I'm Stuffed!

I've been playing around with some of our designs and making them into softies and rattles. Today I was working with our Dino friend. It wasn't as straightforward as it looked because the 2D design needed some tweaking to take it to 3D. There were several trials which have since been adopted by the Little Buttons. No challenge, I am sure, for the doyenne of softie making but it kept me busy for most of the day.

At the end of it all, I agreed with Heidi the Dino. I was stuffed and needed a snooze in the shade, too!

One Cheeky Monkey

This little fellow has only had a couple of market outings to date but every time he heads out, he's snapped up quick smart! Will is our cheeky monkey. He's the one who has found mischief, had a blast and escaped long before you've even realised what he's been up to! I like the azure shirt as often the options for boys tend to be the standard navy/white and red (which I am also quite fond of!). It's just nice to offer some variety for the little fellas. I also get a buzz out of using textured fabrics like chenille and buttons and other embellishments as it is a great way to encourage descriptive language in the smalls eg. The monkey has rough/fluffy/furry hair. His nose is shiny and round. Once an Early Childhood Teacher, always an Early Childhood Teacher!

I've quite recently made a girly version of this for Molly. She has a fetching ric rac bow on the side of her head! I'm not sure how well she'll go but it suits my girl down to the ground. I like to team Will's shirt with a pair of brown shorts from Nan's Garden. I'm also keeping my eye on the goodies from Miriam at Mimmis and Bubba Chenille so I can snap up a pair of shorts in a chocolate chenille.

Handmade Heaven is closing down while Liesa awaits the birth of her new bub. It will be reopening online shortly and our Monkey mate will be one of the new designs available in the online store. Our remaining stock in Handmade Heaven has been reduced to 50% to make way for fresh new designs. Snap up a bargain over here. Lots of other goodies also on sale.

My Creative Space

Is a bit crazy at present. Lots of orders to fill and markets to prepare for, but, amongst all that a special custom order for a handsome lad. Paddy's Christmas concert was on Friday. He wanted an elf on a yellow shirt...one of his favourite colours. This was a collaboration. Paddy drew his elf, I transferred the design to some fabrics he chose and finished it on the shirt. He was as proud as punch and there was absolutely no chance we wouldn't spot him amongst his classmates.

You can pop in here if you want to see some other creative spaces, I'm running a bit late with mine but masses of other folk were more organised!

Clearing the Cobwebs and Karlas

During my recent stint of full time teaching, Button Central descended into a bit of a cesspool! No, I'm not just saying that...it really was quite a tip. I literally had to ask people to step over the boxes and market goods as they made their way into the house and finding them a place to sit involved wild sweeping movements across the couch to remove miscellaneous bits and then a fair amount of toe poking to shove the stuff from the top of the couch underneath the couch so the guest had somewhere to put their feet. I don't function well in mess...it makes me dither.

Yesterday, after a family outing I press ganged the Buttons into action and we had a major clean up, a bit of furniture reorganisation and a big toss out. Order restored, I lit the nice candles and cut some Lemon Myrtle branches for the vases. It lifted the literal and the imagined cobwebs and I felt ready for action so I tackled the Made for Me towel order list. I've cut out all but 3 of the names for the girl towels and tonight I'm starting on the boys.

I even squeezed in a bit of train track building along the front verandah with the two Littlest Buttons. As they were busy tootling along the tracks, I noticed a visitor in one of our trees. She'll probably move tonight but today she was lovingly spied upon and chatted to. Will is very fond of 'Karlas' so I'm hoping she picks another one of our trees to munch tomorrow.

Flea Market Finds

These beauties didn't come from a flea market, they were a gift from the very kind neighbours across the road, so I hope we still qualify! The little girl who used to play with these treasures is now in her middle years of high school and they've been gathering dust.

Today they came to our house and after a family working bee they are happily ensconced in the cubby just waiting for Little Buttons to whip up all kinds of gastronomic marvels! They were made to order by a couple who used to frequent the local markets about 12years ago. They are in near perfect condition and are obviously built to last. What lucky Little Buttons!

For some fair dinkum Flea Market Finds, visit Sophie, here.

My Creative Space

This week my creative space is about how a little idea can stay with you and evolve over time. When I was a lass, I had a bit of a thing for Noah's Ark...I worked a few cross stitched pieces and collected lots of plates and embroideries on the theme and as I collected them I always had a notion to use them in a nursery one day. When I was pregnant with my eldest son, I made a Noah's Ark, patchwork, cot, quilt using this little guy to complete the nursery. When the twins came along, the quilt became a wall hanging and my little friend turned up in a canvas.

