Dolly's Dreamings

A new medium

Today I have been playing with a new medium. I dabbled in pastels for an eye study a few months ago but thought I'd give it a proper try with a cat portrait today.

 

Be gentle - it's my first ever pastel pencil picture and it is full of errors and I am not sure I like the medium - it's very messy and I can't seem to get the fine details as you cant press hard enough and sharpen them to a good point, but I will persevere - not least because I have bought the wretched things. I also used a cheaper paper which I know was a mistake.

 

 

 

I also did a bit of scrapping (busy day!) and made this for a scrap squad sketch and for a challenge at the A Trip Down memory Lane cybercrop.

Scrapper friends do check out the cyber crop on the facebook group HERE      

It is a themed crop butt here are so many gorgeous classes ... and yes I am Mrs Peacock

 

 

This was my challenge page

 

 

 

 

 

I have also designed two classes for the weekend, each with three pages and you can do them with your own papers, you don't have to have the kits. All the classes are available free of charge by going to the ATDML blog and following the links ATDML BLOG

 

This is one of my class pages for the first class I taught - Mrs Peacock at the Beach with the Anchor.

 

 

 

 

 

Do go check it all out - it's free and it's fun

Barb thank you my friend for all of your lovely comments xx

 

Today I am thankful for

• a fun day
• hobbies

 

 

We earned today

It's been a long hard week but we earned a day out today.

Yesterday we washed the entire room down, twice. We filled, we sanded, we undercoated and we glossed.

We were shattered.

 

We still have the ceiling to do and the walls to paint before Monday but we are almost there so off we went today.

we started at Upton House where my exhibition is up and I even took a photo of some of my pictures up

These are from Upton House gardens

 

 

 

 

 

Then we drove out to the New Forest and had a late lunch

 

 

 

 

 

Of course there were the usual traffic jams!!!

It was nice to relax

 

I thought maybe some progress pictures

The pink was the wallpaper we put up in 1992

The blue was the wallpaper we put up in 2009 - only a small patch as the rest was covered by wardrobes and dressers

 

 

a wonderful new floorand everything glossed

 

 

 

The view into the bedroom from the en suite

 

and I have to say I love waking up to this view from the dining room. I wouldn't want the bed in there all the time but it is pretty lovely

 

 

And some new scrapping

Credits

Meadow Song Collection Palvinka Designs

 

 

 

And two more for Scrap Squad's 12 days of summer

 

 

 

and finally, a design team page for A Trip Down memory Lane using my July kit which was gorgeous 49 and Market papers available from the store here

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• jobs completed
• rest!
• lovely views

 

 

 

Some class pages

I seem to do far less scrapping these days than in the past. Since my diagnosis I am still suffering from a lack of motivation and energy to be honest and have finally, after 60 years, learnt to just sit and do nothing.

Much of the scrapping I do is for Design Teams and thank goodness I have design team work to do otherwise I would do very little.

Today I'd like to share the class pages I made for A Trip Down memory Lane for my May classes. I love being a DT for ATDML and love teaching virtual classes but always worry in case people won't like them.

This time I used Prima My Sweet papers and ephemera to create three pages for you to use as classes.

I love making papers like this work for different type of pages. When you iitially look at them they are almost heritage like but they work for so many different themes and topics. I have tried to give you a varied range in this class and - unusual for me - not a lot of fussy cutting either as the ephemera pack is superb.

this is the second page 

 

and this was the third 

 

Today I am thankful for

• learning how to pause - I needed to
• design team work - grateful for the people who continue to allow me to promote their businesses

Glorious weather and happy days

The weather has been too lovely to stay indoors really so I have let the blog lapse. Sorry!

We had a lovely day on Friday visiting Purbeck Arts week which was really nice and such talented people. And such cake too!!

 

and we fitted in a visit to Swanage too

 

 

and a view of the garden looking neater

We wrapped up our own art exhibition on Saturday and then yesterday I had such a lovely afternoon at my goddaughter's baby shower. Just a few weeks and then a new baby to enjoy and coo over

 

It was a gorgeous event and her bridesmaids and friends organised all the decorations and games and it was so lovely

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was pleased she loved the homemade items I had created for her little baby girl

 

and today has been a beach walk, a garden lunch and some scrapping - again for A Trip Down Memory Lane and using Simple Stories Berry Fields

 

 

 

 

 

I also had my end of treatment appointment today although they do need to see me again  so not quite done yet!

 

Today I am thankful for

• glorious weather
• the blessings of godchildren
• special days
• scrapping time
• the NHS - always

Scrap a Sketch extravaganza

I am really really thrilled for the lovely Lisa Sikorski who launched her brand new website store Scrap a Sketch Prmium last month. You can find the website HERE

 

In addition to the free sketches every single week on her facebook group (if you haven't joined then please do so) you can now join her Premium collection and get additional awesomely good sketches each month. Lisa has worked tirelessly over the past two years to ensure there is a new sketch - with CT examples - every single week and more when there are special events. She does all of this free of charge just as a way of supporting and inspiring the scrapping community. It is incredibly generous and I know it inspires an awful lot of people. 

