Dolly's Dreamings

I have the cleverest husband

I have the cleverest husband ever. I really do.

I had tried everything in my power to repair the e mail system I use and couldn't get it to restore. I spent last night sending all of the 'needed' e mails I had stored on my phone (as they has seemingly vanished from my computer entirely) to another e mail address.

I was resigned - and Ok about it actually.

 

But today he fixed it. We are still not QUITE sure how and it was a bit of a combined effort but he gave me the confidence to dig deeper into the system. Result.

I still have an issue with Photoshop elements though. The fonts keep being disabled and I know the fix now and it works but is tedious to keep reinstalling all of the fonts I need to have on my computer. I still need to figure out what is causing the conflict that causes the error. But I am in a better position than yesterday. And I have the best hubby and I was pleased to be able to treat him to a rather lovely gift that he would never have bought for himself.

 

I went to the hospital to physio today which, although the therapist was really nice, was a bit of a waste of time. She checked my foot and comment on how swollen it still was (I thought it was looking good) but did say I had good movement and strength which bodes well for future therapy. But she could nto really do any work on it because I haven't had the MRI and I have been given very clear instructions now that I cannot leave the boot off until the results of the MRI are back. I have the MRI next week so the boot seems as if it is going to be a permanent fixture for a while.

 

I have another weekly page to share today - this one the new weekly challenge on UKS that I made this morning - without the boot on! Mmmmm future scrapping has to be with boot.

 

 

 

and some close ups .... because I can. The photos - one of Fiki and one of Kira - were taken last week. The challenge was to use red!

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a kind physiotherapist
• a speedy MRI appointment they have rushed through (the usual wait is 4-5 weeks)
• a wonderful confidence-building clever husband
• the ability to treat my man to a special gift

 

and some beautiful fountains to finish off with ... two of which I have seen in real life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UK Scrappers sketch 8

There is a whole new challenge on UK Scrappers this year appearing on the first and third Monday each month.

Follow this link to find out what it is all about. 

There will be two sketches per month that you can play with, released on the first and third Monday of every month. Hosted by Mini Owner, your pages need to be uploaded to the UKS Gallery.

Here is the link to the gallery

Sue will give you a  new sketch and I will aim to provide a very simple digital template for digi scrappers to play with. These will be PSD format and kept basic so you can embellish your heart out.

This is the information for Sketch 8

 

You can download the digital template HERE

 

Download UKS Sketch 8

 

Have fun playing

Happy iNSD

Happy International Scrapbook Day

 

It's been quite a day I can tell you. The alarm went off at 6.30 so I was all ready for my day of uploads.

 

I have had the kitchen timer set for every hour to make sure I remember to upload the classes and challenges and I think people have had fun. I have also scrapped and had fun but am tired now!

 

This is one of the pages I made today between uploading and chatting. It was a super class to edge stars with twine and I am really pleased that I didn't get any blood on the white cardstock. Blood, I hear you say! Yes - I stabbed the needle right through into my finger. Stupid!

 

 

 

 

Fun is going on digitally as well.

 

Dawn has a massive sale on in her store here

 

and she has this massive bundle on offer too

 

 

I had already made a couple of New York pages with the first part but made this page with the add ons as well. It is quite a story

 

 

as the story is everything with this page I have also included a close up of the text

 

 

Nigel's brother who was picking us up has been over for two weeks and, as I type, is on his way back to Boston. Thankfully he is NOT meeting anyone at the top of the Empire State Building, though life is much easier in these days of mobile phones!

 

Today I am thankful for

• iNSD fun
• resisting the temptation to buy!
• everything running smoothly for the cyber crop - and the end is in sight. I am tired.

 

 

 

UK Scrappers sketch 7

There is a whole new challenge on UK Scrappers this year appearing on the first and third Monday each month.

Follow this link to find out what it is all about. 

There will be two sketches per month that you can play with, released on the first and third Monday of every month. Hosted by Mini Owner, your pages need to be uploaded to the UKS Gallery.

Here is the link to the gallery

Sue will give you a  new sketch and I will aim to provide a very simple digital template for digi scrappers to play with. These will be PSD format and kept basic so you can embellish your heart out.

