Haven't been getting too much done

I've been a bit swamped and overwhelmed by personal stuff and the ups and downs of daily living lately, so haven't gotten a lot done.

I have been listing new Czech glass buttons; and I think there's some real beauties in this last batch. :)

Also I've been in  a couple of treasuries, which makes me happy!   My paua shell buttons are included in this one: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c47c895525b6d91dddbd8c4/chat-regulars#4c4ebde42dfa8eefc1643f8f

and my blue and gold garland button was included here: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3f75c1f5eb8eef23e35221/a-blue-and-gold-banquet

and the moonglow collection was part of some great company here: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3563b533d58eef674a442b/a-colorful-chat

I'm really tickled that my buttons have gotten such good press so far. :)

Blogged down in the details

My new website is still being worked on.  There have been lots of little kinks and plenty of little tweaks I've needed to make.

I got delayed for a few weeks waiting for some information concerning taxes and how they're supposed to be charged.  Once I got that straightened out I still had to install the proper modules and make everything work.

I'm almost there now!  The virtual shelves are getting stocked and the clockworks is starting to tick. :)

I still have to work on the shipping charges and methods, and need to figure out a few more fine details, but...I should be up and ready for business in another week or two.

If you'd like to visit, the URL is http://yourbuttonshop.com/ and if you register for a new account you'll receive a coupon for a 15% discount on your first order of five dollars or more.  The coupon code can be used at Etsy; just include it in your "notes" when you pay with PayPal, or convo me with it when you order.

Help, the item is washable; but the button isn't

If a button isn't washable, but you want to use it on an item that is, there are several ways to be able to use it.

Buttons come with all kinds of care instructions, from "machine washable" to "dry clean only" to "don't even think about cleaning it".  I can't advise you much on the last one, other than to say that usually a little bit of rubbing with a dry tissue is probably good enough to remove most grime.

The problem of course, is how to use a natural wooden or glass button on a garment you want to be able to toss in the machine or have dry cleaned.  The button may not survive, and that makes it less appealing.

So, here's a few suggestions:

Wash by hand.   Most buttons can withstand a bit of water.  It's the rough action of the washing machine (or worse, the dryer) that causes the problem.  Glass buttons that get thrown against the agitator or the metal dryer walls will get nicked or broken.   So, washing the garment by hand in the sink, then line drying it will solve the problem.  Face it, most of us don't get our clothes filthy enough to require scrubbing, and if we did, we wouldn't want to put nice buttons on them anyway.

Cover them.  A little bit of aluminum foil to cover the buttons may help protect them from water damage, and dry cleaning fluids. A layer of paper toweling, bubble wrap, foam, quilt batting or similiar under the foil may also help by serving as padding in case of none-too-gentle treatment.  Afterward, just remove the materials and polish the button a bit with a tissue.

Don't sew them on.  A tiny safety pin instead of stitching will hold on most buttons.  It's invisible with most shanked buttons, but won't be too noticible on drilled ones.  After wearing, simply remove the buttons and have the garment cleaned.  For a more permanent fix, sew the button onto the back of the safety pin, making a thread shank. Then, attach to the garment before wearing.

   As a side note, this method has an advantage, especially for home sewists.  One set of nice buttons can be used on several garments.  If you reuse the same tried-n-true patterns, you can make up two or three of the same blouse (for example), then buy one set of buttons that will work for all three. 

In the case of wooden buttons that can't be soaked, dampen a cloth in a bit of water with a drop or two of wood soap like Murphy's, then just wipe them clean.  Cover (completely seal) them with aluminum foil and hand-wash the garment.

Horn buttons can also be cleaned with a damp cloth, but should not be immersed or left damp for very long.  A tiny bit of cooking oil on a tissue is usually the best way to clean them up and will give them a bit of polish.  Don't rinse the oil off; just leave it to help seal the horn and keep out moisture.


