Dolly's Dreamings

work and leisure

Today has been a very productive mix of work (4 hours this morning) and leisure this afternoon with art group.

Work is OK and it is nice to feel valued and serve a purpose and meet nice people but I am glad itis only a couple opf weeks every few months - suits me well.

At art today our brief was to be free and loose and paint with marks, no detail and quickly in sketchbook style.  I haven't picked up a brush for 5 weeks and I really don't do free and loose, I do tiny and detailed and painstaiking hours. So it was a really really good exercise for me. And I loved it. I completed my painting in well under and hour and it looks kind of OK. I am not sure it is a style I will revert to but it was great fun.

 

Today I am thankful for

• work accomplished for the week
• my car - I love driving her and she is so so pretty
• the weekend - it starts now
• an amazing amazing DT package

 

And now on to travel journals as I left you just about to get to Concord Massachussettes where Nigel's brother lives.

 

Thursday 18th October Part 2

The One Where We Reach Historic Concord

 

Bridge traveled and recorded for posterity ... and scrapping,  we continued towards Concord. Tummies were rumbling and the need for a Starbucks was great and so we entered a town called Keene. Well, it was so us. We love nature and scenery and views, but we also love retail therapy. Starbucks and fast food and Keene offered it all, I was thrilled to find cards at Target that were awesome. I had been upset that, when packing, I realized that whilst I had bought and wrapped presents for Nigel’s birthday which would be during the trip, with everything going on I had not bought a card. And yes, I do make cards, and no, it wasn’t happening at that point.  I have vowed never to buy Nigel a birthday card from anywhere but America again. The cards had such wonderful words. Americans are not afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves and that floats my boat.

 

 

Starbucks bought, Macdonalds eaten (I love that they have all day breakfast as I can have an egg McMuffin for lunch)  and we agreed it would be rude not to visit the Michaels. My heart wasn’t in it though as I knew we had a lot of travel to accomplish and scrapbook supplies would be hard to store on the move so I was remarkably restrained. My time would come later. I did manage 4 180 sheet pads of paper though - well it would have been rude not to when they were half price

 

 

It wasn’t long before we were nearing Concord, Mass and, as it was earlier than expected, we decided to park up in the town and take a few photos as the sun was bright and the sky cloudless. We walked around, enjoying the small town feel and the picturesque buildings before a quick visit to the Alcott house, one which I couldn’t  miss as I had already bought Little Women scrapbook supplies.

 

 

Concord is a very special town for many people for many reasons. The town of Concord, Massachusetts, just 20 miles west of Boston but with major small-town charm, holds a special place in the heart of many Americans. What was once the site of seasonal Indian camps, and then a sleepy New England village, became something else entirely one April morning in 1775 when one of the first battles of the American Revolution was fought in Concord and later immortalized in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Concord Hymn.” Emerson, along with the likes of Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the Alcott duo of Bronson and Louisa May were part of Concord’s mid-1800’s literary and transcendental flowering, for which the town is also famous.

 In no order some of the beautiful houses int he town, the gorgeous churches and general shots. It is a town we have always loved visiting when we go to see Nigel's brother. He has lived in Concord for some 35 years now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Colonial Inn has been used in many films including one of our favourites... Housesitter. It also serves a delicious breakfast i remember from many years previously.

 

 

 

 

well, the immigration officer did ask us if our vacation was to go leaf peeping

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't it such a pretty town?

 

and this is Louisa May Alcott's family home

 

 

 

 

We checked in to our hotel and rang Nigel’s brother, Jim, to let him know we had arrived and arranged a pick up time.  Cases sorted, photos downloaded and a quick wash and change and we met Jim and Diane and we went to dinner at a lovely pizza restaurant with an amazing brick oven and great food. It was a far cry from Enzo’s pizza of yesterday ... I mean they even had real silverware and china plates. It was lovely to catch up with a Jim and Diane and Jim even paid for dinner as Nigel’s birthday present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhausted and very happy we climbed into bed at the very late hour of 9.30. Tomorrow we could have a lie in, our first for days.

 

 

and Nigel's

 

By Lunch time we reach Keene which proves to be a veritable oasis for weary travellers providing several options for food and shopping. We decide on a visit to McDonalds and take advantage of their ‘all day breakfast’ menu to ward off our hunger thanks to a couple of Mac muffins... Oh and a side of fries!

