Dolly's Dreamings

Belated Happy September

Gosh I have missed days and days and I have no idea where they went. Well actually I know where a couple of them went.

The 31st of August was Nigel's huge big event - he had pretty much single handedly organised an incredible even for Neil Middleditch's testamonial at Poole Speedway. He had been living and breathing it for weeks and weeks and weeks (and I for one would be glad when it was done to be honest!)

Anyway, knowing he would be very busy I arranged to go to my best friends for the morning to paint together. Nigel took my car out of the garage, drove it off the drive, turned it round and put it back ont he drive ready for me. Twenty minutes later I went out and nothing. Well that's not true. There were clicks. But nothing else. I tried it again and again and I tried taking the brake off (daft idea) and nothing. I had to disturb the very stressed Nigel and he tired and nothing so - stupidly - he rolled it down off the drive into the turning head at the end of the road and the end of our drive and he called the RAC and told me to go out in his car. The RAC said they would be there within 4 hours! He and a neighbour (and a random dog walker) tried to push my car back onto the drive but it was too heavy and steep so it was left half on the drive and half on the pavement.

 

I painted and had a lovely time - Nigel did last minute prep.

 

I came home and I was panicking that the RAC had not come and the car was unsafe where it was. So my bestie and her husband came to help push it onto the drive. Nope. Then yet another random dog walker stopped and helped us and between 5 of us we got it on the drive,. Poor Nigel - this was the last thing he needed going on on such a big day. And we were both incredibly stressed and not thinking clearly (as will be clear later)

In the end the RAC man came and it was, as we suspected, a flat battery as the car doesn't get used enough so he checked everything started the car and went away. Nigel then made the first of the bad decisions. He didn't want to leave it out incase it wouldn't restart and so he drove it into the garage and then told me to sit with it running for half an hour. He said get a book and just sit and read in it so it charges up. I ws a bit worried but didn't say anything as he was stressed. I sat in the car, in the garage, with the garage door open of course, for half an hour and stupidly, because we were both so stressed, had the air circulating drawing in the toxic air from outside inot the car. After half an hour I switched it off and went in and felt so so poorly. We both realised what a stupid thing we had done. I didn't need to be sat in it. I could have sat outside in the fresh air and we were sure I had mild carbon monoxide poisoning. I felt really ill.

 

Anyway - it was a big night and the show must go on. Nigel had a team of helpers led by two very good friends Ben and Lee who are brilliant and who he knew would do everything he needed. He had planned it all so well, given everyone jobs, me included, and the evening was an amazing amazing amazing success. Not only great racing but video messages Nigel had sourced from all over the world were played on the big screen, a parade of Harleys took the teams round, he had borrowed vintage race jackets and had lots of old Poole riders take to the track int he interval, the raffle sold out, there were surprises all through the evening, it was just a tremendous event from start to finish and I was so so so proud of him. He had organised it all and it was a huge success and whilst he didn't get public thanks for what he did, we knew and so did people like Ben and Lee. It was one of the best things he had organised - and believe me he has organised many great things. It's his forte.

Anyway, we came home and I was so so ill. We had almost no sleep and I was very sick. The results of the car in the garage I think.

But - it's September now and the testimonial is over, I have my husband back and all is well that ends well.

New scrapping to share

This was for Day 1 of Scraptember and for this week's Scrap Squad and for Hey Little Magpi (I do love a multi task!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this was for Day 3 of scraptember (I haven't done day 2 yet) and for the latest Scrap a Sketch sketch

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• my car being fixed (and used)
• my wonderfully clever husband who is truly amazing
• no being TOO poisoned
• September - the start of 'ber' season ... my favourite time of year

and some cute pics to finish with

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lockdown

We are at the stage where things change every day relating to the way we live our lives at the moment.

We had been told by the government - quite rightly - to adopt social distancing everywhere. And people simply were not doing it. The weather has been awful for so long and the escalation in the disease coincided with mother's day and fabulous weather and so throwing caution to the wind it seemed as if everyone was playing Russian roulette and being out together - not social distancing. We live right on the heath and I have never seen so many people around. Closing restaurants and pubs, gyms and so on hadn't worked.

Yesterday we went out for a drive, taking our lunch as usual, to say goodbye to Pooole Park and the ocean for a while. It was actually very quiet after the silliness of Sunday (we had stayed in all day of course) and so we did go for a walk. We only encountered a couple of people and we were all respectful of each other's distance.

