Tag Archives: miniature dachshund

Just a little post…

…to say thank you!

Thank you for all the positive comments on my last post. It’s lovely to hear you are happy to read my ramblings, and Higgins is positively swollen headed at the thought that you want a bit more ‘Dachshund Action’… He’ll do his best to provide it!

A lot of the things which have been keeping me away from the day to day Planet Penny stuff have been related to getting to grips with sorting out my parents home, my mum’s stuff and all sorts of things I had stored at her house and forgotten about. It’s an unwritten law, isn’t it, that you always have something left in your parents’ attic, even when you have a home of your own? I know we still have all sorts of odd boxes full of our off-springs’ stuff and they’ve long left home. I’m being hopeless at parting with things too, even things I actually don’t like, like this Toby jug which has scowled at me from a shelf for as long as I can remember…

He’s been banished to a cupboard now, but we haven’t parted company even though he obviously disapproves of everything I do!

And then there are clothes, especially things my mum knitted. How fabulous is this Patricia Roberts cardigan she made me in the eighties? I thought I had lost in in one of my many moves, but no it was safely in the attic. Quite a good incentive to diet, but probably not to have another perm! Patricia Roberts Cardigan Sitting out here in the studio listening to the rain on the roof it’s hard to believe how hot we were over the weekend. Higgins is very fed up right now because he hates the rain and would prefer to stand around with his little cabriole legs crossed rather than got out into the garden. It was a different story on Saturday when it was 28°C, a steamy hot August afternoon… A little post - Norfolk in August He really was a hot little sausage! dog_walk hot_dog So for now I’m indoors and working on a crochet project with the new Planet Penny yarn. Here’s a sneaky peek…I’ve also finished a bag that I started on the Crochet Retreat when I decided to go outside my comfort zone with chunky yarn and a size 12mm hook. I love the bright shades of this DMC XL Cotton…
DMC_XL

DMC XL cotton yarn It turned out to be a little more XL than I had planned. Just as well I’m 5’9″ or it would drag on the floor but it’ll be great place for a yarn stash! crochet bag DMC XL yarn I’ll be back with a new post to share those pastel butterflies, see you soon…x

Getting back that blogging habit…

Why is a bad habit so much easier to hang on to than a good one?

It took me years to stop biting my nails, but it’s been horribly easy for life to get in the way of something I’ve enjoyed doing since, I can scarcely believe it, 2007! So I’m going to try to get back into the old routine and I hope you will join me on the way.

I have a question though, and I hope you can help. There is SO much stuff out there written about the best way to blog, and I know that it’s recommended that you should find your target audience, and a subject and keep focused. And I find that really difficult…me…focused?

I’m too much of a butterfly brain, and that’s a habit I won’t ever lose!

I will admit to hiding behind the old ‘Lifestyle’ label which is rather frowned upon these days, but that’s so that I can ramble on about an eclectic mix of stuff. So…can you tell me, what you’d like more of, or less of come to that?

I’ve got a real back log of things to catch up on after the last months and I’ve been sent some great stuff to review. I have a new crochet project in the making with the second new Planet Penny Colour collection and the sun came out today and Higgins and I went for a lovely walk. That’s another habit I mustn’t lose…

I rather suspect that one of the things some people would like to see more of is Higgins, who has been conspicuous by his absence lately…

Miniature Dachshund the dog walking habit …but as you can see he is in fine form!

So if you have some feedback I’d love to hear it (and if you got a habit you would like to share – a good one or a bad one) please do share!

See you soon …x

Happy Friday Number 7

Can it really be Happy Friday time again already?

This week’s post will be really short because it’s half term. Not only are there grandsons visiting, but they’ve brought along their new puppy, so it’s very hectic, although a lot of fun and definitely happy.

Alpha dog for Happy Friday

Higgins is feeling a little bit aggrieved at sharing ‘his’ boys with another dog… Mini dachshund for Happy Friday

and a bit grumpy about energetic puppy play all the time, but he’s gradually coming round… Dog montage for Happy Friday Next week we are returning the visit and heading off to the South Coast for a few days so really looking forward to that.

So over to you, what’s made your week happy? If you are linking your post below, please make sure it is relevant to Happy Friday and link back to this post so that as many people as possible find everyone who takes part. I’m rather sad when some people take advantage of something which is meant to spread a little happiness and use it for promotion with posts which are not relevant at all! You can find out how to join in here if you haven’t done it before.

And finally, if you didn’t see my last post, I have a fabulous giveaway of a gorgeous new craft book from Cut Out + Keep. All you have to do is leave a comment, so do join in for a chance to win.