There is also a Starbucks inside a Target store so we are all set for part two of the journey to Concord.

Arriving a little ahead of schedule there is time to tick off a couple of places from our ‘hit list’.

We park in the centre of Concord and walk about amongst memories of previous visits and recollections of stores, churches, the village green and the post office.

There is even time for the briefest stop at the Alcott house where we pretend to be interested in seeing the entry fees whilst in reality only aiming to steal a few picture opportunities.

Job done, it’s time to find our hotel for the next two days and we easily locate the Best Western on Elm street which is pleasant and proves another well researched stopping point.

Here we discover the convenience of what’s app phone calls thanks to Jim’s ingenuity and we are are able to make arrangements for dinner.

Taking a rest from the wheel it was nice to be a passenger and be taken out this evening. We make for Bedford and a Pizza restaurant called Flatbreads. I learn that Jim and Diane have favoured this place for some time and that they even brought Mum here on a previous trip.

It turns out to be a lively location.

It was in danger of becoming even more lively when the food came. We had ordered a large pizza made half and half with pepperoni and mushroom & onion.

The pepperoni was so large that it had overlapped into the ‘vegetarian’ half and was present on every piece of Karen’s portion.

Undeterred, we ate well and even managed to squeeze in a desert. But the biggest treat came when we tried to settle the bill and Jim insisted that it would be their call as it would be a suitable birthday present for me.

We were very grateful and, suitably full, we were Chauffeured back to the hotel for a not too late night.

Tonight might be more of a challenge though as we have to share a bed for the first time on the trip.. although I have to say with it being the size of a small football field there was still a feeling of remoteness about it!.

 

Sketch Saturday ... yes I KNOW today isn't Saturday

I am thrilled to post here that I am hosting a sketch Saturday every second Saturday of the month over on the ATDML blog - Created by ATDML

 and before you say - I know today isn't Saturday. I am just giving you the head's up for next Saturday and sharing what I created for October.

The blog is fabulous and full of inspiring ideas from the fab team over there (and still grinning to be back a part of i)

 

This was my sketch last Saturday and you need to watch for the next one coming out next Saturday. Hopefully, these sketches will inspire you to scrap - even if the connection to the sketch is somewhat lost.

This is the sketch I posted last month

 

 

 

And this is the page created - using the gorgeous Come Away with Me papers from Graphic 45 and available in store here 

 

Life has been quiet but lovely here and whilst it is getting colder it is STILL my favourite time of year ... darker morning (snuggle up in bed time) crisp days (walks on the beach time) and dark evenings (snuggle up in front of the TV) What's not to like?

And Autumn means great sunsets - and there are few places to better them than evening hill. This is a painting I have just finished based on a picture I took last year - not great but I do like elements of it. I used acrylics, a medium I am not comfortable with really - and it shows

 

 

 Today I am thankful for

• art which brings me so much joy
• scrapping which also brings me so much joy
• Nigel - brings me the most joy of all

and I just thought these were cool

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Let's hope that was the one

Having been on high alert for heath fires all summer due to the extreme heat and lack of any rain, we had a small heath fire near us last night. Thankfully it was spotted quickly and two fire engines and a tender were there in record time and it was soo dealt with. Let's hope that is it and there are no more.

 

I am again so grateful for the firemen who work so tirelessly and that means the firemen all over the world, dealing with awful wildfires in California, Portugal and so many other placed, dealing with things like the collapsed bridge in Italy. They are remarkable, brave men and women. All respect to them.

 

I had a wonderful catch up with a good friend and past colleague today. It was lovely to see her but it did remind me why I am so glad I have left there. But we had a super time and it is so good to still be in touch with so many people I used to work with.

