Category Archives: Christmas

Norfolk Nature Walk

There’s nothing like a walk to kick start the system when you’re getting over a cold, and I would recommend the ‘Norfolk Nature Walk’ as a great remedy, especially when the sun comes out after days of wet and murky weather. I did my usual thing of going ‘splat’ when trying to multi task, and the combination of getting ready for, and actually attending the Craft Fair alongside all the other things going on meant the bugs swarmed in. I’m well on the way to recovery now, although my voice disconcertingly disappears at inopportune moments, usually when I’m on the phone and sign language doesn’t work!

I’m on dog walking duty now Tim’s back at work, so I’m really grateful for the relatively balmy weather and Higgins is always happier when he doesn’t have to wade through muddy puddles with his little legs. We can skirt round this one fortunately…

…and the road is pretty clear…

We don’t have to walk far along the road to reach a little leafy lane which might just see a tractor once a week, and a horse or two which make it much more fun for Higgins…

…and he can do a bit of charging about…

especially when he sees a horse…

I well remember Autumn Nature Walks when I was at Primary school, coming back with leaves and berries for the nature table,it’s so much easier now to come home with a camera full of images…

It’s been rather nice to write a blog post which hasn’t got any ‘making’ in it for a change but I do feel a little guilty as I have an outstanding engagement with a bag of dolly pegs. If you’ve been visiting Planet Penny for a while you may just remember our Knit and Stitch Group taking part in a Crib and Wreath Festival in our local church which I wrote about in this post and this one. This year the theme is ‘Angels and Light’, and we’ve been putting the final touches to the display idea which will show off our little host of Angels. They won’t all be made from dolly pegs, but will be dolly peg size, and will be made from the group’s different skills in sewing, knitting and crochet so we should have an interesting collection. It all takes place at the end of the month so more about it then…

Well, it’s just turned dark outside, I can hear a blackbird complaining about it loudly! And it’s just about time for me to go in, stoke up the fire and feed Henry and Higgins. I’m sure Higgins will have an appetite after his walk…

…and poor old Henry seems to find snoozing very hungry work!

I’ll be back soon…

Chilling out on Planet Penny

Brrrr, it’s sooo cold! I’m ensconced in my little Planet Penny office wearing my Boneyard scarf…

wrapped several times round my neck, the pink version of the wrist warmers and with a cup of hot lemon and ginger tea to hand. Apart from the miserable weather a lot of it is to do with sitting still too much, needlefelting, crocheting and winding wool, or tapping on a keyboard does not generate enough heat! Tim’s on dog walking duty while I finalise the craft fair bits and pieces, so at least he and Higgins are getting proper exercise.

The needlefelting? Well it’s robins as usual! I think I’ve got enough now to be going on with. My latest version, and I think my favourite, is attached to a wool covered crocodile clip which means it can be clipped on the branches of a Christmas tree, or a pot plant…

…he’s got a little button heart in his beak…

The crocheting, well I’ve made some tiny bunting, it’s great for using up left over Planet Penny cotton and would look lovely strung on shelves or a dresser. For the moment I’ve just added it to my bunting and garland collection in the studio add a little colourfulness against the gloom…

The winding has been for more rainbow mouse kits (this can be done in front of the fire watching Strictly Come Dancing so I did manage to thaw out a bit!)

And the tapping away on the computer was for my first proper book review which, if you missed it, is here. It’s worth a look, it’s a fabulous book.

Finally, with Halloween around the corner, Higgins had a go at pumpkin carving yesterday. When I came in with one to turn into pumpkin soup, Higgins when wild with excitement, convinced it was a football, just for him.

When I put down for him to check it out he made a huge effort to get his teeth in it…

But the disaster came when he finally managed to get it to roll. It rumbled across the floor, hit a small table on which Tim had just placed a fresh cup of tea and knocked it flying, soaking poor Henry who was just passing. What a good thing Henry has thick fur, just his dignity was hurt!

He managed to make quite an impression on the pumpkin before being bribed away with a doggy treat so I could hide it in the pantry! (I now have a lot of soup, a lot of frozen pumpkin, and I still have half left. I wonder if I can chop it up with dog food? And this was a small one!)

