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

How to put photo's on the Folksy Forum?

UPDATE... Here is the post for the UPDATED instructions for putting photo's on the Folksy Forum. 

how to put a clickable picture on the Folksy Forum

 

I have a Folksy Shop and I used to find it really difficult to put a photo from my shop onto the forum, lots of other people have problems with this too. There have been posts written about it but it always sound so complicated, hopefully, one day, the process will be improved and we won't have to deal with all the palaver of 'codes' and copying not only the shop url but also the chosen picture url. I'm going to try and explain how I do it..... wish me luck. I've used highlights to make it easier to see where I'm talking about.

1. Firstly this is the code you need to use...

<a href="http://folksy.com/shops/myshop"><img height="200" src="http://image.code.JPG"></a>

This code has 3 sets of speech marks with 'instructions' inside each set..... 




<a href="http://folksy.com/shops/myshop"><img height="200" src="http://image.code.JPG"></a>

Set 1 - Your shop URL

Set 2 - The size of the photo

Set 3 - Your picture URL

 Put the code into the 'Reply to Topic' box on the Folksy Forum

2. Replace where it says myshop with your own shop name, so mine will be

<a href="http://folksy.com/shops/handcraftedbypicto"><img height="200" src="http://image.code.JPG"></a>

3. Next you need to choose the image from your shop

Go to the image you want. right click and choose 'copy image location'

Click on Copy Image Location




The following is the the type of code you will get for this an image, the code is different for each picture

http://images.folksy.com/aXRlbXMvMjQ4MTg1LzIwMTMwOTMwLzk1NjE3NTgxNjIx-N/main

4. then paste the code into the RED section so it looks like this..

<a href="http://folksy.com/shops/handcraftedbypicto"><img height="200" src="http://images.folksy.com/aXRlbXMvMjQ4MTg1LzIwMTMwOTMwLzk1NjE3NTgxNjIx-N/main"></a>

It's important to paste inside the speech marks “ “ and make sure you don't remove them or leave a space.

The code in the 'Reply to Topic' box on the Forum

Hit the 'Save Reply' Button and your photo will then be on the forum.

 

My photo on the Forum

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5. You can decide how big you want your photo to look on the forum by changing the 200 in the code to either 300 or even 400 so if you decide you want a bigger picture go to 'edit post', change the 200 to 300 then click 'Save Reply'

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I keep a copy of the code as it's written out in number 2 in 'My Documents' that way I just copy and paste from there to the forum and I just have to add the image code. I find this is easier for me as I always have 'Word' open anyway and I have 2 tabs open, one for my shop and one for the forum.

And did you know???
You can use the same code to put pics on the Folksy Forum from your blog by putting your blog URL between the first lot of speech marks and the image URL between the third set of speech marks. 

I hope this makes sense to you, let me know if you have any questions and I'll try and help in any way I can. 

 UPDATE... Here is the post for the UPDATED instructions for putting photo's on the Folksy Forum. 
how to put clickable picture on the Folksy Forum

Jan X

Zombie Outbreak & Keep Out Plaques

I've been doing a few new plaques for my up and coming Pumpkin Patch Craft Fair, here are a few just hanging around waiting for the varnish to dry.....

Making Plaques

The Zombie Outbreak Response Team plaque with the biohazard symbol seems to be the most popular thus far,

Zombie Outbreak Response Team

Some have been burned around the edges using a blowtorch, I think I must be a bit of a pyrotechnic on the quiet because I always enjoy that part, I always varnish after the burning to keep everything clean.

Keep Out Plaque

Some have been done with the girlies in mind... every year I get plaque requests for pink or purple scull and cross bones and no self respecting girlie scull would be seen without a bow.

Keep Out Plaque Pretty in Pink

Before I hop over to the Handmade Harbours blog hop I thought I'd share a picture of a lovely autumn crop...

A great apple crop

A yummy Red Apple

For me, a sure sign of autumns approach is apple pie and custard, apple fritters, spiced apple cake...... mmmm the list goes on


Have a great week

Jan X

Playful Puppy Aceo's

Just a short one from me for this weeks Handmade Monday, I'd like to say a big thank you for all your good luck comments last week, the good luck vibes were certainly working and I had my first sale from my new Etsy Shop, a couple of Dalmatian Aceo's are now on their way to Florida.

Playful Dalmatian Puppy

Cheeky Spotty Dog Pup

See, I said it was a short one

Have a great week

Jan x

Cute Ninja Aceo's

I've done it, I've opened a new shop on Etsy,  

(for those who don't know what Etsy is, it's an online marketplace where you are able to buy and sell handmade or vintage items, art and supplies).