This is the information for Sketch 7

 

You can download the digital template HERE

 

Download UKS Sketch 7

 

Have fun playing

UK Scrappers sketch 6

There is a whole new challenge on UK Scrappers this year appearing on the first and third Monday each month.

Follow this link to find out what it is all about. 

There will be two sketches per month that you can play with, released on the first and third Monday of every month. Hosted by Mini Owner, your pages need to be uploaded to the UKS Gallery.

Here is the link to the gallery

Sue will give you a  new sketch and I will aim to provide a very simple digital template for digi scrappers to play with. These will be PSD format and kept basic so you can embellish your heart out.

This is the information for Sketch 6

 

You can download the digital template HERE

 

Download UKS Sketch 6

 

Have fun playing

More B and Q bargains

More B and Q shopping today - but not for such nice things in fairness.

Our doorbell was sticking - making such a horrid noise, so a new one of those.

Paint for the balcony edges - had to be mixed specially but looks so much better now it is done

and sand and cement to re-point the patio paving as we have spent the money on the windows and balcony so no new patio for us. I will be the builders mate and help! The bargain was the very nice man who advised us then said we could buy the sharp sand bags that were split for £1 instead of £2.80. Seemed a bit daft really as nothing had leaked out, he put them into new bags for us but a saving of almost £5. Result.

 

Other than that we have worked - me inside and Nigel outside on the balcony.

 

I do have new scrapping tos hare though. This is a page I made for the UKS sketch challenge this time - using the digital template I made and that is available for free.

 I used Dita B's Easter collection to record the lovely spring photos from Sutton Poyntz

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• things starting to come together a little
• savings and bargains

 

 

UK Scrappers sketch 5

There is a whole new challenge on UK Scrappers this year appearing on the first and third Monday each month.

Follow this link to find out what it is all about. 

There will be two sketches per month that you can play with, released on the first and third Monday of every month. Hosted by Mini Owner, your pages need to be uploaded to the UKS Gallery.

Here is the link to the gallery

Sue will give you a  new sketch and I will aim to provide a very simple digital template for digi scrappers to play with. These will be PSD format and kept basic so you can embellish your heart out.

This is the information for Sketch 5

 

You can download the digital template HERE

 

Download UKS Sketch 5

 

Have fun playing

UK Scrappers sketch 4

There is a whole new challenge on UK Scrappers this year appearing on the first and third Monday each month.

Follow this link to find out what it is all about. 

There will be two sketches per month that you can play with, released on the first and third Monday of every month. Hosted by Mini Owner, your pages need to be uploaded to the UKS Gallery.

Here is the link to the gallery

Sue will give you a  new sketch and I will aim to provide a very simple digital template for digi scrappers to play with. These will be PSD format and kept basic so you can embellish your heart out.

This is the information for Sketch 4

 

You can download the digital template HERE

 

Download UKS Sketch 4

 

Have fun playing

You can always find the positives

Sometimes there are things in life you don't like and, whilst it may not ALWAYS be possible, you can often turn it round and make that negative a positive.

Now I don't like paying extra for a green garden waste bin.

It's not the money I mind - it's £38 a year I think. I just wish they would include it int he council tax bill. Yes I know that wouldn't be fair on people who don't have a garden but presumably they could include it int he council tax bands that do. That way I wouldn't SEE the money - it's just part of the service we pay for. It is the paying EXTRA that I don't like. I guess we are very lucky int his area as we have just three bins - I know some places have more. We have a general waste bin, a recycling bin (we are actually very good at recycling) and a paid for green garden waste bin. And woe betide you if you use them incorrectly. We are incredibly lucky with our recycling as it all goes in one bin, tins, cans, paper, card, cartons, the lot. No sorting - so we count ourselves blessed. It's a bit of a challenge that our general waste bin has moved to fortnightly like the recycling. I am dreading it int he summer. One of the main things we throw in there is litter waste. Our cats are indoors and they use litter trays and it's not a pleasant sort of rubbish!

Anyway I digress. Turning a negative into a positive.

Our green bin collection starts this week (they don't collect for a few months in the winter as I guess they assume everyone is like us and avoids the gardening when it is cold or wet) and so we were motivated to get out in the garden ad fill the bin! If we hadn't paid the extra we probably wouldn't have bothered. So thank you council - you made us clear a load of dead leaves and pine needles and reveal soil again! Positive into negatives.

