Dolly's Dreamings

A Year in Review

Every New Year's Eve I like to look back on my blog over the past year. I will add layouts to reflect the different elements of our year.

I could easily look back and say 2023 was a pants year thanks to cancer.

Or I could just be positive and say it was the year that, at least for the time being, I beat cancer!

The year began, right at the start of the 4^th Jan with the news that I needed more surgery as they hadn’t got clear margins and the ‘it doesn’t become invasive for years ad years’ cancer had become invasive and so I also need lymph node surgery.  Friday 13^th – another surgery and this time all gone. There followed radiotherapy which was OK but caused lymphoedema which is now an ongoing issue. I dreaded the first annual mammogram but the best Christmas present of all was it was clear – news received just before Christmas. So quite a roller coaster with the old boobies and my mental health has taken a serious battering but on balance I can only look back and feel thankful. Thankful it was found, thankful it was dealt with, thankful for all of the amazing staff in the NHS, thankful for the way it strengthened our faith and thankful for the incredible man who was by my side every step of the way and got me through it.

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed gentle days out for the first part of the year as truly we were not up to doing much. But we did have a new fireplace fitted – and should have done the lounge renovation scheduled for January 2024 then, but we didn’t have the heart for it. So some gentle days out in the first few months of the year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I recovered we started to have longer days out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went for a lovely holiday to Norfolk. We booked five nights away and managed one of them! Koda scuppered that by refusing to eat and so we had to come home early, but we enjoyed what we did very much and, in true US style crammed a lot into 40 hours!

 Some highlights

 

 

 

 

 

We met up with family and friends and enjoyed meeting the new babies in our lives – our grand nephew, my god-daughter’s little girl and a very dear friend’s much longed for little boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed overnight stays in Gloucestershire and Cornwall

 

 

 

 

Nigel continued to love speedway and be an excellent presenter and I pained and started to teach art too ... and I sold 9 paintings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed autumn and the beach as always

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and we had a fabulously quiet Christmas but did feed red pandas!

 

 

 

 

 

Our boys continue to bring great joy

 

 

 

 

 

And I thank God every minute of every day that we did it all together

 

 

 

so - it has been a  good year. The year we beat cancer, the year we were settled and safe and happy, when life became so much more simple but how content we became with that.

All that remains is to say how thankful I am for the past year, for my soul mate and partner in crime, for our boyz who bring us such joy, for families and friends, for days out and trips close to home, for arts and crafts and hobbies, and for the amazing NHS staff who made it all possible.

 

I hope that 2024 is a year filled with health and happiness, love and laughter for all of us. xxx

 

That between time

We have been officially int he between time - the time between christmas and new year where you simply have no clue what day of the week it is. I love it.

Life has been slow and gentle and perfect.

I have finished my sketch book and have a few pages to share AND A VIDEO!!!

 

 

 

this was the last double page

 

 

and this is the first page (the map) and the last page

 

I am actually very pleased with it as it has focussed my drawing, making me look closely and sketch out images. I have learnt a lot and enjoyed the journey and it suits my scrapbooking heart too to have made an art record of the year. I plan doing another.

 

I was so pleased with it I filmed a flip through. Please don't expect great things and I hate my voice and why oh why do I move my hands so much!

But if you are interested here is the video

 

 

 

I will sign off for now as I need to go and find out what day it is!!!No point asking Nigel - he doesn't know either.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely christmas period
• a project completed
• chill time

On the other side

I hope that all of you had a fabulous Christmas - that you enjoyed the joy of the season, remembered the reason behind it, enjoyed fine food, giving and receiving gifts and a few days of leisure.

 

We had a very simple Christmas and, apart from a glitch Christmas Eve when I was suddenly and unexpectedly very sick through the night (no alcohol involved) it was lovely. It was just the two of us and so after Church Christmas morning we donned leisure wear (OK so PJs) and exchanged gifts, played with new toys, chatted to family on the phone and I cooked a full christmas dinner even if I wasn't up to eating much.

Boxing day was pretty much a repeat. The cats are exhausted because they are not used to us slobbing in the lounge all day - we are usually in the study for a fair bit of the day wither working or scrapping or painting. They are used to more snoozing!

But is has been lovely and we now have a few quiet days before meet ups with friends and family.

I didn't take many photos of the day but I do have a few things to share

 

This was a quick deer I painted

 

and this was an even quicker little cat from an emma Lefabre advent clip

 

 

 

 

I am now going to slump back in my comfy armchair and watch more Christmas TV

 

Enjoy the rest of the holidays people xx

 

Merry Christmas One and All

I am logging off for the holidays. I hope that you all enjoy this most special of seasons and that it is filled with health and happiness, love and laughter.

Merry Christmas from Nigel and I and from Indy and Koda who enjoyed having their own card this year!!!

 

How did we ever cope

I am not quite sure how we ever coped when we worked and still got everything done. I guess the days were longer as we woke earlier, got out of bed earlier, moved more quickly. At the moment we seem to get so little done in a day. But I am also thinking that is OK and it is nice to be chilled.