Do you remember a while back in the post What's in a Name, I asked your advice about a name to use for my art work?  well taking all your ideas on board, my new shop is called.....

 

Jan Ryan Art & Illustration

I'd love you to pop over for a nosey. I haven't got much on there at the moment, my first 3 listings are of Cute Ninja's (read on) but hopefully I will be doing lots of listing in the next few weeks.

Hi to those who have already popped over.

 

This new shop is in addition to my Handcrafted by Picto empire and not replacing it.

ok I know 'empire' is a bit grand but I couldn't think of the word I wanted to use

I've no doubt that there will be a bit of a crossover between shops but my Etsy shop will be for art work rather than crafts. 

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I've been playing around with a few Ninja pictures this week, it all started when (cue 'going back in time' type music) a facebook page I follow called Scented Sweetpeas  asked if anyone could doodle a Ninja that she could use in her 'Ninja Attacks' (where she visits and likes pages she admires and encourages others to pop over too). I sent her a couple of painted doodles, I enjoyed painting these cute little ninja's so much I went a bit overboard and done lots of them, here are a few, these ones are ACEO's

Halloween Vampire Ninja

 

Cute Ninja with Nunchucks

Pirate Ninja

Cute Ninja's playing dress-up

What are Aceo's I hear some of you say!!

 

The acronym "ACEO" stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals,

they can also be known as ATC's Art Trading Cards. 

They are collectible little pieces of art always sized 2.5 x 3.5 inches. 

They can be framed, either individually or in groups or they can be kept in an album. 

I have other ideas in the pipeline for these cuties so watch this space!!!

 Wishing you all a great week

Jan x

I've linked this post to the Handmade Harbour Link up  

 

 

In the Deep Dark Woods

Hello all, I haven't done a post for a couple of weeks but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy.

I've been with my grandson into the Deep Dark Woods in search of the Gruffalo....

Searching for the Gruffalo

Sshhhhh, don't tell anyone but I saw him....

We also went on a Bear Hunt...

 

Going on a Bear Hunt

I'm pleased to report that we didn't find the Bear's Cave. 

We climbed..... well I say 'we' but contrary to popular belief I'm not that silly....... he climbed and I supervised

Climbing at High Lodge

I made a Fairy Door in a lovely blue grey colour.....

Handpainted Fairy Door

I was commissioned to paint another Cupcake Plaque.......

A Cupcake Plaque

I also had a successful week selling some of my items on Ebay, Aceo's, Fairy Doors and Hanging Hearts. I got lovely feedback. I've had an Ebay account for a few years but up until now I've only ever used it as a buyer but I think I will occasionally take up the free listing offers. 

Free is good

I managed to find a bit of time to have a peruse through some Handmade Harbour Linky Party   blogs although with all this traipsing through the Deep Dark Woods I didn't get a chance to comment on many.

I'm off now to get the last of the leaves out of my hair, wishing you all a great week

Jan x

Birds & Butterfly Plaques for Handmade Monday

Oh hello, it's nice to see you all. 

You can tell it's summer can't you, not just because it's sunny and warm (most of the time) but because people keep disappearing for a week or two. Not me though, I've been a stay at home for now and enjoying the sunny days. I've been keeping busy, mainly with new plaques and it's nice to report that a few have been a direct result from this blog. This is one of them..... 

This is an excerpt from an email I received......

'I was just looking at your blog and saw a 
bedroom door plaque that I would be interested 
in purchasing for my 1 month old daughter........... 
Do you post items to Australia?'

Of course I said 'yes' and this is the finished Plaque. Purples, pinks and butterflies are a popular choice for little girls.This plaque was requested without a ribbon so it could be attached to the door with sticky pads.

Little Girls Door Plaque

This safely found it's way to Australia and I received a lovely reply (Thank you Andrew)......

'Thank you very much. The plaque is perfect 
and looks great up on my daughters door.

Tahlia will be extremely happy 
with it for years to come'.

Don't you just love it when you get great feedback.

 

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I also had more orders from WowThankyou , Tracey (owner of WTY) works hard at promoting her site and with my own networking this has proven to be a successful online store. My latest orders have been.........

Simon's Garden Plaque has twine for hanging in the garden.

A Plaque for Simon's Garden

and on a similar theme....

A Plaque for Daniel's Den

The Plaque for Daniel's Den has been made so it can be screwed onto a door.

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As usual I've linked this post to Wendy's Linky Party over at Handmade Harbour   I'm off for a nosey at who else is taking part, why don't you join me.

Jan x