In a side note, I do hope the twins understand that although they have a very basic, appliquéd animal, blanket (made whilst on compulsory bed rest), it is the mothering equivalent of a patchwork quilt for the firstborn child. I'd hate to think I've created some sort of in utero sibling rivalry requiring hours of counselling. Perhaps I should get started on a couple more quilts just in case.

Recently, he has been revamped, texturised with chenille goodness and modified to be a Cute as Buttons design. I wonder what he'll look like in another seven years? For infinitely more creative doings, pop over and visit Kirsty at Kootooyoo.

Thought for Thursday

Do ordinary things with extraordinary love.

Mother Teresa

When I wander through blogland, I find so many examples of this sentiment. I know when I make from love I am always prouder of the results...I even think the photographs I take in love turn out so much nicer!

Mr Button getting a bit of love because he found a new playground.

This post prompted my choice of quote for today. How loved is that little poppet? There's more love here, and here, and here.

What ordinary things did you do with love, today?

P.S. I've decided to be a bit more relaxed about using photos of my children on the blog. It'll be fine - won't it?

Saying Goodbye

It's been a little while between posts because there have been other more pressing things happening in our part of the world. We've been saying goodbye to my Uncle John. I've told you about him before. He was a clever, clever man who worked hard and overcame quite a few obstacles to make a happy and successful life. He pursued his dream to be a carpenter and then his skill and attention to detail saw him become a gifted joiner and restorer. He was most proud of the work he did in restoring Lilyvale Cottage at the Rocks in Sydney, the restoration of the Australian National Maritime Museum, making some of the furniture for the Senate Chambers in the new Parliament House in Canberra, and the restoration of the lifts in the Queen Victoria building in Sydney. He restored his house in Homebush, made beautiful gifts for his family and friends and was a perfectionist in all that he did.

He was the ninth person in Sydney to receive a cochlear implant in his forties and once he had it, he really worked to improve and clarify his speech and make good use of this amazing technology. On the 22nd of August, his sister will receive an award on his behalf, because of his commitment to, and pursuit of, what was quite an adventurous procedure twenty years ago. His family ties were very strong and as our children came along, it was funny to see this confirmed bachelor embracing another generation. He passed away on a bushwalk with his Bushwalking Association and it is comforting to think that the last things he saw were his much loved Australian landscape.

Each day, when I look at the beautiful, chip carved, Celtic clock he made us for our wedding gift, I will remember him. Each year, when I hang the Christmas garland he carved for us, I will tell my Little Buttons some more stories about him. When I think about him, I will smile, because I believe he led a life well lived.

Tuesday Treasures...just a touch late.

Thanks for thinking of this little game, Clare. I love looking at your treasures and this week I am going to share one of mine. My Godfather and his wife made this for Mr Button and I when we were married. We repainted the hallway just before our twins were born and it has been languishing in the spare room waiting to be reinstated on our wall. Shamefacedly and sotto voce she admits that the twins turn 3 in August. When I found it today I did indeed greet it like a lost treasure!

It's a framed version of a song called Five Little Pennies and has five highly polished Australian pennies along the side. I'm fairly certain Uncle Kev used to do a fair rendition of the Danny Kaye version of the song at family BBQs but you can listen to it here.

It's a treasure because of the time Uncle Kev spent sourcing pennies and scientifically trialling the best means of polishing them to such a glossy finish.

It's a treasure because of the time my Aunty Marg devoted to mastering clip art and word processing!

It's a treasure because it is a beautiful wish to make for a couple as they start their life together.

It's a treasure because it was given with great love!

My Creative Space

This week marked 100 days of Year 1 for the biggest button. We were asked to dress the centenarians in appropriate attire for the occasion. Whilst Paddy had grand plans for us to sew 100 buttons on a shirt, I managed to sell him on the idea of an appliqued 100 and a bit of legalised graffiti with a 'stain' pen. For clarification on the term 'stain' pen check out this previous post. 'Stain' pens are a highly valued piece of merchandise in the Button household and are currently kept under lock and key for reasons best explained in that post!

My creative space has also been full of lots of these:

in readiness for The Handmade Expo, this weekend, at the Ipswich Turf Club.

Now, if I manage to do something a bit more creative with these:

before Saturday, our new range of Cute as Button tote bags will also be available for purchase. Probably best if I leave things here for the week, the fingers are twitching to get started!

To see the creative worlds of other wonderful folk, pop over to visit Kirsty at Kootoyoo.

My Creative Space

Laminated cellophane cut into beakers and test tube shapes as party decorations.

This week my creative space belongs to my sister but I was hanging about the place for some of the goings on so feel that I have some claim to the space if not the creativity! I told you about the Mad Scientist Party she planned for her 8yr old son. It was a great day and a stroke of genius, in my opinion. A party posse of 8yr old boys can be a formidable sight, but, Professor Sumner V kept them happily occupied with the requisite amount of controlled mess, goop slinging and competitive game playing.