It was art this afternoon and my Tiger is nearly finished. I need to do his paws and body at one side yet, but he is almost there

 

 

I have a couple of pages to share today made for various challenges

 

This is one with a new collection called FureverFriends by Kathryn Estry that I absolutely adore

 

 

This was made for a challenge at both PBP and FTLOPP and it was to show what I do and what I dream of. It's a bit naughty really because truth be told I don't do a great deal of ironing these days and I dream of Disney rather than specifically the Caribbean Beach these days, but it made for a better page to use that resort.  The collection was called Orange Cream and Cabanas by Jumpstart Designs

 

 

and this was a sketch challenge at FTLOPP and I found it a very challenging sketch to use but I was quite pleased with the finished outcome

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• support from Social services yesterday. I cannot tell you how much work Nigel has done recently, endless hours of meetings and paperwork and sorting things out. It takes up hours and hours and hours sadly not everyone appreciates quite what he does. Sadly. But thanks to his tireless efforts we are slowly getting there with resolving issues with his mum
• Firemen and women - not all heroes wear capes. Quite a lot of them wear yellow helmets! 

 

 

 

The aisle I always avoid

When I go supermarket shopping I avoid the cold aisles like the plague. I have reynauds and even getting just btter and yoghurt is enough to set it off. Today - well I loitered. Seriously loitered.

I know we Brits are known for moaning about the weather but please, I have had enough. 29 degrees, humid and no sign of an end. The bedroom is like the tenth circle of hell, we are not sleeping and I long for the cold. Seriously. I am an Autumn girl. I no likey heat. My hair no likey heat either! Its a cross between barbed wire and a fuzzy wuzzy bear! Curly hair does not do heat and humidity. 

 

We got very hot setting up for the art exhibition this afternoon too. I finished my latest painting just in time. Thank goodness Nigelw as there as I still cannot lift, bend or stretch.

 

This is my latest picture (apologies for the glare as it is in cellophane for the exhibition

 and the others are the other pictures I have in the exhibition. They are not great works of art but having only painted for 14 months I am pretty proud to be honest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are local do come and visit. It is free and there are some great pictures on show (many of our group are very talented - not me!)

 

 

There is also a table top sale of all sorts of stuff ont he Saturday all day.

 

Some recent scrapping - largely made for FTLOPP challenges

 

Yesterday fruity was the challenge

 

today it was navy and minimal stash

 

Today I am thankful for

• Nigel helping me
• belonging to such a great art group - apart from their talent they are just lovely people to be with

 

 

 

 

 

wow - so that is what drugs do

I had a bad night last night so I upped my dose of tramadol. The doctor said I could if I needed it and I have resisted - taking just the minimum dose to try and help the nights and grinning (well kind of) and bearing it during the day. I didn't sleep again and didn't want another day of pain so took extra this morning. My oh, my. The pain is almost gone (I mean I know it hasn't gone but I guess it just blocks the pain receptors so you don't feel it) but oh my do I feel peculiar. Vaguely nauseous, very sleepy and so spaced out. It is NOT a feeling I like and not sure I want to repeat the process again. It was nice to be pain-free but then I am also of the opinion that the pain is there for a reason, partly to remind you to be careful about what you do, and I could do without the spaced out feeling. Tis powerful stuff though.  Maybe it will mean a decent night's sleep though ... I am planning on going to bed very very early. Let's maximise on the tiredness effect

Last night we went down to the beach to see the blood moon. Of course, we saw the exact same thing as most people in the UK. Nothing! After weeks of no clouds, the cloud cover was thick and we saw nothing. Did have a nice sunset and a good long walk though.

 

I finished a painting I have been doing today ... just for fun and because I fancied painting somewhere local

 

The colour looks much nicer in real life but it has been quite cloudy today to take photos. Cloudy and - we have had rain. I am guessing less than a millimetre but heck - more than we have had in weeks and weeks. And more is forecast tomorrow,

 

I also made another page for Summer Fiesta over at For the Love of Pretty paper. I am afraid I couldn't resist the title

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the tablets working - but not the spaced out feeling
• a quiet day
• cooler weather and a teeny drop of rain
• my wonderful husband who is being an absolute star helping me with the things I cannot do at the moment

 

 

and some pictures taken at just the right time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pet portraits and pickle barrels

Today has marked an important step along my journey. It is a journey that might not go very far but, as they say, every journey starts with a single step and this is mine.

 

I have finished my first ever commissioned pet portrait and I am terrified. I so hope the lady likes it. I really do.

It was a major challenge as she is a beautiful cat but surrounded by white fluff, like a halo all around her. I found it a real challenge and couldn't quite translate it, but I am pleased with how the face and the markings turned out.

