Category Archives: Miniature Dachshund

Sunshine and Shadows…

Having lost the label I’ve decided this is my Sunshine and Shadows Plant! I’m sure someone out there will know the proper name but with it’s bright sunshiny petals and gorgeous purpley leaves I think my name really suits it! I do know it likes to be a bit damp, and that’s been real headache this hot and sunny summer. The lawn has pretty well given up.

I don’t water the lawn, do you? It seems to bounce back as soon as the season changes and between Higgins and ‘his’ boys (who are coming for a visit very soon, cue much excitement!) it’s never going to be a bowling green. I’ve just about managed to keep the pots and tubs going, the veg garden and my ‘Sunshine and Shadows’ Plant. I say the veg garden, hmm… this year I’ve managed two bowls of strawberries…

There’s what is shaping up to be an enormous pumpkin…

and so far, two runner beans… What a good thing Tim is away so I don’t have to share!

It’s been quite busy on Planet Penny over the last week or so thanks to the Rainbow Mice appearing in the Australian craft Magazine, Homespun…

It’s amazing to think there are little Rainbow Mice running around all over the globe!

Recently several people have bought more than one pack of the Rainbow collection of yarn with throws and blankets in mind and this has concentrated my mind on something which has rattled around for quite some time. I wrote last week about the problems of being ‘Just the One‘ and never having enough time, or pairs of hands to do all I want to do, and one of those things is to make a big enough crocheted piece to work out what sort of area one pack of yarn would cover, in granny squares or a ripple. And this has held me back on an idea I’ve had for ages, because I kept thinking it would raise the unanswerable question.

But I’ve decided, stop faffing around, Penelope, get on with it and see what happens!

So, and this is where the Sunshine and Shadows theme appears again, I’m readdressing the Planet Penny Colours from either end of the spectrum, and making up packs which would be perfect for making cushions, throws, baby blankets etc with a more defined colour palette.

Put together Aubretia, Delphinium, Cornflower, Eggshell, Aqua, Jade and Apple and we’re in the shady woodland end of the garden…

…and meanwhile Rose Red, Gerbera, Petal, Peach, Marigold, Buttercup and Lime reflect the sunshine and heat on the terrace…

The packs are the same size, but with 2 balls each of the seven colours in the Sunshine or Shadows colours and they are going in the Planet Penny Etsy shop today…

I’d love to know what you think and if anyone has made a throw, cushion or similar with their Planet Penny Cotton I’d love to see it, and to know how big it is! I’m going to be working on a baby blanket because not only have I got my prospective Grannification next year, my niece is expecting this month so baby things must done! My crochet hook will be smoking!

And speaking of baby things, this week I made these…

I’m getting very excited!

This week I’m linking up with Handmade Harbour do call over to find lots of handmade lovelies to admire!

I’ll be back soon, have a lovely week…x

Little Vintage Lover Fair

Sunday was a day off…hooray! A gorgeous sunny day, just right to pack the car and head off to the Little Vintage Lover Fair in Heydon, Norfolk. I’ve been spotting mentions of it on various blogs over the past weeks, I knew my friend Lisa, of Bobobun was going to be there and it’s so long since I last went!

It’s such a gorgeous venue, the quintessential English village, part of a large estate with no through road so it’s very peaceful.

Higgins was delighted with the park…

…and met some lovely people to talk to outside the tearooms…

The venue itself was in an early 20th century Army hut, with stalls both inside and out and there was so much to see…

We found Bobobun inside, (call over to the blog to see lots more photos!)…

..and Higgins was delighted to meet Lisa and Little Bun. He was also pleased to find he was not the only visiting dog so it was an interesting day for him too!

(He’s always a little cautious about bigger dogs who might stand on him as you can see!)

This week he’s spent quite a bit of time in the studio helping me (commandeering a crochet blankie to make under the desk extra comfy) while I get ready for the next needlefelt workshop at Arts Desire.

I’ll tell you more about it after Saturday, but this time we are making mice. Would you like to see?

I’ll be back soon….x

Happy Birthday, Higgins!

Oh dear..I’m sorry to have been away so long! I’ve been working hard on the ‘next big thing’ and there just haven’t been enough hours in the day.

