Buttons By Robin : Handmade Buttons For Sewing, Knitting, Scrapbooking and more!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail - Handmade Easter Buttons

2012-01-22T18:14:00.002-05:00

As I was starting to write this post that old song started going through my head "Here comes Peter Cottontail. Hopping down the bunny trail. Hippity hoppity Easter's on it's way." Okay so I probably didn't get the lyrics just right but you get the idea. Wasn't Christmas just a few days ago? Now we're thinking about Easter (skipping right over Valentine's Day). Wow how the time flies. Well I am pleased to be on the downside of winter. I do like spring and although so far (knocking on wood) we've hardly had any snow here this winter, I really don't like the cold and snow. So working on these bright Easter buttons and other spring buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/90887760/easter-buttons-6-handmade-buttons-easter is a nice change from the snowmen and Christmas themed projects I was working on just a few short weeks ago. I guess I'm also feeling a bit rushed because in a couple of weeks I'm heading off to somewhere warm for a few days on vacation. I can't wait. I will tell you a little secret though. I do feel a twinge of guilt not being available to my button shop all the time. I'll still have Internet access but won't be able to mail anything out. How crazy is that? Part of the reason this year as well is that unlike last year the button sales slowed up a bit after the holidays. That didn't happen last January and when it did this year I began to wonder if this would be the new "normal". Well I've had another good weekend and have lots of packages ready to go in the mail tomorrow. That's the way of small business you never know when business will be up or when it will be down. Someone it the Etsy forums the other day said it was just the ebb and flow of business. They also said they liked the flow and not the ebb. I agree! Happy sales all!

Fresh New Week

2012-01-09T08:48:00.001-05:00

Here are my packages from the weekend all ready to get going. You will notice I've blocked out the addresses so I'm not publishing my customer's addresses. That wouldn't be a good thing :) I have the day off from my day job but I have to get dressed and out to mail these off. Normally I mail them on my way to work but I'll have to make a special trip out today. That's probably a good thing because I haven't really left the house all weekend. I've been focusing on my buttons. As I said in my post yesterday I had taken a bit of a break so it was a bit hard to get back into the swing of things. I guess it's sort of like my diet - I've had a few more treats than normal over the Christmas holidays so need to get back to more healthy eating.

It's just a month until I go on my vacation so I had better get into bathing suit shape (or at least as close to it as I can). So for now I'll get off the computer for a bit and head out to mail my items. Then back to the buttons and a hopefully productive day. I do believe it's true that the harder you work the more success you are likely to have. I slowed down a bit in December and my sales slowed as well. That isn't entirely surprising when you're selling supplies (buttons in my case) as anyone that was using them to make holiday gifts would have needed them before the holiday. One thing that is surprising me though is that my jewelry www.outspokenjewelry.com is doing so well. Jewelry is such a saturated category on Etsy and everywhere so I wasn't expecting much but sales are starting to pick up. I've opened up a whole new niche form my buttons. People that sew can buy them at www.buttonsbyrobin.com but anyone who just likes the designs and wants some fun and affordable jewelry can buy the finished jewelry. It's a win win for everyone! Okay now I really do need to get ready and get those packages mailed!

Back To Work

2012-01-08T18:36:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday here is a picture of the finished pendants once they were taken out of the kiln. The colours/colors seem much brighter than when they were cooling in the kiln. As you can see I've been experimenting with a few specialty glazes. I really like how the purple turned out with the splotches (splotches is the technical term :) ) of lighter colour/color. I'm having a lot of fun with these glazes. I also like how the little pig turned out. He looks orange in the picture but is really a sort of darkish pink. Really cute. I'm just trying to figure out if I make them into jewelry or of I leave them as is and leave it to the true jewelry experts to create with my pieces. I'm not sure how I want to proceed with these.

