Dolly's Dreamings

A better day

Today has been a better day eye wise. I have been worried about my eyes as I was getting a lot of pain in the left eye and eye socket. It wasn't dreadful pain but was dreadfully worrying. I was scared as a  risk of the procedure is that it can make pressure soar. I stood it for three days and then the anxiety demanded I call. The emergency unit were very good and saw me yesterday - a bank holiday - and checked it all out. The left eye is a little inflamed though he felt that ought not to cause so much pain. But the pressure was normal which totally put my mind at rest. The bad news was that he said it looks like the right eye had not worked as the hole was tiny and looked like it may be closing up. I so don't want to have it done again. I really don't. 

When I came home I went to put the anti inflamatory drops in and Koda and Indy had got there first. Thankfully I think they must have tasted vile as apart from breaking the lid and kicking the bottle around the house they hadn't suffered any ill effects from the drops. And I have a second bottle. Have Bengals they said. It will be fun they said!And mostly it is.

I haven't much new scrapping I can share because it is for DT things coming up but I can share the pages I made for another class at A Trip Down memory Lane using the gorgeous 49 and Market Beach collection.

I made three pages for the class and beach theme was so very me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the third one

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the hospital putting my mind at rest
• The date for my follow up arriving
• having bengals - the boyz are worth every single hiccup

 

 

 

Challenges completed

I have been playing alongt his month with various facebook groups who have had challenges running.

Peartree Cutfiles had 16 challenges - one each day - and I am thrilled I managed all of them. I also managed 4 so far of the Lottie Loves paper challenges, all of the Scrap a Sketch rainbow challenges and 6 of the Twilight challenges so far. I don't do challenges for any reason other than they stimulate me to create and get my mojo going and I love that.

Here are a few pages I haven't shared yet

 

 

 

 

 

There are two versions of this one as I made a huge error and had to re-do the title for a different group - that will teach me to try to multi task

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and finally

 

 

 

 

 

and it has been nice doing 12 x 12 pages for a change as I have been working on holiday and staycation separate albums.

 

I can't sit for long on the computer as my eyes are still sore and tire easily. The headache was much easier yesterday but is back today which is a disappointment. I just hope it is all progressing well inside.

 

Today I am thankful for

• people who share their inspiration and inspire challenges

 

 

Typing my own post!

Wow get me able to type my own - short - post today.

My eyes are a little better though they still get tired and achey really fast and I still have a bad headache. But heck - I am typing.

It is the insta hop at The Flair Hut/Dotty About Flair tooday and we were all given a challenge

We were all set a challenge to come up with a page on a specific theme, namely 5 favourite things. I hope you will join the hop around our Instagram world and see what the whole team have come up with. The team will be posting throughout the day and I know you will find it fascinating.
I decided to go with 5 things that mean the most to me and – in true Scrapdolly style – I cheated and there are actually 6! But then you knew I’d cheat! I went with a black background as the pictures had so many colours it seemed easier to use black or white and I do love the drama of a black background especially with teals and blues. I splattered the card with teals and blues and gold paint before starting. I opted for a photo of me (we had to use a picture of us too) in the water at the beach and that was my sneaky cheat – it got the beach in there without making it one of my five and let’s face it, anyone who knows me knows the beach had to be right there! I cut polaroid type frames out for the other 5 pictures and added the journaling beneath each one and then I had great fun matching my flair to the pictures. Teal blue is one of my favourite colours so I had plenty of teal blue flair and found the paw, heart, camera and the cute cute paint brush. I am only sad I had used my teal house but the colour is so beautiful it didn’t matter that one was plain. I added just some fussy cut flowers and leaves and a title.
You can find the rest of the team on Instagram here

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

Here is mine

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also have this to share which was another Peartree challenge

I loved sharing more photos of the gardens at Arundel Castle and the fact that the incredible pillars, columns, fountains, temples were all - absolutely all - carved from wood. It was amazing

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this was for a UKS challenge showing some of the 17 blankets I crochets for Ukrainian babies (I am up to 20 now!)

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• slowly healing
• the ability to do something today not just listen to audiobooks

 

And she's back

Most of this post was written in advance so Nigel can post it for me.

Eye update - the laser iridotomy was done yesterday. They warned the drops used to narrow the pupils could cause a headache. Oh My! They really did and I still have it. However, the treatment was straighforward. The doctor was wonderful and took time to answer all of my questions. It didn't hurt exactly but was uncomfortable and reasonably frightening as each eye was zapped once hard and then half a dozen times  a little gentler. He said both holes were successfully made, there was no bleeding and my pressures tested after 20 minutes were not rocketing (a risk). I was fine during the procedure but faint afterwards - true to form.

