Dolly's Dreamings

The end is in sight - and Berry Big Deals

One more exam to invigilate and breathe! It is almost done.

I have no idea how I ever worked full time - and full time meant 12 hour days every day. I have decided that work and I really don't agree, at all! I will be so very very very glad when this exam block is finished. I know it is just extra pin money for life's luxuries but I am not sure I am cut out for it.

 

Heck - I can do this!

 

Anyway on to prettier things and it si berry big deal day at Pickleberrypop where you can snap up these amazing coordinated kits for great value for money. Do check them out. I worked with three packs this month (time was limited I am afraid)

This first one is 'It's Fine weather for ducks' by Jen Yurko and was great fun

 

 

This is Nigel on a very rainy evening in Krakow. After that it snowed which was much prettier.

 

This is Nostalgia by et designs

 

 

I scrapped a picture I love of Mommy and Daddy. Sadly I have so few pictures of them in later life. We just didn't take many pictures and I wasn't a scrapper. That saddens me. But not as much as missing them every single day.

 

 

This is New Life by Tiramisu Designs

 

 

 

and the photo is not mine - it is from Pixabay.

 

Today I am thankful that

• I feel better than I did yesterday when I had a high temperature and swollen glands. The glands are less swollen but still there.
• exam sessiona lmost over -yey!!!
• great new products to scrap with

 

Catching up on Poland

I am getting quite bad at not finishing what I start - or at least not finishing things in a timely fashion.

Today I was sorting albums out and happened upon the Poland album. It was a little sad. There were not many pages in there and so I have set myself a little project this week to try and scrap the pages I want to for that album.

It was never going to be a big album. We were only in Krakow for three nights and to be fair, quite a lot of what we did was not necessarily things I would want to scrap. We went primarily to visit Auschwitz and whilst I will record it I didn't want to sensationalise it. 

Anyway - I have made myself a promise to finish the pages and to upload those I have made here.

We never knew until we visited that Amber was such an important commodity in Poland. There were some amazing displays in the Cloth Hall in the centre of the old market square

Lots of amber was on sale and no, we didn't succumb.

 

I even dug out wire and beads to make an 'amber necklace' as an embellishment.

 

When we were in Krakow it was cold - seriously bitingly cold. It was reading -7 on two of the days and snowing. I loved this picture of Nigel by WarwekCastle all wrapped up like Nanook of the North

 

It might have been cold but it didn't stop us exploring and seeing things

 

 And this one is the incredible, huge vast stunning (I could throw so many superlatives at it) Kingla chapel int he salt mines, hundreds of feet below ground and totally breath-taking. I still cannot believe we went there.

It has been quiet here but that is always good as it gives me scrapping time. October is always quiet on the work front too -well for me but not for Nigel. There are no public exams (though November is going to be busy busy busy which is good) and apart from from a few Saturday's when I have been invigilating I have been a lady of leisure. I like that. Thankfully yesterday was NOT a work Saturday. And isn't it stupid. I think we are still so conditioned that it seems harsh to work on a Saturday. Which is stupid. When you only work one day a week why does it seem harsh that that day is a Saturday.Just because all our working life Saturday has been a day off for us. 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the chance to visit so many interesting places
• peace and quiet

 

 

and now - yup surfing again - some SIZE MATTERS pictures

 

A gorilla's hand against a humans

 

 

the size of a meteor (a big one) compared to LA

 

some road signs are HUGE 

If Saturn was where the moon is

 

 

 

a bear's paw

 

I never knew this statue (David I think) was this big

 

Titanic compared to a modern cruise ship

 

a wind turbine blade

 

an eagles claw

 

 

 

I didn't think these trucks were that big until I spotted the school bus in the picture!

 

 

 

 

 

We have had better days

In the great scheme of things today has been a good day. We are both well - well sort of well, the cats are both well, well sort of well. The house is fine, the cars are fine but actually I have had better days.

The oillsto calm the ribs aggravate my tummy something awful. I have bailed out twice at going out with Nigel for a meal - he is so patient. I got the car stuck half way ina nd half way out of the garage and you could just about get a piece of paper between the back of the car and the wall of the garage arch. My neighbour was wonderful. saw me struggling then saw me stop and obviously realised there was an issue and came to fine me half in and half out sobbing at the wheel. I was too scared to go forward or backward. He was brilliant, just crouched down and hugged me until I was calm enough to get out and then put the car in the garage for me. He is an expert driver and collector of classic cars and even he said it is a terribly tight place to get the car in. Thank goodness for neighbours/friends. 

