Dolly's Dreamings

Super Sunday

It's been a super Sunday - just because it has.

Scrapping and soaking and relaxing - just what I needed.

I did the weekly challenge on UKS

I scrapped the picture from my first craft fair ever.

 

 

I didn't mange all aspects of the challenge as it didn't have an interactive element.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely relaxed day
• pretty things to make

 

and to end with some pretty clouds - some of which I am sure have been tinkered with!  Some ... I hope ... are real.

 

   The sea in the sky

 

Love this one

 

 

Puppy dog flying

 

 

 

 

whale would you believe it!

 

 

a single white feather

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank my lucky stars

It was my second craft fair today and in every sense was so much more enjoyable than my first.

I met lovely people, was in a light bright room and there were loads more people.

I was visited by several friends and blog readers and I sold well. OK so I am never going to make a credible living but I sold a fair bit and was pleased.

The fact I spent a larger portion of my proceeds on a lush new leather handbag is immaterial.

 

I know how lucky I am to have Nigel by my side though. He is very supportive, stayed all day, helped load, unload and sell and as my marketing manager does an amazing job!

 

As he helped me so much - as always - this seemed an appropriate page to post.

It is made with a totally amazing new bundle by Dawn Inskip called Visual Art Media Bundle

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a new venture and new venue
• Nice fellow crafters
• the support of my fella
• time to put my feet up - I am amazed how tiring it is

 

Spring sprang here

OK - shocking grammar but today was a day for spring cleaning.

 

I swapped my wardrobe over - now that is an act of faith. I have a corner wardrobe and so there is a back section you cannot access easily and so winter jumpers and skirts were pushed back, summer clothes borough forward, shoe boxes changed over etc. I am ready for summer - so the weather is bound to change LOL

 

I also cleaned everywhere including washing the sofas. we have the comfiest sofas int he world but they are cream leather. What ever were we thinking. They do wash beautifully though and look good as new apart from the hideous scratches. we bought the suite three months before we decided to get CFH. Actually most of the scratches were not really their fault. They were babies and kittens often forget or cannot retract their claws properly plus when you are only a baby a tall leather sofa is high and slippery and you need the purchase of claws. Well, that's their excuse but they did a lot of damage which looks dire but they chairs are so darned comfy we are reluctant to change them. Anyway, all washed and I still found time to do some school work and sit int he garden - yes with factor 50 on so I am as white as I will ever be. Naturally dark skinned I am never truly white, but my days of tanning are long gone. I am way too scared to do more damage than I already have.

I have a new page to share today

 

 

It was made as part of the weekly challenge on UKS - and I only really get to play with the challenges on holidays now.

 

 

 

 

 

The theme had to be new beginnings so I wrote about my new craft fair ventures.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a clean/sorted/tidied home
• sunshine
• factor 50

 

 

 

Dolly's Designs

And she is up and running.

 

We did our first craft fair today and we actually quiet pleased with how it went. OK so I am never going to make a living at it - but as someone who always loved playing shops, and as someone who played card shops as a little girl, it was pretty much up there with things to enjoy.

We picked a very small fair in Dorchester and as it was free for people to come in to we knew we would not necessarily attract high numbers of serious craft buyers, but we did OK, made a nice little profit and most importantly of all we tested the water. We now know what to pack, how to pack it, how to set it all up and were very pleased with the first steps into our new venture. We both had fun and if I do another gazzilion fairs I might one day cover the costs of what I have spent on stash!

 

This is a proud Dolly at her stall!

For a first effort I think it looked good and I was surprised that it was some of my most expensive items that sold best - maybe the Waitrose effect really does work.

 

Today I am thankful for

• fun
• playing shops
• friendly fellow crafters to chat to and support
• a new venture

 

What a crafty Day

OK

so today was not crafty in the traditional sense but it did involve crafts.

 

I was contacted with a belated thank you by Lewis Manning Hospice in Poole. I had done some fund raising for them back in 2010. Some of you may remember when I ran my 52 in 10 class. An amazing 52 prompts with PDF files and pages each and every week for an entire year and all for free. I started a Just Giving Page and donated my money - some £500, to the hospice. We were invited in to have a tour now the new building is all up and sort of running. It is an amazing place and so important.

