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Wednesday 31 July 2013

Low button stocks

Look what someone has been making while I was on holiday


I think our stocks of buttons has gone down a bit!

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Hello wednesday - just add buttons


Don't you just LOVE wednesday's? Say hello to wednesday "hello wednesday" It's all downhill from now on to the weekend - yippee!!!

Hats.
Love them or hate them.

Thought about jazzing them up with buttons?


Looks like Mollie loves them - she wouldn't wear this hat until the buttons were added.

We used a selection of buttons from our Basics 2 Go range here
What fun.

 None of us are looking forward to the next 4 days, sickness has been banned.
Stock taking yuk! Wish us luck.


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WAREHOUSE CLOSED for stock taking 
Thursday 25th and Friday 26th JULY
NO ORDERS WILL BE DESPATCHED ON THESE TWO DAYS
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Wednesday 17 July 2013

Hello wednesday - lots and lots of chocolate


Don't you just LOVE wednesday's? Say hello to wednesday "hello wednesday" It's all downhill from now on to the weekend - yippee!!!

Sydney had her 8th birthday party a week early so that Tony and I could attend (we are still away ).
As a thank you I said I would make her birthday cake.
What did she want as a cake?.............................lots and lots of chocolate was her reply.


I think this hit the spot!

I must tell you - Syds party was on the hottest Saturday so far this year, the 5th July.
It was boiling hot, we had to transport the cake to the party.
Talk about a nightmare.
I put the cake in my foot well. 
Tony had the AC up so high, I told Syd I got frost bite on my toes!


This is the easiest cake I have ever made.  Does not even matter what the sponge cake looks like!

Victoria sponge, filled with jam.
Buttercream with extra milk added to make it slightly thinner then normal.
Lightly cover sides and top of cake with buttercream.
Add 2 fingers of Kit Kat at a time to sides of cake.

Tie ribbon around the Kit Kats I used 35mm satin here
Turquoise is Sydney's favourite colour

Fill the top the cake with M&M's and Smarties

Simple!

Syd loved it and her friends thought it was wicked.
I got an order for two more cakes!


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WAREHOUSE CLOSED for stock taking 
Thursday 25th and Friday 26th JULY
NO ORDERS WILL BE DESPATCHED ON THESE TWO DAYS
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Monday 15 July 2013

Syd's day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
SYDNEY

8 today.

I believe this is the first photo I shared of Sydney - March 2009 she was only 3.
We had spent the afternoon crafting together making the flowers for Bev.

Sydney and I still craft as much as we can together.
It made me very proud to see she was wearing her button necklace to her Birthday party.

Have a great day Sydney, sorry to be missing your special day.

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 I do not normally tell you when I go away, I just make sure I have lots of posts lined up.
But...............

This time I am away for TWO WHOLE weeks, all together!
A HOLIDAY - not away for shows.
Tony and I sneaked away last week.

I have a couple of Hello Wednesday for you, otherwise I will see you after our stock take!

Have a great time


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WAREHOUSE CLOSED for stock taking 
Thursday 25th and Friday 26th JULY
NO ORDERS WILL BE DESPATCHED ON THESE TWO DAYS
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Friday 12 July 2013

Ribbon and Button Jewellery - Brooches



Brooches - fun and funky!

I had no idea how much fun wearing a brooch could be. 
My red button heart brooch that I made for Hello Wednesday last week has been amazing. 
People stop me in the street to ask where I got it!!!

This brooch was designed by Mollie aged 4!


Mollie picked the buttons she wanted to use, told me where to put them on the brooch pin.
She held one set of the pliers to help close the split rings, while I held the other.

Then she decided it needed a ribbon, so she went off down the aisles to pick the one she wanted!
She choose a seam binding here, I tied the bow for her.
Mummy is wearing it with pride.

I love the way she has doubled up the square button with the round flower one.

I would like to tell you which set of buttons Mollie used, BUT we keep them in tubs on a long shelf in the warehouse.
Mollie has worked out that if she pulls up a chair, she can go through all the tubs selecting her own buttons!
She has therefore used buttons from here  

If Mollie can make a brooch so can you. Here is some more inspiration.

 

I made this set while on an exhibition stand one day.  I get bored of demo-ing the same thing,
so making something from scratch is fun.


We made this flower brooch for the themed button flower week here


Make a statement with this ribbon brooch, tutorial can be found here

And do not forget my heart brooches


Find out more about them here

Laura made this rose brooch


Read how she made it here

We hope you have enjoyed our ribbon and button jewellery journey,
from rings to ear rings, necklaces to bracelets and finally brooches.
WE have!

The little ones have really enjoyed it, fancy being able to craft at their age.

Lets hope it is going to be a fantastic hot weekend - maybe you will try a little jewellery making in the sun or shade!

