Dolly's Dreamings

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone - bit belated but better late than never eh!

 

I hope that it is a good one for all of you. I am expecting ours to continue much as the past year and to be honest, in spite of Covid etc, we have still had a lovely time. So more of the same would be OK.

I am happy now all the decorations are down and the house had been spring cleaned. I like the decorations for the first few days then I itch to get rid of them. They always come down on 1st (not the outside ones - they wait till 12th night)

 

I am planning on focussing more on art than scrapping this year - well that was the plan but I appear to have done 4 pages just today!

 Before I share pages I have a video to share - I actually made a video of my Christmas Journal because I was proud of it. Apologies for the voice. I am still breathy and wheezy.

 

 

 

I finished my annual pages so that is good. I may not do annual pages again although Nigel does like to look at them and see the whole year on 12 pages.

They are not the most exciting pages as they are really just a summary. Lots of them have flaps etc too

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and then there are these

 

 

 

 

The last two pages of the journal

 

 

 

 

 

The final Scrap Squad sketch of the year

 

and today's fun

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a nice walk
• scrap time
• a tidy house
• a clean minimal fireplace

 

The inbetweeners

We are truly in the in between zone. Those days between Christmas and New Year when you have no clue what day it is and nor do you care.

 

Our days have moved along nice and slowly with beach walks, new tyres (Nigel had a flat on Christmas Eve) neighbourhood meet ups, indulgent food, scrappy and art time and general loveliness.

 

I did my first ever picture with coloured pencils - I followed a tutorial and whilst it is only 5" square I am quite pleased with it for a first attempt. It is a very different medium.

 

I have also been making pages each day for the December journal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My beautiful Koda

 

 

I hope my readers are enjoying in between days too and just doing whatever the mood takes you for a while.

Today I am thankful for

• scrappy time
• chilling out

 

What a wonderful Christmas

I hope that everyone who reads this had a blessed Christmas. I have heard of so many friends and family members who have had their Christmas plans changed because of Covid, families together but one of them isolating, plans changed, visits having to be abandoned. So sad for so many but I hope that whatever you did it was still a good Christmas.

 

We, I am ashamed to say, had what was probably our best Christmas ever. Our Christmas Day always involved others. In the past we would have ten or twelve people for Christmas day. As our god-children grew up the numbers dwindled and it would be parents then just Nigel's Mom. Our last two Christmases with her were in the care home for Christmas Day. However, Boxing Day has always been our day. We have always refused to do anything Boxing Day except just be US at home together. Last year was the first year with no Christmas guests or duties but it was a very stressful Christmas as the boys were so new and terrified of everything. So we were looking forward to battering down the hatches and just having we two and our boyz for Chrstmas. And I have to say I think it has been my happiest Christmas ever. Both days involved PJs (we didn't even have to get dressed for church as we decided with Covid we would rather watch the live stream than go to the church) champagne, gifts and our boys. There was no stress. It didn't matter what time we ate (though we did have the full works Christmas dinner), nothing had to be tidied away, there were no deadlines and we just chilled all day with the boys. They loved it. They loved the presents, the endless treats, the piles of wrapping paper, the turkey and the fact that we were in with them all day - we didn't go into the study, we didn't go out, we were just there. (They are exhausted by the way!)

 

Not to many but some photos and the most important one is this - everything in my heart right there is that one photo

 

 

 

some are Christmas day some boxing day - they were much the same and the photos are all of the cats with their gifts - no Christmas lunch photos (it was awesome though) no tree photos as we don't have one, no group pictures.

Catnip bubbles and treats were a real hit

 

 

 

 

and a new bungalow play space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's been awesome.

 

I have kept up with my journal though and have some more pages to share

 

 

 

This is a close up of the advent calendar and little frame. My best friend bought it for me as an advent gift and you painted a picture following an on line tutorial each day. The calendar was A4 size so the pictures were small and the little frame was even smaller - those paintings were only 1" square!

 

 

 

and I also made this one today for a Scrap Squad challenge

 

Whatever your Christmas held I hope that it was good. I know for many it is a hard time of year and a time to 'get through' rather than enjoy and I pray that our Lord sent you blessings to deal with that too.

Today I am thankful for

• my faith - it sustains us both
• Nigel and the boyz
• quiet times
• less stress and anxiety - it is the first time in many many years I truly did not feel anxious and it was a blessing for those couple of days.

 

 

Feeling Christmassy

It's feeling very christmassy now. Nigel allowed the Christmas food to come out as it is Christmas week - so that is exciting. Special treats we don't normally have.

