Dolly's Dreamings

A painting day

Today was a day I set aside to paint. I tend to always gravitate to scrapping and I neglect painting so I am going to try and paint at least twice a week. Well that's the plan.

 

I followed a tutorial today t try and paint in a more loose style and this is what I painted

 

I left Nigel's hands in the first one so you can see the scale

 

 

I really enjoyed it

 

I also have new scrapping to share as I forgot to blog yesterday

 

I made these two pages using Simple Stories Quarrantine as part of my DT work for A Trip Down memory Lane

 

 

and this one

 

 

 

 

and then also this

 

Today I am thankful for

• creativity
• a lovely day
• new paints (not used them yet

 

 

 

No snow

Well it appears everyone in the country has had some snow recently - except us. Yes I know it is dangerous and disruptive etc etc but I love it and feel very cheated. There is a slight chance tomorrow. Oh I so hope so.

 

We had a morning out yesterday as Nigel had a job to do in Weymouth - we even had a letter with permission to go. So it meant we could walk along Weymouth seafront for a change but oh my goodness it was cold. No snow of course ... just cold.

 

 

There was a lady just getting ready to go for a swim. Oh my oh my!

 

 

 

 

Today I have scrapped and walked and just had generally a lovely day - again! Even though there is no snow!

 

This was for a challenge on UKS - A4 for the 2021 album. I am really struggling with A4 but am persevering

 

 

 

and another from the same day

 

 

and a painting of a rust VW camper - no idea why - I just fancied it

 

Today I am thankful for

• a change of scenery
• a scrappy day
• retirement
• but NOT for SNOW!!! Did I mention we haven't had any!

 

 

 

Cutting cutting cutting

I have spent much of the weekend cutting things on my silhouette as I have been playing along with a cyber crop at Pear Tree Cut Files (and I do so love their cutfiles and bought some of the new releases today too)

 

I have managed to make a fair few of the pages for challenges so far - I hope to do more this week as I really am enjoying it

 

I loved the artist palette file and used it to showcase my kingfisher painting from last week

 

 

 

This one is A4 size as it is for my 2021 album which I am trying out in a different format (not sure I like it but we will see)

 

 

and more fur babies - using their bunks

 

 

I loved the puzzle cut file as we do so many jigsaws. It was fun to use the shapes as a stencil too

 

 

 

I have started a brand new album (because I am pretty much out of new photos) called American Icons and I will showcase some of the amazing and iconic things we have been blessed to see (also a way of remembering as there will be no USA trip again this year)

 

So this is my first page - New Orleans French Quarter which os so iconic and which I absolutely loved.

 

 

And this was for a scraplift challenge too on UKS and features lots of stamping and no embellishments apart from the stamps and a bit of washi tape

 

Today I am thankful for

• a scrappy time
• some lovely walks
• my babies and Nigel

 

And finally some amazing shadow pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some gorgeous weather

Down here on the coast we were one of the few parts of the country that seemed not to have snow. I love snow and it would have been nice, but we have had some gorgeous sunny weather and some beautiful walks.  Beach walks

 

 

 

 

 

and woodland walks

 

 

 

 

 

 

So cold but beautiful

Talking of beautiful - today's loveliness is this ...

Little Indy and Mummy playing with her iPhone

 

 

 

Barb I am so pleased that maybe now you can look forward to a more settled period in the US. I hope a steadying hand not he tiller instead of a lunatic will be so good for you nd for the country.

Today we have been yet again kitten proofing areas of the house.  Nigel has built a brilliant infill for behind the TV to stop the babies destroying wires.

 

And some new painting to share - I have no idea why I wanted to paint a kingfisher (picture was taken from Wikipedia) 

 

And finally some scrapping

A digital page of a photo from Friday at the beach

 

 

This box he is in is tiny (so is he) but I have no idea how he gets in  and then turns round inside it

 

 

 

and finally this one made today with no bought embellishments or patterned paper just watercolour flowers I painted and a watercolour border.