If I think of or hear of any other good methods, I'll post them.  And if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them -just post a comment.  In the meantime, don't let finiky care instructions stop you from using and enjoying beautiful buttons. :)

Making Progress!

The shopping cart is installed!  I still have to change the color scheme and add my logo, make sure the security certificate is installed and working properly, add products and work out the final drafts of my shipping & returns policies.   I don't have a merchant account for credit cards any more, and don't know if I want to spend the $$ to get one.... It was an expensive hassle last time that never really made any money for me.  But, things have changed and maybe I need to look into doing it again.  In the meantime, PayPal payments will be the way to go for a while.

Hair lacer using buttons

More buttons on Etsy and a few more ready to list. :)  And more coming in the mail, too.

I promised to keep adding more uses for mismatched buttons, so here's a new one. :)

Hair Lacer:
You'll need
-a length of cord or ribbon twice as long as the finished lacer, and the finished lacer needs to be as long as your ponytail. 
-one shanked button for every two inches of the lenth of the finished lacer, plus two more to tie at the bottom.
-a ponytail holder (no metal).

Fold the cord or ribbon in half, and put the folded edge through the ponytail holder to make a loop.  Then, hold the two ends together, and put them through the cord loop.  Pull tight around the ponytail holder.

Choose the order your buttons will be in, and draw both ends of the cord together through each shank. 

Tie each end around one of the bottom buttons. 

Now, you have a ponytail holder with a doubled length of cord attached, and buttons that slide  along it's length.  The ends seperate at the bottom to two more fixed buttons.

To wear it, slide all the buttons to the bottom.  Pull your hair into a ponytail, and put in the ponytail holder.  Then, grab the cords of the lacer, and cross them under the ponytail holder.  Slide up a button, and cross the cords again.  Keep that up 'till you've slid up the last button, and wrapped the whole ponytail.  Then grab the two bottom buttons and tie a knot under the last sliding button. 

If that's too confusing, let me know, and I'll take some pictures to post.

Yourbuttonshop.com

Yourbuttonshop.com is my new domain. :)  I'll be installing a shopping cart, taking photographs of products, working out all the details and getting ready to open over the next few days.

With a little bit of luck, by this time next week it will be open for business.  The inventory might be a little slim at first, but it won't be long and it will be the place to go for buttons of all kinds and descriptions.

I hope to see you all there. :)

Movin' up and Shippin' Out

I've seen the handwriting on the wall at Etsy, and believe I'm wasting my time there.  I love the community, love browsing the other stores, and enjoy reading the forums and scrolling through the treasuries.  But...I intend to build a business, and see pretty clearly that I can't rely on Etsy to help me do that. 

So...I've registered a couple of domains, and will be building a shopping cart and preparing to list my items "out in the wilds" of the internet, untamed and unnetworked.

In the meantime, here's some magnificent buttons for you to admire:

Moonglow buttons

I have no idea where the name comes from, but it's certainly appropriate.  Some of them really do glimmer just like moonlight.  They're usually small, and romantical and when I see them I always think "teddy bear jewelry". 

Moonglows are made of glass poured into forms just like Czech glass.  But a thin layer of clear glass is poured first, then allowed to cool.  Sometimes the clear glass is painted so the surface can be any color.  Finally,  more glass -either clear or colored- is poured to fill the mold.  

Black moonglows are popular.  The first layer of clear glass is painted,  then black glass is poured on top so the back of the button is black.  They look like black metal, and the painted surface really glitters and shines.  They're really beautiful, they can be worn with almost anything, and jewelry or other items made from them are real works of art.

Use moonglow buttons for anything other buttons can be used for, but don't let them go into the washing machine.  The outter glass is very thin and will break easily.  Also, be careful not to drop them; the outter edge of all glass buttons are easily nicked and cracked. 

Shopping venues

As I said in an earlier post, I've chosen Etsy for a venue because I like the community and enjoy being around like-minded people.  However...I'm starting to think that it's a great place to set up shop, but a poor place for selling things.

