Dolly's Dreamings

New release day ... and I am released

I have newreleases to share and a new creation to share. 

 

Let's start with the new creation ... it's a painting.

 

We have been looking at the work of Gordon Benningfield and we were all paintinga picture based on one of his pencil sketches. I knew the church and cottage were in Evershott, a Dorset Village, so we went out there last week to take pictures so I had an idea of colours, light etc as there was not much on the sketch.

 

Yesterday I finished the painting and for once I am quite pleased with what I painted. I can see all the glaring errors, but there are some good bits too.

 

 

 

 

and the photo I took last week - maybe I ought not to have posted that as you can see my painting isn't that good really.

 

 

 

 

Yes it is framed and up - untilt he next one. We have one framed picture up and I just change them around.

 

Now to new releases

This is Sweet Life by Cheryl Day Designs which I found quite a challenge but found a cut photo of Alice that worked

 

 

 

 

 

This is the latest kit you can get free with a purchase fromt he store and it's one that is well worth having  called Spring melody

 

what a difference a week makes - it was beautiful just a week ago when we went to Lulworth. Much colder and greyer today.

 

 

This is Let Dreams Soar by Jumpstart Designs

 

 

 

The photo is of Swanage Steam Railway. I do love a bit of steam.

 

 

and finally this is At The Dawn of Spring

 

 

and the photo is of the side of EvershottChurch - the painying church from the first picture. 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• art - the joy it brings me to paint pictures
• scrapping - also brings great joy

 

 

Not quite as bad as expected

It's been another lovely sunny day today and we have had fun. I warn you now - do NOT play with the Sporcle website when yiu have anything to do. It's been a day of 'just one more quiz'

 

Nigel had the dentist - and all was OK with him too and the dentist is pretty much next to Starbucks so - it would be rude not to.

 

We also went to collect our creations from the pottery day. We were dreading it. We knew our bowls were quite nice. We were actually very pleased witht hem and they were both different which was lovely. However we had also made our mutant angels. Think Doctor Who and the crying angels more than Willow Tree Angels. We kind of hoped they would have fallen over int he kiln and we wouldn't have to face them but no - they survived in tact.

In fairness they were not QUITE as bad as we imagined. Not great but passably bearable. The finish on them is very good but you can see every imperfection and we didn't have time to make the heads smooth so they are a bit like angels with no defined features but a bad case of some sort of disease that makes the skin lumpy bumpy. Hey ho - we had such fun making them and laughing and they are a memory. I am planning to leave them somewhere Fiki might just accidentally knock them over. 

 

Oh I forgot to mention they are quite big. The bowls would be big enough for cereal - I imagindthe angels much smaller but the teacher felt they should be larger to work with them more easily. So not only mutant but huge too! 

 

I have been scrapping some of the pictures I found of Mummy and Daddy - and me when I was little too.

 

I made this page for a challenge on UKS this week ... I found an envelope with the polyfoto proofs of me when I was almost 5. The large picture was one I already had - my Dad carried a small version in his wallet for years. The others were cute to look at though very poor quality. I even cut the enevelopeto use bits as embellishments. I am so used to scrapping copies and my own printed photos it felt almost naughty to work with old (and yes they were old) originals. 

 

 

 

I made this page this morning for the challenge on UKS.

I found the two pictures of Mom and Dad in the yard of their first flat when they had just got married. What the story tells, though, is of the letter I found which was from the landlord complaining that they were making noise late at night, that they had people over who did not leave till after midnight and that some times people even stayed over night. They were told this was not allowed and that they had to behave. It was such a formal letter and it made me laugh to think of my parents being 'naughty'. I so wish I had known about this when I was a teenager!

 

Today I am thankful for

• mutant angels and neat pots
• old photos to scrap

And these were wqinners in an international wildlife photography competition where the timing was everything - awesome pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stop with the crops!

There has been so much inspiration in the scrapping world recently. Seriously!

I have more challenges than I can get my head round and it is awesome.

 

The scrapping community is a very genererous one and the cyber crops and crop days and challenges are fabulous for getting you scrapping.

This weekend I have been playing along with the GoGo Getaway cyber crop. My goodness they have had some fab fab challenges this weekend and I have managed about 5 of the 12 so far.

Here are a couple to share

 

I still bear the marks of this one - even though I have had a shower my fingers are still blue ... the challenge was stamping. Well, that was all I used - stamps and inks. No other embellishments at all.

 

The picture is a fake picture but as it was printed I figured I would use it. It is a composite picture I made for an art class (that's why it was printed so I could pint it). The view does not exist in reality.