I feel like I'm now back in the swing of things as far as creating is concerned. I've caught up on all but one of my custom button orders. I had slowed down a bit over the holidays and I think the break did me some good. I do want to proceed with the ceramic pieces though and see where they take me. I have to find my own unique niche with these though because there are so many great ceramic artists out there. I need to find something that is unique but also not too terribly time consuming or it won't be cost effective to produce. Right now I'm having fun and we'll see where that takes me. I've also started listing some of my vintage on http://www.timesnotforgotten.com/. I'm having a bit of problem wanting to get rid of my collections but I'm slowing starting to work on that.

I have the day off tomorrow from my day job so will work some more on some of the resin buttons and perhaps think about the ceramics a bit more to see where I want to take them. Right now the pieces are very nice but they aren't really "extra special". I want them to be something special so have to really give them some time and attention!

Handmade Buttons and Jewelry - A Peak in the Kiln

2012-01-07T15:52:00.000-05:00

Here is a peak inside my kiln. I got a great shipment of new glazes yesterday and I'm trying some of them out. You can see some of the speckles on some of the pieces. When I took the picture the kiln was still sort of hot (about 450 degrees Fahrenheit) so the colours aren't showing the true finished colours that they will become when the kiln is cooled. These are an assortment of hearts and flowers and thre is one little pig pendant in the bottom right hand corner. I normally make buttons for www.buttonsbyrobin.com but decided this time around I'd make a few pendants and cabochons which I'll glue to some ring bases. These will likely go on www.outspokenjewelry.com. I'm also thinking about maybe starting up yet another Etsy shop for my ceramic buttons and pendants but I'm not sure I want to do that. I can't wait to see how these turn out. I'm teaching myself how to work with ceramics and have never had a lesson so anything I do is all self taught. That means that my glazes don't always work. Working with ceramics also teaches you patience since you can't do anything quickly. There is so much time waiting for things to dry. One of the good things about being self taught is that you get to break the rules. For example normally you are supposed to make the ceramic shapes, let them dry and then fire them in the kiln to the bisque stage. Then you are supposed to glaze them and fire them again. I found that by the time I did this I had lost interest in the original shapes I had created. What I have been doing is making the shapes and letting them dry but then glazing them before firing the first time. This way I can get away with firing them only once. That cuts out a whole lot of work and speeds up the process. I'm sure there is a "rule" against this and those ceramic artists that have formal training will probably cringe. Oh well. I'm finding the experimentation fun. Of course you always have to be careful working with a kiln since you are dealing with extreme head so my experimentation won't go too far but it's interesting to see how these things turn out. Now if I can just wait for that kiln to cool down. I've done a bunch of resin buttons today as well and those are now drying. Those just take a few days to make so are much quicker than the ceramic buttons. I have so many button and pendant ideas. I can't wait to see how they turn out! I'll try to post pictures of these pieces when they are completely cool so you can see how the colours turn out.

New Year and Back to Work

2012-01-02T11:53:00.002-05:00

I'm off work today for the last day of the Christmas/New Years holidays. Today is a day to start getting back into the swing of things. I've taken a bit of time off from custom orders and it's been quite fun to work on some things just for fun. I've changed up one of my Etsy sites and will be focusing on vintage and antique items and antique/vintage inspired creations. I'm not quite sure which direction this will take but I've been thinking about it for a while. It's barely started but you can check it out here at www.timesnotforgotten.com Who knows where that will head in 2012. That's the exciting thing about a new year. You get a fresh start and anything seems possible.

