Dolly's Dreamings

32 years in the making

A little while ago there was a challenge on UKS to scrap siblings. 

I don't have any of those. Just me - an only child - now an orphan!

 

So I searched what I could make. I debated Nigel and his brothers but it didn't float my boat so much and then I thought of a picture of my Mom and her sister. It was all the more poignant because Aunty Betty passed earlier this year.

 

So I dug out a photo of them that was from my wedding - just such a happy picture of them together. And I prepared to scrap it. And then I stopped and thought what I was going to do with it and - well inspiration struck.

Nigel and I have been married almost 33 years and apart from the odd photo for a specific purpose I have never scrapped my wedding.

 

There were reasons for this - and they were pretty stupid reasons really. Firstly I feel my photos are very old-fashioned. Well, they would be wouldn't they. It was the 80's. That's practically vintage! What I mean is they are very formal. I think wedding photography is gorgeous now with artistic shots, informality etc. Ours was of its time - formal and staid and, quite frankly, boring.

The other thing is I was very nervous on my wedding day. I don't like my photo taken now and I am so much more relaxed these days. I look scared and stern in most of them.

But I have come to accept that they are what they are and they ARE my wedding day - one of the happiest days of my life. And I haven't recorded the day in any meaningful way. I just have the professional pictures in albums and no stories are told. So I set about addressing that.

 

I didn't want a huge album - so I went for 8" x 8" as I figured I would want very little embellishment and really just wanted to tell the story of some of the day.

 

It's not going to be finished quickly as I dip in and out of it but here is the work in progress so far. Dated and simple but mine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

These two form a sort of double

 

 

 

   and this is the companion page to the one of the three of us. Nigel worked on a local radio station - just once a week for sports reports - but knew all the staff so it was no surprise that I ended up Bride of the week - the bride they called on her wedding day! He just didn't give me any advance warning so no surprise but I was very surprised!!

 

 

 

and this was the page of my Mom and her sister that started it all off and I am so pleased I am working on this album

 

Thursdays - I know today is Friday but I missed yesterday - are art class and so I will share my latest picture. It is not my style was not my choice and is not the medium I like! It had to be acrylic and was from a very poorly copied picture off t'internet. But never let it be said I wouldn't do a challenge.

We had to paint it from scratch in 2 hours. The idea was to be free with paint and just flow. Not detail.

Um, I don't do free and flow and not detail. I did get it done in under two hours though - even with the details

 

Today I am thankful for

• deciding to record our wedding - better late than never
• scrapping time
• 32 years of being married to my best friend

 

 and finally - just to show we are as happy today as we were 32 years ago. Well actually I think we are way way happier to be honest

 

 

yes - still happy and still in love and still very very stupid

 

 

Tropical Travelogue Part Two

It's been a lovely day here today - just a nice chilled relaxed day with a long walk and nothing much happening. Not every day needs to be amazing. Truly! But every day can be lovely. It's just that some days you have to look a little harder ... today I didn't have to look far.

 

I shared some of the Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue work the other day so this is the remainder of the things I got to create

 

This was different again - very much a water theme with the aquarium at Seaworld

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this was another 'wild page using lots of the leaves. One thing I will say about this collection was that I used a LOT of fussy cutting ... but I do like fussy cutting.

 

 

 

 

A tropical Travelogue set had to have pictures of the Caribbean Beach - our tropical paradise ... well, it used to be. They have ruined it now. It is no longer just tropical with gondola monstrosities and huge towers and it certainly isn't our idea of paradise, but it WAS

 

 

 

 

 

And I couldn't resist using it for a Pismo page - still my favourite ever sunset. Sandbanks and evening hill is close, but this was perfection 

 

 

 

 

This is my favourite page made with the collection and I confess this one is framed in the hall. I have a lovely frame - I think it is a Ribba from Ikea which is about 16" square with a 12" x 12" opening inside the mount - where I change the pages regularly. This is in the frame at the moment.