So, I'm in the midst of building a new shopping cart and will move my "base of operations" to my own domain when it's ready to go.  In the meantime, I'll keep the Etsy shop and move my inventory back-n-forth as it seems prudent.  If it's raining, I'll be sure to have umbrellas in both locations, but most of the time I'll keep the majority of my current stock on my new site.

If sales on Etsy improve then I'll revisit this decision, and tweak things as I go to make the most of the circumstances.

In the meantime, I have some beautiful moonglow buttons to sell...I'll be listing them in the shop over the next few days, as I get everything catalogued and pictures taken.

Fugly buttons need love, too

Last post, I talked about what to do with buttons.  But most of what I said really only applies to pretty buttons.  The kind you want to flaunt and are willing to wear to work or church.

But what about their homely cousins?  Here's a couple of uses for ugly buttons:

Paint them!  Wash them thoroughly with dishwashing liquid to remove all traces of oil or grime, then paint them.  A flat coat of black or white will help subsequent coats adhere better, but wait 'till it's completely dry before starting the second coat.  You don't have to be an artist; just dripple and dauble and splash around.  Use acrylics for plastic or glass, but enamel (like Testors©) works better for metal.

Alternatively, glue a collection of uglier buttons around a picture frame, then paint the whole thing.  The buttons will add an interesting texture to the frame without distracting from the art or photo inside.

Use them for little "feet" on the bottoms of nice things you don't want scratched up. I have several old glass perfume bottles with finishes that are getting scruffy.  The bottoms get wet in my bathroom, then the coatings wear off when they're moved around and scooted over the countertops.  I plan to glue a small button to the bottom of each one to help keep it dry.
Bigger buttons might also work for feet on handbags that don't have any.  I detest putting my bag on a table in a restaurant or having to set it on the floor...even a little protection from who-knows-what is better than none.

Weights.... A few heavier buttons can be sewn into the hemlines of lighter weight clothing to help keep them down where they belong in windy weather or when static builds up.

I'll post some more of these in the future.  In the meantime, no button should ever end up in a landfill.  They can be endlessly recycled, and should be.  A beautiful button from a wedding dress can next be used on a Christening gown, then a prom dress, and serve as part of several costumes and dresses in the meantime.  So consider beautiful buttons to be a potential family heirloom, and invest in good ones that you will love; then find uses for them.  They belong where they can be seen, used and enjoyed; not in the bottom of a box or a jar out in the shed (although I'm guilty of both).

Beautiful buttons! What do you do with them?

I've been asked at least twice in person what I do with all my buttons.  And that makes me believe others wonder, too.

What, exactly, can a person do with a hundred buttons that don't match?  Well...here's a couple of ideas; and I'll add more every few days.  I'm sure if you set your imagination to it, you'll come up with hundreds more. :)

Crazy quilts:  Fantastical art made with bits of silk, velvet and quilter's cottons all stitched to a backing of muslin and covered with embroidery and embellished with buttons, beads, buttons, lace, buttons, bits of rickrack and ribbons.  The finished works are absolutely gorgeous, and can either be displayed as-is or used as the "fabric" for other projects.  Crazy quilts can be cut up and made into handbags, clothing, bedding or whatever else fabric can be used for.

Jewelry: Many buttons are beautiful enough to wear as jewelry.  Just grab a button pin and you have an instant brooch.  Metal ones can often be welded to create barrettes and other jewelry.  The ones without shanks or with removable shanks can be set like cabacons and used just like beads.  Just picture an old cameo button surrounded by a few old brass or gold ones and wired or welded to a barrrette or a pin back, and you get the idea.  Alternatively, simply sew a collection on to something ready-made.  I have a fishing hat with a band I intend to cover with dozens of different buttons. It will be a fun, beautiful thing to wear this summer, and a walking advertisement for my shop. 

