I find the "no thanks" happens a lot.
Mostly with the fish extenders stuff, I have to say -some cases the kids grab it - or they don't know who it came from - or if they do, they don't know the face that goes with the 'who'. I've never been thanked for fe gifts, hand made or not, and I don't know that i've ever thanked anyone FOR them, unless I knew the donor personally and the gift was 'remarkable'.
If I knew you and got one of your paintings, I'd be hugging you in gratitude! They're adoreable!