Plaques & Christmas Decorations

Phew, what a busy time everyone is having, but we crafters wouldn't have it any other way would we?
I thought I'd show you a few of the commissioned plaques I've been busy with......

Commissioned Plaques

 and some more Christmas Decorations......

Wooden Christmas Decorations

You may have already seen some of these over on my facebook page. My favourite is the Robin, do you have a favourite Tree Decoration that you use every year?

I've linked this post to Wendy's Handmade Monday over at Handmade Harbour, I do hope you can pop over as this is the last Handmade Monday of 2012, the next one will be in January 2013.

I'm sure I'll be posting again before Christmas but in case any of you are having a break from the blogging  I'd like to send you my best wishes for the festive season.

Love

Jan x

Spider or Spiderman

It's not long now till the Big Day.

Are you organised? 

                                    Have you done all your shopping? 

or are you like me and left everything until the last minute. 

Do you know what you are getting for everyone?       I don't.

Our grandson, after a visit to an Exotic Pets Show, wants a spider... I don't think I'll be getting him one of those!

WARNING...... Don't look at the next photo if you have an aversion to the eight legged hairy crawly things

That Hairy Thing called A Spider

I told you not to look, now get up off the floor and stop screaming.....

If a spider is not on the menu agenda then maybe a million legged creepy crawly thingy......

That Creepy Crawly Giant Millipede

Mmmm I don't think so. I think he should stick with his cute cuddly bunny Mr Fudge

The Cutie Mr Fudge

or maybe just admire his hero...... So what will it be, a spider or a Spiderman?

Spiderman

So, however your arrangements are coming along I hope all your decisions are easy ones

Take care

Jan x

Handmade Monday

Hi folks, I wasn't here for last weeks Handmade Monday... like lots of you I've been extremely busy, after all there is something special going on and it's a busy time of year,  but unlike lots of you I haven't organised my time very well, it's got nothing to do with my husband having a few day's off work.... honestly. 

I've been doing lots of  cutting, sanding, painting and crafting, mostly personalised items, most of which I can't show you. Something to do with Christmas I think!

But I can show you lots of Fairy Doors being prepared in the Picto household,

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Fairy Doors being prepared

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anyone who knows me knows that I love painting Fairy Doors and this week I had one of the nicest pieces of feedback on my facebook page....

Facebook feedback

It's lovely to know that something I made is giving so much enjoyment but I believe that the magic is in the children.

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I'm off to do a wizz around the blogs over at Handmade Harbour, it may take a while... it may even take me all week but I will get there.

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Jan X

Santa Claus & Robins

Hello all, apologies for such a short post from me for this Handmade Monday. I've been busy painting more Christmas Decorations, this time it's Santa's and Robins. They have a slightly glittery finish but unfortunately it's not showing up in the photo's.

Santa Claus Christmas Tree Decorations

Robin Redbreast Tree Decorations

These first ones are destined for a local shop I have some of my items in, I've also been asked by a second shop for decorations for part of their window display and I'm painting more for a local Art Gallery. These will all be on a sale or return basis so fingers crossed they will be the 'sale' rather than the 'return'. I'm really enjoying painting these (I may have even got carried away and forgotten when to stop!!) so I'm also selling them through my Folksy Shop my Wow Thank You Shop (when I get a chance to list them) and my Facebook Page

Got to run, I've got a kitchen full of Santa's waiting to be sprinkled with a bit of sparkle.

Jan x

Christmas Hanging Decorations & Chalkboards

 On Thursday I had a table at an 'Autumn Shopping Event' at a lovely little village school in Cambridgeshire. The organiser found me through my facebook page,  and she sent me an invitation asking if I'd like to attend. It was held in the school hall and started at 3pm untill 6.30pm. I went and I had a lovely time, there was a wood turner, a jam and chutney maker (mmm the jar of Banana & Lemon I bought is yummy), a Jewellery maker who sold lovely fresh water and seed pearl pieces. There was a lovely lady who knitted and crocheted wonderful Ruffle Necklaces and Scarves. It wasn't an exclusively handmade event but it was very pleasant non the less.

Did I take photo's?... No,  did I remember my camera?... Yes,  did I forget to take batteries?... No, but I forgot that they were flat, silly me. 
My best sellers (besides my Fairy Doors) were the Christmas Countdown Chalkboards

Christmas Countdown Chalkboards

and Christmas Hangy Decorations. I'll be putting these in my Folksy Shop and in my Facebook albums.

Hand painted Christmas Hanging Decorations

Do you like my display tree? I used a couple of twigs from the garden, painted them white and sprinkled it with glitter. I set the twigs into a tub of stones and plaster of Paris to make sure it was sturdy.

I had a successful and pleasing afternoon, I hope you all had a pleasing week too. I'm off now to check out the great blogs over at The Handmade Harbour blogspot


Jan X

Christmas Doors? or Christmas Fairy Doors?

I hope you have all been well this week, I was struck down with the dreaded early winter cold and had a few days feeling sorry for myself, but hey ho things don't get done by themselves and I think the housework fairy has gone on holiday.
Ooo, did someone mention 'fairy'? oh yes that was me..so, talking of fairies!!! I was asked if I could do a Christmas Door similar to my small Fairy Doors, so I did, I liked it, so did my customer, so I made some more....
I painted wreaths hanging on the doors

Christmas Doors

  I painted mistletoe

Doors in chilly ice colours

 I painted stockings on some of the doors

Christmas doors in traditional red & green

 I painted snow 

These small Christmas doors measure a cute 2 x 3 inches

I'm due to do a Craft Fair at a village primary school this week so hopefully they will be well received, fingers crossed, I'll also be popping a couple in my Folksy Shop, question is, do I call them 'Christmas Fairy Doors' or just 'Christmas Doors' ? what do you think?

They will have a little label on the back saying that it is a special door so Santa will always find his way into the home (even if you haven't got a chimney)

Before I go I'd like to thank every one who popped over and left messages (or just had a read) of my previous posts, I think I managed to get around most of the other blogs that take part in Handmade Monday, and I'd like to say a big thank you to Wendy for hosting this linky party.

Take care all

Jan x

The Owl & the Glittery Moon Notebook Cover

In my last post HERE I wrote about my Halloween Craft Swap organised by Kat from With-u-in-mind  and the great gifts I received.

The gift I made was for Julie from  I made a card. I was given a list of Julies likes and dislikes and decided to make an appliquéd notebook cover. (with notebook)

Appliquéd Notebook Cover

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The Owl & the Glittery Moon

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Glittery Moon

Julie is really pleased with her Craft Swap and I am pleased with how it turned out, especially the glittery moon.

I've linked this post to Wendy's Linky Party over at Handmade Harbour blogspot


Jan X