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a very supportive husband and best friend. I am truly truly blessed
• beautiful crisp clear weather
• daily exercise
• hobbies

 

 

 

Such a distraction

So the kittens are a distraction - it's official.

I start doing something and then - well there are kittens that need to be played with a cuddled and photographed and given enrichment.

Can't think of anything better though.

 

Our life in lockdown is very simple. Breakfast -with kittens. Scrapping and then a walk, local only no car travel, then lunch then play with kittens then jigsaw or scrap then play with kittens, then dinner then tv, with kittens then repeat. I love it.

I have managed a few pages though - and surprisingly not ALL kittens

OK so this one is kittens! well a kitten - Mr Indy in fact.

 

 

Catching up on last year's photos as I fell behind due to the worry over Kira and then the worry about getting he kittens. November woodland walk

 

 

and this was one of my favourite Christmas presents - officially part of Grey's now. I start my internship soon!

 

 

 

and finally a bit of art - very different from my usual - this was an online class my bestie and I did

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• kittens - obviously
• a simple life and a slower pace
• family quiz nights
• painting with my bestie even though we can't be physically together

 

 

 

 

 

There was a strange light in the sky!

The weather has been grim lately and so today was a real joy. I had seen the forecast was

We headed out early to call in and get yet more food for Kira. I haven't updated on her recently but it has all been a bit of battle of late. The thyroid is under control but we were struggling to get her to eat. She seems unable to chew anymore - and we have had her teeth, tongue, throat etc all checked. So we have had to find a range of soft pate foods she will eat. That has been a challenge and she will eat something one day then not touch it the next. Add very spoilt to her list of conditions I think! We seem now to have a formula that works and she has anti-nausea meds as the kidney disease can make them nauseous too. In addition, she had dementia and I think she is having little fits too. She is often very disorientated and looks confused. It all sounds awful but she looks the picture of health, still purrs and plays and cuddles and so we think she is as good as she can be. We don't want any more treatment other than her routine meds. We just want her to be as happy as possible for as long as possible.

We then went for a lovely walk at Kingston Lacey in the sunshine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was beautiful and a lovely long walk.

Yesterday I painted a picture to make some Christmas cards

Card 1

Card 2

 

Today I am thankful for

• a wonderful reassuring vet
• every day we have with Kira
• a beautiful walk

 

Beautiful morning and a scrappy day

The weather was lovely this morning so we headed off for an early beach walk. I couldn't bear to live anywhere else to be honest.

 

Beach nice and empty and just 'ours' again now holidaymakers have gone home

 

 

Four cruise ships today

 

My home town!

 

 

Nigel fetching breakfast ... OK we had had breakfast and this was just ice-cream

 

The rest of the day was spent scrapping and painting

 

This is me trying a very different technique. I haven't ever tried pen and wash and loose before  - lots more practice needed

 

 

 

 

 

This was one of the many sculptures at the sculpture park

 

 

 

very old K and Co papers

 

 

and a age with a newly released kit called Love Boat from Kathryn Estry.

 

 

so all in all a lovely day. We are focussing on the lovely at the moment

 

Today I am thankful for

• a beach walk
• sunshine
• creative days

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bad weather more crafting

It hasn't been bad bad weather, just a bit dull and occasionally drizzling but when it is not so wonderful it means I stay in and craft more - and jigsaw and read.

Yesterday afternoon I decided to paint - it was a very quick picture of a photo I took last week. I think I am going to make it into greetings cards for sale on my stall

 

 

 

I also scrapped. This was for a challenge on UKS using very old papers and a new photo (and lots of fussy cutting)

 

 

 

It is also new release day at PBP

Soft Elegance complete collection by Palvinka Designs

 

 

 

 

Sunny Smiles complete collection by Jumpstart Designs

 

 

 

 

Dancing in the moonlight bundle by Chunlin Designs

 

 

 

and that collection just seemed made for this photo of my godson and his stunning bride

 

 

 and in the interests of full disclosure I do get these digital collections free of charge to create with and promote. But seriously, go check out what they have this week.