New Year - New Handmade Buttons

2012-01-01T13:37:00.000-05:00

Wow it's the start of another year. I can't believe how fast time flies. My buttons at www.buttonsbyrobin.com have been doing really well and I've expanded to a line of button related jewelry at www.outspokenjewelry.com. For 2012 I want to focus on a new medium - ceramics. I'm teaching myself as I go along. I have a small tabletop kiln and I'm learning to work with ceramics. It's much more time consuming and complicated than you might think. All the different glazes react differently and it's very difficult to get them to do what you want. The picture here is my latest collection of buttons fresh out of the kiln this morning. I'm happy with the bright red glaze I've achieved. Red is a difficult colour to get right. For some reason it has to be heated just right in the kiln for the colour to develop properly. This bunch is a set of both ladybugs or ladybird ceramic buttons and red heart buttons. I think the hearts may be great for the upcoming Valentines Day celebrations. I think I'm going to make some similar red heart pendants for www.outspokenjewelry.com. Right now the hearts can be found here http://www.etsy.com/listing/89529430/1-ceramic-red-heart-button-1-handmade. I think ceramic buttons are difficult because for the everyday sewing project they can be a bit pricey. For me to make them though they really aren't all that profitable given the huge amount of time it takes to make them. For now I'll play an experiment and see how it goes. I do love looking into the kiln in the morning after it fires to see what surprises it brings. Hopefully as I learn more the surprises will be more good surprises instead of the uh oh! what happened surprises that seem to happen fairly often with ceramics. I'll continue to post pictures here and write about what I learn as I go along. I hope you enjoy the journey with me.

Working Smarter?????

2011-12-04T10:47:00.000-05:00

I've decided on a new plan for my shops. I'm going to try working smarter not harder (as the saying goes). I'm going to start making more sets of the same design of buttons and earrings at the same time. It's not any less work making the actual items since they're all made one at a time by hand. What will save me time is that I can take the pictures "once" and list a set of 3. We'll see how that goes. This will also help for people that want more than one set of buttons. They won't have to email me to ask for a second set. The listing costs in Etsy will be more and if the design doesn't sell I've invested more than if I had just made one set. Anyway we'll see how it goes. I have a good selection of items so I dont' think I need to keep adding tons of different designs. I'm hoping this will cut down on some of the time for me. The creating time isn't the problem - it's all the added time taking the pictures, writing the descriptions etc. that really adds up. We'll see how this goes..............

www.buttonsbyrobin.com
http://www.outspokenjewelry.com/

Taking a Break - Sort of.....

2011-11-29T13:17:00.000-05:00

I've decided to take a bit of a break from the hustle and bustle and constant pressure to create and get everything done. I had thought perhaps I'd close up my shop for the holidays but then decided against that. What I've decided to do is to take a break from custom orders for a bit (until at least after the holidays) and only make buttons that I want to make. I've got lots of buttons and button jewelry/jewellery made so will list these when I feel like it so there will still be lots of new items going up. I've been wanting to work on some other creations and haven't really had much time to do anything "just because". I've got lots of ideas for ceramic and glass buttons so hopefully will work on a bit of these. I've also become really interested in cake decorating and hope to make a few of these creations. That might be a bit harder because since I'm always watching what I eat I'm not sure I want the temptation of having these goodies around but we'll see. Hopefully I'll start by making a few creations for the upcoming holiday party at work and then we'll go from there. I do feel a bit more relaxed now that I've decided to slow down a bit to enjoy the holidays. I must admit making the sales is really great and I appreciate each and every one of them so I'm a bit hesitant to do anything to slow this down. As well right now there is the added pressure of getting items mailed out and hoping they reach their destination in time for the holidays. I really don't want to disappoint anyone even though I know (as do they) that I can't control the postal system. Still I never want anyone to be disappointed. We'll see how far this self imposed "sort of vacation" goes. Perhaps after a few days I'll be anxious to get going again but we'll see. It's been a busy few months of button making so perhaps a break will be good. I'll start focusing on my business plan for the new year and perhaps start thinking about some new designs. I've already made a few Valentine's themed buttons. Crazy I know..... I'll drop by here from time to time to let you know how it's going. I hope you all take some time to enjoy your family and the holiday season as well. Family is the most important thing after all. As my family grows smaller and smaller with the passing of family members this becomes even more important and apparent. Happy holidays all!

Christmas Owl Handmade Buttons

2011-11-18T18:36:00.000-05:00

I just love this colour combination of red and turquoise. This is an unusual colour combination for Christmas but I think it looks great. These buttons are listed in my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/86498051/christmas-buttons-christmas-owl-handmade. The Christmas rush has started and I have been busy in my shop at Buttons By Robin. I have tons of ideas for my ceramic buttons but am having a hard time keeping up with my resin button orders. That’s not a bad problem to have though J . I do know things will slow down a bit shortly as I’m in Canada so I only have another week or so before orders that are mailed out won’t be delivered in time for Christmas.