But Higgins! It was his birthday this week. I can’t believe it’s nearly four years since we brought home this tiny bundle of black and tan trouble…

(You can see more cute photos in the 2009/2010 archives)

He was calling the shots right from the start! I tried very hard to get him in the party spirit for his birthday photo but you can tell, he really didn’t like wearing a hat, party or not!

He’s already eaten all the squeaks out of his birthday presents too, but he had fun doing it!

And coincidently I had a Higgins related present this morning which I’d like to share with you. You’ll remember from this post I had a needlefelting workshop at the Art’s Desire Craft Lounge making little fantasy birds, and one of the participants was Willow, half of Farrell and Holmes who make beautiful things like this…

Will had such a good time learning to needlefelt I don’t think she’s stopped since, and this morning I received a card…

and a mysterious little package…

In which I found..

..this gorgeous little mirror!

Now while I’m pretty sure Higgins would love to sit and gaze at his own reflection I’m sorry, it’s going in my handbag! Thank you, Will!

I’m off to do some photography now. Remember I was working on the Knitted Mouse Pattern? Well I’m nearly there and plan to launch it this weekend. If you are one of those frustrated non-crochet-ers who have been begging for a knitting pattern there not much longer to wait, I promise. All fourteen of the new knitted Rainbow Mice are lining up to show off their best profiles for the camera right now.

I’ll be back soon….!

Turf, Surf and Needlefelt Birds

A mixed bag post today, I’ve been lurking inside a lot consoling myself with needlefelt because of the unseasonably cold weather, but then rejoicing in sunshine and warmth when at last we get a brief indication that it’s actually summertime! I’m only wearing TWO layers today, and no thermal fleece!

The wind seems to have blown constantly for months in this part of the UK and we live in the windiest corner of the village, near the remains of the old mill. Wind always seems to make everything worse, doesn’t it? Colder, and so noisy with it whistling around the chimney. Yesterday’s walk was a bit scary, with small branches being blown off the trees. I wasn’t sorry to see some rain for the garden though, and Higgins was relieved that the thunderstorm which hit Norwich skirted around us. Despite all this Mother Nature is flourishing in the hedgerows…

The grass is long enough now to ripple in the wind like water, and is such a lush green…

But, in true English fashion today the weather is completely different. The sunshine in the garden brought the bees to the chive flowers…

I know you are supposed to snip the flowers off if you want nice chives for kitchen use, but how can I deprive the poor bees?

Such a beautiful morning was too good to waste, so Higgins and I headed to the beach before breakfast. What could be better than a deserted Norfolk beach in the sunshine?

The sand is gradually returning after being scoured by the winter gales. Only a couple of weeks ago this stretch was down to red clay.

Higgins was very happy..

And quite intrepid too in the shallows…

…and the pools…

Back home I’m getting ready for the first Needlefelt Workshop next weekend at Art’s Desire Craft Lounge in Norwich. The first one is all booked up and the second one is filling but fear not, further dates have been added to the calendar! The Birds on a Branch piece I created for Open Studios last year is in the shop window because we’ll be making birds, of all descriptions…

This is my latest flight of fancy….

Happy, not Angry Birds!

And, in case you were wondering, there is a winner for last week’s giveaway of a copy of Caroline Zoob’s gorgeous book, The Hand-Stitched Home. Thank you, to everyone who entered with wonderful stitching memories, I really enjoyed reading them. It seems for every school day horror there was also a wonderful teacher or relative who passed on their own love of the subject.

It was so hard to choose, I wanted everyone to win, but there’s only one copy of the book!

Please imagine the drum roll, or the pregnant pause beloved of TV Games shows so that I can announce…the winner is… Nikki Pierce who writes her own blog Tales from Swallow Barn.

Congratulations Nikki, I hope you enjoy your copy of the book and that we see some of your creations on your blog before too long (No pressure or anything!)

I’m off now to put the kettle on. I hope you’ve got your feet up with a cuppa too!

Have a great week and I’ll be back soon…

Norfolk and Norwich Open Studios 2013

It’s hard to believe this is the third year we have taken part in Norfolk and Norwich Open Studios, but then it’s always hard to get one’s head round how quickly time flies. This weekend will be the last for this year so we’re really hoping the weather stays kind and encourages lots of people to drive out into our beautiful Norfolk countryside to visit us.

