I’m off to Adlington Carnival tomorrow: www.adlingtoncarnival.co.uk which looks like it’ll be a good day - although, despite it being August, we have no idea what the weather will be like! At the time of writing, the sky is grey and threatening and yesterday we had severe weather warnings.  I think we were on the edge of the storm - we saw some spectacular clouds - but didn’t get the severe heavy rains that some places got.

So here’s hoping for a little sun to shine on the village of Adlington for its carnival.  Maybe see you there?

sunshine

I’m off now to finish off and package some letters (see last post), some chalkboards and some clocks as well as a couple of canvases and frames for customers.  It’s always mad busy the day before a fair.

There’s always lots to think about when you’re making and selling things.  One of the things which I’ve been working on recently is packaging.  I can’t afford to pay a lot upfront for professionally-designed packaging - and to be honest, even if I could there would be negatives: the cost would add to the cost of each item, things could end up over-packaged, it’s hard to respond quickly to changes in stock (new items, etc) and, of course, there are a lot of different shapes and styles to consider.

Cellophane wrap and cellophane bags have formed the bulk of my packaging up to now - cheap, versatile, clean and crisp-looking… protecting items at fairs as well as looking nice when the customer receives the item in the post.  But…

letters

I’ve found it difficult to know how to package these individual painted letters up to now - they’ve definitely been in need of something.  They get bubble-wrapped when posted out, but how to present them at a fair?

papers

Cue brainwave…

My small collection of leftover scrapbooking papers combined well with the cellophane bags

letters packaged

to produce a rather nice looking display.

letters in basket

I’m quite pleased that all the papers were recycled from previous projects and the cello bags are cheap and easy to come by (if you’re in the Warrington area, www.patscraftybitz.co.uk is based at the back of Winwick B&Q and holds a lot of cardmaking stock. You can also buy from her online)  The baskets were a snip at 50p each in a Tesco bargain bucket!

At fairs, I’ll just be stocking the letters in cream

letters in cream

but you can order them from the website in any colours you choose: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/Individualletternamecanvases.html

multicolour letters

My next job is to do the same with the capital letters!

capital letters awaiting finishing and packaging

Well the writing will definitely be on the wall for anyone who’s bought some of these painted wooden letters!  I’ve been painting a lot of them just recently.  Most people order names for children:

Katie

Jack

They’re available in any colour(s) but the cream is by far the most popular.

Alfie

You can make words with them too…like baby:

baby

or dining room:

dining room

You can have capital letters or lower case letters - or any mix of the two.  Each letter comes with sticky pads on the back (although we’ll leave them off if you prefer) for easy fixing to a wall or door.  They measure a maximum of 15cm (6″) in height, although some letters are a lot smaller than this.  Some of the capitals or letters with risers are of course taller than some of the lower case letters.

They’ve been really popular with people doing up children’s rooms, with people buying presents for new babies, and with people wanting a statement for their wall. Literally, I suppose!!

For your name, word, sentiment or statement, see more here: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/Individualletternamecanvases.html or just visit the website for lots more personalised gifts: www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk

I’ve said it before but I think it bears repeating…customers often have the best ideas!

This little door plaque

tugboat door plaque

was a result of a customer seeing one of my canvases and deciding the image would look good on a door plaque!  I rather like the result and wondered why I hadn’t done this design as a door plaque before.  It’s ideal for a little boy’s bedroom door!

I think maybe I haven’t done this as a door plaque before because when I’m at fairs I like to be able to personalise things for people there and then, and when I finish off the plaque with a name written in permanent pen, it’s easy to do just that.  With this design, the name is painted on so that it looks like steam coming from the tugboat’s funnel.  I don’t think it would work quite so well with the name just written on.  However, there’s no reason I can’t sell this one exclusively through the website!

So here it is:  http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/doorplaques.html if you’re interested.  You’ll find lots more door plaques there too!  They’re all handpainted to order, so if you want to speciafy changes, just let me know: email wendy@1stuniquegifts.co.uk

I’ve been such a busy bee these past few weeks…

busy bee

fortunately, I haven’t had any fairs to attend.  I’ve been kept busy making up customer orders but we’ve also had lots of family stuff going on to fill up any spare time (and filling time that really wasn’t spare at all just for good measure!).  Things have settled a little bit so the hospital/nursing home visiting has been reduced for a while.  It seemed at one point we were on a permanent tour of the nursing homes of Warrington!  One of my customers even worked in one - I dropped off her purchase there while en route between visiting two others!

