Toadstools for door or drawer pulls...

I love toadstools, especially the Fly-Agaric, they are often associated with Fairies and Fairy Tales and have a magical quality about them. I always paint them on my Fairy Doors so I decided to do a few door pulls to match....

Toadstool Door Pulls

I painted 2 different sizes, 30mm and 40mm.

Door Pulls in different sizes

They come with screws to fit onto a door or drawer.

Door Handle with a screw fitting

They could even be used as an ornament on a shelf.

A Door Pull as a Toadstool Ornament

I have decided to pop a couple of these in my Folksy Shop and will paint them to order, they don't have to be the traditional Red & White, I can paint them in any colour combination. I had fun taking the photographs, I collected bark, moss and Ivy from the garden to use as props, I was really pleased with how they turned out so I used one for my Facebook Cover Photo. If you haven't already seen my facebook page you are always welcome to pop over to say hello.

I've linked this post to the weekly link up over at the Handmade Harbour Blog

Have a great week

Jan x

Pumpkins & Toadstools on Fairy Doors

What a lovely sunny weekend we've just had, well it was sunny in Suffolk, I hope it was sunny for you too.

It's the time of year for chilly nights and bright days, the last of the flowers in the garden are hanging on and there is an abundance of mushrooms growing in the fields and gardens.

This week I've started painting mushrooms and toadstools on lots of new doors for my Pumpkin Patch Week End Fair....

Fairy Doors for the Pumpkin Fair

These Fairy Doors are a Work In Progress, I've still got a few last touches to do and they need to be glitterfied, (I know that is not a real word but it should be).

I thought I'd finish with a few pics I took this week, for no other reason than I like them. I've put a new picture for my header too!

 

A peep into Fairy Land

 

 

Purple Aster

A pretty White Flower

I've linked this post to Handmade Harbour, do pop over and have a lookee at what everyone else has been up to.

Jan x

Welcome Plaques & Toadstools

Hello to all my regular followers and welcome to my new followers. I hope you are all well?

One of my favourite Plaques, which happens to be one of the first Plaques I made as Handcrafted by Picto was a 'Welcome to our Home' Plaque.

'Welcome to our Home' Plaque

Recently I had an order for a similar plaque. As usual I sketched three designs for the client to choose from but as I liked them all and me being me I decided to paint all three and the two she didn't choose would be kept as stock for my fairs.

Toadstools & Daisies

Toadstool House with a Red Door

Toadstool House with a Blue Door

Toadstools crop up lots in my paintings, plaques and fairy doors, you might recognise these toadstools from the first picture.

Logo

I've used it as an avatar for The Crafts Forum and for  My Folksy Shop. I've also used it as part of the Cover Photo on my Facebook Page as well as on my business cards, notelets and even my PayPal invoices.

Do you have an image or design that you like to use over and over again or do you have a recognisable logo that you use in your work?

This post is linked to Handmade Harbours Linky Party, please pop over and say hello.

Jan x

Toadstools & Butterflies

Hello all, I've had a lovely week,  I hope you have too. I know a lot of the country has had some really bad weather this week but here in this part of Suffolk has been quite lucky, we have had a bit of rain and a couple of windy days but mostly it has been quite nice, not as much sunshine as we should have this time of year and not as warm as we'd like it but fingers crossed that it will improve for the rest of the summer months.

I had a lovely canvas order this week through my Wow Thank You online shop as well as a double Name Plaque order.

Name Canvas

Name Plaque

Name Plaque

I'm linking this post to this weeks Handmade Monday over at Handmade Harbour. 

I think I've managed to get around all the blogs that took part in last weeks Handmade Monday Linky Party, and I would like to thank everybody who left comments on my blog. I love to get comments and I love leaving comments for others but sometimes I don't always manage to get around everybody, my apologies if I have missed anyone out.

Take care and wishing you lots of sunshine wherever you are

Jan x

Fairy Doors on Notebook Covers

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have been doing a few Notebook Covers as well as the Diary Covers, well here they are....
These are for an A6 Notebook but can be made for any sized Notebook, Diary or Sketchbook.

Notebook Cover with pocket and bookmark

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 My Fairy Door design is appliquéd with daisies and toadstools onto a pocket, handy for holding a pen.

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Fairy Door Notebook Cover

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Notebook Slip Cover

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Notepad Cover with Pocket

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I will be taking these to my next Craft Fair on Sunday, I usually do Craft Fairs on a Saturday so I'm not too sure how successful this one will be, oh well, I'll never know till I try so fingers crossed.

I'm linking this post to Handmade Monday so please pop over and join in the fun.

Take care and have a fun week

Jan X

Toadstool & Daisy Diary Covers

Gosh, what a week, we have had lots of rain here in Suffolk, a bit ironic really, like a lot of the country  we have a water shortage and a hosepipe ban, I'm not complaining though, we need the rain and lots of it, but is it selfish of me to wish it would stay sunny all day and rain throughout the night?

Do you remember a while back, I won some fabric in a givaway and made a slip cover for my Diary and Address Book?

You can see the post about it Here

Well I finally got around to making some more.....



 The Slip Cover has a button fastening.......

Toadstool & Daisy Diary Cover

 and a stitched in ribbon bookmark.

Toadstool & Daisy Slip Cover

Diary Cover

Can you tell that I like toadstools and daisies? This Design is one that appears in lots of my Plaques and paintings. I like the idea of matching book covers so I've also done Notebook and Sketchbook Covers  with a Fairy Door design but I'll show you them in another post.

A selection of Diary Covers

I have put these Diary Covers in my Folksy Shop and I plan to add more sizes and designs soon.

