New Outdoor Plaques for Garden Sheds

I've missed a couple of weeks of blogging, The Hubster and I decided to have a few days away for a bit of R&R, it was great to have a bit of time out and a thoroughly lazy time. Other than my little break I've been busy with commissions.

Outdoor Plaque

The Spade and Fork image tends to be one of my most popular Shed Plaque designs but I can work with my customer to personalise any design.

Personalised Garden Shed Plaque

For Val's Garden Shed I was asked to include a butterfly, a cat and a hedgehog.

Outdoor Plaque

Both these plaques are now with there new owners and I had lovely emails back, it's always great to know that an item got to it's destination safely and in good time but even more pleasing to get great feedback.

Right, I'm off to play work, I've got some hearts to prepare for my next commission.

Jan x 

As usual, I'm linking this post across to Lucy Blossom Crafts Link Up 

 

A Bumble Bee Outdoor Plaque

I had a lovely commission via my Wow Thank You Shop.  It's an outdoor plaque and a bit of a rush order but hey, that's how we crafters do things. I even managed to get it finished on time.

 Plaque Ideas

I done a couple of quick sketches and sent them over for my customer to choose, she favored the bottom one so I made a start on the painting. 

Outdoor Plaque

The choices given for hanging the plaque was wire, twine or screws, as you can see from the photo, the screws were chosen. I prefer brass screws for outdoors, they weather well and look good.

The Bumble Bee Plaque

I hope you've all had a good week, I'm popping this post over to Lucy Blossom's Craft Blog Link Up I love to see what everyone else has been up to and it's great to leave and receive comments from the crafting community.

Ta Ta for now..

Jan x

Stonham Barns Owl Sanctuary and Outdoor Plaques

It's been a week of painting Fairy Doors, Wooden Houses and Key Hook Plaques but I'm afraid I can't show them yet. Soooo I thought I'd share my day out with you instead.

Today, even though it's a wet and windy Sunday, hubby dragged me away from my painting table AKA the kitchen table, to treat me to a day out. We went to Stonham Barns, I'd never been before and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's an Owl Sanctuary but has lots of other birds of prey to see...

This was the weirdest looking Snowy Owl I've ever seen, It's winter plumage makes it look like it has a big fat pair of legs....

Snowy Owl

I took so many photographs I really didn't know what ones to show you, I managed to whittle it down to these.

Please don't ask me what they all are, I really should of taken notes, or better still, taken a photo of the information card that was with each of the birds.

As well as the Birds they have these cheeky chappies, I could of stayed watching them for hours....... 

Meerkat Kastle at Stonham Barns

 

....you can see them on Youtube here...  YouTube - Meerkats at Stonham Barns

The sanctuary has a wide variety of birds, there are Falcons, Eagles and Red Kites to name but a few.  

Some of these magnificent birds are here because they were injured, usually by other birds or animals but can you believe that one of these birds had been shot, it was brought to the sanctuary after being found by a dog walker.

As well as the animals and birds there is a restaurant and a selection of gift shops so if you're out and about in the Suffolk area I think it's worth going, although I think I'll wait till the warmer weather for my next visit.  

You can find out more about it here....

Stonham Barns Suffolk Owl Sanctuary

To redress the balance, as this is a Crafty Blog, here are a couple of plaques that are in my Folksy Shop at the moment,

 Did you see what I did there?..... As they are outdoor plaques I thought they would fit in with the theme of this post.........

            ........and there's a feather in the photo too.

















I'm going to pop this post over to the Handmade Monday Link Up @ Lucy Blossom Crafts


Jan x

Autumn Leaves and Garden Plaques

Hi, I'm back, can you see me waving.....
I decided to take a bit of a summer break, summer has gone and now it's Autumn, the way the time is flying by it will soon be Christmas but we won't think about that just yet.

I love the colours of Autumn,

Autumn Sycamore Tree

 I can see this lovely Sycamore tree from my window, it's lovely to see it change through the seasons.


I've busy painting plaques, these both have the same spade and fork design but to make each plaque individual there are small differences in the birds and insects. There is also a choice of colour, twine or wire hanger or brass screws if preferred, these ones were ordered via my Wow Thank You Shop

A Plaque for a Shed

A Garden Plaque

I'll leave you with a few more Autumn Leaves to look at while I pop over to Lucy Blossom Crafts to take part in her blog linky party.

Autumn Colours

Jan x

A Dads Shed Plaque for Fathers Day

Welcome to my little corner of blogland, this week I'd like to show you one of my most popular plaque designs. It is the outdoor plaque with the 'Spade & Fork' design for the shed or garden....