I desperately need to be making up stock, something which I’ve had precious little time for, as I’ve three upcoming weekends booked with fairs.  They are:

Adlington Carnival

14th August sees me at Adlington Carnival.  I believe the carnival is on for 3 days but I’ll just be there on the Saturday as I’m seriously limited on time.  More info here: www.adlingtoncarnival.co.uk

Fir Tree Farm, St Helens

The following weekend, Saturday the 21st, I’ll be at Fir Tree Farm in St Helens.  Last time I was there, it was just a craft fair (a very good one, actually!), but this time the craft fair will be combined with the regular farmer’s market.  I love attending farmer’s markets as I can do some fresh food shopping while I’m there…much better produce than you’ll find in any shop. More info on the venue and market here: www.firtreeshopandcafe.co.uk

Gawsworth Hall nr Macclesfield

And the weekend after that, which will be August bank holiday weekend, I’ll be at Gawsworth Hall near Macclesfield.  I’ve been to Gawsworth a few times now and it’s always a fabulous event.  Lots to do for families, lots of stalls, and a lovely house and gardens to look round as well.  Gawsworth is a 3-day event and I’ll be there for all three days. More info from the show organisers here: www.creativecrafts-online.co.uk  and about Gawsworth Hall here: www.gawsworthhall.com

Gawsworth Hall

Phew! I’m exhausted just writing about all that! 

I have a lot of making to do this next week and am trying to get myself into a habit of early starts.  My usual time for starting work is 7.30am (it’s easily do-able as I have no commute!), but I reckon if I can get another hour and a half in at the start of the day, I’ll get much more done. 

Up to now, however, my bed has won the argument when the alarm goes off at 5.30am. I’m working on it. Really, I am!!

Bee photo courtesy of www.irishviews.com

That first day at school is an exciting time - especially if you approach it in the right way!

first day at school

Most children will have been well prepared for the occasion by their nursery, and will have visited the school, talked about school and will already know some of their classmates.  The ones who haven’t had this preparation will soon catch up though!

I know a lot of parents and grandparents want to mark the occasion, and most people take a photo of the little one on their first day, looking all grown-up in their new school uniform.  This personalised first day at school photo frame is a perfect place to display that photo - and last year a lot of people bought one (or more!).  They make great gifts for grandparents too.

first day at school

The frames come in a choice of colours, with a choice of little images at the top.  They also come in a plain or distressed finish.  Because they are painted and lettered by hand here in our garden studio, you can specify changes to suit yourself too: just email wendy@1stuniquegifts.co.uk to ask.  The orders have started coming in now for these frames - if you’d like one too, you can order yours here: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/handpaintedpictureframes.html - delivery is usually within 7-10 days.  If it’s urgent though, do let us know and we’ll do what we can to get it to you in time!

first day at school

As well as frames, the little art hangers can make starting school a bit more special.  With two sturdy wooden spring pegs on the back, they give you somewhere special to hang their artwork allowing you to give it the pride of place it deserves.

art hanger

Another great idea for a gift for Grandma!

look what my grandson made in school

Of course, the wording can be changed to suit you and doesn’t need to include the word school - ideal for a little brother or sister too!

girly pink art hanger

I’ve been making some new baby and Christening gifts just recently - and I thought you might enjoy a little peek:

toy soldier canvas

The toy soldier canvas was a customer’s idea: she wanted something to match a new baby’s nursery - and this is what I came up with.  It fits in with the colourscheme as well as the design of the bedding and accessories in the room. 

The little signs between the soldiers show the time and date of birth, as well as the baby’s weight

Harrison

and the baby’s name is above the smiling soldiers

soldier with a happy face

I love it and I’ve just heard that the recipients do too!  It will become a new addition to the website, as I love the colours, the soldiers are so jolly and I think it’d make an unusual and welcome gift idea for a new baby boy.  It’ll be available in 3 sizes: 18cm, 25cm and 35cm.  All the canvases are deep-profile and are painted on the sides so the painting can be hung without framing.  If you can’t wait till it goes onto the website to order one, you can email me at: wendy@1stuniquegifts.co.uk. The price will be similar to the canvases on this page: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/newbornandchristeninggifts.html

OK, so the fairy clock and moneybox aren’t really new … but the idea of putting the baby’s Christening details on them is!

clock and moneybox

I love this idea for a Christening gift

close up

Amelie Kate

and we all know a money box and clock will be used and loved! 

clock and moneybox

moneybox

This storybook canvas (below) makes a lovely gift for a little girl’s Christening (or maybe birthday) and comes in three different sizes.  The wording in the open book reads: Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess called Holly.  You can, of course, choose absolutely any other name to make it personal for your very own beautiful princess - these products are all painted by hand to order so you can specify other changes too, such as colour.

storybook canvas for Princess Holly

The stork canvas comes in 3 different sizes too and is always a popular gift, available in other colours but the neutral cream (shown here) is the most popular.

stork painting

 And these letters make a fabulous gift: you could choose a name

Alfie

or a word

baby

and you can choose any colours you like!

Georgia

Jacob in bright colours

Reid

These letters are a maximum of about 15cm in height - some are quite a bit smaller than that.  They come with optional sticky pads on the back for quick and easy fixing to a wall or door (no extra cost).