We iced our Christmas cake yesterday. I love Christmas cake although I think ours is one you ought not to drive after as I spike it - a lot. We seemed to have made a bigger cake this year and so were short of icing. There was little left for decoration and so we struggled and had to get out big mismatched things to decorate with. Then we got a little silly. Fred the Homepride Flour grader made an appearance for a photo and so did Mickey who left his Kitchen nativity to appear on the cake. (I think we might have one of the only nativities that has Jesus being adored by three wise men and a mouse bearing a large heart!

 

This is my page for yesterday

 

 

 

Today I received the most amazing Christmas gift from a very very special scrapbooker. Special Disney papers from all the way in the US and shipped to him and then gifted to me for Christmas. I really didn't deserve it but it made my day - well more than a day for sure. He is one of the kindest men I have happened across in many a year and he deserves to be a huge huge success.

 

I used our drive the other night for my journal today. One of the things we like doing is going out at night to see all the Christmas lights. More and more people seem to have lights these days and I really enjoy them. Someone told us of a road in Upton with a house with amazing lights including projections in the windows and music. It wasn't quite Jeeter Bend in Florida which we loved  but it was pretty cool.

 

Pictures from the evening and my journal page. and some of the Christmas toppers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and here are a few more pages down for challenges as Dotty About Flair, Scrap Squad and Scrap a Sketch

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the generosity and kindness of a friend
• painting joy
• Christmassy feeling

 

The glad and the sad

I was very sad yesterday as we were meant o have been meeting my god-daughter and hubby for our Christmas get together. The plan had been to meet half way at a lovely country pub but we had to cancel due to concerns about being in a pub with a lot of random people.

My best friend, who is an utter star, invited us round for afternoon tea in her garden so we could meet safely outside and still have a nice time to make up for not seeing my family. She had little tables all decorated, baked a cake and put out treats and it was utterly lovely. It was chilly but capable and so nice to see them. I am blessed indeed to have her as my best friend. I used the photos for my page in my journal yesterday

 

The day before we had been for a walk round Westbourne (outside only not into any of the shops as we are being very cautious - and admired their wonderful Christmas windows - selection here and then my journal page which has an opening accordion booklet to use all of the photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and the journal page

 

 

 

 

 

and we also went to the Christmas Tree festival at a local church which was very uplifting. I had heard that my beloved cousin Joyce's husband died that morning, just a year and 5 days after his wife, and so we were able to write a prayer and hang it on the  memorial tree for him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used the photos for today's journal page

 

 

 

In other scrapping ...

 

 

 

and I did love this one

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• 42 years of special friendship
• Christmas preparations complete
• the boyz
• vaccinations and boosters - it's getting scary again.

 

A dose of Vitamin Sea

What do you need when you have had what you think is flu (despite the jab) and you know isn't COVID (negative test yey!) and you still feel rough. You go and get a good dose of Vitamin Sea. My mom always used to take me to the beach when I was little and I was poorly. we only lived a five minute walk away and she would bundle me up with so many clothes I couldn't bend my arms, and a hat and scarf and walk me along the beach to blow the germs away. Best therapy I know. Although today I walked less than 3000 steps and was shattered. Slowly slowly I think.

But it was lovely and is the focus of today's journal page.

So I have a bit of catching up to do with that - here are the recent few days

 

A day in bed but my boys kept me company - Koday looking his cutest but maybe not most elegant!

 

 

 

 

I had to record what I did on 14th but I didn't really want a covid test glaring in full view so I created a little pair of doors

 

details and images inside

 

Didn't do anything as isolating in case so a chance to show off my gorgeous Willow Tree nativity

 

and today's dose of Vitamin Sea.

 

 

I have other scrapping to share too for various challenges at Scrap Squad, Scrap a Sketch, Dotty About Flair and Twilight Crafts

 

Nigel stood int he sparkly frame at Bournemouth festival of lights

 

 

The large deer from the festival

I rather liked this one - lots of fussy cutting

 

 

 

 

 

And this was just too much fun - he does like to put everything he has left out on show

 

 

 

 

It seems it's a bit of a Koda fest at the moment. I am making the most of it because he doesn't pose like Indy does. I have a lot more photos of Indy than Koda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and Koda again I'm afraid - a very baby Koda on his first Christmas which doesn't really count as he hid for most of it.

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• feeling better
• great scrapping fun Vitamin Sea therapy
• chilled out days

 

Back up at last

It's been an odd few days here. I haven't been well and I KNEW it wasn't Covid but with all the talk of the new Omicron variant doubling so rapidly we have been taking lateral flow tests over and over. Today I managed to eat which was progress as I have just felt so nauseous and achy. I even had to forgo the craft fair that I was due to do yesterday.

