Beautiful Blue

A selection of pretty items from FOLKSY, the Home of British Craft

The colour blue is such a versatile colour, the items I've chosen this week are pretty, vibrant and bright. I hope you enjoy them.

All these items plus many more can be found in the shops listed below, click on the link to see more wonderful items. 

Handcrafted by Picto

Gossamer & Thorn

The Way to Blue

Steves Art Shop

Witty Dawn

Muranomagic

James Green Printworks

Don't forget to visit  FOLKSY for lots more prettiness

Jan x 

Afternoon Tea with Folksy Friday

I sat in front of the computer and thought "what shall I do for today's Folksy Friday Post",  there are so many lovely things to choose from sometimes it's difficult to come up with a theme. While pondering this dilemma I popped into the kitchen to make myself a cuppa and maybe add a biscuit or two... naughty I know. Then it hit me... tea, no the tea didn't hit me, the idea did! afternoon tea would be my theme.

First I need tea

 a selection of teas from

 Heron Cottage Artisan Teas

or should I have coffee, with or without sugar?

choose your label from

 Charlotte Hupfield Ceramics

then a nice big mug to put it in

a great choice of mug from

Absolutely Clay 

Should I have a Jammy Dodger

Choose your favorite biscuit to wear from

Handmade Retro Jewellery 

or should I have cake

there are no calories in this pincushion cake by

Lily Lily Handmade

What would you have?

While you enjoy your cuppa why not pop over to Folksy, a great UK online market place

Jan x 

The Galaxy, Stars & Moon, Space Theme on Folksy

The Galaxy, the Stars, the Moon and all up above is my theme for this weeks Folksy Friday Showcase. There are so many great things on Folksy it was hard to choose but I narrowed it down to these beauties...

You can visit the individual shops by following the links under each picture.

Pretty Stud Earrings from Karen at

Karenscraftybits

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Who wouldn't love this Quirky Birthday Card from

Clare at The Grimm Exhibition

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Adorn your wall with a printed poster of Saturn from a papercut from

By Charlie's Hand

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A Lampshade, it's glow in the dark stars will suit any room

Shadowbright

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This Moon Girl Necklace by the Wonderful

Twinkle & Gloom Art

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My own contribution for my Space & Galaxy Theme are these Handpainted Wooden Hearts

and a Mini Desk Canvas from 

Handcrafted by Picto

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I hope you've enjoyed seeing this weeks Folksy Showcase, there's lots more to see by visiting Folksy.com

Jan 🌟

Winter Sports for Folksy Friday

Today is the opening of the Winter Olympics 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Korea
so in celebration of this event I've chosen to showcase a few Winter Sports related items from Folksy.com the online marketplace

A brilliant painting of Snow, Sky and Snowboarders

from

Steves Art Shop

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We can't have Winter Sports without an Ice Skate Suncatcher

from

Joys of Glass

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and we certainly can't have Ice Skating without a couple of Bunny's showing off their talent on these gift tags

from

Dandelions Gallery

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These hot water bottle covers are a great way to keep snuggled and warm

from

Handmade Just For You

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A Stylish Cowl is a must for Winter Sportswear

from 

More Tea Vicar Knitwear

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I hope you enjoy watching the Winter Olympics while having a nosy at the great shops on Folksy.

Jan x

Valentine Hearts on Folksy

It's almost Valentines Day, love is in the air, cupid is doing his job and Red Hearts abound.
Do you celebrate Valentines Day? I think Valentines Day can be too much of a commercial haul but it also gives us the opportunity, and in some cases a reminder (otherwise known as a kick in the rear) to thank our significant others, loved ones or just family or friends and let them know how much we care. So rather than going down the huge commercial route why not pop over to the Handmade Marketplace of Folksy where you find a multitude of lovingly made gifts.

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This teeny tiny glittered heart in a miniature glass bottle is a great way of saying 'I give you my Heart'  A Heart in a Bottle by Handcrafted by Picto on Folksy

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A Beautiful Cupids Dart Necklace for the Love of your Life. This ruby red Murano Heart pendant can be found at Mermaids Purse Jewellery on Folksy

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For a tea lover there is always this lovely hand knitted cosy with a pretty crochet red heart, this can be found at Hook and Loop on Folksy

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For all your crafting needs or for wrapping up all your lovely Valentine Gifts you can find this pretty ribbon at The Ribbon Quarter on Folksy

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This Handing Heart makes a lovely alternative to a conventional Valentines Card, a gift and a card in one from Handcrafted by Picto on Folksy

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my Valentines selection of Folksy Finds.