I do have a few days off from my day job right now so I’m going to take full advantage of it. I’ll spend some time with my husband but will hopefully get a lot of work done. We are planning a vacation to some warmer climate in February (not sure of the destination just yet) so I’ll do a bit of exploring about that as well. It is just such a pleasure to be able to sleep in a bit and enjoy a couple of leisurely cups of coffee in the morning before starting my day. When I have to go to my day job it’s up and out of the house at lightning speed and there just never seems to be enough time in the day. When I get home from work it’s pretty much all I can do to package up any orders that I get. I have no creative energy left after working all day as a policy analyst. It’s not a very creative job. It’s actually pretty structured and well “analytical” but I don’t have the energy left at night to do more with my Buttons By Robin. I always have such big plans and then exhaustion sets in J We’ll see how the next few days pan out while a have a vacation from work. I’m looking forward to it. How do you cope with keeping up the energy after your day job ends to find a bit of that creative spark that is within you?

Customer Service

2011-11-11T20:22:00.000-05:00

It's easy to say that customer service is your number one priority when all is going well. You're really put to the test when something goes wrong or turns out not as it should. If you sell at all something is bound to go wrong at times. The most frequent problem I run into - and thankfully it isn't often - is something taking a bit longer to arrive in the mail than anticipated. I'm in Canada and the majority of my packages goes to the United States, Australia and Norway. Most of my international customers are aware of the shipping times but not everyone. Sometimes people don't realize I'm in Canada and that the mail will take a bit longer to arrive. I do email at the time of purchase to let them know approximate shipping times etc. It's understandable that some people don't read the messages. We're so inundated with emails that it's normal to ignore what appears to be just another email. The best advice I can give when a problem comes up is to communicate and be empathetic to the situation. My customers are usually really understanding when they realize that I'm a bit further away than they may have realized. They are also reassured when I let them know that if there should ever be a problem I will fix it. Just being in contact and responding in an understanding manner goes a really long way. It may be cliche but treat your customers the way you would like to be treated. As long as they know you are there to fix a problem should it occur and that you are understanding and responsive they will probably be more than happy to work with you.

Cooler Weather and Winter Themed Handmade Buttons

2011-10-17T18:21:00.000-04:00

The weather is getting cooler so it's making me start to think of the upcoming winter weather (as much as I hate to do that). Oh well if you can't beat the cold weather I can at least make some buttons in bright and cheerful colours/colors to help cheer up the dreary and cold winter days and nights. I must say I do love these beautiful cardinal buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/84084955/bird-buttons-cardinal-on-branch-handmade. These have just been listed in my Etsy shop. They really want me want to get out the knitting needles and knit something up. The sad truth is I don't have much patience for knitting but I do admire those who do. I can do a few basic knitting stitches but rarely finish a project. I hope these buttons inspire you to pick up a project to start to fill those long winter evenings.

Finding The Creative Muse

2011-09-14T11:15:00.000-04:00

No pictures today. I'm feeling a little blah. I'm off from the day job this week and had all the intentions in the world to create, create, create and yet I don't really feel like it. I'm having some success with my buttons and I really appreciate it but for some reason I'm just not in the mood to make buttons these days. At least not my resin buttons. I think it's a combination of having a couple of packages go missing and some technical difficulties. These are all part and parcel of business and of creating but for some reason it's really having an impact on my wanting to create. I'm pushing through and continuing on but I'm also turning this into a positive and using this as a reason to rethink my direction. I have been making some ceramic buttons and jewellery pieces this week though. With ceramics there is no immediate gratification but I am looking forward to firing up the kiln maybe tomorrow to see how they turn out. I've got lots of ideas and am learning as I go. I've never taken a ceramics class but have read lots of books, completed lots of Internet research and watched lots of videos. The problem with ceramics is that when things don't turn out it is extra disappointing because there is so much time invested in it. Well wish me luck as I sit back and work on some fun projects and wait for my creative muse to reappear.

