Category Archives: Life in General

A Postcard from Wales

Hello, my lovelies! I hope you’ve had a wonderful Easter break and didn’t eat too much chocolate. We did…I feel a spot of dieting w?ill be in order after our hols.

As my iPad is on hand, and the Wifi isn’t too bad, I’m writing my latest post in sunny Wales and share some of my holiday snaps. It’s so beautiful here. This is the view from the conservatory of the cottage we are staying in.With the door open, all you can hear is the sound of birdsong, interspersed with chickens, the cockerel, geese and ducks and occasionally, Dylan the sheepdog. Over the hill there are sheep……and lambs! I’m afraid I’m just a bit soppy about lambs but I don’t think Higgins would be too impressed if I took one home.The hills been rather a strain on my poor flatlander legs but we’ve found some beautiful places to walk and my head is filled with the colours of Spring. This time of year there are so so many shades of green as the new leaves start to open, and Wales is particularly blessed with spring flowers. The fields are golden with the bees’ favourite, dandelions and the woods are carpeted with bluebells. I’ve never seen so many wood anenomes which spring up along the roadside… …and the gardens are full of blossom.Having decided that my latest crochet project was too big to bring, it was absolutely necessary for me to find a yarn shop (or two) for supplies to keep me busy in the evenings. So, I started with some super chunky and a pair of e-NOR-mous needles which was super fast to knit…Which meant an expedition to find another wool shop (I have a long suffering husband!) Abergavenny came up trumps with The Wool Croft, and an irresistible half price offer on this gorgeous Louisa Harding wool/silk blend…There are so many different hues in this yarn, every row has a different flavour!

I’ll be home next week, feeling refreshed and full of ideas so I’m looking forward to being back here with you.

Changing Direction

April

Hello, lovelies…have you wondering where I’ve been hiding? I have to confess to disappearing down the rabbit hole, and longer I was down there, the harder it became to climb out!

But April is here, the sun is shining and I can see things more clearly now.

I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that Brexit has done for Planet Penny and the cotton yarns. The supplier is in Europe, and between the fall in the pound and the prospect of customs and duties the knock on effect to my prices is just not viable. I need to find another direction, and that what I’m working on right now.

In the meantime, the stock I have remaining is still available in the Etsy shop. When the Rainbow, Ice Cream and Pastel packs have gone I will create some one off collections with what is left .

Planet Penny Cotton – Rainbow

Planet Penny Cotton – Icecream

Planet Penny Cotton – Pastel

So if you would like the chance to purchase one of the last ever packs of Planet Penny Cotton, be quick, there aren’t many left!

In the meantime I am going back to my eclectic creative roots here on Planet Penny to see what happens next, I hope you’ll join me. In the meantime, there’s always Higgins!

Miniature Dachshund the dog walking habit

See you soon….x

Hello December!

Such an age since I was last here, but for various reasons November became a little manic. But December is here and I wanted to say hi and a thank you for all your visits and support. Planet Penny has just gone over one million views, which is HUGE!

Here in Norfolk we have been enjoying the most beautiful late Autumn weather. Bright skies and frost, and fabulous colours.

And it’s encouraging to realize that after the 21st of this month, the days start getting longer again!

I thought it would be nice to start the first day of December with something cheerful from the Make Today Happy blog, the Act of Kindness Advent Calendar. Hop on over and find out what you can do to make people happy this month. The world needs this more than ever at the moment!

I’ll be back soon with some more December cheerfulness…x

Autumn Walks and Acorns

I can’t believe we are nearly at the end of October! It’s all been a bit busy here on Planet Penny. We’ve just had a flying visit from the grandsons and grand dog which is enough to send anyone in a tizzy, especially Higgins! The grand dog is very “Tiggerish’ and Higgins has to be careful not to be bounced on.

I’m having to do a bit of resting because of the M.E. so I’ve been installing things on my shiny new iPad so I can sit with my feet up and write blog posts. This my first attempt. Not so much the writing as working out the best way to process the photos…I’m getting there…gradually.

And I’m also getting ready for the Two Rivers Trail Festive Fair which is coming up next month, so felting needles at the ready, I’ve been making acorns.
But we have had some lovely weather, so over the past few days we’ve been out with the camera enjoying all the colours of autumn, so come with us, it’s only down the road! I love to think that someone was walking along eating lunch, tossed the apple core in the hedgerow, and planted a tree! 2016-10-23-10-54-59 This is one our favourite stretches along the walk, sheltered enough not to get muddy.Because we do mud rather well in Norfolk! Mud And while there are acorns on the trees… acorns …there are needlefelt acorns in the studio!So watch this space… I’ll be back to show you the finished articles and with more news about the Festive Fair.

See you soon…x

That September Term Feeling…

The start of the September Term… (Higgins…who chewed my pencil case?)

September Term - back to school for Higgins the dachshund! That September term feeling. It never goes away really. By the time you’ve done umpteen years at school yourself, and then however many with children buying shoes and sewing on name tapes then it’s sort of ingrained in one’s psyche. (I DO need a new pencil case!)

So it’s a good time to start something new and inspiring, to make something happen.

To that end I have signed up to the Business Bakery’s 100 Day Goal which started on 1st September. If you’ve not heard of it, the 100 day Goal is a fantastic way of giving procrastinators like me some much needed oomph and focus instead of just drifting along. I’ve been adrift for sometime!

So, my goal is to give Planet Penny a bit of spit and polish, and possibly a sprinkle of glitter. I’ve been blogging since 2007, definitely time for a spring clean. You might find my 100 days of actions just a teensy bit tedious if I list them, but I hope as the weeks go by you will notice some differences, and spot a few sparkles! And of course, any feedback will be gratefully received.

Do you get that September term feeling? It’s much easier to make new plans at this time of year whilst you’re still shaking sand out of your shoes. Not during the dank days of January when you are trying to eat the remains of the Christmas cake and left over toffees in the Quality Street tin! (or maybe that’s just me!)

See you soon…x

An office in the sun!

Well, this is a rare occurrence, Higgins and I have moved outside. We’re on the veranda outside the studio, there’s blue sky, sunshine, flowers, birdsong…What could be better? office_in_the_sun

Only last week we were huddled under a blanket (in Higgins case, three blankets) watching the rain lash down so I’m making the most of every minute now.

There is just one weekend left of Open Studios here in Norfolk and it’s been good, as usual. Really nice to meet the people who come to visit who are really interested in what we do, and in who, in turn, have interesting stories to tell. Higgins has been working well with the meeting and greeting, he even had an assistant! Higgins&Coco It did get very tiring in the end though… tired Higgins

I have been been diligent in my decluttering efforts. So many things which I have made in order to create patterns, but eventually I have to reluctantly part with them in order to make room in the studio, and in my head, for new ideas.

It’s not easy! The knitting mobile has been sold…

it’s off to Germany as a present.

And the Hearts and Flowers Mobile is off to grace a little ones bedroom which is lovely. It’s nice to know it will have a good home.

Hearts and Flowerts Mobile from Planet Penny Quite a few little needlefelted pieces have been sold too, although I’m not going to part with Clover the sheep!

Flock of needlefelt sheep - Planet Penny

Clover is the one in the middle!

So if you are in the area next weekend do call in. There’s bunting and baubles and fairy lights and books too! I’m never going to rival decluttering queen Marie Kondo, but I’m trying!

Back soon…x