 

 

 

and finally three more cards I made with the left overs

 

 

 

Do check out the collection HERE

 

Barb you asked if I always do pages quickly. I never leave an unfinished page... I generally spend between an hour and two hours in a page ... any longer than that and I lose interest... I also have to clear my desk and put away everything after each layout even if I am doing another page that day. I am terribly OCD 

Today I am thankful for

• being married to someone who gets the simple things of life too
• nice days - not just special days. Although it is true what they say, every day you are alive is special

 

 

Finally - some people made things a little more special by painting the ordinary and making it extra-ordinary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design Team work .. from the past

There has been little new scrapping that I can share over the last couple of days. I have been busy living (and working) making those memories to scrap so haven't done much scrapping ... well at least not things I can share just yet. 

So I have some older scrapping that I wasn't able to share until now.

A little while ago I was invited to guest design for Charmed Cards and Crafts. I was thrilled to have been asked and had such fun making projects for Karen and her store.

She sent me an amazing pack of the Graphic 45 Deluxe Collectors Edition Tropical Travelogue

I had such fun playing with it making such a collection of pages. I loved that there were blues and greens and brights and then also more subtle things. I added nothing to these pages - no extra embellishments, just the papers an stickers included int he kit - and quite a lot of fussy cutting.

 

I won't bore you with all of them today - I will split this over two posts as it will be quite picture heavy and heck - that's tough!

This was one fo the first I made. I loved the colours that were in the collection and this page used a mess of fussy cut flowers from one of the papers.

 

 

 

You can see that better in a  couple of the close-ups

 

 

 

 

This page is in complete contrast - focusing on the wild and green and jungle aspects of the collection

 

It begged to be used for zebra pictures

 

 

This third page seems to be a combination with some jungle bits but a vacation theme

 

 

 

 

And this one different again - I love the borders that come in the Graphic 45 range - they lend themselves being cut out and used in different ways

 

The pictures are of Mom and me - they were taken about 20 years apart when Mom was about 26 and I was 16 ... I made everything int he picture of me black and white except me so it was more in keeping with Mom's picture. My Daddy carried this picture in his wallet until the day he died. I am not surprised - she looks gorgeous

 

 

 

I loved using the little leather effect journal

 

 

and finally today a couple of the cards I made

 

 

 

 

You can see why I loved working with the collection

 

Today I am thankful for

• being asked to guest design
• having gorgeous things to work with
• Autumn - still my favourite time of year

 

And yes- bored panda - perfect for Autumn evenings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite a change

I can't say I am disappointed, but there is quite a change int he air. Autumn is officially here - my favourite season of the year - and it is chilly.

But that is good

I like chilly.

I like the darker nights.

I like the aurumn colours

I like the autumn light.

 

Sweatshirts came out yesterday - yeh. I love sweater weather.

 

 

This weekend, whilst it was blowing and chilly, we did a new jigsaw we have had for ages

 

It was a really nice one to do and quite quick for a 1000 piecer.

 

We also went to see The House With the Clock in It's Walls which was ok - not fabulous but OK.

 

I have new scrapping to share using a kit by Natali Designs and the gorgeous Alice with her god-sister's new baby

 

 

and talking of Pickleberrypop ... please don't miss the chance to subscribe which you can find HERE

 

 

You can sign up for general PBP newsletters and also individualdesigners and some of them give you freebies when you sign up too. So go ahead and click away HERE

Today I am thankful for

• AUTUMN - YEY!!!!!!!
• chilly weather, cosy homes, sweaters and colour
• jigsaw days

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing what an early start can do and my first ATDML project

Retirement has slowed us down - no doubt about it. We rarely make it out before 10 am unless one of us is working - and that's fine, but it does make for shorter days.

Today. by 9.20, we had been up, had breakfast, taken Nigel's car for a service,  had a blood test - him not me and just routine - and been to Starbucks. Unheard of. That's a whole day's activities in just that first hour!

Consequently it seems like it has been a long day and we have done a great deal. We started another mammoth jjigsaw, were thrown about time and so had lunch at 11.30 and went to the cinema. Today was A Simple Favour and I am not quite sure what to make of it really. Nigel summed it up by saying 'Mmmm - it wasn't quite sure what it wanted to be was it?' Think Gone Girl, but not as good but that was a comedy. Nope - doesn't make sense does it. Hey ho. The trailer made it look fabulous and there were some good bits, but neither of us were sure what to make of it. Second film this week as we saw Blackkklansman on Wednesday which was a totally different watch.

