The last year hasn’t been easy in lots of ways and now is the time to look back, take stock and move into 2015, hopefully a Happy New Year.

2014 was the year we lost a very dear friend.  Bill was the husband of my partner-in-crime-and-Open-Studios, Kit.  Bill Calladine was an amazing artist, engineer, inventor, teacher with a quick wit, a lover of life.  After a life threatening condition was diagnosed at the beginning of the year he bravely coped with surgery, with paraplegia and infections until he lost his battle last autumn.  We still can’t believe he has gone and he’s left a big hole in so many lives.

This little picture is a treasure from Bill which I thought I would share with you.  I bought a tiny canvas from an art shop, only a couple of inches in size, and gave it to Bill joking that if I ever bought a William Calladine painting, this was the only size I could afford.  A few weeks later the canvas came back, beautifully framed and signed on the back.  A perfect little miniature!

Life has been difficult for my mum, too. She is still not home after her fall at the end of August.  Her ankle has healed, but she’s very wobbly on her feet and is currently in in respite care in a care home about 4 miles away.  It’s such a difficult situation as she just wants to be in her own home, of course, but she also needs able bodied carers to be at the end of a buzzer.  I dread the thought of her being alone at home.

So of course, I feel so guilty because the care I’ve given her over the last few years is not going to be enough, and the the last few years have taken such a toll on me both physically and mentally.

Anyway, that’s the sad aspect of 2014. The big happy news was the arrival of our third adorable grandson last February. It’s hard to believe that this time last year we were all waiting expectantly for his arrival, and  already we are having to move low lying ornaments and cover the electric sockets and wires!

And that’s what I want to take into 2015, Happy.  I’ve noticed other blogs picking on a word to work with for the new year, Fun was one, I like that too.  But Planet Penny is meant to be cheerful place for me to be, and for you to visit.

Sometimes life is grim and it’s hard to find the positives, (especially in January!) but looking for that little moment, clear blue sky on a frosty morning, a bunch of daffodils, a baby’s giggle or a dog’s waggy tail and holding on to it will help get us through.

So I’d like to invite you to join me in holding on to your happy moments.  Starting next week there will be a Happy Friday link up. If you have a blog put your image from the week in a post with some words (or not) and link it here. If you don’t have a blog you can leave your happy moment in the comments.  I’ll be running it on Instagram too so you can join in there.  There will be full details of how to take part with the first Happy Friday post.

I’ll be back soon with crafty stuff and news and my usual ramblings but I’ll leave you with my favourite happy image from the last week, my ‘big’ grandsons with their Christmas scooters!

In the meantime I’d love to know if you are joining in with Happy Friday… and what brings happiness to you…!

See you soon…