Or...just collect them.  Find a few really astounding beauties, pin them to some black velvet and put a wide frame around it -instant shadow box that will stop viewers in their tracks. :)

Friday night in a button store....

Is a strange place to be. ;)

I spent the evening looking through one of my embarrassingly full boxes of buttons.... A boot box with all kinds of buttons, little beads, buckles, snaps and oddments.  I was tossing stuff in there willy-nilly 'till it got pretty full.  Then I put the lid on, stashed it out of sight  and started filling another box.

While I was in there I found all kinds of pretties that I can resell.  Now, I'll clean each one of them and inspect it for damages.  If they're in good shape I'll move them into little bags to be photographed or scanned.  Once I have at least one good, clear picture they'll be listed for sale on Etsy.

If you'd like to see what has been found so far, visit me there: http://www.etsy.com/shop/RoadsideAttractions

Busy work

There's a lot of busyness in starting a business.  Finding your inventory amongst the thousands of choices, and then taking the plunge and buying it.  It's hard to plunk down the cold cash, knowing *some* of the lovely things you buy just won't sell.  And knowing there's alway nicer stuff, somewhere...that you won't be able to buy when you find it, because the money is gone.  Such is the nature of the beast.

Then, the bookkeeping....Everyone's favorite chore. Not! Finding an accounting program you think you can live with, then cursing it's limitations and trying to live with it's quirks...it's like an arranged marriage where you just don't have much to say and are only allowed to talk about approved subjects, in a tone of voice not your own.

But...there's the upsides.  There's opening the boxes and finding beautiful things!  Although, I admit, this comes with a bit of a downer when it sinks in that you cannot keep these beauties...they are destined for someone else's home, and someone else's clothing.  But that's only a momentary letdown and it's usually followed by a daydream of all you will do (and buy) when the whole venture becomes profitable.

Lastly, deciding how and where you will sell these devine creations.  I've chosen Etsy because:

I like the community better than eBay. Not that the eBay folks aren't friendly or anything, but Etsy is still much smaller so the whole group is more closely-knit.

I wanted to keep costs lower and setting up a domain and a website and secured shopping cart represented more investment.  If the whole thing fails I don't want to be in debt.

And finally, because I think the people there would appreciate what I have to offer.  While I plan to carry all kinds of buttons, I want to focus my efforts on gorgeous one of a kind and vintage pieces, so wanted a venue where that is understood and peopled by those who feel the same way.

Now I've done those things, and feel it's official.  My buttons are here, they are lined up for photographing and biographing, and ready to jump into little packages on the way to you, my customers. :)

Hello, World!

Okay...so that's not a very creative title.  Maybe I'll change it later.

On April 7, 2010 I officially entered the button bizness!  Yep, me...buying and selling buttons.  It only makes sense, considering how much I LOVE to sew.  I also love watercolor painting, art journaling, scrapbooking, gardening...okay, so I have a lot of loves.  And I'm doing my best to spend every moment of my spare time on them.... I've been thinking about this button bisiness for a long time, now.  It's been tickling the back of my brain and makin' me want to sneeze.  I'm always seeing odd lotments of buttons here and there that I like...I see the closeouts at my favorite stores, I see vintage buttons at yard sales, I see antique buttons at flea markets and in antique stores...and I see big tins of recycled buttons at thrift stores and such.  But, I rarely buy.  I look, I want a few, but...I don't want the rest.  And while I don't mind buying a bunch, I don't want to store them.  And being a sewing/fabric/button/craft addict, I just cannot throw them away.  That just isn't in my nature.  So...the seeds were planted long ago, and when the little voice just wouldn't be silenced anymore, I decided a button business was the only way to get a good night's rest.

And here I am.  I'm going to blog about the process now and then, and hope you'll enjoy reading enough to visit my store, buy a button or two, and generally enjoy the incredible world of buttons along with me.