first art class. I am by no means an experienced watercolour artist and still at a very basic level and so teaching a session - which has ended up being two sessions - at my art club was a bit daunting. Today was the day and actually it went really well. It is a very mixed ability group and everyone got something out of it and everyone was very complimentary about it saying they enjoyed it a lot. Phew. I was very worried and now I have done one I am happy to do more.

I have been busily scrapping but most of it is for Alice's wedding album and so I can't share those pages obviously.

 

I did make this though using one of Lisa's sketches at Scrap a Sketch

 

I had a major issue with it for me though. The title was composed of two different length words and it affected my OCD terrible that it wasn't balanced at the top. First world problems eh!

 

 

I am loving the nautical theme though.

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• my art class going well
• courage

and I end with things found on the internet that are sad reflections and often all too true about modern life ... some are heartbreaking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one reminds me of the brilliant brilliant book by Raymon Briggs about the Falklands war called the TinPot Foreign General

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought they were very sobering

 

A Design Team Instagram hop and general ramblings

It's been a quiet few days here after a very busy 'not holiday' and that is all good. It's nice to be home and relaxing.

Today is a special Dotty About Flair day as all of the new Design Team were given the same challenge to scrap our team photo. It was such fun to do

 

I was thrilled that one of the first projects was to scrap the fabulous team photo of the new 2022 team. Seeing the photo of us all made it all seem real.
I printed the image a little smaller as my annual albums are A4 so things tend to get a little scaled down.
It is no secret I am not good at mixed media, but I wanted a mixed media effect background and also wanted to show on my first page that I am very much a hybrid scrapper. So I made the grungy background by using various brushes in pinks and DAF colours and then printed my background on white cardstock which I then trimmed down and mounted on the aqua cardstock.
I have been scrapping for a long time and sadly have the stash to prove it and so the pink papers I chose were very old K and Co papers.
I thought it would be fun to make the group photo look like it was a framed photo hanging so used bakers twine and two of the new May release flair … the gorgeous terrazzo … to create this effect and then mimicked it with my photo.
Journalling is always key on my pages and so that tells how thrilled I was to have made the cut to be part of the team. The Bramble Fox perspective was just perfect for the title. I also added one of the new Rainbow Daze  at the bottom to signify this team will certainly bring colour … and inspiration … to you.

The team will be uploading their pages using the team photo throughout the day on insta and in the group so check them all out.

Karen - @scrapdolly
Lisa - @sikorskiscraps
Jackie - @jakkii
Kelly - @kellys_scrapbook_xo
Moira - @mooreilly
Kathy - @scrappykathyy
Nancy - @thenickelnook
Vicki - @vdutchr
Jessica - @jessicascraps
Carina - @cbscina
Suzanne - @suus_creative
Helen - @helenrockabillygirl
Adam - @scrappyadam
#DAF #dafdesignteam #dafhop #dottyaboutflairhop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other scrapping we have a page or two as well

 

This was for a scrap squad sketch this week

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was a UKS sketch challenge

 

 

 

and this was another scrap squad and Lottie Loves Paper challenge

 

 

It feels nice to be back into scrapping again.

 

Today I am thankful for

• being able to rise above some very petty and quite toxic people ... life is too short and their lives must be very sad to be so petty (oh and I bet they read this and know I mean them!)
• my boys - they are just adorable. Yesterday (the first time he has done it) Koda brought me two toys , his favourites, and just lay down with me on the floor (I was playing a game)
• quiet gentle days
• being part of DAF

 

 

More of the amazing Jurassic Coast and some scrapping

Today I am thrilled to share that I was one of the people doing a sketch day for Best of 30 days of Sketches from Christy's Beautiful World

#BESTOF30DSCBL

 

I was so thrilled to be a part of the Best of 30 days of scrapping 'team' and had the gorgeous sketch by Susan Stringfellow from Sketch Savvy to use which was from Series 7. @sstringfellow

The photo is my little Indy doing what he does best - looking cute - and I used mostly Simple Stories Simply Vintage Weathered Garden alongside some scraps from other papers. Do check out the Best of 30 Days of Sketches because what Christy does is amazing

@christys_beautiful_life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so pleased I decided to do a 12 x 12 album of the holiday not a holiday as it's nice to scrapping 12 x 12 again, although all the boy pages are 12 x 12.