If you are a regular visitor to Planet Penny you will know I share my studio with my good friend Kit, a printer, for the purposes of Open Studios. It makes it more fun and more manageable when several people arrive at once and we both know enough about each others work to be able to talk about it. (Although I wouldn’t recommend anyone goes away and attempts etching after an explanation from me!)

I know only a handful of people reading this will be able to visit so this is virtual invitation to our studio so you can see what’s been going on over the past couple of weeks.

This is the studio, through the archway.

It looks so much better when the sun shines!
Norfolk and Norwich Open Studios - garden

The Japanese Maple which last year formed part of the wedding decorations (which you can see in this post) is now a great place to display the felted ‘River Rocks’ which were first exhibited as part of the Bergh Apton Sculpture Trail several years ago…

Inside, it’s so tidy! It’s lovely, I wish it would last!

Can you see the tell tale streak across the mat? Well, for once it wasn’t Higgins. The very first day, dead on 10 o’clock when we were officially open, the little oil filled radiator which we had been huddling round because it was so ridiculously cold went POP and leaked hot oil all over the floor! Several teatowels were sacrificed in the frantic mopping up and that trail was created as we dragged the darn thing outside where it dribbled over the gravel.

Not a good start and I’ve had to dispose of the mat which I rather liked. Never mind, next week I’m having vinyl laid which will withstand tidal waves of hot oil as well as muddy little paws!

Oh gosh, have you noticed Higgins has crept in yet again? Not what I intended but since he’s here I’ll just say he’s well rested now and is all geared up to greet his public should they feel inclined to visit him over the coming weekend. You’ll find general details of Norfolk and Norwich Open Studios on the website, and our Art Trail in particular on the Two Rivers Trail website.

After this weekend I hope to get back to a more normal blogging routine. Coming up next time is another book review. A gorgeous new publication and the chance to win your very own copy. If you haven’t signed up to follow Planet Penny yet now might be a good time so you don’t miss out on a prize!

I’ll be back very soon…x

The Right White

I can’t believe it’s sunny again! The Spring has taken so long to arrive but it’s so nice to be able to get out with Higgins for a walk with the camera.

I’ve just trawled back through the May posts for 2010, 2011, 2012 and been amazed at the flowers I photographed then. the cherry blossom was out, lupins and poppies, tulips, wisteria and roses. There’s an awful lot of catching up to do. I’m really hoping the back yard get’s a move on or it will look like a desert for Open Studios!

On our walk however, I was looking for ‘White’ and I found it. A daisy…

..a feather…

…white sloe blossom…

…and stitchwort…

Higgins tends to get a little impatient with all the stop/start on his walks. He does like to keep an eye on me at all times, and if he’s wandered away and found something really interesting (and probably revolting!) just hiding behind something is the best way to attract his attention. He come’s hurtling round the corner convinced I’m eating all the dog treats!

I’ve been thinking about white because I’ve been planning to add white to the Planet Penny Cotton range, as I’ve had quite a few requests. I trialled it at Christmas for the Christmas Crochet Bunting kits and was very pleased with it. However I’ve been caught out with the dreaded dye batch anomaly, and the yarn I received is not quite the the right white to put the Snowdrop labels on. I’m probably being over fussy as it’s the same lovely quality and the difference is very slight. But I’ve decided to sell it on at a reduced price because it may be just what you need to create a bag, or some bunting or edge your granny squares.

There are just 7, SEVEN, packs left now priced at £20.00, which is £2.00 a 50g/125m ball instead of the usual £2.60 and is a light DK weight. If you would like to purchase a pack just leave a message on the contact form with your email address and I will get in touch to arrange payment. The postage in the UK is £3.50, for elsewhere, please ask me.

And now I’m going to get back out into the sunshine and do a spot of gardening. I think Higgins will be assuming his usual gardening position, however…

…you just can’t get the staff!

See you soon…x

P.S. Don’t forget, there is still time to enter the Planet Penny MOO Prize Draw and win yourself some gorgeous business cards!