Buttons in the News!

I wanted to share this article with you.  My good friend, Carol Cienna is quoted in it.  I think you’ll find it fascinating!

http://www.philly.com/philly/phillywomen/Buttons_especially_vintage_offer_special_touch.html?viewAll=y&c=y

More Quilt Market (Yo-Yo Ideas)

Clover has come out with 2 new Yo-Yo shapes that you can create.

You can now create butterflies and clovers with these new tools.

Now, if you want my opinion, and I KNOW you do, the clover doesn’t look anything like a clover and the butterfly can be made using a regular round yo-yo maker of your choice.  I do not plan to carry them, but if you all want them, I may change my mind.  Any opinions?

In addition, Indygo Junction has unveiled a new pattern: Yo-Yo Monkey!  I have placed my order and hope to have this cute little guy added to our inventory of other yo-yo animals and pin cushions very soon!  Look for other new Indygo Junction additions to be unveiled in next month’s Jillions of Buttons Newsletter.

 

While at Market, I saw several designers use yo-yo’s in some really lovely ways.  I want to give credit to the designers, but my paperwork is being brought home by my friend, Sandy, and I do not have it yet.  Please realize that  these designs are the work of others and should be treated as such.  I am also planning to carry a few of her purse patterns, so you will know who she is very soon!

I loved the stacked look and the choice of fabrics.  I offered my opinion and told her the only thing I found lacking was, of course, a button (or two)!

This bag was made using the extra-small Yo-Yo maker.  The colors were lovely!

Try using all kinds of fabrics for creating your yo-yo’s and don’t forget to check out Amy Barickman’s Yo-Yo Fashions book for lots of hints, tips and great ideas for using yo-yo’s!

Quilt Market (part 2)

I think the most popular pattern available at Market was any kind of purse pattern.  While I have chosen a few to add to my inventory (and I’ll share those with you shortly), here are some cute ideas for embellishing your purse creations with buttons:

Don’t you love the big, colorful buttons on these bags?  They are from Dill Button Company and I will be adding several styles, sizes and colors to my inventory before the end of the year.

Tomorrow:  New Yo-Yo shapes and design ideas!

Quilt Market (part 1)

While Houston was gray and gloomy outside while I was there, it was bright and lively inside the convention center where Fall Quilt Market was held!  I think I could have been there 5 full days and not seen it all!

On Friday, I was thrilled to be chosen to present a Schoolhouse Class to quilt shop owners.  We discussed my newest book, Busy With Buttons, and they were able to see the projects up close.

I hope you all appreciate seeing these pictures….I have never been comfortable seeing myself in pictures.  I guess I could feel better by saying that the lighting in the room was very poor!!!

On Sunday, I presented a demo and signed books in the F&W / Krause booth (my publisher) and had a lot of fun!

While it was fun to be in the spotlight, my favorite part of Market was coming home with lots of fun new ideas .  Tomorrow I’ll tell and show you a few of them!

Two Thousand Dollars for Mice!

$2137.00.  That’s how much one button lover just paid on Ebay for an antique horn button entitled “The Mice in Council,” after an Aesop Fable.  It is very rare and in good condition always brings in the big bucks!  The detail is incredible!

This is the seller’s description of the button:

“Superb Large (1 and 3/4 inches diameter) Antique picture button dating from the 19th century...Made of pressed Horn.....depicts a curious tableaux of Mice sitting at a table underneath a tree in which a cat is hiding,all within a landscape of mountains,buildings and a crescent moon.....excellent condition..”

Here is the back of the button:

Many people have asked me what the most expensive button I own is or that I have seen.  While this may qualify as my answer to that question, I have always told the asker that worth is very different from value.  My most prized buttons in my collection are worth about 10cent each to anyone but me, but they are one of the items I would go back into a burning building for!  Here they are:

Most of you already know about these:  they are from my Nanny’s robe and when I see them, I see her.  I hope you will never look at buttons as utilitarian items after this!

I’m Ready For My Close Up!

My animals are always at my side while I’m working.  Many of you, if you have talked to me on the phone, have heard my dog, Annie, begging me to throw her ball.  While I was photographing my latest quick craft to share with you, Meow-Meow came over and lay down as if she were there for her photo shoot!  She often parades across my computer keys for attention, but this was a first!  Here are the photos I took:

Is there anything more appropriate than a black cat as a backdrop to an orange pumpkin?  Here is the pumpkin, made with the XtraLarge Yo-Yo Maker.  Any size would work.  Make a whole basket full!

A Very Special “Happy Birthday”

On Sunday, September 13, I was privileged to participate in the Birthday Bash for Nuts N Bolts Needle Works in Woodland Park, Colorado.  The setting for this fabulous shop is the mountains above Colorado Springs and the day was gorgeous!  In addition to the quilts, fabrics, notions, yarns, and fun gift items, we were treated to a delicious array of finger foods and birthday cake.  There were lots of giveaways and make and take classes as well.  That’s where I came in!

I taught many of the ladies in attendance to make the Button Button Dangle.  Here are a couple of the ladies enjoying themselves:

And me, talking, as usual!

Next month I will be teaching a class for the Beaded Button Bracelet at the shop.  My schedule has all of the information, if you are interested in taking this fun and easy class.

Thanks to all of the ladies at Nuts N Bolts for a wonderful day!  It was also my nephew, Kevin’s 8th birthday.  Kevin was lucky to be born on my Da’s birthday (my maternal grandfather) who passed away a couple of years ago at the ripe old age of 99.5.  After helping him to celebrate so many birthdays it seems only fitting to continue to do so in conjunction with Kevin!  So, Happy Birthday to all.  Let’s eat cake!!!