 

 

 

This challenge was hand stitching so I made some die cut flowers which I handstitched in various ways and even added beads to

 

 

 

and it wouldn't be complete without digital challenges too. The mojo challenges on PBB are fabulous this month - and not just the one I am hosting. The challenge I am hosting is a title challenge to use an Elton Jognsong and this is what I made 

 

 

and the template challenge even gives you a totally free template to play with and you can find it here and the challenge forum here

 

I made this page using Sweet September by one of our new designers PavlinkaDesigns 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the generosity of the scrapping community sharing ideas and inspiration with all
• scrapping time
• fun

 

Let's hope that was the one

Having been on high alert for heath fires all summer due to the extreme heat and lack of any rain, we had a small heath fire near us last night. Thankfully it was spotted quickly and two fire engines and a tender were there in record time and it was soo dealt with. Let's hope that is it and there are no more.

 

I am again so grateful for the firemen who work so tirelessly and that means the firemen all over the world, dealing with awful wildfires in California, Portugal and so many other placed, dealing with things like the collapsed bridge in Italy. They are remarkable, brave men and women. All respect to them.

 

I had a wonderful catch up with a good friend and past colleague today. It was lovely to see her but it did remind me why I am so glad I have left there. But we had a super time and it is so good to still be in touch with so many people I used to work with.

It was art this afternoon and my Tiger is nearly finished. I need to do his paws and body at one side yet, but he is almost there

 

 

I have a couple of pages to share today made for various challenges

 

This is one with a new collection called FureverFriends by Kathryn Estry that I absolutely adore

 

 

This was made for a challenge at both PBP and FTLOPP and it was to show what I do and what I dream of. It's a bit naughty really because truth be told I don't do a great deal of ironing these days and I dream of Disney rather than specifically the Caribbean Beach these days, but it made for a better page to use that resort.  The collection was called Orange Cream and Cabanas by Jumpstart Designs

 

 

and this was a sketch challenge at FTLOPP and I found it a very challenging sketch to use but I was quite pleased with the finished outcome

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• support from Social services yesterday. I cannot tell you how much work Nigel has done recently, endless hours of meetings and paperwork and sorting things out. It takes up hours and hours and hours sadly not everyone appreciates quite what he does. Sadly. But thanks to his tireless efforts we are slowly getting there with resolving issues with his mum
• Firemen and women - not all heroes wear capes. Quite a lot of them wear yellow helmets! 

 

 

 

An arty week

 

I am having a very arty week down at the church stewarding for our exhibition, but it is lovely. They are great people, it's very interestinga nd I am getting to paint as well, which is good. And it is easy work not taxing my ribs.I do have new pages to share though.

This is a page made for one of the mojo challenges at PBP - do check them out as you can win fabkits for doing the challenges. This is the kit for this month 

 

 

I made this for the USE IT ALL challenge and you get the kit to make it for free.

 

I also made this page this afternoon. It was a challenge at FTLOPP and you had to use flowers (mine are small and discreet) stencils (the dots) and a geotag.

 

Yesterday's challenge was also floral, alongside triangles, and there was nothing subtle about those flowers!!!

 

Today I am thankful that

• I am in far less pain
• I get to meet really interesting people
• it is cooler

and it has been a while since I have shared anything this stunning. I would so love one of my fur babies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birthday treats

Pickleberrypop are still celebratingt heir birthday and there are some truly amazing collections you can grab

So do go and check out the store and you could get these great collections for free

 

 

 

I have also been paper scrapping - though little as it is too hot

 

 

 

 

And finally I was stewarding at our art exhibition today and this is my board with my paintings. Not a patch on many of them that are there but I was still very proud

 

 

and it was a lovely morning as a very good friend, Sue, came along and we chatted for most of my session.

 

Today I am thankful for

• art and creativity  - it enriches my life
• new pills fromt he doctor for my ribs - I have to say my GP is fab and rang me at 8.30 this morning for a chat and wrote a new prescription.
• Friends - old and new

 

The aisle I always avoid

When I go supermarket shopping I avoid the cold aisles like the plague. I have reynauds and even getting just btter and yoghurt is enough to set it off. Today - well I loitered. Seriously loitered.

I know we Brits are known for moaning about the weather but please, I have had enough. 29 degrees, humid and no sign of an end. The bedroom is like the tenth circle of hell, we are not sleeping and I long for the cold. Seriously. I am an Autumn girl. I no likey heat. My hair no likey heat either! Its a cross between barbed wire and a fuzzy wuzzy bear! Curly hair does not do heat and humidity. 

 

We got very hot setting up for the art exhibition this afternoon too. I finished my latest painting just in time. Thank goodness Nigelw as there as I still cannot lift, bend or stretch.