 

This is the boys at Jubilee time

 

 

 

 

The very scary Burma Rope Bridge where I was worried about breaking an ankle - again - as it was very hard to walk on

 

 

 

and one of the coloured sculptures from the Sculpture park

 

 

 

 

and I have some more photos of further round the Jurassic Coast at Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove and boy was it a perfect trip - not a cloud and the water was impossibly bright and turquoise

 

The picture doesn't do it justice as to how steep it was. I wish I had taken a photo on the way back up as you could see how steep it was but I was too busy trying not to die!

 

 

 

Man O War bay

 

 

 

 

The World famous UNESCO heritage site that is Durdle Door

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and Lulworth cove with all the pretty cottages and, of course, the cove.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• living where we do
• lovely days out
• scrappy opportunities

Some awesome Berry Big Deals

It is a bumper release this month in the most gorgeous colours

Please note I get these collections for free in order to promote how lush they are.

 

Credits

Choose Bundle by Palvinka Designs

 

 

 

Credits

Follow the Waves Bundle by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

 

 

 

Credits

Moments that Matter Bundle by LorieM

 

 

Credits

In Sync bundle by Heather T

 

 

Credits

Nature Journal bundle by Heartstrings ScrapArt

 

 

Credits

Keeping Cool bundle by Carol W Designs

 

 

 

 

Our final staycation day and - at last - some scrapping

Yesterday was our final staycation day and I have to say that the last week has been one of my favourite NOT HOLIDAYS ever. I am so glad we didn't go away but stayed home and did day trips meaning we came home every day to the boys. I am sure if they understood they would be glad too.

 

I promise there is proper scrapping at the end so if you are bored with the endless photos recently (and I don't blame you but as I always say it is primarily my blog for me) then skip to the end for the scrappy stuff.

 

Yesterday we were tourists at home. We often walk Poole quay and watch the various cruises going out so yesterday we took one from Poole quay, along the Jurassic Coast to Swanage, then we took the steam train from Swanage to Corfe and then did it all in reverse. We feel very blessed to live in a holiday resort where all of this wonder is quite literally on our doorstep and we had a fabulous day. There wasn't a loud in the sky all day (we worked hard not to get burnt) and it was hot hot hot but wonderful.

Our boat outward bound

 

 

Even dressed nautically!!!

 

Poole quay

 

 

 

Brownsea Island - I had a pupil who lived in one of these cottages as her Dad was the warden for the National Trust on the Island. She came to school by boat!

 

 

 

The chain ferry at the harbour mouth

 

The Haven hotel at the entrance to the harbour - dear to our hearts as it is where he proposed to me

 

 

 

As it happens this was out boat don't he return journey

A Belgian minesweeper coming in to port

 

The start of the Jurassic Coast - Old Harry Rocks, caves and great views

 

 

 

 

 

The fascinating Ballard Rift where you see the striations change from horizontal to vertical (another picture later where I marked the changes in blue)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Into Swanage and swanage pier (Typepad is insisting it changes the order to what it wants so I am sorry)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where we sat and had lunch

 

 

 

 

Our ice cream spot

 

 

Various bits of the steam train and Swanage station

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then Corfe Station

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you get perfect views of the train and the station and the castle

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the return trip (more rocks and jet skiers (at one point there were 10 of us) passing at high speed to jump our wake endlessly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a day, what a week, what a staycation

 

It was so good I am doing a 12 x 12 album of our staycation and here are the first two pages from today

 

This one used a sketch from Scrap a Sketch

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this was for a Peartree challenge

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a wonderful staycation
• being home with the boys
• fabulous memories

Another staycation day

There has been scrapping today - but I can't share it yet. We were going to go out for the day but were both tired and have been having 'too much fun' so a rest day on the patio was called for.

