Category Archives: Christmas Countdown

Christmas Countdown – Day Eleven

Day Eleven of the Christmas Countdown and I’ve been looking at gift bags. Last year I used some precious wrapping paper to make the ones below, there’s more likelihood of it being treasured by someone else when the paper has been used this way and it goes that bit further too.

If you click on the photo it will take you to the link from last year…

Planet Penny Advent Calendar 2012 Day 11

Planet Penny Advent Calendar – Day Eleven

Meanwhile, here are just few other ideas which might give you wrapping inspiration…

Creature Comforts

This is a jolly use for a plain brown paper bag…

…and this would be a lovely way to dress up a present for the ‘Domestic Goddess’ in the family…

Gift bags Christmas Countdown Planet Penny

Celebrate Creativity

There’s a tutorial for this little felt gift bag over on MilkyMug…

MilkyMug

And although I can’t track down exactly where the post is for the photo below on Rosebuds Cottage, it’s still inspiring if you fancy a little bit of Christmas sparkle!

Giftbags -Planet Penny Christmas Countdown

Rosebuds Cottage

I’m looking forward to being back tomorrow for Day Twelve…

See you then…x

Christmas Countdown – Day Ten

Here we are at Day Ten of the Christmas Countdown and now I can really relish the Pompom obsession!

Last year on the Advent Calendar I featured my Pompom Makers which take a lot of the hassle out of making them, you can find out more from the link below.

Planet Penny Advent Calendar 2012 – Day Ten

I’ve just tracked the source of my love affair with Pompoms. I was in my second year of my Visual Studies Degree, and I had just received issue 3 of Selvedge Magazine – December 2004 (I have every one from the beginning!) and this was the cover…

Selvedge on Pinterest

I fell in love with the camel from the feature inside…

I made quite a lot of pompoms at the time, but never found a camel to decorate!

However, it’s obviously becoming more and more apparent I need a stag’s head for the wall…

fetepress.com

The image below is one of my very first ‘pins’ when I joined Pinterest, Wouldn’t it look fabulous garlanded round a Christmas tree?

pompom garland Christmas Countdown day 10

birchandbird.com

If you decide to make your pompoms in bulk the following tutorial is very useful…

making pompomsin bulk Christmas Countdown day 10

flaxandtwine.com

I was interested to find this image which shows the beginnings of a pompom wreath. the maker pointed out she had only got this far and had used up 30 odd pompoms already so I think you’ll need to start now for Christmas 2014!

pompom wreath Christmas Countdown Day 10

Black Cotton Candy

More inspiration with no source but Pinterest, alas…

pompom garland Day 210 Christmas Countdown

This would look wonderful as a whole twiggy pompom tree…

I’m now itching to go and dig out my pompom makers and I’ve got far too many other things to do!

I’ll be back tomorrow, have fun….x

Christmas Countdown – Day Nine

By the time you read this I will be on a train, heading to London.

I’m off to my daughter’s graduation ceremony! I’n very proud and excited as you can imagine. She’s graduating from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama at the Royal Festival Hall which all sounds terribly grand. I can’t wait to see her in gown, hood and cap….there will be lots of photos!

So today’s post for the Christmas Countdown is a little present.

Last year I was pleased to have a limited amount of Planet Penny Cotton in white, Snowdrop. I made it up into little kits…

…with a patten for the Crochet Christmas Bunting, a snowflake garland and little hearts.

They proved very popular, and I know lots of people were keen to add the White to their collection of Planet Penny colours because it works so well with the Rainbow shades as a background.

But then I was unable to repeat the order with a white as bright as the original one. I tried, but it just wasn’t right, (You can find out more in this post complete with very silly photo of Higgins if you’ve been missing him!) and I’ve had to wait till now to be able to order the right white.

It’s too late, alas, to repeat the Christmas Kits this year but now the patterns are available to download so you can use it with your own white yarn. Just match your hook with whatever is recommended for your yarn, rather than the pattern. Just click on the link below…

Planet Penny Crochet Collection

Let me know if you are interested in the Snowdrop yarn. I will have it available in the Etsy shop as soon as possible.

I hope you are enjoying the Christmas Countdown so far. I’ll be back tomorrow…x

Christmas Countdown – Day Eight

No apologies today for bringing out an old favourite for the Christmas Countdown, it’s the Frangipane Mince Pies.

They are a firm family favourite, I’ve already had a request from my daughter in law for a consignment to take to the feast when we visit for Christmas. And looking at the blog stats I find the recipe has been visited over 1500 times since I first posted it!

You’ll find the link by clicking on the photo…

Frangipane Mince Pies – Planet Penny Recipes

These are the mince pies loved by people who don’t like mince pies!

And, if you are into baking, here’s a link that might interest you. How do you fancy being in that big tent with Paul and Mary next summer? Here’s the application form!

Great British Bake Off Application Form

If you get in, do let me know!

I’m getting ready for a trip to London which I’ll tell you about later. I’m off to panic about packing as little as possible without ending up without the things I need most. (Probably knickers and knitting!)

See you soon…x

Christmas Countdown – Day Seven

Day Seven of the Christmas Countdown already! That’s a whole week gone…eek!

From last year’s Advent Calendar I bring you gift tags, I had lot’s of fun making these. I wish I could remember the safe place in which I put the pot of silver bells, I’ve just had an idea….

Click on the photos below to go to the links, there are some lovely free tags to download and print if you haven’t the time to make your own…

Planet Penny Advent Calendar – Day Seven

These look very professional. I haven’t tested how easy it is to personalise them with your own choice of names, but Lia Griffiths the designer seems to have explained things very thoroughly.

liagriffith.com

You can buy these tags on Etsy, simple and very pretty…

Terryscards – Etsy

The Wee Birdy tags come in various colourways to download and print…

weebirdy.com

Understated elegance…

Happiness DIY

and homespun fun…

Fresh Picked Whimsy

I hope you find something here to suit your Christmas style…

See you tomorrow…x

Christmas Countdown – Day Six

Day Six on the Christmas Countdown… and last year I was thinking about pinning things, and it wasn’t anything to do with Pinterest either! There’s always stuff to pin up at Christmas from Christmas Cards to shopping lists so pretty pins are always useful for the pinboard, whether it’s in the kitchen or the workroom. I made these last year and if you follow the link below you can find out how. They are very easy, and packed in a pretty, decorated glass jar would make a great stocking filler for a crafty friend.

covered thumbtacks - Christmas Countdown day 6

Planet Penny Advent Calendar 2012 – Day Six

A good use of bottle tops here, you’d have to remember to be v-e-r-y gentle with the bottle opener to keep them neat!

Bottle top thumb tacks - Christmas Countdown Day 6

Martha Stewart

We’re back to buttons again here, is there no end to their uses? You can even fasten clothes with them, you know!

button thumb tacks - Christmas Countdown Day 6

The Crafted Sparrow

This candle idea is fun, and very easy. I feel like I have to do a Health and Safety thing here….take the pins out before the candle burns down to them… never leave burning candles unattended…not suitable for children under 36 months…

How about not lighting the candle at all, just stand back and admire!

thumb tack candle - Christmas Countdown Day 6

Activity Village

This next requires a serious amount of drawing pins, and maybe an account at the stationers…

thumb tack tree - Christmas Countdown Day 6

Landeelu

But oranges, lemons and limes would all look good with this treatment, if you’re not tempted to put them all in the mulled wine!

It’s not time for mulled wine alas, but I am in need of a cup of coffee so I’ll say…

…until tomorrow…x