 

My mother's Day present from Nigel and the cats - Florence the Flamingo

 

 

Spring in the park

 

 

Nigel social distancing

 

We ate our lunch in the car at the ocean and we came home to hunker down. And last night the lockdown was ordered. we are still luckier than most European countries in that we are allowed to take a form of exercise outside each day if we are careful, we can still go, as little as possible, to the supermarket and to get medicine and key workers can still go to work. But other than that all but essential stores are closed and we all need to stay at home, allow the disease curve to flatten and help our wonderful NHS stay safe. Boris Johnston did NOT like what he had to say last night. It is a hard time to be the leader of the country and it is against all the freedoms he believes in but he has to be the face of the government and express the needs of the country as a whole. Churchillian - yes I think so.

Photos from the last couple of days

 

Our last Starbucks for potentially months

 

 

These flowers were all fallen over in the garden so they came indoors with us

This morning we went for a walk and we encountered 4 people and we all stayed so well away from each other and shouter cheery hellos across the gaps. We came home, we did work in the garden and we stayed in and safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have also been painting and scrapping to keep busy. I am OK if I don't just stop and think about things.

 

I have decided I am going to make an album documenting what is going on in the world and with us personally.

 

 

 

 

A page for a Scrap Squad scraplift

 

 

 

and recording Florence in her new home Simple Stories Vintage Garden District

 

 

I hope that whatever you do and wherever you are you stay safe, your loved ones stay safe and that we get through these awful times together

xx

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• Nigel - I couldn't do this alone
• Lockdown - I think it is what the country needed
• our NHS staff and the delivery drivers, the supermarket staff, the farmers, the police, the people keeping the banks going, the bins, everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strange times so bring on the crafting

These are strange times to be living in - for everyone, world wide.

I spend my time torn between thinking it is all an over-reaction and being a little worried. I cannot see this going on for months and months - surely? Deaths in China have slowed already and are slowing in the north of Italy and yet the US and the UK amongst others are saying  this could go on for months and months. I get the social distancing to slow it down but to cancel all public exams seems and over reactiona nd way too early to make that decision. Wouldn't it have been better to have said to the kids keep revising over your extended Easter and we will review mid April when we know more.  The kids and staff will all have been off - I know some teachers are still going to be working - for weeks, possibly two months, so could the schools not resume in June and run through to August or beyond to make up the time and then the exam group kids could sit their exams. They could be delayed not just cancelled. There are thousands and thousands of Year 11 and 13 kids - and Year 6 kids - who are suddenly potentially leaving their school forever with two days notice. It seems a very very hasty decision to me. Unless - and this is where my worries lie - unless they do know much more than they are saying.

 

However, at the end of the day, I can do nothing about it. It is out of my hands and all of our hands so I will do what I know how to do - I will scrap in the face of uncertainty. At least Nigel and I know we enjoy being together, we are used to being home together and love it and we both have loads we enjoy doing at home froms crapping, designing, doing jigsaws, playing games, playing rock band with the wii etc etc. I pray everyone else will find peace with it too.

 

This is my scrapping today  based on a sketch by Shimelle

 

I wanted to record some of my art as art had been transformative in my life in the last two and a bit years.

 

I made and printed the block using material from my good friend Dawn Inskip who inspired me to paint. I think she would have been pleased and I still miss her such a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

Now this is a very odd page. Nigel rarely asks me to make a page specifically for him but he did. He has loved his biscuits over Christmas and was tickled by the fact they were Fox's and that it said they were lovingly baked by Foxes. We call Fiki fox and so that was why he liked it. When the box was empty he asked if I could scrap it! Not my usual sort of page but he asked so I did.

Everything on the page, even the border, apart from the background paper and the two foxes was just cut off the box. He liked it - that is the main thing.

 

 

Finally, this is a page made for a challenge on UKS

 

 

It is a paper page but I printed the film strips out - they are from Jen Yurko.

 

So stay safe everyone. Find what makes you happy at home.Care for your neighbours and for each other and stay positive.

 

Today I am thankful for

• gorgeous gorgeous new scrapping goodies to play with - at just the right time.
• being home bound with Nigel
• faith to help me stay positive

 

 

 

A little bit of sunshine

So today happened.

And all ended well.

 

We spotted a damp patch in the kitchen - small - but clear. It appeared to have come from a broken waste pipe from the en suite bathroom that was dripping down the outside wall. We put builders tape across the bathroom (figuratively speaking) and Nigel called a friend who is a plumber  (thank goodness for speedway - Nigel knows builders and carpenters and plumbers and they are all wonderful - it is quite a network. ) We called him yesterday and he came today and fixed it. We have treated the wall, painted it with a first coat and we hope we have cured the problem. But those of you who know me well know I get terribly stressed with any sort of work on the house.

So to keep my mind off it I have been drawing and painting. Painting a little bit of sunshine.

 

I started the sunflowers with Jakki yesterday but sent today finishing them.  You can see it in process.

 

 

 

 

and I also finished my meerkat.

 

 

I have also been scrapping but I can't share that yet.

