A Simple Card

I had posted on my facebook page that this pack of buttons called "Flowers for Hope" would be great to use for card-makers or scrap-bookers.

Well they are - a sweet and simple little card

How easy it is give a handmade card these days.

Update:  I have just fixed the comment problem to allow anyone to make a comment (after moderation). My settings had somehow reverted back to needing a specific account before you could leave a comment.  My apologies to my followers that had tried to leave a comment.

Take care

Judy

Advance Notice - Leeton Quilt Exhibition

The 2015 Leeton Quilt and Patchwork exhibition is only two weeks away.  To be held on the weekend of the 23rd and 24th May at Madonna Place, Wade Avenue, Leeton

As well as all the wonderful quilts on display, there will be trade tables for you to be able to source fabric, BUTTONS, patterns and all the tools you need to help make your quilt.

I have been lucky enough to be invited to have a trade table, so Cat 'n Cart Crafts will be there with lots of buttons, Christmas, Tiny, Novelty, Wooden.

If you live local and you wish for me to bring something in particular for you, just leave a comment below and I will be happy to help

Judy

Finally Ready

The button boards are dusted, the buttons chosen, I am ready!

I have a trade table at the Murrumbidgee Country Quilters Quilt Exhibition at Griffith this weekend. It is always a dilemma trying to decide which items to take, however I am fortunate to live close enough that I can come home each evening, and restock if necessary.

Tomorrow is "setup" day, so a big day planned.  The quilters will be hanging their quilts and I will be trying to stay out of the way, while I set up my own display.

Details of the exhibition are as follows, taken from Griffith City Council's Events Calendar

Murrumbidgee Country Quilters Exhibition

The popular Bi-annual quilt exhibition hosted by the Murrumbidgee Country Quilters will showcase the talents of local fabric artists. Light refreshments including morning and afternoon tea will be available, along with patchwork products made by the members of the group. Local patchwork and craft suppliers will also be trading during the exhibition. The magnificent quilt raffle will be drawn on the day. Proceeds of the event will go to Post School Options.

Venue:    St Mary's Hall, Edon St, Yoogali via Griffith
Date:      Saturday 7th March & Sunday 8th March 2015
Tine:       9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Cost:       $5.00 entry
Contact:  Karen 6962 6960  or Annette  6962 5308

Hope to see you there
Judy

What am I doing?

Another "frump" day in the life of Cat 'n Cart Crafts - a perfect day for craft, cooler temperature, a little rain (which was very welcome) and what did I do?  NOTHING!

Is it the let down from the holidays?  Is any one else feeling it?  I cannot seem to get going!  not that I do not have a list of things I want to make, I just cannot seem to get started?

Maybe tomorrow? My sister Sue, is coming over to give me a card making lesson, definitely outside my comfort zone, but may be the kick start I need.  She makes all her cards, for every occasion and I am so envious.

See some examples here, here and here.   I love it when she uses products from my online store so that I can show examples of different uses of the products.

Here are a couple more examples, of her cards, using buttons and ribbon from my online store - I love the button embossing on the background of this card - I hope to use it a lot

Again using buttons, ribbon, twine and hessian from the store

Simple designs for me to start with. If I am not too embarrassed with my lesson tomorrow, I will show you my results, hey it is always good to look back and see how much we have improved, right?

I hope you have started your crafts for 2015

Judy

Nativity Hanging Tags

In my last post, I had a idea for a pack of Nativity themed buttons.  Add to the pack of buttons a packet of different sized paper tags and an easy project is under way - both the buttons and tags are available in store

 

                                                SB7473                                     DD1201-42

 

Just remove the shanks off the back of the buttons, I recommend this tool - BCG100 - Precision Diagonal Craft Cutter - they cut the shank off, flush to the back of the button.  They are also spring loaded, so there is no stress on your hands.

 

 

All you need to do now, is glue the buttons onto the paper tags.  Easy.  I joined two tags together for this hanger.  The small split rings used for jewellery were too small, so I used a small keyring to join the two.  They swing nicely on the tree.  If I was making another set of these tags, I would put Joseph on the other side of Mary, so that the hook is not on the inside .. funny how you see these little mistakes AFTER you have finished!

 

I used the lamb and angel buttons on the next tags, and also included a star/snowflake button, which I think works quite well

 

 

That just left the little donkey button - all on his own

 

 

Using any buttons, this would be a very easy project to share with your children.  The tags can then be hung on the tree or used to decorate your gifts.  Lots of fun

 

 

Until next time

 

Judy

Three More Button Tree Ornaments

As I had the buttons out yesterday to make the button ornament tags, I decided to make some more button tree hanging ornaments using different coloured buttons.

