Dolly's Dreamings

a mixed few days

We have gone through a full gambit of weather, pleasure and stress the last few days. It was awfully hot and so we took a picnic tea down to the sea. Not where all the people are. We locals know where to go that is quiet and it was lovely but still not cool. It was 28 degrees all night in our bedroom.

Yesterday was a little cooler and we finally had our fence fitted. We have gone from 6 foot wooden panels (that break, blow out, shatter, fly like kites over the heath) to 3 foot gravel board and 3 foot fence. It looks very different - not quite used to it yet - but will last much better int he wind. But I don't cope at all well with workmen around and so I found it all very stressful. I breathed a sigh of relief when they had gone and the day finished on a high with our Friday family fun night which we hosted this week. The round of Mr and Mrs was hilarious.

I had a busy day scrapping yesterday but as they are for classes I cannot share them yet. But - pin the date

 

The weekend of 17th July is a bumper cyber crop at ATDML

 

 

These are three pages made a while ago but not shared

 

Kira helping with our jigsaw puzzles. We have done dozens of puzzles since lockdown and really enjoy them

 

 

This was my page about me for the last ATDML cyber crop

 

 

 

and a garden one from earlier in May

 

Today I am thankful for

• the fence work complete and hopefully stable now.
• Nigel's patience when I have meltdowns

And today some totally ridiculous trying to be a pretentious way to serve food which I think are totally bonkers

 

I'd send most of them back on the basis they were unhygenic as the things could not be cleaned properly. But then I don't go to that sort of restaurant

 

A potato on a  little chair!

 

 

roof tiles - really!!!

 

 

a cocktail - what is wrong with a glass?

 

 

ramen noodles as beer!!!

served on real pebbles - no thank you

 

 

nope

 

This is quite cute - they asked for nothingf or dessert

 

beef potato and peas in a glass - for goodness sake

 

 

 

 

cheese on a mousetrap!

 

 

 

nope nope nope

 

 

the kitchen sink

 

 

 

 

absolutely no

 

 

Burgers as a cocktail accent!

 

 

 

noooo - the mess

 

oh for goodness sake

 

 

 

 

 

Scrappy happiness

It's been a lovely few days.

It was family quiz night on Friday night and, as always, great fun and lovely to chat to everyone and get to see them even though miles and miles separate us all.

Another zoom chat on Saturday with my team mates from UKS and again great to see people from all over the country - indeed all over the world.

 

I was so happy yesterday when my new wool came. Not much - just a top up. I decided I loved my red and cream and grey blanket so much I wanted to make the same pattern for a throw for our bed. I had already bought the wool but now I was changing the pattern and making another proper blanket instead of granny squares I needed more of two colours. I thought I would have to wait ages but it came really quickly and I have started my new throw for our bed. I am happy as it is a blanket I know I will use. I have no idea what I am going to do with the other one - I may try and sell it as it is brand new. I am thinking that in a perfect world I would sit and make blankets to sell just for the cost of the wool as my pleasure is the evenings and evening of happiness making it in front of the TV. I said to Nigel I was just so darned happy last night! Simple things eh.

 

I have also been scrapping madly this weekend in readiness for the Berry Big Deal promotion next week at Pickleberrypop. I cannot share those yet but oh my there are some amazing collections.

I can share these though

 

This one celebrates a special part of our garden. It has two rose bushes given by two different families at school representing 4 girls I taught from the age of 3 - 11 spanning a total of 12 years for each family.  It also has sunflowers growing which were planted from the seeds we were given at Fiona and Dave's wedding and also, of course, Florence the Flamingo Nigel game me for mothering sunday

 

 

and I don't think I shared these.

 

Thank goodness shelves are NOT like this now and things have settled down some

 

and this was for a black and white challenge

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely weekend
• lots of laughs
• joy from crafting

And I love my crafting but goodness me - these are amazing examples of sugar work for cakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At last ... proper rain

As I sit typing this it  is pouring with rain and I couldn't be happier. It has been glorious and dry for so longa nd although we have had a few bits of drizzle, no real rain for ages and it is much needed. It will water the garden - and the heath. Happy bunny.

 

Also happy because the shopping is done for another week which is a good feeling. I still get very stressed cleaning everything. I did go to a store yesterday and I hated it. We went to B and Q to get fence paint for the new fence being delivered. It was horrible. They did have the store well laid out but I think because there were a lot of people and a lot of them were workmen who clearly feel its a lot of fuss about nothing it was very difficult to navigate safely. And they didn't even have the paint we wanted. We went to selco which was quieter and whilst more expensive they had what we needed. My new normal isn't here yet!

 

I have done some paper scrapping though and have some photos to share.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a selection of beautiful Dorset cottages as we drove round Cranborne Chase and the Tarrants. Love our home county.