We had a lovely visit tot he Christmas tree festival at the nearby church and enjoyed some shop windows on the way ... the paper cutting hanging was stunning

 

 

and there were more than 30 trees created by different groups

 

 

We made the world's worst gingerbread house (I seriously considered saying a child had made it.(In our defence the icing tubes were utter rubbish) The photos, carefully taken, make it look way better than it was

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night we had a wonderful meal out with 8 of our neighbours. We are truly blessed to have friends next door and opposite rather than just neighbours. It was lovely.

and I thought I would share the next few sketch book pages

 

Today I am thankful for

• not having to work - I'd never fit it in!!!

 

 

Gorgeous special deals

Every month at Pickleberrypop they have a berry big deal promotion where all of the designer make gorgeous bundles that coordinate together and they are on an amazing offer. Every month they are wonderful but wow, this month they have excelled themselves.As part of the design team I get to work with as many as I would like to - I am very lucky. These are the four I played witht his week.

 

 

Credits

Blue Christmas Bundle by Fayette Designs

 

 

 

 

Credits

Shining Moments Bundle by Palvinka Designs

 

 

 

 

Credits

Make a Wish bundle by Tiramisu Designs

 

 

 

 

 

Credits

Catching my Drift Collection by MDD Designs

 

 

 

Do go and check them out

 

Today I am thankful for

• voltarol gel. I am strugglingw ith terrible back and rib pain at the moment
• Christmas shopping all done

Big day today on the home front

We have had a bust day today going up to Ikea and back. We have ordered the furniture for the lounge renovation> It is Ikea but solid wood and rather lovely. We have ordered the carpet, not from Ikea obviously,  have bought the new lamps and cushions and are excited that by the end of January, God willing, we will have a new streamlined, less cluttered more modern lounge. Fingers crossed eh! And if anyone wants and old ornaments like border fine arts, David Winter cottages etc, speak now before they go to charity because the whole lot is going! I am following y new mantra of de cluttering and, if it doesn't bring me joy it is going.

I have new scrapping to share made as a design team piece for Scrap a Sketch.

I loved this premium sketch and stuck to it quite closely whilst adapting it to suit A4. The sketches always adapt so well to whatever size you scrap. The photos are of me at my happy place -t he beach - with my new happy mug! What's not to like - a Starbucks mug with cat ears and a cat on! Made for me! I used the Happy Hanukkah printables for the embellishments after having added circles of dots with a template first. The page has absolutely nothing to do with Hanukkah but the colours were perfect as were the gift boxes. You can find the collection HERE https://www.scrapasketch.com/.../happy-hanukkah-full... and you can find the sketch by becoming a premium sketch member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and some other catch up pages ... this was another for scrap squad and I love this one and it isn't  often I say that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this is one I forgot to share

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• successful ordering
• the strength to declutter - I don't find it easy. Craft room next!!!

 

Sunset wonders

The other afternoon it was lovely and crisp and so we went down to Sandbanks to watch the sunset - and beautiful it was indeed ... there were a LOT of photos ... thankfully I am only sharing a few.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is another page made using Vicki Boutin Peppermint kisses papers for ATDML and also using gorgeous printables from two of the Christmas ranges from Scrap a Sketch ... a frosty festive walk at Mottisfont two weeks ago.

 

 

 

 

and because I have been able to share so little lately due to internet issues I have several new sketchbook pages to share (I am trying to finish my 2023 book as I am hoping Santa may have bought me a new one) I need to qualify this by saying that they are meant to be just rough sketches not great works of art

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

being able to crack on an do my computer sorting now the internet is working

christmas time - I feel I can look forward to it this year

 

Welcome back and fabulous news

I am hoping today I can blog properly. We have had 10 days of dreadful internet issues. Upload speeds of below 1 (great to coincide with a new computer and trying to back up to google drive) It looks like it might be fixed!  So maybe I can upload stuff

 

I am hosting the challenge over at the Scrap a Sketch Facebook Group today so do go to the group and check it out and check out the massive discounts there too.  You can find the sketch there and my challenge was to use the sketch and use NO PATTERNED PAPER.I did use lots f the gorgeous printables though!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have also been making pages with my Design Team kit from A Trip Down memory Lane using Vicki Boutin Peppermint Kisses which is lovely. I have combined this with scrap squad challenges

I couldn't resist the title I'm afraid

 

 

 and this is another with the same collection

 

 

 

 

 

and finally this one

 

 

 

 

 

And now for the BIG BIG good news

I had my first annual mammogram last week and it is all we could both think about, dreading another call back

 

The absolutely wonderful news is that the mammogram showed nothing unusual or worrying. It has been all consuming for us both, hanging over us like the sword of Damocles. I cannot tell you how relieved and grateful we are The Lord is indeed good.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a good result
• our NHS
• fixed broadband
• the chance to enjoy Christmas now

Crazy busy

How did we ever find time to work. It has been sooooo busy

But - on to some scrapping. First some digital with new releases today

Credits

Mistletoe Magic Full kit and FWP by Jen Yurko

 

 

 

Credits

Winter wishes collection Dutch Dreams Designs

 

I am also thrilled to share my take on the challenge over at Scrap A Sketch today

I decided to tackle this as a digital page just to showcase the utter versatility of the sketches and of course of the printables. I used the Feeling Festive collection which is utterly gorgeous and you can find it here https://www.scrapasketch.com/.../feeling-festive-full... Indy enjoying the fun of decorating for Christmas. I love how everything coordinates so well and they are super to use not only for real life pages but also for digital and hybrid pages,