Cut Out + Keep - Cat Morley & Tom Waddington

I hope you’ve had a great week, I’m look forward to reading all about it on Happy Friday!

Happy Friday Number 6

Hooray! Here at last for Happy Friday…That’s the problem with living in the wilds of Norfolk, the internet connection is rubbish at the best of times, and when it goes wrong, it really goes wrong! Never mind, I’m here now, and if I type very, very fast I might just get back in in time for the Great British Sewing Bee which I love, do you?

So what happened this week which deserves a Happy Friday mention? Well, firstly I fell in love with, and just had to buy these gorgeous pieces of vintage eiderdown fabrics from Sarah Moore. As soon as I saw them I was transported back to childhood and the eiderdown m granny used to tuck me under when I went to stay. If only I still had it… I’m hoping to make a little patchwork cushion for my bedroom to keep those memories alive.

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Higgins had a play date with his little friend Coco. It’s sooo difficult to get a clear photo when he meets his pals, there’s so much charging around, but here they are, I think they were hunting otters! 2015-02-06 14.41.31 I started making the cowl designed for the Remembering Vanessa Knitalong which I mentioned in this post and explains the gorgeous yarn I showed you for Happy Friday number 4

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So that’s what’s been happening on Planet Penny, how about you? Do please join in with the Linky below to let us know what has made you happy this week. You can find out how to join in here if you haven’t done it before. Please, please play fair and mention Happy Friday in the post you link to. This is as much about people finding their way back from your blog to the Linky party as it is finding your link below. You can also join in via Instagram with #PlanetPennyHappyFriday.

I’m leaving you with good wishes for Valentine’s Day this weekend, and I look forward to following your links and finding your happy moments!

See you soon…x

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The Penguins Party!

I’m a bit obsessed with penguins at the moment!

I saw the John Lewis advert last week (the beginning of November for heaven’s sake, far too early…but adorable all the same!)

http://youtu.be/iccscUFY860

…and in a parallel universe I would definitely have a pet penguin, Higgins would love a little friend.

However, it got me thinking about making something a bit different this year for my stall at the Two Rivers Trail Festive Fair. With that in mind I’ve made some needlefelt penguins and I thought I’d drop in here for some opinions…

So here’s my little Penguin Party…

And the question is, do I or don’t I add little knitted scarves, and would they be better with or without a hanger for the tree? I’ve thought about too much and need a second opinion! What you think?

And finally thank you you for the lovely comments after my last post. It’s so good to know you enjoy calling in to Planet Penny. Higgins, as always, is basking in the admiration of his fans (and really doesn’t want to play second fiddle to some silly penguins!) Back soon…x

A Grown-up Camera, a Digital SLR…

…ooh-er…

Yes, after umming and ahing for ages, I now have a shiny new digital SLR Camera, and I’m really quite excited about it!

It all began because I spotted fellow East Anglian and Sheepy person Penny, of Penny Lindop Designs, talking about how much she had got out of an online photographic course she had just finished. I’ve always been slightly intimidated by ‘real’ photography and ‘proper’ cameras, with all the acronyms and numbers, lens and zooms, exposures and depth of field. These days the automatic setting on a digital compact or the camera on a smartphone can take you a long way. And having my little Canon IXUS 125 HS (you see, all initials and numbers!) tucked in my handbag is really handy.

However, it’s quite hard work getting the right sort of photos for Etsy, and occasionally for magazines. I end up having to do quite a lot of fiddling around in Photoshop before I’m happy with the result.

So I investigated the photographic course, read my way through the website and had a good chat with Penny about her experiences and decided it’s exactly what I need right now to get my creative juices going. A new challenge.

You can do the course using a compact camera, but the advice is by the time you’ve got to the end you would be ready to move on so it seemed sensible to learn the ropes whilst getting used to new equipment. And the bonus was that the recommended digital SLR camera is also a Canon, a make I’m really happy with.

I’m still a little reverential in my handling of this new and (to me) sophisticated bit of kit and it hasn’t been off automatic yet, but I love it!

It makes Higgins look extremely shiny…

…and the flowers in the garden look more beautiful than ever…

The Course is aimed at Designers, Makers, Crafters and Sellers who want to photograph their products, and get to grips with styling, lighting and presentation and I’m really looking forward to learning all about it. I’ve been having a play and just having the new camera has made such a difference already…

Planet Penny Products photo practice digital SLR camera

I’m really looking forward to starting the course in September, it’s never too late to go back to school!

If you are interested in the course I think there are some places left, you can find out about it here at Photocraft, and do let me know if we are going to be classmates!

See you soon…x