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There's lots more to see over at Folksy, the handmade market place 💗


Jan 💗

Moonlight Silhoulette of a Unicorn and Other Animals

Following on from my Sunrise Silhouette painting I thought I'd do a Moonlight selection, once again using the sketches and artwork I already have as inspiration,

I've already done a few star and moon gazey paintings, here is a selection that I used as a starting point, there are a couple of  Aceo's of a hare and a fox, a framed picture of a moon gazing hare and a unicorn on canvas.

For this Moon Light series I wanted the colours to be a bit more dramatic so like my previous Sun series I painted the center the palest colour, in this case, white.






 I then gradually went darker as I went outwards with the edges a very dark blue, almost black but not quite as I needed the black lines of the trees to show up. I love painting the Unicorn, you can see the process of choosing the silhouette in my previous post

I painted the hearts in the same way and chose the Wolf, the Fox and the Hare for the center, the back of these hearts are painted blue with silver hearts.

The Unicorn plaque has a 'D' fixing on the back for hanging up or why not prop it on a shelf or desk using a little easel or plate display stand.

You can find all these items in my Handcrafted by Picto Folksy Shop

Thank you for checking out my blog

Jan x 
I'm going to link this post over on the Folksy Forum and Twitter for #FolksyFriday

A Pony for Folksy Friday

Folksy Friday is a way to try and get the name of the online shopping venue known to the masses, Folksy is a place to buy hand crafted gifts and handmade goods.
When you buy an item from Folksy, you buy directly from one of over 15,000 UK based designers.

It's 3 little ponies for this weeks Folksy Friday, the link for each shop is under the photo

Painted Pony

 By

Handcrafted by Picto 

Dappled Pony on Rocker

By

Keepsakes Rocking Hosres

Grazing Pony

By

Clare Sherwen

I hope you've enjoyed my selection this week

Jan x

Gingerbread for Christmas & Folksy Friday

Well the title says it all, this weeks Folksy Friday is all about Gingerbread, click on the links to take you to Folksy shops.

So where did gingerbread originate?  There are lots of theories almost as many as there are gingerbread men.  Some say it originated in the Middle East, from where wonderful spices were brought to the western world, but there are also references that go as far back as the ancient Greeks and Egyptians.
Queen Elizabeth I who's reign was 1558 – 1603 is often credited with the invention of the gingerbread man.  She would have gingerbread men made for visiting dignitaries in their own likenesses.

Felt Gingerbread chefs 

by

 The Crafting Gardener

Gingerbread was so popular that William Shakespeare wrote in Love’s Labor’s Lost, “An I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread.”

Ceramic Gingerbread Man

by

The Dottery Potter

We like to see Gingerbread men as decorations for trees and on cards to send to family and friends.

Gingerbread Cards

     by

   Stephanie Short Stationery

The smell of it baking, mmmm conjures the memories Christmas time. The aroma the tastes and sight of Gingerbread Men, Women and Houses are a feast for the eyes and delicious on the taste buds.

Gingerbread Men Bookends

 by

We Love to Make

 Some say the tradition of making decorated gingerbread houses started in Germany in the early 1800s. According to certain researchers, the first gingerbread houses were the result of the well-known fairy tale "Hansel & Gretel" after the Brothers Grimm published Hansel and Gretel in 1812.

Wrapping Paper

by

Jane Crick 

But some say that The Brothers Grimm used the House in their story because it was already a popular tradition. 

Gingerbread House

 by

 Handcrafted by Picto

Gingerbread House Hanger

 by

Handcrafted by Picto 

Click on the links under the above photo's to take you the Folksy Shops where you can see more deliciousness.

I'm off to have a yummy bit of Gingerbread with my coffee.

Jan x 
 

Frosty Friday

Not only is it a Frosty Friday, it's also...

I had a lovely morning walk while the frost was still on the ground, it's going to be a sunny day so I know that the frost is not going to last long.

Sunrise on a Frosty Morning

Beautiful Autumn Frosty Colours

    

Through the Branches

I looked through the Folksy online selling site and checked out some Frosty items...

Frosty white bean sea glass necklace by Beach SHACK Project

How cute is this lovely Knitted Bird House by Cherry Bee

A little Pair of Penguins by me over at Handcrafted by Picto

I hope your Friday is a good one.
Please feel free to Share on any or all social media platforms, it's the best way to get the Folksy name out there.

Jan x