I am, however, struggling a little more to find the positives int he billions of pine needles that fall. We love our pine trees but oh my - everywhere is covered. The lawn is barely visible and they do the grass harm. I am surprised there are any needles left on the trees.

 

Spring is in the air though and the birds are singing their hearts out morning and late afternoon - and eating us out of house and home again.

 

I am pleased that I finished the photography challenge on UKS and the pages that went with it. There were three challenge pages to complete.

A page with multiple pictures from the challenge

 

 

a page following a  sketch that was posted and using at least one of the winter snap pictures

 

 

 

 and a page using the picture of yourself that was part of the challenge  (a photo taken this week)

 

I chose to scrap a page using that picture about loving my life. I was very nervous this time last year. I had handed in my notice and hoped I was doingt he right thing. I was getting ready to be part of the interview process for my successor and worrying that I had made a mistake.

A year on from them I LOVE my life.

 

 

 

We don't so anything earth-shatteringly wonderful but it is all just lovely. We go for long walks, we laugh, we enjoy lie ins with the daily paper, I scrap, I volunteer, I go to art classes. It is just a lovely life and so much less stressful. I am away from some people's negativity, surrounded by smiles and positivity and sharing my life with my best friend. No-one knows how much time we have so making the most of every moment and smiling your way through the days is key.

 

 

 

 

It was a very cathartic and happy page to scrap.

 

Barb you asked if we were really that close to the Hollywood sign. I did use a zoom but not a massive one. We were very close - the closest you can get legally!

 

Today I am thankful for

• a cleared garden - well in part
• our wonderful refuse collectors. Complain about the time scale or the cost if you must but they do a jolly good job and are always very helpful and friendly and it's not a very nice job.
• my retirement life - I love it  Nigel was worried I would fin it hard to get used to but I took to it like a duck to water. I was ready for the change, ready to lose the stress, the angst, the worry, the pressure, the accountability. 29 years as a Head  - been there, done that. Loving just being a nobody!

 

 

 

 

Quite a news story

I guess, like the rest of the world, we were watching the US Presidential elections with some measure of fear, anticipation, dread, worry and amazement.

 

I guess, like much of the world, we were surprised at the news we woke to. I am not a political person and I am of the opinion that so much of what we heard about both candidates for president was spin and hype, was twisted and manipulated, but seriously, if that was the best on offer, if they really were the two best Americans put forward to lead one of the major countries in the world, I am surprised. It makes Brexit look like a minor event.

 

It is indeed a major event. I don't pretend to understand all of the ramifications of the vote, but I confess to being worried about the future and I suspect I would still have been worried if the vote had gone the other way. I always wanted to be the 51st state, but I confess to - right at this moment - being kind of happy on our little island.

 

On a happier note I have a page to share made for a challenge by one of my very favourite American's Shimelle! Her challenge this week was to go large with red. OK so I am a naturally cautious person - red is a scary old colour, but I tried. I really did!

 

 

we absolutely loved the red tram cars in California Adventure. We rode them, we snapped them going by, we watched the tram car show twice. They had to feature on
a  page.

 

 

I pulled out a mess of papers and embellishments and broke into my new Simple Stories Disney pack - OUCH - that was scary!

 

 

 

 

I also have some digital scrapping news

 

It is Wednesday which means Something Old and Something New over at The Lily Pad.

 

Dawn has her Riff Raff collection on sale at 50% off here

 

 

 

and she also has Slightly Imperfect on sale at 50% off here

 

 

I couldn't resist making this page and I make no apologies for the title.

 

 

It was the only bad weather day we had. It started to cloud over as we neared Mount Rainier National Park and when we got to Sunrise point it was so foggy we couldn't see the mountain

 

It drizzled and fogged, weather worthy of the UK, and as we left the sun came out and it cleared.

 

We cannot complain - one bad day in three weeks and other than that unbroken sunshine and record temperatures.

 

Today I am thankful for

• living in the UK
• the faith to believe that the world leaders will eventually work together to bring peace to the world and to their own countries, but I suspect we are in for a bumpy ride for a while
• sunshine here today (though I'd have quite liked some of the white cold stuff the north has had!