In other news my tooth was fine - it's horrid now! Hope it settles down but the sharp electric pain is not fab!

 

Today I am thankful for

• a painting day
• friends with skills who help us out
• new pipes

 

and I think the last of the boards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I survived, I achieved, I had fun

Yesterday saw a dentist visit. I am a dentistphobe (I am sure that is a real word and if not it should be) at the best of times but I got myself into a bit of a state with this visit. I knew it was to have a crown and I was terrified. Silly really - I have had worse. I have had a root canal filling then a crown. But I had a bit of an anxiety attack. The dentist is wonderful. She totally gets my fear and is so kind and gentle. It didn't hurt then and doesn't hurt now apart from terrible jaw pain. Having TMJ means any dentist visit leads to a week of flare-up of the TMJ. Such is life eh.

So that was the I survived.

The I achieved is that I finished all 14 challenges for the cyber crop at Lottie Loves Paper, completing the last few pages yesterday and today.

 

This one took forever. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Stamp and distress flowers and cut them out. Mmmm - very time consuming and very busy.

 

 

 

 

This one had to be black and white and blue only

 

Just a fab sculpture to record

 

 

Final challemge completed today

 

 

I also did some digital scrapping with a new collection called  Believe in You Bundle by Lara’s Digi World

 

 

 

So that covers the 'I survived' and the 'I achieved'.

 

The 'I had fun' is that I went round to my besties today and after a lovely lunch we painted. It was a lovely afternoon.

 

This is from her too - my sort of humour exactly.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a successful dentist visit and a dentist who calms me down
• lovely scrapping time
• painting with my best friend

 

Now - think of me because we have a leaking pipe and a damp patch on the kitchen wall and we really really hope we get it fixed tomorrow. I know it is small fry compared to all of the poor people who are flooded, but it is really worrying me and I need it to be fixed so we can repair the wall. Fingers crossed everyone.

 

and finally the penultimate post of those punny signs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quieter Day today

I think - and I rarely say this - I think I am all scrapped out. After 6 pages yesterday I have only managed four today - which is fine.  I have also done a couple of digital pages but I can't share those yet.

 

This is Nigel at the geographical Centre of the US in Lebanon in Kansas

 

Driving through Vermont in the perfect fall

 

 

Me driving through the arch in Grants - a real Route 66 celebration

 

 

and I almost never ever do doubles but I had so many great photos of the Road Kill Cafe I couldn't not do a double. The flap on the right hand side also lifts up to show the menus which were hysterical.

 

Today I am

• so grateful for lazy days

 

And some more of these because I love them

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lovely time was had by all

We went out to dinner with some good friends last night and had a smashing time. The food was good but the company even better. The time just flew - it was just so much fun. Plus they bought me a gift back from New York - well from Hoboken. Another Carlo's bakery mug. I was so thrilled.It was so kind and generous.

 

Today I have been scrapping int he Lottie Loves Paper cyber crop and have had so much fun. Nigel has kept me fed and watered as I have scrapped and I have made 6 pages for the first six of the challenges.

They are all for the Coast to Coast albums (I say albums as there are likely to be 4 D ring albums as there was so much about the trip that we want to record and cherish.)

 

This one os of Seligman which we loved - perhaps the definitive Route 66 town.

 

 

This is in San Diego old town

Lots of fussy cutting but then I do love that.

This is on the Oatman Highway - billed as the best section to drive on route 66 for the thrill of the road - and it didn't disappoint as it twisted and turned its way up the mountains.

 

 

Oatman itself - lost in time.

 

The Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego (more fussy cutting)and the title is even a rub on!

 

 

And my last on - using texture paste which is hard for me ... I don't do messy - and showing photos from Desert View at the Grand Canyon.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• Good friends
• cyber crops
• a wonderful caring husband

and these are just too good not to share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More on the storm and a bit of brightness

So our storm was a bit of a doozie really and we lost more fence panels and Nigel's lovely orange netting. But we are having the concrete posts fixed tomorrow and we have a new solution for fencing for the future. Let's see the wind knock down our concrete fencing!!!

It all made for a horrible day yesterday and a sleepless night last night as we were very exposed. There are still some strong gusts of wind but, thus far, all is reinstated albeit temporarily and we are secure. And we were so lucky compared to many across the country. we lost fences. One man locally lost his life to a tree falling on his car (I remember int he hurricane of 1987 we lost a parent at school the same way - such a dreadful tragedy) and so many lost power, were flooded dreadfully, were stranded, and suffered structural damage. So once again we feel blessed that it was just fences and our thoughts and prayers go out to those who suffered terrible things.

