A Button Welcome!

Some of you may have seen this idea before, but I love it so much, I just have to share it again!

Purchase a simple and inexpensive wire wreath.  Fluff it out by bending the wire branches and attach buttons of all kinds to the wire ends.  Twist, if necessary to secure the buttons, or slide them on as far as possible.

This wreath features 30’s and 40’s plastic buttons, but even shank buttons would work!  Don’t forget that you can stack buttons to get more interest as well!  Wouldn’t our Button Mixes work well here?

How Sweet It Is!

Don’t forget to Button Up when you bake!  This came to me via a quilting friend.  When others know you like buttons, you’ll be amazed at the things you’ll see and receive!  Sweet Dreams!

Button Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. cream or milk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Cream butter until soft. Beat in sugar, egg, vanilla and cream. In a separate bowl, sift 1+ 1/2 c. flour with baking powder and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.  Add enough remaining flour to make dough stiff enough to roll out. Refrigerate until well chilled (at least 2 hours). Place on lightly floured board; roll about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with floured cutters. You can use almost any shape for buttons. I used circles of various sizes and flowers. Poke 2 or 4 holes in the center of each cookie with the end of a straw (for the button holes). Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to cooling racks.

Decorate with various colors of butter icing. Add details and the "thread" using an icing bag and a small circle tip.

All Wrapped Up!

Buttons make a wonderful accent to a gift package!

Use a lovely wire-edge ribbon to tie a bow on top of a wrapped gift.  Then, using a wire or twist tie (for a temporary attachment), attach a beautiful button to the center of the bow.  Our new Christmas buttons or a twinkly Susan Clark button would be stunning!

You might consider inserting the button through the center of a silk Poinsettia flower.  Remove the plastic center that comes in the flower and run the button shank and/or wire through the resulting hole.  Now you can tie it anywhere!  Attach a pin back on the flower (if you don’t want to harm the button) or glue a tie tack style pin to a flat or damaged button shank and you have an instant wearable that can be removed and inserted in any flower that goes with your outfit!  A wonderful birthday wrapping idea, too!  Wrapping and gift all in one.  Here is a picture of a small pin I made inserted through a small pink silk flower:

Be sure to check my web site for a New and exciting jewelry finding  that will enable you to make jewelry of all kinds using your buttons without harming them or having to decide on just one button to use!

This twine was run through red buttons and felt circles and can be used to tie around a package.  This is a purchased product, but you could make it from ribbon or silky cording.  The felt is nice or all buttons (sew through type) would be festive.  After trying to tie it around a package, I found that I would prefer that the pieces were spaced closer together than shown here.  Wouldn’t this make a cute garland, as well?

And So It Begins!

Advent, the season of preparation, is upon us!  As promised, I have some great fast, easy and adorable gift and decoration ideas for you and I will be posting one idea every day until Christmas.  Let’s kick it off with something we all need no matter where you live: Gloves!  That’s right, even in Arizona and California you can wear thinner gloves to keep your skin form that dry Winter air!  Why not make them festive by adding ribbon, yo-yo’s, trims and, of course, buttons!  Make them elegant or silly, for yourself or as a stocking stuffer.  Gloves are on sale everywhere right now and they are always a welcome gift.  Here are a couple ideas to get you going:

This cute little guy is from the new JHB Collection of Christmas buttons.  Simple and effective!

More Christmas buttons and a extra-small Yo-Yo with a sparkly gold button in the center.

Regular sew-through buttons would be great sewn on with beads of decorative thread!

Pretty Poinsettia buttons; simple yet elegant!

Button Up and stay warm in button style!

Where did Fall Go?

I just had to share a couple photos with you of our early snow.  I grew up in Southern Cal and moved to Tucson so snow was a real adjustment for me here in Colorado!  This is already our 3rd snow this month. 

 

This was the view from our back deck of Pikes Peak on Monday.

I have been told that it always snows here on Halloween, and true to form we had an all out blizzard the first full day we lived here back in 2004.  It was also my first day at work and they threw me in a truck and said, “go for it”.  I saw my safe driving record flash before my eyes several times that first day, but I made it back in one piece.  I DO NOT miss driving in this weather, but I do think of all the other couriers out there and pray for their safety and health.

This picture of Pikes Peak was taken from just East of our home.  The snow yesterday really blew, but today it is nearly all melted!  They have a saying here:  if you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes!  It’s so true!

Love Those Buttons!

There were several button distribution companies at Quilt Market.  I think I’ve dealt with nearly all of them except for Dill Button Company.  Dill is based in Germany, but has offices here in the States.  I have been a fan for a while and so I made sure to check out their booth.

I posted photos of purses in my blog entitled Quilt Market (part 2) that were part of their display.  Here is a quilt made with those same yummy buttons, and a close up detail showing lots of big, bold, beautiful buttons!  Note the stacked buttons with the paisley shaped pink center as well as the flower button centers.

I had the chance to speak with several Dill company executives (mostly men) and it turns out that they (surprise!) collect buttons.  I was thrilled to be able to show them my books and they purchased several copies!  I was honored.

In addition, I have decided to order and carry Dill buttons in my store!  There are several sizes, shapes and a myriad of bright colors.  I’ll let you know when they arrive.  Any special requests?

Speaking of orders, this quilt was also hanging in the Dill booth:

I fell in love with it!  It turns out that the quilt’s maker has a pattern for this adorable piece and I have ordered these as well.  I hope to have these new products available by the beginning of December. (Note the knitted belt hanging on the right side of the quilt with the Dill button fastener).  Until then, Button Up!

The Creative Spirit

While at Quilt Market in Houston, TX, I had a couple moments (literally) to see part of the Quilt Show in the next building.  Boy am I glad I did!  I happened to stroll past the area displaying the quilted wearables and found the garment you see here.

Well, of course what caught my eye were the buttons!  I’m sorry that I didn’t write down the maker's name, but I do know that she said her husband made the buttons for her from scrap lumber he had.

Now there are a lot of buttons she could have chosen to use, but I think it just extended her creativity to make (or design) the buttons she wanted for her garment.  Buttons are easy to make using store bought forms, and don’t forget to embellish them!  One of my favorite things to make are buttons created by taking a plain covered upholstery button (found in every button jar around) and add beads and other embellishments to it to create a whole new button!  I have even found a new button-making tool that I will introduce in my November newsletter.  Inspiration is everywhere.  Button UP!