Button Workshop Feb 5th

Above is the necklace I made yesterday, started during the button workshop and finished in the calm of the afternoon..after all the other buttonholics had left.
The Dorset buttons from the previous workshop became gorgeous necklaces with a little bit of freeform crochet :)
It was great to have an afternoon of finishing things off.
The button workshop was a great success! The buttons started off as above sorted into colours and a couple of dishes of fancy ones (this time I went through and took out my favorites ;)
As soon as everyone sat down they started gathering a stash of buttons each, there was lots of grabbing going on Dy wanted all the green ones, and Lia managed to find a handmade ceramic one I missed he he it was just like school! There is something about searching through the buttons that switches us back into child mode.
It was a really lovely morning as you can see the buttons were soon all over the table as everyone slowly turned them into jewellery and button hearts. My confession this week is that I felt a bit mean keeping out all the best ones so ended up bringing more and more out from the back room as well as more beads for finishing off.
Clariece made these gorgeous hearts and a button charm bracelet.
Debbie made a heart a bracelet and this brooch, I love how these buttons complimented each other and the bead just finishes it off!
Lia managed to incorporate the ceramic button into this lovely necklace.
Julie did a different style button necklace using cord and wooden beads.
Dy managed to use all green button stash to make this necklace and went home wearing it :)

Colette made this necklace at a previous button workshop and made the earrings to go with it this time along with a multicoloured button necklace.
Everyone said it was great fun, and apparently Dy and Julie went off to the Dairy House to show Sue what they'd made and stock up on vintage buttons.
I will be doing demonstrations of how to use up your button stash at The Dairy House Costume and Textile day on the 11th of April...and of course will be adding to my stash ;)

Confession 6 a long time coming!

I have to admit it has been a very long time since my last confession, but I have committed many sins!   I have been extremely busy, we moved house in October..and I think i started packing in July! Slowly sorting through all our stuff and doing lots of clearing, so I did abstain from buying buttons etc for a couple of months ;) My button stash along with the fabrics and beads was moved into the back room of the shop,which is now my workspace..except there is now no room to work lol! It started off very tidy, but gradually..
I have added to it again. Visiting Shepton Mallet Flea Market is very dangerous!
These are just some of my recent finds.
I have added a Vintage market to my website, which means I can collect all the lovely vintage haberdashery and patterns as well as old knitting patterns and needles.  It is going to take me a while to list everything but I am determined this year to really work on the website, and of course the more bit I sell the more I can buy ;)
I have also, been busy running button workshops. With help from two of my knitting friends I ran a Dorset button Workshop, (I was being taught and making tea.) starting off making a traditional Dorset button, then playing with different yarns and adding beads to make them more funky!  Great to add a bit of glam to finished knitwear.
My Button workshops also went really well, everyone ends up leaving with the most amazing necklaces.

Claire only just got away with leaving with the one above, she obviously had a good eye for a button ;) and accumulated a stash of all my favorites..I did try saying it would look nice with some of the plain ones mixed in.. *note to self do remove favorite buttons before sharing* lol
It is amazing the way people see colour, everybody is so different I loved all the necklaces that were made and it does inspire me to get making more :)
Sending out lots of button love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

where have all my buttons gone ?..

I have been using up a little bit of my button stash.  

The bracelets below have buttons sewn onto a very thick glittery yarn in different shades of blue. So I can wear some of my lovely vintage buttons :)  These sell really well and I will putting some of these on Etsy and Folksy this week.

I also make lots of mobile phone socks, which are great for using some of the larger buttons.
I love this button Necklace made with a 1960's (I think) perspex button. I only bought 6 of them and really wish I had got more.
I use buttons with the felt flowers a lot, I really like to find contrasting colours and add beads in to the middle.
These little heart brooches use quite a lot of buttons and i have used some of my favorite vintage ones on these.

I have these little hearts for sale in my shop and my aim is to make kits up, with the brooch backs and a little bag of vintage buttons..it will be good fun sorting the buttons to go in the bags.
I do have a whole lot of buttons that are in a secret stash, that i know are very old and should not be used on crafts. mmmm think I need to have a little look at them and remind myself which ones they are.

Last week i was very lucky to get 3 gifts of buttons a little bag from a customer,  a gorgeous vintage tin full of buttons from Laure aka (Deja vu on ravelry) and a little box kate found on her travels. So  I have plenty of button therapy lined up for when I need it :) Thankyou so much girls :)

Confession 2

I managed to find some packets of buttons in one of our local charity shops :) and also a lovely tin of buttons on e-bay whoops!  

I seriously needed some button therapy on Saturday..woke up all tearful and v tired, I had actually had a bit of a grumpy week. (Suffering from pmt) Which is not good when working with the general public ;0.
Any way I tried a Bachs remedy which seemed to lift my spirits enough, I decided to sort some of my buttons with Arthur. He really enjoyed sorting the colours.
Then I remembered the two jars of buttons I'd been saving, so we added those to the pile too.
Then we sorted them and searched for the treasure ones (really old ones)
I then washed them and let them dry outside to remove some of the musty smell.
This was the treasure, some Art deco ones some really old metal ones (over a 100 years). The leather one looks very old too I will try and find out where its from.

That cheered me up lots!!  The shop was quite quiet on Sat due to the gorgeous weather so I spent the afternoon sat in the sun sewing and nattering to Kate (also into collecting vintage fabrics, and makes gorgeous pinnies and cushions).  My arms were a little bit pink by the end of the afternoon, stupidly forgot that the sun can burn..doh!

Ended the day a lot happier (family were relieved when they eventually ventured back home ;)

trying to decide how to get my fix.

The weather is awful so  I have abandoned any hope of going car booting. Instead i have had a nice lie in reading the papers, followed by a bath with real coffee and magazines (for button inspiration.) so quite a blissful start to the day.

I work from home running a shop attatched to the house so by the time the weekend comes round I am desperate to get out.  

I have been trying to work out where to go and hunt button and vintage treasure without getting wet (so not a real addict yet or I would go regardless of the weather ! )

I am also trying to involve a nice lunch..so I think the Glory Hole in Sturminster Newton, (a mixture of vintage and house clearance bits, you never know what you will find and his prices are very good.   Arthur usually manages to find treasure too, Like firemans helmets. ) followed by lunch at The Farmyard picnic cafe at Childe Okeford where I know a lot of other button and vintage addicts hang out :)

I am also tempted to go to The Dairy House at Semley stocked with the most fantastic vintage fabrics and draws filled with buttons... right thats it I,m off!

I was just trying to links to some of the above places..and i can't believe what came up for glory hole..I think if I was going to use that for a name I would have googled it first?!!!