 

Barb you asked about watercolour paints. The set I had before was a good set, but the better the paints the better the pigments and we were learning how to do flooding work and blending and my paints kept 'breaking down' and not giving such a nice effect. They were perfectly good Windsor and Newton but the Cotman range which is like a student range so not real cheapies but not fabulous either. The set I have bought are meant to be much better- we will see. they are not top professional quality - they are silly money. I treated myself to the new set as I sold my Cricut and cartridges so I gained space and new paints! I have yet to try them.

 

The weather has been so awful it was lovely to have some brand new sunny papers to play with. I am blessed to be on the Design Team for A Trip Down Memory Lane and they send me beautiful new things to play with each month. The new Dear Lizzy Here and Now papers were my gifts for this month and I have loved playing with them. I don't tend to use brights a lot so it is always fun when I do and they leant themselves to lots of fussy cutting too.

Here are a couple of the 5 pages I made.

 

I am not a big supporter of Halloween I am afraid, but I do love the concept of Dia de Muertos which seems such a respectful celebration honouring the dead and remembering past relatives. I loved the film Coco and it inspired me to find out more about the festival. We were therefore thrilled when we went to the Old Town of San Diego on 31st October to see it all decorated up for the festival and it was so very photogenic too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The papers also shouted out flamingo pink to me so I couldn't resist this one of the flamingos in San Diego Zoo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed all the fussy cutting so much and it sure did brighten my day.

 

Today I am thankful for

• not having to be in work for as long as I thought today
• ATDML for having faith in me as a Design Team member
• new pretty papers
• resolutions to problems
• lower winds

 

And these just made me smile - do designers and advertisers seriously just not check stuff!

 

 

um - if I am flying direct I would kind of like to get there!

 

 

um - just no!

 

 

seriously!

 

no matter how many teeth you have apparently

 

 

 

This lady holding the boards has incredible arms and hands

Still posting ATDML - a fussy cutting fest

Once I started I realised I had been very remiss about posting my ATDML work  here and so - as I don't have any new scrapping that I can share just yet - I am sharing more of that. I am very lucky to be on their design team and it means I get wonderful new goodies to work with every month to showcase products they sell and also new goodies to play with to make classes for them

This was my work from April when I busy with my Paris album and working with such lovely papers

 

 

Regular readers know I love a bit of fussy cutting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This photo always makes me smile - our 'reception' after renewing our vows, paid for by my bestie and her hubby.

 

 

 

 

 

And this had fussy cutting and colouring and makes me laugh- When we went to Paris on our honeymoon we were broke and ended up sharing one crepe between us for a meal. One of the first things we did for our 25th anniversary was buy two whole crepes just because we could!

 

 

 

 

and finally this one was not a Paris page but the papers just matched the vintage singers Aphrodite so well.

More fussy cutting

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• mindless activities like fussy cutting that bring so much pleasure

and I just loved these vet signs - too funny not to share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rather old for an 18th

I guess at my age - very old some days  ... quite young and sprightly others ... it is unusual to celebrate your 18th birthday but that was just what I did this year.

 

You may remember the story from earlier int he year about selling my unworn gold jewellery, including my 18th birthday present gold bracelet, and buying something I had always wanted, would never have bought and absolutely love. I bought a silver Tiffany Bracelet and I wear it every day and I love it. And Mom and Dad would be thrilled that I now have something that is a daily reminder rather than something which is stuck in a drawer and never sees the light of day.

 

And now I have scrapped the story too.

I used the wonderful Heart collection by Simple Stories as the paper colours and the sentiments just worked so well.

 

They were not all full bags!

 

There had to be a page of me wearing said lush bracelet.

 

 

And I had papers over and so also just made this page of one of the other loves of my life, my little boy (well my old gentleman really) 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a just ordinary, nothing special totally lovely day
• my bracelet - I really do love it
• my parents - now long gone but missed every day and cherished forever

 

and finally I came across these today and just had to share them

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prayers answered

Thank you so much to those of you who have reached out to me and who have prayed on my behalf or just sent good vibes.

After a horribly worrying few days, the doctor phoned today to tell me the x-ray was good. The heart was normal shape and size, the lungs were normal and nothing looked untoward in the bones themselves. He is however still concerned and was quick to say x rays don't show everything and he still wants to get to the bottom of what is going on but I am so relieved - in a bit of a daze to be honest. But so grateful. 

We have a couple of strategies to try and then a review then more tests. I feel well looked after and just so very very grateful.

I have some new scrapping to share too.

I am hosting a challenge at Pickleberrypop this month - do go and check the challenges out - they are great fun and you can win freebies too. You will find them here

 

This was my sample page for my style challenge so go check it out.

 

 

If you do the challenges you can win this for free

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• having a clear x-ray
• my prayers being answered
• FAITH

 and I enjoyed these so thought I would share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this made me laugh so much