So for now I’ll leave you with the usual link to Handmade Monday and get back to work. If you’re in Norfolk on Wednesday it would be lovely to see you at How Hill for the Craft Fair but if not, I’ll be back soon…x

Scandinavian Hearts

Can I call them Scandinavian Hearts if they are made in Norfolk? Well, it’s a style I suppose, and I’m not the only one doing it! I’ve just spent the best part off the day finishing off a collection of them for the craft stall, which is why we decided that despite the grey clouds and drizzle we were going off to the coast to blow a few cobwebs away, (in my case it was Merino fleece!)

I love the beach at this time of the year. It’s deserted and wild and when we came up over the top and out of the shelter of the dune the salt air hit us full in the face.

Very bracing, although actually not too cold. Higgins was in his element, it’s his favourite place for a run, and this time there was the added bonus of the sea whipping up into foam which flipped up into excited blobs which raced up the sand with Higgins in hot pursuit.

He also had a happy, and very brief moment with an orange balloon, (from Kent surprisingly, I said the wind was strong!) which Tim found in the rocks. It danced tantalizingly along in front of Higgins, but by the time I had switched the camera to movie mode the inevitable had happened and the balloon was no more.

But back to Scandinavian Hearts. This seems like a good moment to show you a magazine that arrived during the week with a Planet Penny mention, because it also features ‘Scandi’Style .

The mention is a link to the Planet Penny Crochet Bunting, in a Christmas bunting feature which has some other lovely ideas…

and the Scandinavian Hearts are made from red and white tea towels and are very pretty (and very similar to some I made a Christmas or two ago for my own tree)

But my hearts are needlefelted, and embellished with hand dyed yarn. I really like them just as they are here…

but I know people often prefer to know exactly what to do with them so they are finished off with a hanger and a ribbon bow to hang on a tree.

You will find details of the Craft Fair here, if you are in Norfolk over Half Term it would be lovely to see you. In the meantime do call over to Handmade Harbour for Handmade Monday.

I’ll be back soon…x

Autumn Walks and Weather

It’s the start of a new week, and a review of the past few day here in blog land. We’ve been very lucky weather-wise in Norfolk so far this Autumn. I’ve watched the forecasts and seen just how much wet, windy and stormy weather has been hurtling around the UK, and we’ve got off very lightly. There are positives to being on a bump sticking out into the North Sea, our own micro-climate! It’s a bit nippy though, the fire’s been lit the past few evenings, and I’ve been glad of my wristwarmers whilst sitting at the computer in my new little office! Despite the fact it’s warmer in the house, my faithful companions have chosen to be out in the studio with me, just keeping an eye…

…you just never know when I might suddenly decide to open a packet of pet treats and eat them all myself!

Last week’s needlefelt Robins have come home to roost on wreaths and hearts…

I haven’t put them on Etsy though as I’m having a slightly panicky moment about filling a craft stall at the end of the month. It’s a real juggling act knowing where to place things when the things you sell are all individually made. Can you see my lovely second hand find in the photo, by the way? A metal and wicker corner shelf unit, perfect for displaying little lovelies at craft fairs and in photos. Since my visit to the DIY Oxfam shop in Camden last month, and meeting the Buttonbag ladies I’ve revived my love of poking about in Charity shops. I’ve tried to limit my visits to just donating, and not accumulating more ‘stuff’ , but old habits are hard to break! (There’s a blog post in the offing about my other purchases, so watch this space!)

Higgins and I have been making the most of the dry weather while it lasts with some doggy walks. I really ought to be spending some of that time gardening, but Higgins can only think of one reason why I should be in the garden, and that involves a ball, not a trowel! Still, it gives me a chance to appreciate the Autumn colours and spectacular Norfolk skies…

and there are rose hips galore…

…and this weeks mystery object growing on the wild roses! I can’t for the life of me remember what this is…can you?

…and a bit of fun with a feather!