So I wanted to give her every support in her new venture which is NOT JUST ABOUT SKETCHES!

In addition to premium sketches alongside design team inspiration to inspire you further, she also makes and sells a gorgeous range of stencils (they really are gorgeous) and wonderful printables. The beauty of the printables is that you get them immediately you purchase them, just like digital supplies, and you print at home as many times as you want and you can also play with colour and desaturation.

Again go to the website HERE for stencils and HERE for printables

 

I do hope you will check it out and support this new venture by such a generous lady who has given so much for free to the scrapping community.

 

I was thrilled to be asked to create some inspiration for the premium sketches. Some have stuck to the sketch others have diverged a little but that is the beauty of her sketches - they are so flexible.

 

So here are my pages for June which also showcase her wonderful printables and stencils.

 

This first one I did in 12 x 12 because it was for my summer day trips album I am just starting

I used one of her gorgeous stencils and several different colours of ink as I was going with a lilac and purple scheme to match the stunning wisteria. Apart fromt he background card, title and flair, all the paper and embellishments are from her Rainbow Wishes set of printables

 

 

 

 

 

This was another from a different sketch again using Rainbow Wishes

 

 

 

 

And this was a third using a different sketch and this time using the wonderful Besides the Sea Printables ... I think she had me in mind when she made these!

 

 

 

 

 

And this one was made as a Designs Team page for A Trip Down Memory Lane using Simple Stories Simply Vintage Berry Fields in store here  which is such a gorgeous collection like all Simple Stories and I have been proud to design for A Trip Down Memory Lane for years and years and it is always a joy, but it uses another of Lisa's stencils

 

 

 

 

 

It is thrilling to be helping Lisa promote her new venture. Do go and visit and see what she has in store and you can check out her instagram at @sikoski  her facebook group at Scrap a Sketch and I don't think I have ever shared my instagram on here which you can find @scrapdolly (And I'd love a follow if you can please)

 

Today I am thankful for

• a productive morning at a committee meeting
• sunshine
• knowing such lovely people in the scrapping comminity

 

 

 

And the weather continues

The weather here is glorious - but very very windy.

Yesterday we worked in the garden and we made a huge difference simply by trimming the bushes and mowing and strimming. We are NOT gardeners and we don't enjoy it so it is good it is relatively easy to maintain a couple of times a year.

To reward ourselves we had another lovely day out - this time to Furzey Gardens. The last time we went with Nigel's family it rained. Today was glorious. They have a new door trail which was very cute with 24 decorated doors through the gardens plus the original fairy doors, little follies, hidden birds etc. The colours were gorgeous, the sky was blue, the sun was warm and it was lovely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have new scrapping to share today this time using my new DT kit from A Trip Down Memory Lane

 

Simple Stories Simple Vintage Berry Fields  which can be found at A Trip Down Memory Lane   HERE

 

 

 

 

 

and a quick painting done yesterday

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely day out
• work completed in the garden

 

London by the sea

We had a lovely day out yesterday. I had a yen to visit Brighton as we hadn't been for such a long time. Plus we have never been on the pier and wanted to do that too. We travelled there the fast way (how fast can it ever be going through all those interminable roundabouts at Chichester and Arundel!) and came home hugging the coast.

 

I had forgotten how close Brighton was to London. how close to London prices it was (2 hours in the car park £10.20, 4 hours £28!!!) and quite how dirty it was. I have to say it looked a bit shabby and a bit tired but we had a nice time walking on the pier, looking at the beach (goodness how blessed we are here to have sand - the beaches yesterday were just shingle and pebbles)

 

 

 

 

We went to the Royal Pavillion which is stunning (we didn't go in as we have done that before) and we wandered the Lanes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we headed to calmer coasts at Shoreham and Worthing. Never been to Worthing before and it was lovely.

 

 

 

And some scrapping to share

 

 

 

 

 

and it was my turn to do a CT page for this week's sketch at scrap a sketch

 

 

 

 

And talking of Scrap a Sketch Lisa has now started a scrap a sketch premium where you can become a member for an incredibly low price and have access to exclusive sketches each month AND she has launcher hew own range of gorgeous stencils and superb printables.

to celebrate our new website launch, a 72 hour discount is now live on stencils and printables i

If customers enter the code LAUNCH20 at checkout this gives 20% off ( excluding subscriptions/ memberships.

Valid until 11.59pm ( uk) on Monday 22nd May.