 

I have some new scrapping to share today - it was a class page ... well two actually ... I made for ATDML - did I mention I am now a bona fide full on design team member again. I was a DT member for ATDML for several years a long time ago and then work interferred with my scrapping. I was so thrilled to be asked back.

One of my first tasks - which was a pleasure not a task - was to host a class and this is one of the class pages I made. You can find the class here and they sell all of the supplies - Graphic 45 Come Fly With Me here on their blog (along with other classes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can find all of the instructions by following THIS LINK

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely long day accomplishing 'stuff'
• a definite feel of Autumn in the air
• Being back on a DT

 

 

 

What a difference 32 years and a new school year make

The schools went back this week. Having spent my whole life, apart fromthelast two years, living from holiday to holiday, always knowing excatly how many days it is before I have to go back, now I cannot WAIT for the schools to go back. Apologies for those of you who teach - but your time will come. 

We enjoy very simple pleasures in local places and in the school holidays they are bombed. We have our life back again.

We went into Poole early this morninga nd it was so quiet it was actually eerie - but lovely.

We went to visit Lake Pier and it was so quiet - the car park has been rammed all holidays.

 

 

Yesterday I met my good friend Helen at The Kitchen in Poole Park where we sat and chatted for a couple of hours inthe sunshine and relished that we were not at school

 

 

 

Today we had work to do in Bournemouth so we combined it with a meal out and a leisurely drive back all along our gorgeous coast. If I hadn't got a parking ticket whilst waiting for Nigel it would have been just perfect. Ah well.

 

I have also been scrapping something different - my wedding. We have been married 32 years and so it was about time I made a wedding album for us. I have done them for other people - never for our own wedding. One of the reasons is it was 32 years ago and the photos are dated. They are faded, the pictures are all very formal and not great quality and there are none of the arty shots you get these days. But it IS our wedding and I have decided to be brave and scrap them anyway.

 

Here are the first few (prepare - on and off - for a few of these pages I am afraid. )

 

This is probably the only photo I really like that was taken by the professional photographer so I guess it was inevitable it was going to get scrapped early on.

 

 

 

This was me getting ready. I remember it as a very special time with my mom and my best friend. My bridesmaid Sarah was a later addition just for the photos.

 

 

And this was made for a siblings challenge - my Mom and her big sister

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• school holidays being over (sorry folks)
• a lovely day
• courage to scrap pictures I don't like but that are a very very happy day

and I kind of liked these vintage supermarket and shopping pictures - simpler times eh!

 

 

I love this so much - reminds me of a scene in The American Adventure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a difference 32 years and a new school year make

The schools went back this week. Having spent my whole life, apart fromthelast two years, living from holiday to holiday, always knowing excatly how many days it is before I have to go back, now I cannot WAIT for the schools to go back. Apologies for those of you who teach - but your time will come. 

We enjoy very simple pleasures in local places and in the school holidays they are bombed. We have our life back again.

We went into Poole early this morninga nd it was so quiet it was actually eerie - but lovely.

We went to visit Lake Pier and it was so quiet - the car park has been rammed all holidays.

 

 

Yesterday I met my good friend Helen at The Kitchen in Poole Park where we sat and chatted for a couple of hours inthe sunshine and relished that we were not at school

 

 

 

Today we had work to do in Bournemouth so we combined it with a meal out and a leisurely drive back all along our gorgeous coast. If I hadn't got a parking ticket whilst waiting for Nigel it would have been just perfect. Ah well.

 

I have also been scrapping something different - my wedding. We have been married 32 years and so it was about time I made a wedding album for us. I have done them for other people - never for our own wedding. One of the reasons is it was 32 years ago and the photos are dated. They are faded, the pictures are all very formal and not great quality and there are none of the arty shots you get these days. But it IS our wedding and I have decided to be brave and scrap them anyway.

 

Here are the first few (prepare - on and off - for a few of these pages I am afraid. )

 

This is probably the only photo I really like that was taken by the professional photographer so I guess it was inevitable it was going to get scrapped early on.

 

 

 

This was me getting ready. I remember it as a very special time with my mom and my best friend. My bridesmaid Sarah was a later addition just for the photos.