The vision is still not great hence Nigel typing this!

I have pages to share made pre op.

Credits

Take Note full kit by Jen Yurko

 

 

Yesterday was my creative team day for scrap a sketch and I was thrilled to be joint creator with Cheryl. Our colour was blue.

I

have gone with a mix of three blues – a French navy, a soft teal blue and a turquoise. I started with

cream card and smooshed different colours of inks into the background to soften it down a little. I

stuck pretty close to the sketch and used a gorgeous Simple Stories chipboard frame for the pictures

of Nigel and Man’O War Bay. I had fun searching through my stash to find bits and pieces such as the

gorgeous blue flair from The Flair Hut at the bottom, the lovely turquoise Bramble Fox hot air

balloon that echoed the frame. I used a paper flair and camera from a very very old set of papers

and some word art strips. The sketch was just perfect to work with and is so versatile I will be using it

again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also have this page to share which was for today and Purple and features from our trip on the Swanage steam railway.

 

 

Today she is thankful for

• her eye operation being over
• sleep
• painkillers

L -1 ... Laser minus 1

I have been catching up with things today aware I may need to have a few quiet days after the laser treatment.

This is my page for the green day over at Scrap a Sketch using not only Lisa's gorgeous sketch but also her new circles template available to buy at The Flair Hut/Dotty about flair.

The photos are of the giant lily pads at Kew Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I have promised myself I am going to finish my Cornwall 2021 album and so this is for a Peartree challenge and for that album

The challenge was embossing and epoxy and I got to use one of the gorgeous new epoxy flair

The page was an exercise in psychology. I wanted Nigel to draw the big heart and didn't want to so I did it badly knowing heds take over and do it properly. result!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other than scrapping, playing with the boys and a walk today has been very quiet.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone for all of your kind messages and thoughts.

Hopefully, I will be back before you know it to say it was all absolutely OK.

 

Today I am thankful for

• scrap time
• words of encouragement from friends and family

 

 

 

 

More positive today

I have woken up with a far more positive frame of mind today.

I know I need to have the eye procedure and I know it will be fine as they are skilled people, I have faith that I will be cared for and, bottom line, it HAS to be done.

I have some more scrapping to share

Lisa is running a fabulous week of rainbow challenges with fabulous sketches this week (do visit her facebook group and check them out  HERE )

 

Today was Yellow! And this is a very yellow page. I used lots of stencilling, a photo from Kew

Gardens and had a lot of fun with it too

 

 

 

 

I also made this yesterday which caused a lot of hilarity in the Dotty About Flair group as it is so NOT me. It is very very bright and colourful rather than my more muted normal. But it was fun and was for a special challenge which you can find on the Dotty About Flair facebook group

 

 

 

 

 

 

It had to be bright for the Rainbow Hare in Winchester cathedral close.

 

And today I made this one for a scrap squad challenge and as part of my design team work for ATDML

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• feeling more positive about everything
• a haircut (bit short ... it will grow)
• the support of so many good friends

 

 

Eye news

Well it has been an interesting few days here with my eyes. I have had a lot of eye pain since the visit to the hospital which I put down to being messed around a bit. They told me I would hear in 2 - 4 weeks and the procedure should be in about 6 weeks. My appointment was on Tuesday and I received the appointment two days later for next Tuesday - so one week start to finish. I was a bit concerned as it seemed very quick - did that mean it was urgent? Everyone calmed me down and said no I was just lucky, it was a simple procedure, I got a cancellation etc and I kind of bought it until today. Today the letter with my results arrived and I was encouraged as it said it was stage 1 angle closure. Not so bad I thought. Till I looked and Stage 1 is the most severe.  I am fine with the fact it is a routine procedure, fine with the fact it is quick and simple but NOT fine with having both eyes done at the same time. There are risks of double vision, infection etc. And I cannot bear to think of what would happen if both eyes were compromised. And I always seem to be the one who has the 'that almost never happens' scenario. I form keloid scars. I get infections from everything I have done. And it applies even to the cats. It almost never happens that the scrotal sack comes out of the castration wound - it did with Koda. It almost never happens that we cut a cat by shaving them. It happened with Indy. Almost every cat is sick when we give them the sedation designed to make them vomit up foreign objects. Neither of ours was sick. You almost never have a small incision with three stitches get infected. Mine did. You get the picture. So this procedure almost never leads to infection. Almost never causes double vision. Almost never causes blurred vision. You get why I am worried right? I have a list of questions I would like to ask but I also know I might not get the chance. So I am scared to death. If you are of a praying mindset I could do with some prayers on Tuesday morning please.