 

Today I am thankful for

the cows grazing outside my scrap room as I sit and type this

 

 

 

 

 

A little bit of floral joy

Today we went for our walk early as more rain (which is good) was forecast and the flowers everywhere looked gorgeous. We don't really have flowers in our garden as they don't grow. When we first lived here I spent a fortune on peat, topsoil and bedding plants. Did that for a few years and finally saw sense. We have lots of different coloured foliage bushes. the only flowers we have are azaleas, a few rhododendrons, a few roses and my new sunflowers.It works for us but I do enjoy everyone else's flowers.

 

On a floral theme I have new releases to share for Pickleberrypop

This is an utterly gorgeous collection called Summer Palette by Natali Designs

 

 

I used it to showcase the painting I did of my favourite flowers - sunflowers.

 

 

Wildflowers collection by Heather T

 

My second favourite flowers are poppies so they feature this week too

 

 

and finally

Foundations Rectangles #2 by Fayette       and also using her Get Lost Bundle by Fayette

 

 

Gosh I miss roads like this so much. This was Sedona last year.

 

TOday I am thankful for

• a lovely walk
• everyone else planting lovely flowers for us to enjoy
• great kits to work with
• the start of a new month - the month I hit the big 60!!!

 

 

It's a lovely Sunday

It's been a  nice weekend here. Not weatherwise of course. That hasn't been awesome. But other than that, lovely.

My best friend turned 60 and we went for a socially distanced picnic which was lovely.

 

 

 

 

I enjoy teasing her because for 6 weeks of the year she is a whole number higher than me. I will be joining the 60 club next month.

 

I was able to give her the card and present I had made. I painted her beautiful cat for her birthday and I think she was pleased with it. I hate seeing people get my art work as I am always very critical of what I have made.

 

 

 

We had such a laugh Friday night too at our family Quiz night. Sarah and Jerry set a fabulous quiz and one round was movie posters or pictures with our faces on - they were so well done and utterly hilarious.

Nigel, Sid Ant and Chris featured in this

 

This is my 'other mom' rocking it in style

 

Elly made a picture perfect Dorothy

 

Chris and Sam - a great love affair

 

 

and this was hilarious - esecially since the very thought of me singing is more like a horror film for anyone to be witness to.

 

It was such a laugh.

 

A little scrapping today

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely weekend
• a social distancing picnic
• cooler weather (I like the sun but not the heat)
• fresh strawberries from our neighbours garden

 

 

 

It's the weekend

It's the weekend again. Well let's face it, it is pretty much always the weekend here, but tis officially the weekend.

 

Shopping is done - I look forward to when that isn't a drama, but we are getting slicker with it. We have the process down to a fine art really.

I had a pleasant day drawing and scrapping - well I have a pleasant day drawing and scrapping most days to be fair. Plus we have started another jigsaw and been for a lovely walk too.

New pictures include

 

 

I also photocopied it just so I could play at colouring it. Well I wasn't going to re-draw it. They are small - less than A5 size, and so I used a 0.05 micron pen as the detail is very very fine.

 

Sadly I cannot share the new scrapping as it is for a class at ATDML. But here is some older work that I have not shared yet

 

This was Oatmas on route 66 and was one of the weirdest places we have ever ever been. Part old gold mining town, part old route 66 town, part wonderful, part (a bit part) tacky, full of wild burros and totally and utterly unique.

 

 

 

 

and this was getting our America the Beautiful pass at the Grand Canyon.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a family quiz night to come
• more baking ... photo below my first coffee walnut cake
• the weekend
• rose cava (a bit of a new obsession)

 

 

 

These are NOT mine - macaron works of art