 

Playing with the new Pink Fresh Stay at Home

 

 

A socially distant birthday

 

Vicki Boutin Let's Wander

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely week
• projects finished
• days out
• shopping done
• new stash to play with

 

And just because I thought they were lovely - pretty pies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Lockdown project

Well at times I thought this day might never come - but it has and I am thrilled and saddened at the same time.

I started a lockdown blanket back in March. I have only been crocheting for under a year and have tended to make simple things. I have made s scarf and three blankets all based on simple squares - a sunflower blanket, a bright patchwork style blanket and a simple one using wool I happened to have. But when I saw this blanket pattern and wool I fell in love and had no idea that it was absolutely NOT for beginners and was very complicated. I swear I have made it almost twice as there has been so much I had to undo and redo. But I have loved the challenge and it has filled my evenings and been so exciting as it has grown. So now I am thrilled it is finished but also sad it is finished and am planning to make another one!

 

I am in the pictures just for size reference. It's a big old blanket and I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do with it.

 

 

It is so soft and so beautifully dimensional and lumpy with popcorn stitches and backwards stitches (no idea what they are really called) and I absolutely love it and I am sad it is done.

 

I am also sad but also relieved that we have cancelled our holiday today. We were off to the USA again later int he year to explore the National Parks in Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and California and are now staying firmly at home. It was the only sensible decision and I feel relieved we have now made it . And I am doubly thrilled that we didn't lose a penny.

 

Today I am thankful for

• finishing a big project
• feeling accomplished
• making a tough decision but the right one

 

 

and today I share teeny tiny pencil lead sculptures - just WOW!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's the weekend

It's the weekend again. Well let's face it, it is pretty much always the weekend here, but tis officially the weekend.

 

Shopping is done - I look forward to when that isn't a drama, but we are getting slicker with it. We have the process down to a fine art really.

I had a pleasant day drawing and scrapping - well I have a pleasant day drawing and scrapping most days to be fair. Plus we have started another jigsaw and been for a lovely walk too.

New pictures include

 

 

I also photocopied it just so I could play at colouring it. Well I wasn't going to re-draw it. They are small - less than A5 size, and so I used a 0.05 micron pen as the detail is very very fine.

 

Sadly I cannot share the new scrapping as it is for a class at ATDML. But here is some older work that I have not shared yet

 

This was Oatmas on route 66 and was one of the weirdest places we have ever ever been. Part old gold mining town, part old route 66 town, part wonderful, part (a bit part) tacky, full of wild burros and totally and utterly unique.

 

 

 

 

and this was getting our America the Beautiful pass at the Grand Canyon.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a family quiz night to come
• more baking ... photo below my first coffee walnut cake
• the weekend
• rose cava (a bit of a new obsession)

 

 

 

These are NOT mine - macaron works of art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful weather

The winds have finally died down and the weather is lovely. We have been for our usual daily walks and enjoyed lunches on the balcony. Life is indeed good. We have no desire to venture out further and are quite content.

 

These two pages were made for challenges on UKS and are for the digital coast to coast album. Actually we now have three full D ring paper albums of the trip and I still have loads to do. It was indeed the trip of a lifetime and so probably good we are not travelling this year.

 

 

 

and this is a scraplift I made today because I fell in love with the original page and just had to have a version in my album. I loved cutting all the houses out. The original was by Claire Louise

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely weekend at home
• sharing together
• a brilliant quiz night with family (well apart from the scavenger hunt where we were utter rubbish - the benefits of a split level house

 

and I love these chalk arts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crafting my way through lockdown

I think Nigel and I are very lucky - our life isn't much different in lockdown really. We don't go to the cinema, we don't get Starbucks and we don't eat out, but apart from that our days continue the same. And it is good. We know how lucky we are in this.

 

Today of course was hell day - I mean Friday. Up at 6.30, Nigel queuing at Tesco, in the store at 8 and everything home, either in quarantine or washed and put away. Oh my the feeling when that is all over is euphoric.  A glass of wine tonight to celebrate.

 

I am looking forward to a busy weekend of scrapping as it is iNSD and there are lots of events on. I don't think I will find it easy to beat the numer from last month though as I scrapped every day in April and made 76 pages - a mix of paper and digital.

Here are a few I have not shared

Nigel at the Grand Canyon in our lovely Snowball - I miss that car. Mind you I miss any car. I just don't get to go in a car anymore, or drive.

 

 

I made this for the cybercrop at ATDML - diamonds and yes - it took a while both to cut the diamonds and to do all the sewing.

 

 

 

and the adder wrangling needed to be recorded.