Nanny Button sourced many white business shirts from the local op shops to create lab coats for the guests which offered some protection as they hunted in goop to find rocks and spell out a word.

Followed the clues to determine which animals to rescue from the Gelli Baff.

Made and tested paper planes to decide which was the fastest model.

Explored the box of mystery.

And finished with a nail biting relay of volcano exploding.

She planned it down to the last detail and did a fantastic job which is a jolly, good, thing, because her almost 7yr old nephew/godson just told me what he wants to do for his birthday. Luckily for me, I know a scientist who is looking for a new gig!

To explore many more creative spaces, pop over to Kootoyoo and visit Kirsty, the happy, host of this game.

Be Back Soon

Yesterday was a great day at The Handmade Expo. Lots of customers wandering through and my favourite addition to the stallholders - Jeff and his woodfired pizzas! Happily, Micky assures me he will be back next month. The new tractor and train designs rolled out the door so quickly I wasn't organised enough for a photo. I'll try to snap a few this week.

It will be a bit quiet around these parts until the end of the week. We are packing up the buttons and dog and heading to my Mum's place for some country style R & R. It is also my nephew's birthday so we are going to be part of the shenanigans. His Mum has organised a Mad Scientist party which will be a hoot. Happy Birthday Dom, my beautiful godson! May your year ahead be joyful and blessed.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend and if you are on school holidays, RELAX!

Flea Market Finds

My Flea Market Finds cost the princely sum of $2 at a school Trash 'n' Treasure market. There has been a great deal of familial debate as to the purpose of the items. Mr Button assumed they were an abstract table ornament of some kind and was surprised to learn they were just resting on the table en route to the sewing room. The 6yr old button thought they were a small clothesline for the dolls.
The female, 2yr old, button thought it was some kind of bubble wand.

The male, 2yr old, button recognised the potential of those clips and proceeded to snap all and sundry whilst making wild, crocodile noises.

Of course, I am sure you've worked out that with a coat or two of white paint, these will make excellent displays for hair ties and hair clips on the Cute as Buttons market table.

For more Flea Market Finds, visit Sophie over here.

Didn't We Have A Lovely Day?

Thank goodness it is a Public Holiday in my neck of the woods today. Yesterday was a wonderful, completely exhausting day and we needed a little bit of recovery in the form of a long weekend. It was the Kids and Pets Big Day Out at the Boutique Markets at Hamilton. Quite literally, every man and their dog was there to join in the fun. Mr Button, the Little Buttons and Nanny Button also came along. The petting zoo was a hit and so were the crazy antics of the balloon, bending man. We were also lucky enough to be beside Marcus the guidedog who was patted and admired often and well by the young and old alike.

Part of the programme for the day was a fashion parade. We tried to prepare the little ones for the event by chatting about what would happen. We practiced walking down the red carpet when no one was watching. We got ready with time to spare so no one was rushed or stressed. We were somewhere in the middle of the pack so they could watch and see what they needed to do. Leasl announced it was our turn. Two of the Little Buttons sashayed their way down the carpet with big smiles, but, the third was nowhere to be found. Will decided to take to his heels and was found in the dressing tent stripping himself to his nappy. It would seem some of us are just not meant to be in the spotlight!

Image: Renee

Happily, we did manage to get some clothes on him a bit later. He even made a brief appearance on the red carpet albeit to kiss one of the canine models. My crew stayed around to help me pack up and thanks to a brief tutorial from Jules of Earthly Jewels, Mr Button has now mastered the art of dismantling a marquee. This is a skill I intend to put to great use. It really was a lovely, happy, day!

Flea Market Finds and Family Time

We've just spent a very happy day at my Mum's place in the country. She is, without doubt, the best Flea Market Finder around town and she had a stash of d'oyleys for me to bring home so that I could wash them and give them a new life on some Cute as Buttons clothes.

I won't be using these for Cute as Buttons but we couldn't pass them up as they were just the kind of thing my Nin used to make out of the nylon ribbon that coathanger covers used to be made from. I think she used a loom of some kind and I remember many and varied versions of the basic pattern being made into lipstick purses, toilet roll covers and of course, d'oyleys just like these. They'll go into my linen cupboard after a little TLC.

There was also a gorgeous, squishy dolly for Miss Molly which I shall have to photograph some other time as Mary the doll was far too busy being loved to pose for a photoshoot!

My Mum and Dad built their house on property that was always passed down to the eldest son in each generation in my Dad's family. Our house was built adjacent to the house block where my great, great grandparents lived and the first photo is of some lillies which bloom around the base of the old tank stand whenever we have some wet weather. I love it that these little flowers lie waiting for just enough moisture to pop up and share their beauty. Not strictly a flea market find but I quite like the shot and it is in keeping with the idea of appreciating and finding new beauty in things that once were!