 
 
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WAREHOUSE CLOSED for stock taking 
Thursday 25th and Friday 26th JULY
NO ORDERS WILL BE DESPATCHED ON THESE TWO DAYS
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Thursday 11 July 2013

Ribbon and Button Jewellery week - Bracelets

I think I could be the queen of bracelets.
I never used to wear them, but after my op on my thumb last August I was left with (what I thought) was a nasty scar on my wrist.
Bracelets came to my rescue, I layer them up, two or three at a time.
I love the way they move up and down my wrist - they make me smile!
So here we go, bracelet time with buttons and ribbons.
This is Seam Binding! Honest.
I wanted a vintage natural look for this bracelet,
so after going up and down our ribbon aisles for a while, dismissing all the bright ribbons.
I ended up in the seam binding section, ummmm nice colours but a little wide?
Not at all, it threaded through a normal needle, so it went through the buttons like a dream!
Find this cashmere seam binding here, and the vintage buttons here
Go on have a play with ribbons and buttons, make a bracelet and have fun jangling all day! 
Here is a little more inspiration
I made this for a Hello Wednesday project here
Laura also used seam binding to make this

Read more here
Laura loves her Neon ribbons and made this stunning bracelet

Details here
I just love this bracelet Laura made (I want one!)

Read how she did it here, buttons can be found here
I hope we have your taste buds a popping today............
......go on.........
....do a little bit of jewellery making.
You only need ribbons and buttons!

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WAREHOUSE CLOSED for stock taking 
Thursday 25th and Friday 26th JULY
NO ORDERS WILL BE DESPATCHED ON THESE TWO DAYS
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Wednesday 10 July 2013

Ribbon and Button Jewellery week - Necklaces


 
Oooooh we love button necklaces and what better than using ribbons to string them
So you have guessed that necklaces are in the spotlight today,
and do we have some fantastic creations for you.
 
I have been wanting to make one of these dotty and stripe button necklaces for ages, but all my split rings were too small.
After a shopping trip with the girls the other week I found larger sized ones.
 
 
I used the spotty here and stripe here buttons.
It looks really great on as well. 
 
 
 Boy did I have trouble getting it off of Rachie, I only asked her to wear it while I took a few pics.
This jewellery has been a true family affair, Mollie caught the bug and made me this for me.
 
 
 
Which I wore to a party on Saturday.
It matched my outfit.....well apart from the lime green, turquoise and orange buttons!!
 
 
The smile on Mollies face when she saw me wearing it was amazing.
Mollie used 3mm sheer ribbon here and as many buttons as she could find from here.
We have made ribbon and button jewellery before......
 
 
 
Lots of buttons from here
 
 
 
Just add glass beads to 10mm sheer ribbon here
 
 
 
Plastic hearts added to our 10mm sheer swiss dots here
 
 
Janet crocheted buttons to make her necklace.
 
 
Laura shows you how to make this stunning choker here
 
 
And Kate has reached for the stars to make this beauty. 
She used the buttons here read all about it here
 
Cor....if this little lot has not inspired you to make a necklace,
I am not sure we will ever be able too!
Have a great day
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WAREHOUSE CLOSED for stock taking 
Thursday 25th and Friday 26th JULY
NO ORDERS WILL BE DESPATCHED ON THESE TWO DAYS
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Tuesday 9 July 2013

Ribbon and Button Jewellery week - Ear Rings



So you liked our rings yesterday, got you a little inspired.

Today ear rings are the star.

If you want to make something to sell at a craft event or a school table then these ideas could be for you.


Two polka dot buttons here, 2 silver plated stud earing findings, some glue and a brown gift tag for display.
Total cost = 49p
How much could you sell these for?

I put a little stitch in mine to look like a button, but they work well without.

Or how about these


You just need two pairs of jewellery pliers to open and close the split rings.

Why not add a few extra buttons from our Basics 2 Go range here


Laura has stacked her buttons to create an ombre effect.


Read more here

Cebelica has joined pearls and ribbon together to create her design.


Find details here

 Kate, one of our new design team members created these fun sunflower ear rings.


Read about these ear rings here

If you have started your Christmas crafting and need a prezzie idea then Laura may have come to your rescue.


Find out Laura's secrets here

Phew that was a lot of different styles. 
You could have a different pair of button and ribbon ear rings for every event now.

Why not spend the afternoon in the garden playing with ribbons and buttons.


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WAREHOUSE CLOSED for stock taking 
Thursday 25th and Friday 26th JULY
NO ORDERS WILL BE DESPATCHED ON THESE TWO DAYS
****************

Monday 8 July 2013

Ribbon and Button Jewellery week - Rings



Thanks for joining us today and hopefully the rest of the week. 
We have some super fun creations for you, not only made by me but also my little crafting family. 
Our design team have also given me links to their creative jewellery using ribbons and buttons.

So hold on tight, we have a roller coaster of ideas.  Five days of jewellery magic with ribbons and buttons.

Lets start today with rings.


Amazing when you think these rings are made from humble Ric rac!

Just take two lengths of ric rac about 50cm long.


Weave them together so they interlock.
I have used two different colours so you can see how they interlock.


It does twist a little, so pull it to straighten it.

Once all 50cm is interlocked, start at one end and roll around.


Secure with a spot of hot glue to hold it together as you roll it around.
Keep going until you are happy with the shape.
Secure loose ends on the back of the rose.
Stick the ric rac rose to a ring base.

They look stunning to wear!


You can find some stunning ric rac colours here

We have more ideas.......


Laura made this delightful Dragonfly ring, details are here


Cebelica made this charming black and silver ring, read more here.

Enjoy the wonderful hot weather, my office is at the top of the warehouse, under the metal roof.
It is always the warmest room, never a complaint from me..............
......today I have had to open the window, after clearing the cobwebs!!