It is a totally amazing place but the sad thing is they cannot fully open it as it is too costly to open all the rooms. They are doing a LOT of fund-raising and we were able to offer to help in two very different ways - Nigel will help with a corporate quiz night and I will be helping 'craftily'. We feel very blessed that we have had a couple of 'near misses' and we want to try and help if we possibly can.

(Incidentally I may be offering the 52 in 10 class again - but this time as a paid for event if anyone is interested ... I can guarantee that you will get 52 great prompts and worksheets, many of which have been updated ... and I hope to run other classes on line in
t he future at very reasonable rates)

 

Anyway - we had a lovely morning and look forward to our planned fundraising to help the hospice.

 

We then took my consignment of cards in for sale and then ...t his is very exciting ... we did a dummy run of the craft fair stall.

 

 

You have to bear in mind it is in our lounge on the wallpaper paste table with a sheet in the background to cover up the sofas and wallpaper which were just a tad distracting. But you get the idea. It looks very empty - but classy!

If anyone wants to know where and when we are exhibiting just drop me a comment and I will e mail the details of the craft fairs and also of the 52in 10 if anyone is interested for later in the year.

Then I actually did a bit of scrapping and finally - the boring bit - sorted out my public liability insurance. Who knew! Apparently it is essential and I am now covered.

Finally a little digital scrapping with a new collection called World Traveller by Keystone Scraps at Pickleberrypop

 

 

All in all a productive day.

Today I am thankful for

• the opportunity to help others less fortunate than we have been
• wonderful people who aim to make the lives of others so much better
• craft fair fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank goodness it is Friday

I think it is fair to say I am always glad when it is Friday - never more so than this week.

I am shattered.

I think I have been running on adrenalin all week and it has caught up with me. I have bad earache and am just so tried so I am planning a weekend of rest and recuperation and hopefully some crafting.

I am pretty much ready for my first craft fair which is in just three weeks time - I have lots of stock made, have my displays, my signs, my products, my banners and my enthusiasm. I am excited and nervous and hope to goodness I sell something - anything. Or what am I to do with 200 cards, 20 brooches, two dozen bookmarks, loads of frames and plaques and hanging hearts!

Fingers crossed - though I don't expect to do very well the first time. If I sell a few items I will be happy.

 

These are a couple of the cards I have made for sale.

 

 

The background is all pearl and shimmery but it doesn't show up on here

 

 

You get the general idea.

 

Today I am thankful for

• Friday
• rest
• the good wishes of so many people who read this blog .... thank you x

 

 

 

 

Glorious sunny day

It has been an absolutely gorgeous gorgeous day today. It really has.

The sun shone and whilst there was a bit int he wind it was beautiful.

I worked this morning and then we headed off at lunchtime to sandbanks. we parked up and walked all round the bay and peninsula and it was beautiful.

 

 

 

 

Every time we walk in places like this I thank my lucky stars that this is my hometown.

OK so i don't live at Sandbanks, the fifth most popular land per square foot in the world, but it's the same town.

I love Poole and am so proud to live here.

This was one of the houses with the harbour frontage that someone had just come out of so the gates were open. Quite some view down to the water isn't it

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then went for a late lunch at Saltern's Marina and sat in the sun and watched the boats.

A lovely day - restorative to the soul.

This is the other journal I made yesterday.

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• lovely days
• my home town
• relaxation
• a wonderful salad.

 

 

 

 

No respite

So today has been a busy day - pretty much just the same as going to work - although having worked all day since getting up early I am now stopping as I am exhausted.

 

I did have something nice happen today though.

Nigel bought me a present - it is  a table top card carousel.

I said I had news didn't I - way back in January.

Well I am starting to do craft fairs.

Hence the banner

Hence the cards

Hence the other stuff

Hence why I haven't done any scrapping in a while

 

I figured I had so much stuff and so much stock I had already made I might as well give it a go. It'll be fun. We only plan to do fairs int he holidays so it is not stressful and I know I am not going to make my fortune, but heck, we are having fun planning it.

 

 

It holds 100 cards quite happily and looks very professional

 

 

 

No scrapping today - just work and witht he dreaded 'I' word next week I am not planning much scrapping or blogging.

If I get the chance I might set some blogs up in advance but if not - well it will be a quiet old week here at Dolly's Dreamings.

 

Today I am thankful for

• Having accomplished what I set out to do
• My new card stand and the support of a good man