For more Flea Market Finds, please visit Sophie at Her Library Adventures. Many thanks, Sophie for the chance to join in the fun.

Hello Out There

Hello and welcome to the new followers out there. Hello and THANKS A BUNCH to the old followers who have been patiently awaiting this post. Before I launch into a very image heavy recap of the last couple of weeks, I would love some advice on juggling. No, not the small ball kind (although that would probably win me big Brownie points in the Prep classrooms this week) but,

Blogging/Facebook/Crafting/Marketing/PARENTING/Day Job (ie. odd bits of relief teaching when Mr Button can be home to mind the wee folk)/Finding time to cover grey hair, trainingwith the Mad Exercise

Fiend

Friend, waxing legs,

kind of juggling. Really, how do you do it? All advice gratefully received and happily acknowledged! I've noticed a few of us having this conversation of late so I am eager to hear from the wise women and men who are part of our world.

It's been a busy but delightful couple of weeks, the Mothers Day Boutique market was loads of fun and was made even nicer by a visit from Mr Button and the Little Buttons. The day was quite festive in feel and I really enjoyed myself.

The Handmade Expo in Ipswich was one of those perfectly clear autumn days that remind you just how lucky we are to live in this part of the world. I set up next to Sandra-Ann Millinery and was greatly entertained as the locals selected their exclusive creations for the Ipswich Cup. Micky modelled hers beautifully and I hope I haven't let the cat out of the bag too soon. I stocked up on min nah bottoms for the Littlest Buttons who seem to have grown about 15cm in a matter of weeks. The girls have introduced a new little skirt which is very cute with tights. Molly thought she was it and a bit in her outfit over the weekend.

I have finished some more name towels for orders and am about to start work on another batch tonight. I am working my way through an order for Buzzi 'n Moo. Kylie has asked for a Babushka towel set so that lovely little lady will be making an appearance on towels and I will post some photos of the finished product.

I've been a bit obsessed with kaftan like garments of late, particularly the kind that don't require any ironing so I took a bit of time off from Cute as Buttons sewing and made myself a couple. I was moderately happy with this one:

but, I really think I nailed it with version 2. I know the photos aren't in the least bit helpful in terms of overall look but really, how do you photograph a kaftan nicely?

You can see it in the flesh at the next BiDM which is at St Augustine's on Racecourse Rd at Hamilton on June 5th. I am so happy with it it may just be my market attire on a regular basis. I'm not promising a tutorial but I will pop up a post with some more info about the process a bit later in the week. It is embarrassingly easy compared to some of the other tutorials about the place! I know you said it is easy Steph, so I will eagerly await your next instalment!

Now, as a little reward for reading this far, here is a fast and delicious cake recipe which I made for the Little Buttons afternoon tea. It is a one bowl wonder, which I love, but still moist and light. If you are a gingerbread fan you will really enjoy it. (Note to MEF/aka Deb: I did have one piece but just so I could make sure it tasted alright!)

GOLDEN GINGER SULTANA CAKE

125g softened butter, chopped

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups plain flour

1tspn ground ginger

1 cup golden syrup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tspn bicarb soda

1/2 cup of sultanas

1/3 cup glace ginger, chopped (I omitted this to prevent small children gagging and complaining)

LINE 20cmx30cm lamington pan with paper

PREHEAT oven to 160C

COMBINE all ingredients except sultanas and glace ginger in medium size bowl

BEAT with electric mixer on low speed to combine

BEAT on medium speed until smooth and changed in colour

STIR in sultanas and chopped ginger

SPREAD into pan and bake for about 55min

COOL on cake rack

SPREAD with cinnamon flavoured icing.

I feel like I have just finished War and Peace so I think I shall stop here and head off for a cup of tea and maybe one more slice of that cake.

We Remembered

Taken from Patrick's Show & Tell for the week:

These are my Grandpa Bob's medals.

He was a soldier in the Vietnam war.

I did not meet my Grandpa Bob.

He is in heaven.

On Anzac Day we will remember him.

And with much love, we did.

Did It Look Like This At Your House?

Did you have lots of these scattered about the place last night? Wasn't it nice and restful? Thank goodness Earth Hour happens at a time when the Little Buttons are in bed or I don't think I would be using the word restful!

I did a bit of cutting by candlelight and recycled some scraps for the Year 1 collage table. Mostly I just enjoyed the quiet and the lovely scents of the candles as they burned. Something big started crashing about in the bush just as the hour was winding up. Mr Button and I tried to do a bit of spotlighting to discover the visitor but we struck out. It sounded as though it was koala sized which made me happy. I like it when they come to stay in our trees.