Category Archives: Folksy Shop

Christmas Smells

We’re really getting into the swing of Christmas here on Planet Penny, are you keeping up?  My main problem has been that if I’m being creative I can’t squeeze in the blogging, sorry, I will try harder!

Delia’s’ Happy Christmas’ is sitting up on the kitchen bar and I have in progress Christmas cake, Christmas pudding AND mincemeat.  All of it has to sit over night for the flavours to blend so the kitchen will be a frenzy of activity tomorrow too. But the smell is already tantalising, mixed spice, cinnamon and my favourite, freshly grated nutmeg,  the zesty tang of  oranges and lemons and heady aroma of the dried fruit for the cake, steeping in brandy. (note to self – I must not pick and nibble…no, no, NO!)

This morning I popped out to the shop where the sun was shining on the snow and a brass band was playing carols which made me feel  really festive so when I heard what a depressing play was on the radio I abandoned it for my ‘free from the Daily Mail’ carols CD….

Higgins, under protest, has gone for walk so I have been able to quickly clear up the carnage left after he disemboweled his festive reindeer soft toy, new today, little terror. He seems to think his mission in life is to remove the squeaks from all his toys, leaving a trail of stuffing all through the house. 

So what have I been up to? Well next Saturday we have a Christmas Fair at our village hall and the Knit and Stitch Group have a table to fill.  I have been stitching and stuffing in ever available spare moment, producing little hearts…

 and birds…

The next project is to find a twiggy branch which I can turn into a tree for them to perch on at the fair, my cherry blossom branches don’t look Christmassy enough…

As usual I am battling with the light for photographs, flash does weird things with the colour.  I find I don’t have one photo which shows that each little bird is made with two different but complementing colours with little silver stars for eyes, and every bird is different.

If you would like to buy the hearts or birds without a trip to Norfolk please get in touch!

 Higgins is home now, and very tired.  He can’t think who could have done the naughty thing to his toy and made all that mess, because he is, of course, a very good dog. Look, butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, now would it?

Buying! and SELLING!

Despite the foggy weather it’s been pretty jolly here on Planet Penny this weekend. I hope yours is being just as much fun.
Yesterday morning we set off to Holt in North Norfolk to the third Pick n’Mix Makers Market organised by Teena  of Kitschen Pink, and Lisa of Bobo Bun. The Church Hall was filled with not only beautiful things but with lovely people I have been gradually getting to know through the blogging world.


It was funny to be greeted by cries of ‘Planet Penny? You must be Higgins’ Mummy!’ There were a lot of people disappointed he didn’t put in an appearance, but I think he would have cramped our style a little. Emma from Silver Pebble was there, with a gorgeous display of her jewelry, and since she had asked me take along one of my Robins to buy, a little bargaining and bartering meant that she could go home with the Robin of her choice, and I had these wonderful earings.


I had gone with Christmas shopping in mind, but it’s going to be hard to part with this set of little notebooks from The Lapwing Printworks

– I actually need to write down my Cunning Plans – and this soap from Perfect Scents is heavenly.

Later on in the town we visited Verandah, a shop run by a co-operative of artists ( where I always want to spend too much money), and where I found these pottery Christmas decorations. 

 See how focused I am? Well there are only 34 days to go!

But I didn’t just spend money yesterday, I MADE some!  How amazing is that?  I actually sold FIVE Robins!  Why I have so little confidence in what I do that I have taken so long to get to grips with marketing it I don’t know. I think it’s the curse of working alone,  in a vacuum.  And although I’ve been gaining confidence thanks to all you lovely people and your positive feedback, I really needed to be shoved off that diving board so I could start swimming.  Special mention must go to Emma, and to Celia of Purple Podded Peas, and my fellow procrastinators!

And that wasn’t the end of it.   I got home to a request to buy one of my cushions!!

Kerching!

For the first time in a long time I ended the day richer than when I started!

So here I am, thinking positive.  I hope I can spread it around, there are lots of talented people in blogland hiding their lights under the proverbial bushel, you can do it too!

P.S.  This post took a little longer than intended.  Half way through, Higgins’ magic nose detected the sweetie Tim dropped down the side of the reclining armchair.  Have you ever tried to remove a dachshund from the inside of an armchair?  In another life, I’d have  Truffle Hound… In reality, a Jelly Bean Hound.  Probably just right for Planet Penny…

Robin Redbreast

Oh, woops…Wrong photo, wrong Robin Redbreast! ( Higgins does like to join in)

Remember I mentioned robins the other day?  Well, since then I’ve been seeing them all over the place and I particularly liked this image in Country Living.

Robin Redbreast

But I’ve also been having a lovely time with the needle felting,which I have sadly neglected lately with all the knitting and crochet work I’ve been doing.  I’ve really got to get back to making the big stuff I enjoy so much, but just at the moment I’ve been having lots of fun with my Christmas theme in mind.  Hence the robins…

I love the way they fit into the palm of the hand, they are very tactile, if time consuming to make.  I can just imagine how sweet they would look as a Christmas table centre, or all along a mantlepiece. That was the intention, but I have been getting sternly spoken to by my artist friends.  How long ago did I first mention selling on line?  Don’t tell me, it’s too long.  I’ve been procrastinating like mad, in the name of research.  However, after an assortment of dire threats from people I had previously assumed were sweet and mild mannered…ladies, you know who you are!…I have taken the plunge.

Planet Penny is now a Folksy Shop..Ta DAAA!

As from half an hour ago.

 And there my little robins are available to buy.  At the moment, I have said I’m only shipping to the UK,   but do get in touch if you live somewhere else and would like to make a purchase.

Now I have to work out how to put a link on the side bar… Hmm, please bear with me, I think there might be a few teething problems before I get it right!


Edited to add: As of 2012, Planet Penny is to be found on Etsy, where the latest versions of the needlefelt Robins are to be found…

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