A Plaque for Dad

This Dads Shed Plaque is available in my Folksy Shop

These Plaques can also be personalised....

An Exterior Plaque

I like to add little details like ladybirds, worms and a snail, I sometimes add a bee, a spider or other little insects.

A Sign for Dave's Shed

Whenever I dig in the garden I have one or two of the resident robins following me around hoping for a tasty worm for lunch.

I hope you can all find time to pop over to Lucy Blossom Crafts linky Party and check out lots of great blogs.

Here's hoping to having lots of nice days in the garden...

Jan x

Spring ACEO's and a Kids Kabin Plaque

Spring is such a lovely time, the birds are chirping and the flowers are growing, some of my favorites are...
snowdrops

Snowdrops

the lovely daffodil

Daffodil

and pretty bluebells

Bluebell

These flowers are miniature paintings generally called ACEO's, which is an acronym for Art Cards, Editions & Originals, sometimes known as ATC's Art Trading Cards. They are small works of art measuring 21/2 x 31/2 inches. They are great fun to do.

With the weather improving, it is also the time for children to play lots more in the garden. I was commissioned, via my Wow Thank You shop, to make this hand painted plaque for a children's garden shed. I love the jungle theme.

The Kid's Kabin, Wooden Outdoor Plaque

 
I've linked this post to...

Planet Penny Happy Friday Link up
and
Lucy Blossom Crafts Handmade Monday Linky Party

Have a great week

Jan x

Plaques for an Outdoor Play House

I've been busy painting more outdoor plaques, I love the pink edging on this plaque, this one is for a garden play house, it's the second one I've made for Dolly, the first one was painted back in September 2011, now Dolly has a sister a new plaque was needed, you can see the first  Dolly's House Plaque here.

Outdoor Play House Plaque

I love that my customer has come back to me 3 years later requesting another plaque and something I was really pleased to do.

A Garden Plaque with Glittery Edging

This next plaque was requested for a Garden Play House with a 'Wizard of Oz' theme but instead of Toto I was asked to have a White Westie in the picture....

'Over the Rainbow' Play House Plaque

There is glitter paint on the rainbow and the water droplet. I received a phone call from my customer who was really pleased with the plaque for her grandaughter and gave me wonderful feedback.

A Chunky Outdoor Plaque

The glitter doesn't show up very well in these photographs, if you have any hints or tips how best to photograph glitter and sparkle I'd love to hear them.

I'm linking this post to the Handmade Harbour Link-up, I do hope you can join me.

Jan x

A Plaque for a Garden Play House

I had a wonderful returning customer who wanted a Plaque for her daughters garden play house, the brief was quite loose but she'd like it to include a watering can, sunflowers and grape hyacinth.

Outdoor Play House Plaque

 I emailed a sketch to my client and got the go ahead, we decided on lilac for the edging.

Grape Hyacinth & Glitter Paint

The Plaque is larger and chunkier than the usual size I make, this is approximately 8 x 5 x 1/2 inch, for those that use metric this is 20 x 12 x 1.3cm. It has been finished off with a dabbling of glitter and outdoor varnish.

Sunflowers and Toadstools

I love a sparkle of glitter on outdoor items, especially when we have a bit of sunshine. It was really well received and I got such lovely feedback. I love it when my customers are happy.

I'm popping this post over to the Handmade Monday Link Up over on the Handmade Harbour Blog

Update on last weeks Collared Doves Post... She is still patiently sitting on the nest, aka, hanging basket. The male comes along occasionally to give her a break and she goes off to (presumably) eat, on her return she sits for a few moments on a garden post preening her feathers, father then flies off and she resumes her nesting.



Have 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

All things Pink

I had a lovely request last week, a customer wanted a Plaque for her child's Play House in the garden, as most of you may know, daises and toadstools are favourites of mine so I really enjoyed painting this Plaque.

A Plaque for a Play House

Close up of Daisies and Toadstools

 

Most of the Name Plaques I make are 7 x 3.5 inches but this one is a bit bigger and chunkier at 9 x 5 inches, just the thing for the Play House, it has been protected with an exterior varnish so perfect for leaving out in the garden.

...000oOo00oooOooo00oOo000ooo...

It seems to be a pink week this week, a couple more of my makes are a Name Plaque for Poppy

A Name Plaque for Poppy

and Pink Bunting for baby Eden.

mdf Bunting

As my items are 'in the pink' this week I've been inspired by a great blogger, 'Caroline' of  Carolee Crafts to give a donation to Wear it Pink, click on the link to find out more about this great campaign.

I'm off now to have a look at the other great blogs that take part in Handmade Monday

Take care

Jan X