If there are no little babies or little people in your life to buy for, we do cater for lots of other occasions: you can see more here: www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk

Lots of my customers buy clocks as gifts: they’re great in little girls’ bedrooms

butterfly clock

in little boys’ bedrooms

rocket clock

in kitchens

personalised cupcake clock

in studies

campervan clock

in bedrooms

pink spotty heart clock

for shoe lovers

shoe clock

for horse lovers

pink horse clock

They make great Christening or new baby gifts too.  Count the spots on the ladybirds to tell the time!

ladybird clock

All clocks come with a mechanism at the back which has an integral hanging loop for hanging from the wall.  They take one AA battery (not supplied).

Clocks are all available in two sizes: 18cm and 23cm.- more information on the website: www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk (more clocks too!!)

Best of all: because we hand paint all these to order in our studio, you can specify changes to them.  Different colours, special requests?  We can usually accommodate whatever you ask for!  Just ask wendy@1stuniquegifts.co.uk - there’s absolutely no obligation.

“The average human has one breast and one testicle” - Des McHale.   When you put it like that, statistics showing averages don’t mean very much at all!

stats and maths

The quote I’ve used for the heading for this post - Lies, damned lies and statistics - was attributed to Benjamin Disraeli by Mark Twain, who made it popular, although like a lot of quotes, its origin is disputed.

What we do know is that statistics are used a lot these days - and that stats for a website or blog can be both enlightening and funny.

When I first started this blog in November 2008, I expected it would be a while before I had any number of readers, except perhaps for those who knew me.  I didn’t worry about stats and couldn’t tell you how many people did or didn’t read the blog at that time.  When I had a phonecall the following July from someone who’d found me on Google, I thought it was time I started finding out where my customers were coming from!

So now I know that my visitor numbers increase from month to month

stats graph

and that over 60% of my visitors come from search engines, 30% arrive direct or through bookmarking and that less than 10% come via a link from another website.  One of the oddest links was from a guns and ammo forum - someone had posted one of my photos of baby chicks on there as a joke.

I also know that they find me for all sorts of search terms.  Here are a few that made me chuckle:

hand painted toilet

*hand painted toilets [I had never even considered this a possibility! Doesn't sound very practical, to be honest - but the photo above is from www.emilystephenson.co.uk and may be exactly what you're after!]

*big head man

*top 10 unusual christening gifts [oh it's my head that's big now! Would my gifts really feature in a top 10?]

*wooden toilet door paint bright [hmmm...is there a toilet theme going on in my blog?]

*monty python spam lady

*man in balloon [bizzarely, I had actually blogged about this here: http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/blog/2009/12/stockport-market-the-pictures/ ]

*weird twin baby gifts [I wonder if they found what they were looking for?]

And just to prove that my blog must now be the font of all knowledge, these are some terms people found me with:

*nigerian orphan

*homeless pigeons

*popularity of william in 2010

*how can comments of customers help websites

*will conifers grow back from being cut down [answer: no - we've chopped down over 40 now and will be very unhappy if they do grow back]

*ikea domsjo sink in stock [lots and lots of hits for the Domsjo sink which I blogged about in Feb 2009 - but I'm guessing www.ikea.com  will have a bit more info than me on the stock levels!]

*unique teacher gift blog

*polymer clay jewellery england [not my speciality but I hope I sent this person to the right place with my link to www.polyannadesigns.co.uk - a real polymer jewellery star]

*do birds nest in conifers in april want to cut trees down [answer: yes they do, as we sadly found out too late. In fact, it was in March, they were pigeons and rebuilt their nest in another conifer in April]

*where are pebbly beaches uk [answer: er...where the land meets the sea?]

pebbly beach

*what do I do about neighbours overgrown conifers [answer: do you live at the back of me? I'm onto it, honestly...]

And my very top search term for this blog? Surprisingly to me, the word orpington, closely followed by the term buff orpington. There’s definitely scope there for someone to blog about orpingtons!  I think if I added up all the searches for domsjo sinks, though, phrased in one way or another, they’d beat the hens into a cocked hat.

Phew!  It’s been such a busy week and I meant to get round to writing about this venue sooner.  Better late than never, I guess!

Tomorrow (not sure how that came around so soon!) I’ll be exhibiting at Brookside Garden Centre in Poynton, Stockport.

Brookside Garden Centre

The garden centre itself looks like a great family day out as there’s a working miniature railway on site.  It’s a 2-day event in a marquee on the garden centre site, and the weather is (apparently) going to be good.  I’m not sure I haven’t tempted fate now: the downpours around here have been torrential and unpredictable this past week or so - although the sun has shown its face in between.

Meanwhile, I’m rushing back to the studio now to get some urgent orders completed as well as finishing and packaging some plaques and chalkboards for the weekend’s show. 

There’s more info on the show here: http://creativecrafts-online.co.uk/html/latest_news.html