 

I changed the trunk style, instead of using brown buttons, I used:

 

1.  a small wooden spool

 

 

2.  a gold jingle bell

 

 

3.  a small silver liberty bell

 

 

This next photo shows the liberty bell base better

 

 

Each tree ended up a different size, and this just depends on the number of buttons you use - I really like the variety. 

 

The only difficulty is finding the right piece to place on top of the tree, the star beads work well although I would have like to have had something different on each.  I had many star and angel buttons, but I could not attach them to the top securely.  I had different coloured stars, so that ensured they are a little different from each other.

 

I have to warn you once you start making these little button trees, they are addicting, I loved making them

 

Because I had not set up a tree, I was having a problem trying to take photos of my new ornaments, Today I grabbed a small branch from the yard, and put it in a rusty bucket - just so that I can take these photos ... what do you think?  Nice and rustic!

 

 

I hope you have started making your Christmas tree decorations for this year?

 

Judy

 

 

 

 

 

Button Ornament Tags

Another easy Christmas tag for the children to make are these Button Ornament tags

 

Go through your button jar and find some cute flat buttons.  Place them on your tag in a pleasing position and then draw a line down to the button placement.  Remove your button(s) for a moment and hand draw a little ornament hanging loop, you can just see this above the button placement.  Now glue your button on, that's it!

 

I did colour in the ring reinforcement on my shipping tag as it was "white" and looked out of place,  I just used a black marker to colour it.

 

 

I am going to use these tags on my co-workers Christmas gifts this year.  I think they are even suitable for the men's' gifts.

 

 

I think I will make some more button trees while I have the buttons out.

Did I mention I LOVE BUTTONS!

 

Judy

Button Tree

I have only made one of these button trees (so far), but I want to make more - they were so easy, and look fantastic.  I certainly should have plenty of buttons to make more ...

 

All you require to make these are brown buttons (for tree trunk) and then a number of green buttons in diminishing sizes for the actual tree.  I used a star pony bead for the decoration on top.

 

I followed the basic instructions from this site Modern Minerals however I used jewellery wire for threading the buttons on, this made it very simple and was easy to thread through, and also gave a lovely sturdy hook for hanging.

 

 

 

I wonder what they would look like with different coloured buttons, worth a try?

 

Judy

Valentine's Buttons

It has been very quiet on the "craft" side of my life the last couple of weeks.  I must admit though my garden is looking good ... lots of hard manual work.

As Valentine's Day is just over a week away, I thought I would show some of the gorgeous button packs that are available in my online store ... what could you make with these?

BG4192 - Valentines Days

BG4039 - Love

BG4195 - Timeless Love

BG4194 - Words Of The Heart

BG4193 - Valentine Glitz

BG4127 - Red Hearts

Lots of other heart buttons are also available - check them out here

Do you sew / create for Valentine's Day?  What do you make?

Judy

Button Bookmarks

Are you seeing a familiar theme in my crafts this week?  They all use buttons and are inexpensive to make, and these bookmarks are no exception.

I purchased a pack of  75 mm paperclips from our local newsagent - 25 clips for $2.50

Gathered together a selection of buttons and punched 1" circles out of black card stock (no photo).

Then it was just a matter of gluing them all together - glue the button to the paperclip and then the black circle to the back to tidy things up.

Then as always, presentation is the key, so I created a little backing card for the bookmarks using Microsoft Word. 

The saying is not my own creation, it was amended from a saying I saw in a book."What to say, and how to say it"

These will be going into the store today, ideal to pop into a card this Christmas, for just $3.50 each

Judy

Cards with Button Embellishments

Examples of baby cards and a Christmas card using buttons from my store, created by my sister Sue

Merry Christmas card using a Theodore Cleave hand painted wooden button

Baby girl cards, using BG2143 -  Baby Girl flatbacks, BG301 - Baby Value Pack and DD1201-42 - Paper Tags with Aluminium rims

I am so lucky to be part of a large talented family, who all enjoy a variety of crafts which also include cooking and gardening.

Judy

BaZooples 3D Childrens Buttons

New range of buttons added to the online store, this is what has been keeping me from my craft studio!
Three boxes of buttons to price and upload ... 1/2 way there.

I have fallen in love with these BUTTONS GALORE-BaZooples Buttons. Created by popular designer Vicki Schreiner; BaZooples are a loveable assortment of hand-dyed 3D zoo animals buttons that have their own personalities. Imagine them on your children's clothes?  They would also look great on your scrapbooking cards ... I will have to get my sister to make a sample card, hint!

Enjoy
Judy