 

This is my latest picture (apologies for the glare as it is in cellophane for the exhibition

 and the others are the other pictures I have in the exhibition. They are not great works of art but having only painted for 14 months I am pretty proud to be honest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are local do come and visit. It is free and there are some great pictures on show (many of our group are very talented - not me!)

 

 

There is also a table top sale of all sorts of stuff ont he Saturday all day.

 

Some recent scrapping - largely made for FTLOPP challenges

 

Yesterday fruity was the challenge

 

today it was navy and minimal stash

 

Today I am thankful for

• Nigel helping me
• belonging to such a great art group - apart from their talent they are just lovely people to be with

 

 

 

 

 

wow - so that is what drugs do

I had a bad night last night so I upped my dose of tramadol. The doctor said I could if I needed it and I have resisted - taking just the minimum dose to try and help the nights and grinning (well kind of) and bearing it during the day. I didn't sleep again and didn't want another day of pain so took extra this morning. My oh, my. The pain is almost gone (I mean I know it hasn't gone but I guess it just blocks the pain receptors so you don't feel it) but oh my do I feel peculiar. Vaguely nauseous, very sleepy and so spaced out. It is NOT a feeling I like and not sure I want to repeat the process again. It was nice to be pain-free but then I am also of the opinion that the pain is there for a reason, partly to remind you to be careful about what you do, and I could do without the spaced out feeling. Tis powerful stuff though.  Maybe it will mean a decent night's sleep though ... I am planning on going to bed very very early. Let's maximise on the tiredness effect

Last night we went down to the beach to see the blood moon. Of course, we saw the exact same thing as most people in the UK. Nothing! After weeks of no clouds, the cloud cover was thick and we saw nothing. Did have a nice sunset and a good long walk though.

 

I finished a painting I have been doing today ... just for fun and because I fancied painting somewhere local

 

The colour looks much nicer in real life but it has been quite cloudy today to take photos. Cloudy and - we have had rain. I am guessing less than a millimetre but heck - more than we have had in weeks and weeks. And more is forecast tomorrow,

 

I also made another page for Summer Fiesta over at For the Love of Pretty paper. I am afraid I couldn't resist the title

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the tablets working - but not the spaced out feeling
• a quiet day
• cooler weather and a teeny drop of rain
• my wonderful husband who is being an absolute star helping me with the things I cannot do at the moment

 

 

and some pictures taken at just the right time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pet portraits and pickle barrels

Today has marked an important step along my journey. It is a journey that might not go very far but, as they say, every journey starts with a single step and this is mine.

 

I have finished my first ever commissioned pet portrait and I am terrified. I so hope the lady likes it. I really do.

It was a major challenge as she is a beautiful cat but surrounded by white fluff, like a halo all around her. I found it a real challenge and couldn't quite translate it, but I am pleased with how the face and the markings turned out.

 

I am going by the addage that if they wanted a photo well they already had the photo and this is a painting!

 

 

I certainly don't think I could make a living at this, but it was nice that someone had faith in me to paint their cat (actually three people so far have faith in me as I have two more commissions so far to work on - a dog and a cat)

 

It is also pickle barreltime and there are some amazing new collections. You can find all of the pickle barrel packs here for three days only

 

I worked with this one by Fayette called Ocean Avenue

and I made this

 

I worked with Summer Cocktail by Tiramisu Designs

and made this

 

 

 

And I worked with Aloha Summer by Designs by Brigit

 

and made this

 

In addition Dawn has a great collection at 50% off today only. These are the elements and there are papers and word art too

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• all of the opportunities for creativity that I have been blessed to have had  - scrapping, writing articles for magazines, painting, designing. I am very lucky to have the chance to do what I love.

 

 

 

 

Just no air

When I did mypublic exams - they were O levels back int eh day - it was during a national heat wave and I remmeber how hot it was and how lethargic we all were. Thus was today. I was invigilating and I felt so much for the students. There was no air in the room though the windows were all open. Actually I felt for the invigilator too. It is a boring job at the best of times, but int he heat it was awful 

Ah well.

Just two more sessions to go.

I came home and colled off on the balcony in the shade and then managed a bit of cooling scrapping - the weekly challenge on UKS.

 

It was to scrap young love and boy do we look young. The photo was taken in 1983 when we had been dating for just 2 months and Nigel took me to America (with three days notice! Long story) 

 

This was when we were at Rockport Massachusttesand we look so young  ... and slim 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I finished the watercolour painting of the dog and I have taken my first two commissions for pet portraits. 

 

I really enjoy painting pet pictures and so if you know anyone who wants a painting of their dog/cat/rabbit/budgie/lizard etc you know where to send them.

 

This is my dog

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• fans
• cold water
• shade
• our balcony

and these vintage style comedy images really made me smile