Not wishing to brag or anything but I think this new creation may well be in the running for the title of world’s cutest chalkboard!  I love it.

tiny and cute chalkboard

It is teeny tiny, measuring approx 11cm x 11cm.  It may be small but it’s perfectly formed, even incorporating an integral wire chalkholder!  The wire on this one is teal coloured, but I’ll make them with different colours too.

I’m going to experiment later with magnets and sticky pads on the back and I will be offering them for sale with both on the back.  They’d be great little fridge magnets - pretty and practical!

Chalkboards at 1st Unique Gifts are all hand painted and we’re gearing up to keeping them in stock most of the time which means we can usually post them out on the same day we receive an order if the order is received by us before 12 noon.  The tiny chalkboard will be on the website to buy in a few days.  Watch this space!

It’s always nice to do a special commission for a customer.  It is always a bit scary though to draw in permanent pen on someone else’s property - this is something they’ve paid money for and want you to enhance rather than wreck!

photo album with campervan custom made awaiting numberplate personalisation

I always enjoy drawing my campervans so I plan to add to this range (eventually) with other vehicles but the campervans are always popular - either for people who have them and treasure them or for people who just would love to have one if they lived in an ideal world.  I’d certainly love one.  We are still spending time and money doing up our house bit-by-bit though so (at least for now) that’s one dream project which won’t be seeing the light of day.

This particular customer was pleased and told me she would spread the word about my campervan art - the photo album I (phew!) didn’t wreck will be used at shows, where they’ll be showing off the VW campervan which they’ve restored and will have this album showing the restoration process and progress.  

If you’d like me to customise something for you, You can let me know using this form: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/customdesignform.html 

You can also email anytime: wendy@1stuniquegifts.co.uk or see the website: www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk

Did someone ask how many days to Christmas?

countdown to Christmas chalkboard

countdown to Christmas with a mini chalkboard complete with chalk holder house

I know they’ve been talking about it, because these new Countdown to Christmas chalkboard/blackboard plaques were the stars of the day at the fair I did this weekend.  They even come with a little stick of chalk which sits very conveniently behind the little wooden house.  A sweet little alternative to an advent calendar, they promote numeracy skills and are such fun to use.  They can be re-used every year, and are sure to become a bit of a ritual.  Only 6.99, you can buy yours here: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/christmasitems.html    

It was a busy three days at the fair.  These “save water, drink wine” plaques also proved popular…. I suspect they are being bought as jokey for presents for friends!  You can get yours here: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/humourousgifts.html for just £5.99 plus £1.20 postage.

save water drink wine plaque

The drawbacks at the weekend?  Oh, I suppose I could mention the small matter of the severe weather warning on the Sunday… after a gloriously sunny and bright Saturday which was just lovely.  I did think the rain and winds would keep people at home on Sunday but it didn’t seem that way.  My first customer was buying gifts before she went back to her home in Portugal - she had been beginning to wonder why she had left this country but the weather on Sunday was a not-so-gentle reminder. 

We were lucky, as the predicted 70 mph gusts didn’t seem to materialise - at least not in the Wilmslow area.  The day was wet, cold and very windy though.  Leaving my cosy warm home that morning, I nearly thumped Mr 1st Unique Gifts when he said “well, it doesn’t matter - you’ll be inside, won’t you?”   Yes, inside a big billowing tent, with puddles on the floor and draughts under the sides.  Not really my idea of “inside”. I shouldn’t complain.  The marquee was ok, really - it had doors (which were a real problem to close in the strong winds!), a carpet walkway (which even came to behind my table, a real luxury!) - and pretty fairy lights.

Fairy lights!!!  OK, how many days to Christmas????  The little plaque in the earlier picture says it all.  Yes, it really is 51 days to go.

A three-day craft fair can be quite tiring, and this one (at Rivendell Garden Centre, Widnes) is no exception.  So when the clocks go back tomorrow, and we are blessed with that extra hour, I for one will be so-oo grateful for it!!

Last night I came home and painted a mirror and door hanger for a customer.  Now, every time I’ve painted horses, I’ve sold them before I can photograph them for the website and - yes, I’ve gone and done it again!!