 

I am going by the addage that if they wanted a photo well they already had the photo and this is a painting!

 

 

I certainly don't think I could make a living at this, but it was nice that someone had faith in me to paint their cat (actually three people so far have faith in me as I have two more commissions so far to work on - a dog and a cat)

 

It is also pickle barreltime and there are some amazing new collections. You can find all of the pickle barrel packs here for three days only

 

I worked with this one by Fayette called Ocean Avenue

and I made this

 

I worked with Summer Cocktail by Tiramisu Designs

and made this

 

 

 

And I worked with Aloha Summer by Designs by Brigit

 

and made this

 

In addition Dawn has a great collection at 50% off today only. These are the elements and there are papers and word art too

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• all of the opportunities for creativity that I have been blessed to have had  - scrapping, writing articles for magazines, painting, designing. I am very lucky to have the chance to do what I love.

 

 

 

 

Just no air

When I did mypublic exams - they were O levels back int eh day - it was during a national heat wave and I remmeber how hot it was and how lethargic we all were. Thus was today. I was invigilating and I felt so much for the students. There was no air in the room though the windows were all open. Actually I felt for the invigilator too. It is a boring job at the best of times, but int he heat it was awful 

Ah well.

Just two more sessions to go.

I came home and colled off on the balcony in the shade and then managed a bit of cooling scrapping - the weekly challenge on UKS.

 

It was to scrap young love and boy do we look young. The photo was taken in 1983 when we had been dating for just 2 months and Nigel took me to America (with three days notice! Long story) 

 

This was when we were at Rockport Massachusttesand we look so young  ... and slim 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I finished the watercolour painting of the dog and I have taken my first two commissions for pet portraits. 

 

I really enjoy painting pet pictures and so if you know anyone who wants a painting of their dog/cat/rabbit/budgie/lizard etc you know where to send them.

 

This is my dog

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• fans
• cold water
• shade
• our balcony

and these vintage style comedy images really made me smile 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NSD Fun

 

 

I have had such a blast today celebrating National Scrapbooking Day.

 

Sue and I came up with challenges to run all day on UKS and it seems to have inspired people. I have been working my way through the challenges and really enjoyed my scrapping. In the olden days, back when things were frantic, I often ended up making pages I didn't love for cyber crops. These days I take my time (though I admit I am a fast scrapper) and make sure I love the pages I made.

 

These are some I made today for UKS challenges

 

This was one of my challenges - usinga  sketch I loved. It is another page for the GWTW album from our last holiday.

 

Lots of faux stitching and fussy cutting

 

 

 

 

and this is one made for one of Sue's challenges - a mood board that inspired me to use a photo I loved where Nigel caught exactly the right moment

 

 

look at those eyes - just perfect

 

 

 

and this is mine for the selfy challenge - I do like this one

 

 

 

 

 

There is new digital stuff too. Dawn Inskip has some cracking things out today and great deals in her store.

 

I made this with Patience - a super collection with a FWP as well

It was fun to document how I waited for the man I wanted!

 

 

and she has an amazing mixed media collection too. These are the elements and there are papers and overlays as well

I chose to document my Thursdays ... art and all of the paraphernalia I have to take

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• scrapbookers - such a wonderful community to be a part of
• Sue - she works like I do - everythingw as ready well ahead of time so we ensured it all went smoothly
• Nigel - he has done everything today so I could just scrap my heart out

Lovely few days - now it's downhill

We have had a lovely few weather days - windy but very nice. Of course, torrential rain is forecast tomorrow as we are having three windows replaced. Typical.

Ah well - it will be what it will be

 

I have art work to share today as I finished the portrait I painted of Kira. I am really quite pleased as it does look like her (she could stand in for Grumpy cat at times)

 

 

It means I now have a pair and they are framed ready to go up - our two fur babies. 

 

And I have also heard they are going to have their picture in the Daily Mail. I saw they wanted pictures of cats standing up. I can do that and they liked the photo I sent.

 

I also have new scrapping to share ... I just loved the partners statue with all the poinsettias in front of it. I always take a picture of the statue but at Christmas it was just perfect.

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• finishing Kira's picture - it really was a labour of love
• a nice morning with a good friend
• art club - love it
• driving Polly (love her - still can't believe she is mine )