Showing posts with label Button Swap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Button Swap. Show all posts

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Button Swap Blog Hop !!

I want to thank Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio for putting together the Button Swap!! I have been wanting to use buttons in my designs for a long time and knew I would have to "stretch" to come up with a design or two for the swap. Plus, I get to meet many wonderful jewelry artists and see how they've incorporated buttons into their designs - definitely a win-win!! Thank you, Gracias, Mahalo, Merci!!

I received these buttons from Dana of Dana's Jewelry Design back in mid-April - she's an amazing artist and jewelry designer.



I must admit, after I took these pictures I didn't really think about the Button Swap. I've kept extremely busy (not hard to do with four boys!) to keep my mind off the fact that my biggest cheerleader, our family "rock", is no longer with us. I was even able to see my sisters TWICE since I received the buttons - my sisters live in New Hampshire and California and I'm in Ohio, but we made it happen!

Last weekend, we were in Alexandria, VA cleaning up my Mom's condo where I found a box of chandelier findings - I love that they're in a Godiva box, Mom sure loved her chocolate! I knew I had found the perfect piece to make a necklace with the mother of pearl button, but I still wasn't able to sit still long enough to start on my pieces until this past Thursday - nothing like a little pressure!!



I used the beautiful mother of pearl button (which has two different sides), a chandelier drop, 22g non-tarnish wire, Czech glass pearls, Swarovski silver shade cosmic rings and the last of my vintage chain. Here is the result - I really like how it looks with either the  side of the button showing!




Next, I wanted to make a necklace using the windmill button because I have a lovely friend from the Netherlands and wanted to make a necklace that reminded me of her. At first, I wanted to go with blue and white like the Delft pieces she's given me, but went in another direction - she can light up a room and rocks the color pink!!

I made a couple of "practice" necklaces and, in cutting the wire off the button, I accidentally cut of the little connector piece on the back - that was definitely an AAAHHHHHH moment! After my initial panic, I grabbed my sons Dremel and went back to work!!



I used the windmill button, a Chinese marquise pink drop, Swarovski bicones, copper ring and recycled sari silk yarn. This is a fun necklace to wear - I like the loose tendrils from the sari silk yarn!



Just for fun, I made magnets with some of my grandmothers buttons. I can remember my sisters and I playing with these buttons when we were kids. The brown button is covered in leather, the green button is from my grandmothers jacket and the lovely mother of pearl button looks faceted. I made a set for my sisters, too - they are sweet reminders of our past.



I'll be spending my day month hopping around the Button Swap - here's the list to enjoy all of the beautiful designs:


 Kim Roberts and Partner unable to participate at this time.
Pam Ferarri and Stefanie Teufel (will share their reveal on a later date)
Stefanie Teufel and Pam Ferarri (will share their reveal on a later date)

Monday, April 16, 2012

My Buttons Arrived !!

I received my package of buttons on Saturday from Dana of Dana's Jewelry Design - she's an amazing artist and jewelry designer with many fabulous jewelry tutorials -you should check them out!!

Here is a picture of the package she sent, before I opened it:


Here are the lovely buttons inside:


I received a mother of pearl, a vintage brass windmill, a fun ceramic and black square buttons. A great selection of buttons and I have lots of ideas for them!! Come back on May 13 to check out the creative designs from all of the Button Swappers!