My new printer, bought becausethe previous one was leaving ink trails is now leaving ink trails onlyt his one you can't get to clean. I swear it is ridiculous. I haven't bought new inks yet and it will be cheaper for me to buy a new printer that doesn't leave ink trails than new inks. I mean seriously how messed up is that! 

I also tried to stop Kira walking over some wet clay I was working on and as I eased her out of the way I accidentally pushed her off the edge of the table and she fell and did not land on all 4 feet and I am paranoid I hurt her and she won't come near me now.

They are all minor issues but I have just had enough for now and would like a nice, easy, pain free, tummy balanced, cat friendly, carless day please.

Rant over - onto proper life and scrapping.

 

This page was a FTLOPP challenge (quite chuffed that we are almost at the end of week 4 and I have done every challenge so far)  I just loved this door in Krakow.

 

 

 

and yet another for the Disney Christmas album. I know we will probably never go again at Christmas and so I did take a mess of photos. We loved the whole retro feel of the Echo Lake area so much

 

Today I am thankful that

• problems are mino - we are very lucky
• my neighbours are so lovely and kind
• Nigel has the patience of a saint.
• we thoroughly enjoyed Christopher Robin yesterday. What a beautifully made, enchanting film.

 

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! 

 

 

 

Finally made it

We have wanted to visit White Mill near Sturminster Marshall for a long time but it doesn't often open and we have never been there when it was open. 

Today was that day.

We headed out as the weather was glorious and we were sure it would be open - and indeed it was.

As National Trust members we are free anyway but my goodness was it good bang for your buck at £3.50. The tour lasted well over an hour - remarkable for such a small place - and I thought it was really interesting(if a little slow). Nigel gave up the will, to be honest!  However, we really enjoyed seeing it and seeing the oldest road bridge in Dorset which we have been on many times but never knew it was the oldest. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The payoff, of course, was it is down the road from Barford Dairy and if you are local and you haven't been there, shame on you. The dairy makes ice cream from the local cows in all sorts of delicious flavours from liquorice to whisky and marmalade and it is delicious icecream and the gardens are beautiful.

It was a lovely trip out enjoying the weather.

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed the sunshine yesterday with a brief trip to Evening Hill before lounging on the balcony - boy was that the best ever home improvement we have done. This time last year we were just about to have the new balcony taken down, the new grass taken up, the roof replaced and then all put back. It was worth the angst. We love it.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and the cows were back - they graze just beyond our wall in the foreground of the picture. Love seeing them so much and hearing their gentle moo.

 

 

 

I have new scrapping as well - this was made for the sketch challenge this month on UKS ... Poland again - this time the salt mines.

 

 

 

and this was made for a border challenge on Pickleberrypop and is my gorgeous godson and his wife enjoying their new life in Japan.

 

Now if I could just get rid of the stomach ache I have had since Friday, life would be pretty darned perfect. 

 

Today I am thankful for

• living in a beautiful part of the world
• days out
• sunshine and countryside

 

The bad news - but it is good

Today was eye hospital day and I confess to dreading it. I was dreading them saying I had glaucoma.

 

I have been monitored very closely for years due to a family history of Glaucoma. My mom was still in her late 40s when she was diagnosed. About 6 years ago an enlarged optic disc was picked up in a routine eye exam (thank goodness for Specsavers) and I was referred to a specialist. They have seen me every 6 - 9 months at the local surgery to monitor changes and on my last visit, they said my optic disc had changed again and so I needed to be referred to the eye hospital as it was likely I had glaucoma. Apparently, and the test confirmed it today, I have enlarged optical discs but my pressure is just int he normal range and my field tests are good. However, the fact I have a strong family history, my enlarged optical discs, a small bleed by the disc in one eye and the fact I have Reynauds(Who knew that was a risk factor) all indicate I have got early stages of glaucoma and so I am now on drops for life. It's not great to hear but it IS great that they have monitored me so carefully and caught it early and it is likely that the drops will keep it managed. Our NHS is wonderful. The treatment is superb and once again Nigel and I are so grateful for the care we get from everyone. 