I will try to make it a bit of a priority to make some more - and take a photo this time!!  It’s been a busy fair, with lots of orders, and great fun, despite the tiredness!  It’s also a bit on the cold side, but a few extra layers and a flask of soup have together worked wonders!

Tomorrow should prove to be another busy day - looking forward to it.

I’m really quite pleased with these new artwork hangers for children:

personalised artwork hanger peg plaque

They consist of a plaque, measuring approx 15cm x 7cm, two wooden pegs, a double wire hanger and a fabric scrap embellishment.  Oh, and the important bit: your child’s name and a little picture.

somewhere special to hang that new work of art

I’ve updated them from the previous design.  They now feature larger, sturdier pegs.  The pictures are also updated, and you can personalise the picture by hair colour and skin colour.  If there’s anything else you’d like to change about the picture, we’ll be more than happy to accommodate you: glasses? wheelchair? You name it, we’ll do our best!!

To get hold of yours, visit the website: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/artworkpeghangers.html - they are just £6.99 each, plus a small postage charge.  While the postal strikes are happening, we’ll try to avoid strike days and will post out first class at no extra charge.

Ooh, another new product!! 

peg plaque for hanging your child’s artwork

I sold my first few of these little plaques at a craft show last week.  They are designed to be a place for you to easily hang up those precious little works of art which your child brings home from school or nursery.

Like most of our products, they’re hand-painted to order, so you can choose whatever wording you like on the plaque, and of course they can be personalised with your child’s name.  The plaques hang up by means of a little wire hanger, which is curled at the ends.  There are miniature pegs which clip the painting in place. (Edit: I am now using larger pegs on these plaques, which I can place on the front or the back of the plaque for you.  The larger pegs make the whole piece a bit sturdier, and are easier if children are handling them themselves).

hang up your childs painting with this cute peg plaque

And, of course, your display is bound to be updated on a near-daily basis!!  It’s easy to do, it’s just a matter of clipping the paper into the pegs.  And it really makes the display special too.  These little things mean a lot, and help foster that all-important pride in your work!!

If you’d like to buy one of these artwork holders, you need to visit this page: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/artworkpeghangers.html

I promised you a sneak preview of the new letters I’ve made this week.

They are available in more or less any colour or combination of colours.  The largest height of the letters is approximately 15cm (6″).  They look great across a child’s wall.

Painted MDF letters spell it out

multi colour letters spell out any name

a neutral cream option

Painted MDF letters saying love

My favourite one is the one below.  I absolutely love this colour, although I do love all the colours.  I feel a bit like a mum saying I have a favourite child.  It doesn’t seem right, when all the colours are so lovely.  I’m sticking by it though, this is my favourite colour!!!

letters painted in cornflower blue

All letters are painted in a shabby-chic distressed style, so that there are bits of the wood ground showing through the paint, especially around the edges.  This is a design feature, and up to now is the only effect we are doing with these particular letters.  There is a stitched effect running around all the edges, which is done with a permanent marker pen.  I think it makes them very cute and very shabby chic!

A lot of what I paint for 1st Unique Gifts is painted to order.  I try to make up stock, for events especially, but there are always things people specifically request - and I can’t possibly keep every name in stock.  I’m going to show you what goes on when I receive an order.

First, I get the order through my computer, over the phone, or from a show.  In each case, I make out a written order request, and keep it on a clipboard in my studio until the order’s complete.

orders waiting

I have stacks of blank canvases, wooden frames, plaques, mirrors, clocks, etc.  I do try to keep a good stock of all these in, which usually works (but not always).  I am desperately waiting for moneyboxes to be delivered from the person who makes the blanks for me, and I’m getting anxious as customers are waiting.

canvases mirrors peg rails and more

The paint goes on the canvas. 

the canvases get painted

I always use at least two coats for the background of nearly everything I paint.  This slows down the order, because I have to wait for the paint to dry between coats! I use Liquitex soft body paint. 

paints

It is a fabulous quality paint, with excellent coverage and it’s beautifully smooth to work with.  I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a professional, long-lasting finish.  You can buy it here: www.artsupplies.co.uk - and despite what I just said about waiting for it to dry, it does dry fairly quickly.  I guess I’m just impatient!