Yesterday we took a trip out to the sculpture park. We had been before and loved and it didn't disappoint at all. There are so many diverse sculptures ranging from  foot high to about 12 foot tall and in every style imaginable. It was wonderful

It's another photo overload day I am afraid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I shared my lunch - eaten in two parts - with two little robins one of whom was so tame he eventually fed from my hand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for lovely days out and quiet days in (and I am happy for the heat to go now thank you!

 

 

Kew Gardens and new releases

I am very mindful of the fact that many people come to see scrapping and so I will share the scrapping first - it's not much as we are on holiday (at home) this week and also I am working on a special wedding album and I don't want to spoil the surprise of that.

But I did work with a new release of templates from Chunlin Designs

 

Credits

June Artsy Layered Templates #7 by Chunlin Designs

With Zest Bundle by Chunlin Designs

 

 

We cancelled our holiday to the Lake District and are enjoying a holiday at home instead and going out for some nice days too. I have to say the hotel is really lovely here. They have cats and a beautiful terrace to sit on and the food is just what we like. I have to say the waiter who brought my drinks yesterday afternoon was a little over familiar though.

 

 

 

The town of Poole was lovely to visit (OK so we live here but it's still lovely)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Monday we went to Kew gardens. It's been 30 years since we last visited and it made for a lovely day out and a LOT of walking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

yes I am afraid another photo heavy blog post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was fascinated by the utter precision of the hedge trimming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• wonderful days out (another cracker today but you will have to wait and see)
• beautiful places to live and visit
• holidays at home
• being at home with our boys

 

 

Back to scrap

Well, this is meant to be a scrapping blog as well as a blog of the bits and pieces that fill my days and my head. So I guess there ought to be some scrapping.

 

However, before I post that I wanted to share my thoughts on a regular reader here. You know who you are.

 

This lovely lady, who follows my ramblings and often comments, is dealing with such sadness. We visited with her and her husband earlier this year and had an utterly amazing visit with two such special people whose generosity in not only gifting me so many things but gifting us with time and sharing their unbelievable dolls houses with us. I heard this evening that her husband has sadly passed away and I cannot begin to imagine her pain and sense of loss. I wanted to post here, publically but obviously with no names, how our thoughts and prayers are with you. At such dreadful times I often turn to Winnie the Pooh who shares such great wisdom ...

Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you face this great loss xx

It seems trivial to share scrapping after hearing that news but it also seems apt to share a page of someone just beginning her journey with the love of her life. Because that's the amazing thing about life and love. It is about beginnings and endings.

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• people who come into your life who bring such joy in such small but perfect ways
• love .. it is the most precious thing of all and grief is the price we pay for it.

 

Hold your loved ones a little closer, tell those who mean something to you that you love them, that you value them, because our days here are too brief and we never know when it will be the last time we can tell people we care, tell people we love them. Make the most of every single minute.

 

Glorious weather

Having cancelled our holiday next week - it's OK it was our choice - we have determined we are going to use the time to go out and about and enjoy things locally whilst still being able to come home each evening to our beloved boys. So with that in mind, we headed off to somewhere we hadn't been before - Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens. And what a fabulous day we had.  Photo heavy post but they are pretty - honest

 

 

The village of Abbotsbury itself is so pretty

 

 

 

and the tropical gardens were wonderful with little gems round every corner and sculptures dotted around too

 

I highly recommend it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I loved all the doorways and gates too - they always attract me so much

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were views over the chessil (I didn't go up the slope to that!)

There is a Burma rope bridge which is longer than I expected and surprisingly scary and hard to walk on. It was very narrow and feet had to be placed carefully. I wasn't so afraid of falling but of misstepping and breaking an ankle (I do that easily remember. )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were lots of red monet style bridges too

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of our favourite bits was this lovely glade with a gorgeous light and the owl and the pussycat and Alice and her Flamingo

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were literally surprises round every corner

 

 

 

 

 

 

and then, of course, there was the lily pond complete with Jeremy Fisher

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like he finally caught one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and my favourite photo of the day

 

Nigel's of course

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a wonderful day out
• beautiful things to see
• 2 for 1 garden tickets!

 

who needs a holiday!