 

The website is HERE

 

I can't share my pages yet - but here are a couple of sneak peeks with the new printables

 

 

 

 

 

They are beautiful and so reasonably priced so please do check out the new group and use the discount code.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely day out - again
• a new sketch book
• a good optician visit but my eyes are in a bit of a state and I am now on 2 hourly drops for the foreseeable future.

 

 

A lovely few days dodging showers

The weather forecast hasn't been good but every day has been better than it has said - which is lovely.

We managed to dodge the showers and enjoy some lovely times at Mudeford yesterday and Knoll Beach and Swanage today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

and I have been scrapping with my design team kid from A Trip Down Memory Lane which was papers from Pink Fresh Studio Flower Market available HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• carefree days
• the sea
• challenges to inspire me

 

Scrap a Sketch this week

I love being a  part of the scrap a sketch team. Lisa Sikorski designs awesome sketches each and every week so if you don't already belong to her facebook group - scrap a sketch - do join.

As part of the creative team I get to showcase the sketches too and this week's sketch is awesome

 

 

and this is my page

I absolutely loved this sketch and wanted to do something soft and gentle with it. The photo is of the happiest little cat we have ever have - I never thought a cat could show true happiness but Indy does. He was tucked up in our bed when I took this photo. I used several different ranges of 49 and market papers and love that they coordinate together. I split the 12 x 12 sheet into two pieces and trimmed them so you could see the charcoal grey background. I added coordinating strips of card and paper and fussy cut flowers out of one of the papers. The title is made using rub ons from the same manufacturer as are the word strips and I used a coordinating flair and punched circles. You can see the close up details on my Instagram @scrapdolly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• being on creative teams - I love that it pushes me
• catching up with good friends
• my boys - all three of them!

 

Happy New Year

I'd like to wish everyone a happy new year. I hope 2023 is kind to us all and that the good times outweigh the bad, the laughter outweighs the tears and that we are all able to find joy in every single day.

I have been keeping my blog for 15 years now and I used to post every day. I know I now only manage every two or three days (I really don't often have much to share or say) but for all of those 15 years I have ended my ramblings with gratitude. Because there really is something to be thankful for every single day - not least the fact you are there having that day, a pleasure denied to so many. Some days it is harder to find the things to be thankful for, some days there are any many things. But I promise they are always there.

I am looking forward to 2023. I have no idea what it will bring and what we will need to face over the year, but I know my faith will sustain me and I have great hopes. I have my results appointment on Wednesday where I will find out what my immediate future will be like. I will find out if they managed to get clear margins and if any of the cells had become invasive. I will find out if I have to have further surgery or can proceed straight to radiotherapy. It's funny isn't it? Two months ago I would have been horrified about the very thought of ever needing radiotherapy and now I am looking forward to that being the next step rather than still a way down the road. However, I know that whatever the surgeon says on Wednesday, we will deal with it. We have shed very few tears over this, we have both been quite stoic and brave, and I think that stands us in good stead.

 

I have a page to share that was completed a couple of days ago and is from the heart. It is my page for my Flair Hut design team using the flair the whole team are working with. I went with the theme of HOPE

 

 

The photo in the O is of a rainbow during a storm taken from our lounge window. The sky was dark and the autumn trees were like flames. It seemed to symbolise hope.

 

 

 

 

I wrote a poem for the flap which then lifts up for journalling

 

 

I haven't shared the last few pages of my Christmas journal which is now complete - and I have even done a video walk through on my You Tube channel.

 

 

 

 

Having done a December journal for 15 years it was the hardest I have done by far and I am amazed I finished it by the end of 2022.

 

I have started a new art project with my best friend too and we are painting a picture each day in a sketch book - we have a list we have made up to work from and some are challenging.

 

This is my cover page and Day 1 was holly and day 2 was a polar bear!  It's an A5 sketch book. I've decided to add text to each page too ... not sure that wasn't a mistake to be honest

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• my faith
• hope in the future
• Nigel who gives me courage daily
• art - it is real therapy

 

 

Let's stick to scrapping

OK - this post is going to be pretty much about scrapping because life hasn't been fab to be honest. Every random illness that could have hit me has hit me, I feel lousy and so let's move on!

 

In happy news we became a great Aunt and Great Uncle yesterday. That sounds awfully grand and awfully old. Our neice delivered a little baby boy very quickly and very safely and we are thrilled for them.

I have been scrapping - slowly - and some bits were made pre-op too. So here we go

Journal day 14

 

 

Journal day 15

 

 

 

It was my DT slot at The Flair Hut Today and this was made for that and also used yesterday's sketch by Lisa at Scrap a Sketch (made before I was ill)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally - because I can  - some gorgeous pictures of our wonderful boys

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

friends to listen to me

Nigel - I couldn't do any of this hell without him

a new baby in the family and another on the way