 

 

 

I have also enjoyed the doodling class I am doing on line and am building up quite a sketchbook of doodles and zentangles. I haven't taken photos but will and will share them.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a good life
• shopping done
• crafting - it is a sanity saver

 

 

 how wonderful are these

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another sunny day but worrying news

The weather has been glorious for the last couple of days. Nigel - and our next door neighbour and they next door but one neighbour!) decided it was time to get the pressure washer out. He was planning to clean the front wall, the side wall and the front step area but after working hard all morning, the pressure washer said 'you have got to be kidding me' and gave up the ghost. we have ordered a new one but he is now allowed time off for good behaviour and what he has done looks awesome. I gardened. I always seem to get the jobs that make little difference. In the house I can dust and polish and clean for hours. Nigel comes along and does the hoovering in ten minutes and it looks fab. I can weed for hours and it doesn't really look very different. Nigel mows the lawn and it transforms the garden. Hey ho - we compliment each other.

Two more jigsaws have been completed - we are really enjoying those - and the balcony is getting good use. Bread has been baked, daily walks have been taken and I even sorted my wardrobe, putting away thick winter jumpers and getting out the summer tops (though not for quite yet I suspect.

 

I think the nation has been worried about the news about Boris Johnston being moved to not just hospital now but into intensive care. We are huge Tory supporters but neither of us was 'in love' with Boris, though we did not dislike him. Over the business with Brexit and with the coronovirus we have been really impressed and we feel he is exactly the kind of leader the country needs. It needs a man who is a libertine at heart, full of life and energy, a blustering man with really savvy ideas. I am so pleased he is leading our country (and we remain eternally grateful 'the other chap' didn't get in which I think would have been ruinous and we would have been governed by the politics of envy. So we, like so many many people, are concerned for him, and for his family, and we hope and pray he makes a full recovery because we need HIM at the helm of our ship at the moment.

 

In addition to everything we have been doing I have also been scrapping.  I had a new Design Team kit from A Trip Down Memory Lane (so I was given free stuff to create with to promote the products) and this month I had papers from Pink Paislee Bloom by Paige Evans. It is gorgeous stuff and these are my first two pages.

 

This is our every day at the moment - we are taking a long brisk walk round our neighbourhood to get our daily exercise as advised. we are lucky that we can walk in a nice environment and we see very few people on our walks and everyone is very respectful and either we or they will cross over the road so good distances are kept.

 

 

 

 

 

And this was the day before lockdown - we went for a walk in Poole Park

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• things to keep busy with
• a good mix of work and play, relaxed and busy
• that we remain healthy in this crisis

 

 

I hope you enjoy these award winning animal photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little bit of digi love

Today is new release day at Pickleberrypop and I have had the chance to work with some lovely collections.

This is

Spring Awakening - A Berry Blends Kit by Chunlin Designs and Studio Pix + Prints

 

and the ever gorgeous Alice

 

 

Meet the Family - Spouse mini bundle by Cheryl Day Designs and Meet the Family  bundle by Cheryl Day Designs

 

 

Our young hands on our wedding day

 

Credits

I’m so Lucky Bundle  by Fayette Designs

 

 

and finally A New day Bundle with free gift by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

 

Do enjoy browsingt heir store - there is some beautiful stuff as always.

 

Today I am thankful for

• the working week being almost over - I am awfully tired
• gorgeous new kits to play with

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ooops - forgot again

No blogging for a few days - partly I was busy but largely because I just went and forgot!

Now trying to think what I have done int he past 5 days.

 

I went to see Dark Waters with Nigel. It was good - and a very sobering story, but a little too soft paced. I think it could have been edgier, but then the man who really fought the case was a very unassuming guy, so it kind of worked. I also went to see Emma with my bestie. It is one of her favourite books and we both really enjoyed the film. It was beautifully shot, faithful to the book and a nice way to spend an afternoon with my friend.

 

I have read a couple of books and, the last two days, I have worked. It is mock exam time again and I am only in a few hours every day but the early mornings are a killer. I am in school by 7.30 but the upside is I am back home between 10 and 11  which is when my day usually starts for real when I am not working, by the time we have had breakfast, read the papers, etc etc. So I feel I am not using 'my time' really, although today I was in in the afternoon too.

 

I have also done a fair bit of scrapping. There was a mini cyber crop at FTLOPP so I played along. . These are a few of the pages and the albums are coming along very nicely now.

 

This one celebrates the oldest continually serving McDonalds, opened in 1953 before Ray Kroc took over. It was actually the McDonald brothers #4 store. The first three are no longer still working restaurants. though we also visited #1 in san Bernadino which is now a fabulous museum. This one is in Downey CA and has the iconic twin golden arch architecture the first ones always had.

 

 

Nigel and Barry Briggs - once a great hero of Nigels and now a great friend. It was so lovely to visit him in Dana Point.

 

This was one of my favourite of the old motels - the Cactus Motel in McLean on Route 66

And Nigel in Iowa looking proud that he has been hunting and 'caught' two fraps!

 

Today I am thankful for

• gainful employment. What I earn is bonus money so I can use it for scrapping
• scrapping fun
• watertight pipes
• cinema fun