I have had good nursing care though. Nigel is brilliant and two little boys haven't left my bedside (OK that's just because the bed is nice and comfy but a girl can pretend)

 

I have some funny pics of Koda to share. We bought Katie and Kevin - the two Aldi carrots - for them and Indy isn't at all bothered. Koda likes them.

He is not always elegant and we have told him he should put trousers on!

 

 

 

But he is very cute

 

And I couldn't resist these

 

 

 

 

There is a little scrapping to share too as it's been a few days since I have posted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• feeling better
• good boys - all three of them

 

 

Better weather

Well storm Barra blew in yesterday and I think it was so vicious it blew itself out quite quickly and today, which was supposed to be more of the same, was quite lovely.

We had a walk round town and have had a lovely day at home.

I have, of course, been scrapping.

I will share this one first as it falls into the category ... you must be mad. It was a piece of paper I love and wanted to use badly. But instead of sticking the photo on an already beautiful sheet of paper I decided to cut the wreath out so I cut the centre out and the outside and a lot of extra bits. I must be mad. But I do love the finished page.

 

 

 

These are the next two December journal pages

 

 

 

 

These are a couple more pages for Lisa's Scrap a Sketch and Dotty About Flair

 

 

 

 

 

This was a page made for a challenge which worked out ok.

 

 

Another challenge page which I really like and uses today's stuff your stocking mini kit

 

And this uses this new release by Jen Yurko at Pickleberrypop

 

 

All in all it's been a good couple of days.

 

Today I am thankful for

• better weather
• another negative lateral flow test (I was worried after the weekend)
• scrapping time
• being home
• mince pies!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All tidied up for festivities

We had our haircut today so are all tidy for Christmas. The house isn't but heck - that will come.

Today was a lot about writing Christmas cards which seems to take an awfully long time and I am so much later than I used to be. When I was teaching I used to write my cards at half term - but then again I used to send a LOT more cards then.

 

I have found time to scrap as well though

 

This was made for a DAF and  a Scrap your Sketch challenge

 

The fountain in Poole Park after its paint job

 

 

This is very not me but was a UKS Colour challenge and a Scrap Squad sketch. The pink seemed like a good idea at the time!

 

 

And this was another DAF and Scrap a Sketch challenge

I was quite chuffed with this as I stenciled texture paste holly leaves

 

 

 

This is my December journal day 5

Norty boys!

And todays which also uses a scrap squad sketch

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• staying in the dry - it POURED today
• another job ticked off

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy December

Gosh I have been so excited about December coming - last December was all a bit of a nightmare one way and another. This year will hopefully be much better.

 

I haven't had an advent calendar for a long time and this year I have 2 - an amazing Dotty about Flair calendar plus an advent swap box. I was so excited to open them today and they were lovely.

 

I also started my December Daily/Journal Your Christmas today for the amazing 16th year. I have never failed to finish yet - lets hope I manage it this year.

This year I am using a Simple Stories album which is 8" x 6" which I covered and decorated

 

 

 

 

I used a bramble fox perspectiveon the front plus some very old thickers I embossed and gilded. The edges are also gilded and I stencilled holly leaves

This is my opening page

The wreath was from a Christmas card I saved and is very dimensional on foam pads

 

and this is my Page 1 using a scrap squad sketch but making it into an opening page. The photo don't he front is Fortnum and Masons in London which is decorated as an advent house

 

Inside it documents my two advent calendars plus Nigel's calendar and the cats' calendar

 

 

The sticker and santa and washi was off Day 1 of my DAF advent calendar

 

I also have two pages to share of new releases at Pickleberrypop

This uses Holly Jolly by Reginafalango

 

 

and - BIG NEWS - Pickleberrypop have launched their stocking stuffer event which is incredible. All of the designers have made mini kits available FWP for the next 12 days and they all coordinate and build into one utterly awesome kit. Believe me - as a DT member I have been given the whole massive kit and it is awesome.

 

This page was made with today's and tomorrow's free mini kits

 

 

and finally  page made for three different challenges - a Peartree Cut files challenge - a Scrap a Sketch challenge and the DAF challenge. DAF are having a real holiday celebration throughout December

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the optician helping sort my glasses out (I had my hospital appointment today too ... it's for AUGUST 2022!!!
• Advent
• Challenges

 

Completed Christmas Journal December 2020

I wanted to share the finished Christmas Journal

I did finish it on 1st January but it has sat on my desk awaiting binding - which finally got done today

 

Rather than share the pages individually I have taken a video of it to show all the things that open and pull out and unfold as I confess I am a little bit proud of it.

 These are some photos but I hope you might look at the video as I am so pleased so many pages are interactive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have included a lot of news about COVID, lockdowns, restrictions, vaccines and Brexit - December was a big news month for the country as well as for us.

 

Do have a look at the video if you get the chance