I'm off to check out Wendy's blog and the the linky party over at  Handmade Monday

Take Care

Jan x

I is for Ink & Initials

I haven't done an alphabet post for a while so I thought it's about time I got one done..... I'm up to the letter I and the subjects I've chosen for this post are Ink and Initials.

I use ink quite often in my paintings, as for any particular make or brand, I don't have a preference. I have used Daler & Rowney, Windsor & Newton, WH Smiths own, it all depends where I'm shopping and what is on offer at the time. I'm a great believer that you should buy the best you can afford but I also like a bargain. Good quality drawing inks are light fast and fade resistant so I tend to use el cheapo for sketches and experiments and  save the expensive inks for a 'proper' piece of art work.  

Buddha in Ink

This sketch was done by drawing with candle wax then brushing over with Parker Quink Ink using a large brush. This was done on A2 paper (approx 23.5 x 16.5inches).

...ooo000O000ooo...

Toadstools in Ink

This small ink drawing was done using Windsor & Newton Ink on 5 x 8 inch 140 lb paper.

...ooo000O000ooo...

Tree on a Hill

 This is one of a pair of Ink drawings I done a while back, this was done using very wet paper, ink, salt and bleach. I previously posted about this HERE

...ooo000O000ooo...

This week I was asked to do a pen drawing of a couple of initials, I drew these using a fade resistant, waterproof gel pen. The pen is more precise and gives me more control over the lines and is very easy to use. To finish them off I will be putting them in a mount and frames.

...ooo000O000ooo...

I really enjoyed doing these so plan to do more and possibly put them in my Folksy shop. What do you think? 

Well that's my 'I is for.....' post completed, if you want to see my previous alphabet posts then click on the 'Alphabet' link in the right hand bar.

This post is linked to 1st Unique Gifts blog I hope you can pop along especially as it's Wendy's 52nd week of hosting Handmade Mondays linky party.

Jan X

My 1st Handmade Monday

I've finally done it...... I've done this blog post in time for Wendy's Handmade Monday. I've been meaning to join in for weeks now but things keep getting in the way. For those who don't know what Wendy's Handmade Monday is, it is a simple way to share what you’re doing with others.
All you need to do is pop a link to 1st Unique Gifts in your latest blog post , then add your link onto Wendy's Blog.  We can all then have a good old time visiting each others’ blogs, it's nice to add a comment to show you’ve been.So follow the link and have a peek at a few more blogs.

 I've been painting on slate and glass and making fridge magnets this week, I have a fair coming up in a couple of weeks and need to get my table sorted. No pic's of the glass critters yet..... hopefully I'll get them done during the week. (you can see a couple of old ones in 'a bit about me').

These are a few of my 'nature' ones, I had to get a toadstool in there.
I've also done lots of  Fly Agaric pictures as they always go down well with everyone especially the youngsters.

I too had a busy Mothers Day, no lie in for me though, I was up at the crack of dawn and got ready for a ride out with a few old friends and lots of guys I had never met before.... but are now new friends.
I'm not a rider, I'm a pillion passenger, (you don't want me in charge of a bike I assure you) I leave the riding in the safe hands of others.

It was the Ride for Respect Day at Wooten Basset and as lots of  people around the country couldn't attend because of distance, number restrictions, time and a myriad of other reasons,  clubs and individuals alike organised local ride outs. We ended up at RAF Honnington where the wonderful people of the base organised a much needed cuppa and a hog roast. .  A great day was had by all and a lot of money was raised for such a good cause. 

Well done to everyone who took part across the country.

More Toadstools (and Plaques)

I've been a busy bod the last few days, I finished painting 3 more plaques for collection and posting tomorrow, I really like the turquoise of the car.

The colours for Chloe's plaque match
the colours in her bedroom.
It's not noticeable in this pic but the plaque is sprinkled with fairy dust and what girl doesn't like a bit of magical fairy glitter?

And what can I say about Harry...... He's a big Spurs fan and wanted something to hang on his bedroom door.
The Rooster standing on a ball is Tottenham Hotspurs emblem.  

As well as painting my plaques I have been uploading some of my old paintings onto the computer, these are two that were part of a nature exhibition I took part in a few years ago. I love the effect of the paint, it looks good  for this type of  subject.

 Both of these photo's were taken when the picture's were in their frames so didn't turn out so good but they are some of the only copies I have of these.



 I lost a lot of my good copies of paintings when my computer decided to crash and die a couple of years ago, since then I've always backed up my pics on an external hard drive.

I have some of my paintings, plaques and other bits and bobs in a lovely local shop and as all my toadstools paintings and fairy doors sold well I need a few more to replace them and I do enjoy making them.

The shop is Oshuns Emporium ,please find a link to their facebook page Here


Thats all from 'ickle old me for tonight, it's getting a bit late and I need a bit of shut eye, another busy day tomorrow so it's off to beddy byes ............. nighty night all

Jan x      zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Two of my favourites things

I've had a busy week thus far but except for a couple of plaque orders I haven't done any painting.

I have had my sister and my mum visiting for a few days and its been really great, we live 220 miles apart and we really don't see enough of each other, thank goodness for phones I say.

So instead of showing you something new I've made I thought I'd show you a couple of my favourite things, toadstools and ammonites.

These are beautiful, I don't know what type of wood (or seed pod)? they are made from or anything about who made them, I bought them at a craft fair many moons ago and love the shape, colour and texture of them.

This is something I made when my children were small, it is made using air dry clay and painted with acrylics. The tops of the toadstools are made like little cups and  they balance on the stalks. I have lots of toadstools around the house and garden, I adore anything faerie or mystical related.

This ring was a Christmas present from my husband x 

I love ammonites and as soon as I saw this I fell in love with it.