I buy my brushes from www.rosemaryandco.com who hand-make brushes and sell them through their small family business.  The quality is absolutely superb, and the prices are good too.  I keep them in old tins: mainly golden syrup tins and Greek honey tins (we don’t seem to sell honey in tins in this country, but I always bring honey back from Greece when I visit - the honey doesn’t last long though!).  I am a big fan of good quality honey, and my youngest daughter is a big fan of golden syrup - so we do have a good supply of tins to recycle!

tools of the trade

After the background is dry, I paint the image (or in this case the letters) onto the canvas.  These get two coats of each colour too. 

painting letters

painting the letters

I paint the letters on freehand.  It means that no two letters are identical, which probably looks better when letters are repeated.  You don’t end up with two looking like carbon copies! 

I use a stencil to draw the spots on each letter

 On these canvases, I draw the big spots in with a stencil, and draw the little ones freehand, if I’m putting little ones on.  I paint all one colour, then work through the colours and letters.

Then all the spots get a second coat.  If you count it up, on the spotty letter canvases that’s six lots of drying time!  Even though each layer doesn’t take long to dry, it all adds up.  I usually paint something like this over a period of several days.

It takes a steady hand!!!

painting spots on the letters

Then it’s done!  It now gets packed into a box, and sent to the customer with a thankyou note.

the canvases get packed

I love doing this!  Please keep the orders rolling in!  You can see the finished canvases on the website here: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/Individualletternamecanvases.html 

canvas letters

There’s been quite a bit of interest in my cupcake clocks.  Here’s a girly pink one, this time with the addition of numbers and a sprinkling of hundreds and thousands on that yummy icing!!

pink cupcake clock

These “First Day at School” picture frames have been on fire these past few weeks!! 

first day at school personalised photo frame gift

All the orders for Scottish customers (and some English ones) have now been posted out, and some customers have kindly let me know they’ve arrived in time (and are loved!!).  I love getting emails back from happy customers: despite posting out several orders a day, I still feel a little apprehensive when sending out something… I think partly because I’ve made it, and partly because I really want the customer to be happy with it.  Perhaps also it’s that every single one is slightly different, because it’s hand-painted.  I guess that’s  part of the charm though!

So the feedback is great - keep it rolling in!  I really do appreciate it.

The Scottish schools all seem to be starting back on the 17th August (this Monday).  There is still time for some last-minute orders for other parts of the UK.  I do normally ask people to allow 2-3 weeks for delivery (and there are occasions when this has to be stretched due to volume of orders and me only having one pair of hands and a weird need to sleep at nights…).  However, these frames are quite quick to do, and at the moment I am able to post them out within days.  Next day sometimes!

personalised first day at school photo frame gift

The frames measure approx 7″ x 5″ and take a standard 6″ x 4″ (18cm x 10cm) photo.  They are painted in acrylic on wood, varnished, and are acrylic-glazed (safer than glass, especially if being handled by little ones).  They cost just £5.99, can be personalised with any name or message, and come in a range of colours with a range of little pictures at the top corners.  P & P is free until 1st September.

I am painting the hearts in white with red dots now.  This is slightly different from the plain red shown on the website.  I’ll try to update the website pics soon!!

If you do want one of these First Day at School picture frames in time for the start of term, you can order yours here:

http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/handpaintedpictureframes.html

Don’t leave it too long - there is only one pair of hands working on these!

Pretty pink gifts

It seems nearly all the orders coming in are pink!!

Look at the studio “drying shelves”:

pink pink and more pink

Pink mirrors, pink clocks, pink pegrails, pink moneyboxes, pink door plaques, pink canvases…oh, and not forgetting all those pink First Day at School photo frames!  I think even those are outnumbering other colours!

I think these pink piggy banks are the cutest though:

cute pink piggy banks with pretty heart to be personalised