I hate putting things in my eye so this is going to be a challenge but heck - I can do this!

 

I scrapped before I went today and made a page for the weekly challenge on UKS. I am busy scrapping Poland pictures at the moment as I have accepted the Gone with the Wind album might take a while (it was a massive trip) and I could actually crack on and finish Poland.

 

 

It's not a great photo as the page is actually much brighter and deeper brown than it looks. It is some old Bo Bunny paper and some old Prima ledger paper (the green) I used a stencil and paints for the crackled effect and an old Prima journalling block. It is a photo of us I love. We are not big drinkers. Dry January.... we could do dry 2018 if we put our minds to it. But we do like the occasional treat and this was a treat. We had cocktails in the Hard Rock in Krakow before our meal and they were delicious.

Today I am thankful for

• our wonderful NHS - we are so lucky and yes - maybe we ought to pay more because it just can't cope with the increased demand of population
• precautionary check ups
• Nigel being my steadfast support
• choclate - hospital treat for being a  good girl

 

 

 

 

 

Still no downpour

Today has been glorious - truly glorious weather.

We were destined to have rain and thunderstorms but nothing.

It has been hot and bright and sunny.

 

We had lunch at Poole Park, did the weekly shop and then relaxed on the balcony watching planes in the distance and our pair of buzzards overhead.

We were scheduled to go to the cinema but sadly, as is all too often the case, we had to cancel our plans as Nigel's mom needed sorting out. I don't thing people understand quite what it means to be the son close at hand. It is an ongoing job and often means things have to be cancelled, things changed around etc so that Nigel can be the caregiver and sort everything out that she needs and sadly that all falls on to him most of the time. And in reality that has always been the way, all of our married life, not just now she is poorly. His brothers both left home very young and Nigel was always the son at home and since his father died some 36 years ago, he has been the son to be there and do the things that need doing. And of course he doesn't mind, it's his Mom and he loves her, but sometimes it is challenging  and unless you are in that position yiou don't really know quite what it is like. But heck - it's what we do and if it means cancelling plans at the last minute, then so be it.

I have been scrapping - I am trying to catch up on the Poland album before I forget what I wanted to say.

This is my latest page ... photos printed ont he new very successful printer! We should just have trusted Epson as normal ... and thank you Amanda for the tip. Sadly we have been emptying or blotting that for ages. But thank you so much for trying

 

 

Today I have also been nursing 9 very nasty bites. I don't react well to insect bites - they swell up terribly and I have quite a collection from when I was stupid enough to help Nigel chain saw the garden in open toed shoes and crops. I am sporting 7 massive bites on my calves and ankles, one on my arm and a nasty one on my cheek. Not sure what they were that were biting, little midges I am guessing. But boy do they itch and boy are they red.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a relaxing day
• good grace to accept cancelled plans

 

and finally - some beautiful handwriting to feast you eyes on

I can't believe this calendar is all hand drawn and written - wow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

wow - even with a power washer

 

 

 

 

 

this one is stunning

 

 

 

 

 

Wow - amazing $2 goodies for NSD

Ladies the fun and games of (Inter)National Scrapbook Day is starting and oh my are there great bargains to be had out there.

 

Pickleberrypop have such amazing things available.

This is a collection by Fayette called SHE-RO and there are loads of packs each for $2 which you can have such fun with and can find HERE

 

I couldn't resist makingt his page - such a brilliant confused 'wonder woman' picture!.

 

 

This is another collection made up of five $2 packs and is called Java Junkie by Jen Yurko ... I loved the I Don't Give a Frap quote!

 

 

and this is a collection called Sand and Sea byTiramisu Designs 

 

There are wonderfult hings everywhere including a sale at Dawn Inskips store so go HERE to check that out

 

 

 

and I will have a freebie on here for NSD as well as news of fun challenges.

 

So get your scrap on - it's time to play

 

 I have a paper page to share as well - goodness me I have been busy

 

This was made for the sketch challenge on UKS.

 

 

The sketch used stars but I replaced the large star with a cloud and sun that I cut out of scraps and water coloured. It records how just for a brief hour or so we had sunshine rather than snow in Krakow (though it was still '7 degrees.

I also used a stencil I bought ages ago but had never used.

