Saturday 16 July 2011

Creative Stores :: Supplies :: i heart buttons X 20 individual and interesting Buttons.

Creative Stores :: Supplies :: i heart buttons X 20 individual and interesting Buttons.



I'm just testing buttons, share pages and things!

Friday 8 July 2011

I'm Having A GIVEAWAY

Yes I am! I haven't had a giveaway for a while and I'm thinking that if it goes well I might make a regular- say monthly, thing of it!

This giveaway is all down to the computer crashing and getting a phone call from my daughter's school to say that she wasn't feeling very well. I'd just made a cup of coffee too! But the fact that I had to drive ten miles to pick her up meant there was no chance of it still being hot when we arrived back home. Anyway she was fine and it was kind of enjoyable watching i-Carly in the middle of the afternoon. It also give me an overdue opportunity to sort through my craft supplies and textile pieces. So there you have it!

One lucky person will receive....

 my Party Supplies Bag, filled with buttons, ribbons, pom-poms and bows. A lovely rosette of flower pins, these are fab for pinning big wads of fabric together, button holes for weddings and for display. Also one of my textile badges which are the things I sell most of at craft fairs.

 I have taken a few individual photos of each item but I am not happy with these pics. It is not a fantastic day for bright light at my house today. But hey don't let that put you off this fab bag goodies!!

 Nom nom! Buttons! This is a great little starter pack for a button collection.

 I use these pins myself. They are perfect for holding numerous pieces of fabric together, especially wadding when making bags or lavender cushions!

This is just one of my cute textile badges that I really enjoy making! I make these when I need to kick start my creativity and I am lacking inspiration, they are are quick to make which is very satisfying and rewarding!



So there you have. If you would like to enter this giveaway then just come and say 'Hi' in the comments box. My GIVEAWAY will END on MONDAY 11th probably about 6ish!

Oh yeah- GOOD LUCK!

This competition is now closed

Tuesday 5 July 2011

FREE Felt Pack and FREE Buttons when you purchase Gutermann Textile Glue

I have listed in my supplies shop  http://www.etsy.com/shop/onceinthenorth2 two tubes of the excellent Gutermann textile glue. I have priced it at £4.60 which is a good retail price.


This is new textile territory for me! I use this glue a lot- it is excellent quality and good and strong. However I have never sold it. So believe me when I say it is the best textile glue around. 

Personally I love this Gutermann Textile Glue and I've used it myself in many textile projects. I use it when work gets tricky and far too intricate for a sewing machine or even a hand held needle, such as gluing purses to their frames, gluing teeny buttons onto brooches and recently I've used it to glue buttons and bows onto my new Matryoshka Badges.

With this glue I am GIVING AWAY a felt pack of 25 pieces of various colours. Each piece measures approx 4inchX4inch, these small pieces are big enough to make a brooch, a pin cushion, a lovely decoration, a small appliqued lavender cushion........lots!


I am also GIVING AWAY a 30g bag of random buttons-


WHAT a generous offer me thinks! AND WHAT are you waiting for! To be honest if I could give away the glue too then I probably would, maybe another day, but right now this mother of two has to earn a living!!

I'm also doing a bit of product testing. If the glue sells then I will stock more and if this craft felt is crafty and textiley enough then I will add this to my shop.



This is a lovely bundle of ....well loveliness.

I've used the Gutermann Textile Glue here....

 

.......and here. Good for fiddely projects!

Monday 4 July 2011

A Few New Bags and My Mum's Vintage Button Collection

Oh yes vintage buttons.....let me show-



My mum gave me these buttons almost 20yrs ago and she had them for a long time before that. Let me tell you that my mum was a bit of a trend setter in her day, living in London during the 60's and going to art college. FAB! So I've always imagined that these buttons would be able to tell a few interesting stories.

Sometimes I've kept these beauties in a box or a jar, I've stored them away and I've had them on show. I've always admired them and also been curious by them. Just recently I took another good look at them and found myself wanting to use them in my textile work and designs. I'm not sure why I haven't done this already.......I think it's been a lack of confidence or maybe not wanting let some of them go.

However I have made a couple of cute clutches/purses and embellished them with my mum's buttons

 This pretty blue cornflower clutch is my favourite out of all the bags I have made recently. I love the HUGELY OVER SIZED turquoise button- this is what I call perfection.
My bag is for sale here-
 http://www.etsy.com/listing/77154492/handmade-clutch-in-cornflower-blue-and


I think perhaps it is also a matter of patience and waiting until the right fabric or even design idea comes along!

All of my bags are for sale at http://www.etsy.com/shop/onceinthenorth

I think I will take some more pics of these lovely buttons to show them off!

By the way please ignore- spelling mistakes, puntuation, gobildeegoop....I caught the sun very badly yesterday and I'm starting to feel rubbish! I will correct any errors tomorrow.

  

Time to invest in a badge making machine

I heart my badge making machine.....my party favours bag!

Friday 1 July 2011

Foody Friday

I don't actually know why I've listing a number of button bags at http://www.etsy.com/shop/onceinthenorth2 with foody titles. Maybe its because I've built up an appetite working with children all afternoon. Or perhaps it's something to do with it being a fabulous Friday....who knows? Not me! It's probably because I just love eating-

  Nom! Nom! Ice- Cream lovelies  I've listed these buttons in bags of 30g and 100g. I've discovered that 30g button bags are my best sellers at craft fairs- not everyone wants a big bulky bag and that's why I've decided to list them in my shop. I really love the pastel sugaryness of these buttons.


I'm soooo proud of this photograph. It may only be a pic of buttons but I do wrestle with the camera as I'm no natural photographer. I've definitely captured the rich chocolate and coffee colours of this scrumptious button bag. I'm also selling these buttons in bags of 30g and 100g.

I think I will now go and enjoy some real food, I have made myself very hungry!