 

Other than that I have been scrapping.

This was made for a challenge at Scrap a Sketch (they have a different colour every day all week and a different sketch every day too) and for a challenge at Peartree. It documents an error we made. I normally just drink water. I don't really like many other things. But at Abbotsbury they had a can of natural soda that looked delicious. It just didn't mention to cat wee on the ingredients listed and that was what it tasted like! Maybe the dandelionon the front should have been a clue! Moral - stick to water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The was for a challenge at Lottie Loves Paper and Peartree Cutfiles

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the NHS being efficient when it needs to be
• the skill of eye specialists (I hope I am still thankful on Wednesday!)
• cooler weather

Rain, Releases and Rainbows

For a reasonably quiet retired pair of oldies we have been socialisng a lot this week. We have had three sets of visitors over in the last 4 days, have been to others for drinks and out for a meal. We usually do very little. It's been fab.

I didn't have such a fab day yesterday though. We did get some rain - not much and not nearly enough but we will take what we can get.

But I had a hospital appointment re my eyes and glaucoma and I was expecting a 'yes it's all ticking along fine' but I didn't get that. My angles are more closed and they are concerned and so I am to have holes made using lasers to help with drainage, even though my pressures were normal. I am very scared about it as I am squeamish with anything to do with eyes, but he says the risks of the laser surgery are far less than the risk of developing closed angle glaucoma which is very serious. So lasers it is!

 

I have a very different page to share for me. The Peartree challenge was to use rainbows and rolled paper and if you know me well you know rainbow colours are NOT ME!

This is what I came up with

 

 

 

 

 

It is much brighter than I would usually do but it gave me the chance to use two beautifully bright flair and I do quite like the finished page and it was right for my Indy boy

 

It is new release day at Pickleberrypop and it is the Berry Big Deals where everything coordinates together. I have worked with three kits this week

 

 

Credits

Letter to August BBD Bundle by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

Credits

Limited Edition Bundle by Chunlin Designs

 

 

 

Credits

Book of Memories bundle by Palvinka Designs

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• lots of visitors
• Alice loving her wedding album
• rain (I just want more)

 

Still stupidly hot

I am fed up of this weather - I truly am. So hot and humid. Roll on winter - or Autumn at least please.

The art exhibition went very well and sold a serious amount of my craft fair goodies which thrilled me no end. But it was like an over there too.

I have ventured into a little scrapping - but not for long as the scraproom is too hot.

 

I was really pleased with this page which was for a challenge over at Dotty About Flair and also for challenges at Peartree and UK Scrappers

 

Nigel will wait A LONG TIME for the perfect shot. I don't have the patience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was for a challenge at Pear Tree and Twilight crop and crafts and features one of the new flair from the August rebrand and release. Dotty about Flair has a whole new name The Flair Hut, but it's still dotty about flair. The new release is awesome and I was sent some ahead of time as a Design Team member. I have now placed a seriously big order!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I have just finished this one for a scrap squad and a peartree challenge and again I have used one of the brand new flair releases

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a successful exhibition and fantastic sales
• fans (still) and cold showers
• a busy week ahead. we who do nothing much normally have 4 separate lots of visitors coming over this week

Still stupidly hot

We have worked really hard today to keep the house as cool as possible, but it's like living in a cave - a hot cave - with everything closed up. I find it awfully depressing.

Nigel and I took a drive this afternoon just to enjoy some respite in a cold car. They have now declared an official drought which is something new. Most things in our garden have died and I just want it to end and rain - a lot.

I do have some nice scrapping to share though - from a day that was hot but not as hot as this.

I am so very very thrilled to be bringing my first page as a full Design Team member over at Scrap a Sketch. I have loved every single one of Lisa's sketches and so am thrilled to be a part of it. I stuck very closely to the sketch for this one as I loved it

 

I used very old simple Stories botanical bits and pieces and some coordinating papers which I distressed at the edges and faux stitched. I used white card - which I tend to do a lot, but added some platters of ink. The title was printed on card and cut out and there are flair of course too. The photo is from Abbotsbury Sub Tropical gardens and the little boat with the owl and the pussycat in was so unexpected and so beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• only having another 4 days of this hellish heat!