 

Today I am thankful for

• my life now. I love it. I have spent the day crafting, scrapping, going to art class, I have a studio at home, I have time. I love it.
• the fun of art group - such lovely people
• resolution - a little - from Prudential. They admitted they could do better. It is still poor but heck, Ineed to move on.
• the weekend - starts now! Lasts till Wednesday

and Tracy you asked about the storage  bought from the range. I actually got the storage at Dunhelm ... They were more rub boxes ... I think I have every size and shape. These were just over A5 size 

 

wow - quite an adventure

It's been a fun couple of days all round really.

Yesterday a spur of the moment saw us spend an hour or so in Boscombe looking at some art instillations for a fringe arts festival. We stopped first at The Crooked Book and was called Bourne Identity. It was a lovely piece of art but sadly it wasn't lit up - the girl could not get it working. It was a painting of lots of famous people all with connections to Bournemouth - some of them I had no idea about like Gareth Malone.

 

 

 

We then walked - in the surprisingly chilly dampness - to see What Lies beneath which was fascinating and very creative. The artist was lovely and was able to explain it to us, as it was a little beyond me!

This morning Nigel had a mad mercy dash over to his Mom's. I think what people don't realise is how often he has to do things like that and how often lans we have are dashed because he is needed.  As it happened we were still able to use the cinema tickets we had booked to see Avengers Infinity War. Nigel was not looking forward to it at all. He really is not a Marvel boy. I have to say I didn't think I was a Marvel girl, but I have loved the films I have seen over the past year - Guardians of the Galaxy 2 being my favourite. I really enjoyed the film (no spoilers here) and Nigel thought it was OK. I laughed out loud a fair few times and it was all action.

I also went to the doctors and they are sending me for an xray on my knee which is NOT what I wanted. It appears it is possibly quite bad inside and accounts for the swelling and pain. Me - I am just glad it wasn't a DVT which was what I feared.

I have some new scrapping to share ... I wanted to record our visit to Auschwitz - not in a celebratory way but because it is part of our story and part of us. I found it very very hard to scrap.

 

 

 

This second page resonated as there was the commandants house where his children played right by the barbed wire into the camp and it was so poignantly like the book.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a kind doctor
• a great film
• a mercy mission completed

Your reap what you sow

Oh my how true that is in all aspects of life.

Today it refers to the struggle I had with a page and it served me right. I help to organise things over on UKS and have managed the weeklya nd monthly challenges, amongst other things, for the past 11 years or so. When needs must and I cannot organise willing volunteers I set challenges myself and I set the April monthly challenge which you can find here

It seemed like a good idea at the time - and was a challenge that used even numbers when from a design perspective odd works better. 

I thought it was quite a simple challenge - until I tried to make my page, and I struggled.

 

This is what I came up with

 

 

Although the elements were evn numbered I found myself still clustering in threes and the old triangle shape.

The photos were taken in Krakow.

 

 

 

Maybe I will have a go at a page before I set the challenge next time!

 

Yesterday we had date day which was lovely. We went to Hobbycraft and, I rarely buy stash these days, I bought quite a few new bits there and at the range. Then we went to eat at Frankie and Bennys and then to the cinema to see Ghost Stories which was really very good.

 

I was at a craft fair today which was, quite frankly, a bit of an awful day. We were having the washing machine delivered and so Nigel had to stay in. It was just 5 mins drive so he came with me to get the heavy stuff out of the car. It was meant to be open for stall holders by 9.30. We were there at 9.15. Closed. The driver rang to say he was almost at our house with new washing machine at 9.25 so Nigel had to leave. By 9.40 still nothing, by 9.50 still nothing. By 10.00 Nigel was back and they opened the doors at 10.05. Not a table in sight, nothing to work with and we opened at 11.00. Very poor organisation really and despite advertising, no  footfall. If there were 40 people through the door who were not stall holders I would be amazed. I did cover my table costs but it wasn't a productive fair and I packed away early at 1.30 as it seemed a bit pointless continuing . You live an learn. I wanted to do it as it was for the local community, but it was a wasted day really. Ah well. There were lots of nice people to chat to there so it didn't matter.

 

I have a new digital page to share too made for one of the mojo challenges on Pickleberrypop ... it was the template challenge so pop over there and you get a free template to play with

 

 

Today I am thankful for

new dryer installed and working

friends to catch up with

hopefully a quiet night in and then tomorrow - I am playing with my new stash