Well, ironically, since I started writing this post the heavens have opened! The rain is hammering on the skylight, I can’t hear Gardener’s Question Time, or myself think, so I’m going to call a halt and go inside to the fire and my crochet patchwork. I’ll leave you with a link to Handmade Monday over on Handmade Harbour and I’ll be back soon…x

Seagulls…Robins…and a Small Sea Dog

Hello! It’s that time of the week again….doesn’t it come round quickly? If you spotted my mid week post about the Planet Penny Cotton crochet inspirations, you’ll know this post represents a very quick gear change to get back to needlefelting again to build up my flock of Robins.

I think I’m going to have set days for each to keep on top of things, oh to be disciplined and organised. I’ve a feeling I may left it a little late in the day to change, but I do try!

And I have been sloping off when the sun shines to keep a small dog happy. We went to our favourite Norfolk beach during the week…

So peaceful, and completely deserted, Just me, Higgins and the seagulls. Not even a seal this time.

Higgins had a great time…

love the little pink tongue!

Did I mention he’s on a healthy eating and fitness regime? The last weigh in at the vet’s pronounced him at the top end of his ideal weight window, so charging madly around the beach is just what the ‘doctor’ ordered. (It’s not doing me any harm either!)

And later, back in the studio, the flock of Robins keeps growing…

Robins great and small…

I have a lovely selection of rings, wreaths and hearts for my robins to sit on so that’s tomorrows job!

I’m battling with the internet at the moment, it’s running like very cold treacle, so I shall quit while I’m ahead and leave you with a link to this week’s Handmade Monday over at Handmade Harbour. Have a lovely week, I will be back soon….x

Planet Penny Cotton Colours

I’ve been feeling the need for a little colour fix just lately, of the rainbow cotton variety, to counter balance the Christmassy slant which my creativity has inevitable taken.

There’s no getting away from it, robins are basically shades of brown with red, and although it suits them very well, it doesn’t press all the buttons for me, colourwise. So off to the Planet Penny Cotton Colours shelves…

and POW!

… oooh, I feel better already!

What started as a very tentative foray into importing something from Europe which I couldn’t actually purchase in the UK is still going well, and I’ve had great feedback and repeat orders from people who have been so happy with not only the gorgeous colour range but the quality of the yarn. (If you are a new blog visitor you can find out the beginnings of the Planet Penny Cotton Colours yarn here and here)

There are only two areas where I feel I’m letting the side down, and the first only is completely out of my hands. It’s so expensive to ship outside the UK! I’ve pared down the packing to the minimum, (and the girls at my local Post Office are impressed that the parcels come in just below the point where the cost goes up to the next band!) so I do apologise to anyone who feels the shipping costs are high, and I really appreciate the loyal customers who buy despite the Royal Mail’s costs. In fact someone in Australia emailed to say she loved the yarn so much she would have paid double the postage rate!

And really the other area is out of my hands too, unless I can magic some extra hours in the day! I’d like to produce more patterns, but is a very time consuming affair … Coming up with the idea, making the item, writing the pattern, typing the pattern, then following the pattern whilst making it again to check it works, etc. etc. you get the picture…

So my plan is to research other peoples patterns, to find pretty ideas which can be made up in the beautiful Cotton Colours and then giving you the links to the websites to try them for yourselves. It also seemed like a cheerful thing to do as Winter approaches and nature makes things a bit dark and monotone. You’ll find plenty of inspiration too, if you visit me on Pinterest!

And this is the first pattern I found…

Aren’t they pretty? So easy, and compulsive to make. At this rate every one will be getting one for Christmas, including the boys!

This has been about for a while and appears to have originated on a Danish blog, but I found a great crochet blog called Hooked on Needles where there is an English version of the pattern

Check out the shop for the yarn and the patterns, and also for the new limited edition, Christmas Crochet Collection…

Which includes the PPCC ‘Snowdrop’ yarn, hook, buttons, ribbon and the pattern for the Christmas Crochet bunting featured in the Winter Simply Crochet magazine, and the heart and snowflake patterns to make tree ornaments or a garland.

And while I was looking for the links for this pattern I found another one…where are those extra hours in the day? I’ll be back with more ideas very soon…