 

 

And this was made for a siblings challenge - my Mom and her big sister

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• school holidays being over (sorry folks)
• a lovely day
• courage to scrap pictures I don't like but that are a very very happy day

and I kind of liked these vintage supermarket and shopping pictures - simpler times eh!

 

 

I love this so much - reminds me of a scene in The American Adventure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New releases and a lovely walk

Yesterday turned out unexpectedly nice with a very lazy morning (well I had a lazy morning, Nigel had to dash off to his Mom's) and then we went over to Christchurch as my Doctor wanted me to have a Dexa scan. She felt I ought not to have broken my ribs so easily (I assured her it wasn't easy!) to check for osteoporosis. I am fairly sure I don't. I am the clumsiest person in the world and if I had osteoporosis I am sure I'd have broken a mess of bones. Anyway - the scan was very quick and simple and having not been to Christchurch Hospital for years and years - since I volunteered there when I was 16 -  it was all new and shiny and lovely. It seemed rude to drive past a Harvester ont he way home and not get dinner ont he Early Bird Special - two meals with free salad and two drinks for £18 - we were happy bunnies and totally stuffed.

Today we have been for a walk to the local supermarket. I love that the walk there takes us through the heath and it is like living out in the middle of the countryside with all the ameneties of town. Fab. Shopping done I have been paintinga nd scrapping. 

I have finished another commission - a dog this time - but I cannot share it yet as the person I have painted it for has not seen it. But I am pleased with it.

It is also new release day at Pickleberrypop

 

First the Garden Dreams collection from Dita B Designs 

 

I made this page with it - loving the picture of Emily and Elinor

 

There is a new Mojo Perks mini bundle which you can get for free just by doing the challenges. And many of the challenges have freebies too. I am hosting one of the challenges again this month

 

 

and this is what I made with it - my cousin's beautiful daughter

 

and finally I worked with Enjoy Today by Mooscraps

 

 

and features the beautiful Alice. I really am blessed with the people I get to scrap.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely couple of days
• scrapping time
• walks

 

and finally - the end of the billboards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sad yet uplifting - such a tragic sensless loss

Today I attended a funeral - a funeral for a past pupil aged just 22. Something I never expected to do. I know I am very lucky in that in 29 years of Headship I never lost a pupil who was still at school, but to see so many youngsters there today mourning the loss of a beautiful, intelligent, active, dynamic young girl was just awful to witness.

Well the funeral was beautiful and awful. It was in the most beautiful setting - its a woodland burial site where Nigel and I have bought plots and they have a new stunningly beautiful service hall and reception space in the woods overlooking Poole Harbour. There must have been 400+ people there and even though the venue is huge they had to play the service on screens in the reception hall for those who couldn't fit in. Very hard to see so many young people - past pupils and others. Her boyfriend, who was with her when she was killed did amazingly well. It was a humanist service which I find harder as I need the prayers but that was OK as I prayed anyway. The service really captured her spirit, her energy, the love of life she had, the amazing things she accomplished, her humour, her vitality and her influence on others around the world.  I held it together until they played My Life My Love (don't know if you have seen Mama Mia 2 but it's the song Meryl Streep sang at her daughter's wedding) and it was chosen by her mother and it was heartbreaking. I am not a mother but i don't know how a mother can survive burying her child. Just too awful for words.

 

 

The service really captured everything about her and what made her special and I know you could say this about everyone but she really really was an incredible young lady who, in 22 years, had already done so much.

Her parents have set up a foundation to help disadvanteged children in her name so that something good comes from the awfulness. I hope and pray with all my heart that they find some comfort in the fact that so many people loved their daughter, so many people mourn her loss and that she was an incredible young woman who has left a legacy that will live on.

 

She was killed by a hit and run driver doing approximately 90 miles an hour in the early hours of the morning in London. This was the Evening Standard article. He has subsequently been found and charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving a motor vehicle dangerously, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident. Little words for such a henious crime to have caused the loss of such a wonderful young lady.

 

Today I am thankful

• that her parents, and friends and family, will have seen such an outpouring of love for their daughter
• for people who brighten the world, for however short a time, by just being in it