Halloween Owl Handmade Buttons.

2011-08-21T16:10:00.000-04:00

I keep telling myself I need to stop with the Halloween buttons. I really have enough on my Etsy site www.buttonsbyrobin.com. I mean really how many Halloween buttons can someone use. What do you use Halloween buttons for anyway? Despite my trying to be rational about it I just love these Halloween designs so when I found these images I couldn't resist so here they are http://www.etsy.com/listing/80204614/halloween-buttons-halloween-owl-handmade. Halloween is fast becoming a very popular holiday. I find myself drawn to it more and more. When I was young it was just the one day. You dressed up at school in your costume and then went out for candy that night but other than that not a big deal. Now my neighbourhood is fully decorated and people seem to get right into the "spirit" - no pun intended. I guess it's just a simple holiday with no big expenses associated with it and no big expectations. Perhaps that's the appeal - oh and all the spooky creatures that come out that time of year as well! Happy Halloween all.

Large Dragon Sewing Buttons (Handmade Buttons)

2011-08-03T19:50:00.000-04:00

Finding images that work for boys seems to be more of a challenge than it is to find images for girls or for women. Maybe I'm just more drawn to those images (being a girl and all :) ) but seriously even with clothing it's much easier to find cute things for girls. I have a son so I know what I'm talking about. Boys want to be stylish as well and I think these dragon buttons have just the right amount of masculine appeal and cuteness! They can be found here http://www.etsy.com/listing/79075379/dragon-handmade-buttons-5-large-sewing. The buttons pictured here are my larger size but I've also made them in the 3/4" (2 cm) and 1/2" (1.5 cm) sizes. I've heard from my customers that they like variety. The ones in the picture are 1" or 2.5 cm and would probably be good to decorate pillows or maybe along the tops of curtains in a nursery. They sure are cute and not too frightening for the little ones!

Christmas Owl Hair Clip - made with my handmade button

2011-08-01T14:59:00.000-04:00

I'm loving these handmade flower hair clips. I've used my handmade owl button and a pattern I purchased from another Etsy seller Precious Patterns to make the flower. I've listed it in my Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78918896/christmas-owl-hair-clip-made-with-my. If you'd like to use my buttons to make your own hair accessories for sale of just for fun that's fine with me. I love seeing my buttons on your items.

Back to School Handmade Buttons

2011-07-25T12:31:00.000-04:00

Okay don't tell the kiddos but it's time to start thinking back to school. I know....it's still July but September and back to school will be here before we know it. If you're going to be making something special for that little one for their first day of school or for their first day of school in the new year then these buttons will add a perfect touch http://www.etsy.com/listing/78467161/back-to-school-handmade-buttons-set-of. This set of handmade buttons includes all sort of school supplies and brings back memories of going out purchasing all those brand new supplies. Even now (although I'm way past school age) when I see those piles of pristine supplies in the stores it makes me want to go out and purchase them. Maybe these will satisfy that urge. I'm also thinking that I might take a set of these and make them into zipper pulls. They could then be attached to back packs, lunch boxes and pencil cases and act as a ready identifier so that it would be easy to tell your child's items from all similar items. The back is plain white so if you took a magic marker you could even add a name or phone number. How cute would that be!

My Handmade Button Promotional Video on You Tube

2011-07-18T19:28:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKYIQvxnTwU

My hubby took some of my button pictures and made this video of my buttons.
Thanks sweetie!

Handmade Buttons in some Etsy Treasuries

2011-07-18T18:39:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTU5NzIyOXw0NjQ0MDQzNzg/birds-of-the-world?ref=pr_treasury

My bird buttons are featured in this Etsy treasury. Thank you!

Primitive Witch Handmade Buttons

2011-07-10T20:25:00.000-04:00

Although it's a hot July day as I write this my mind has been thinking of fall and Halloween. It's not that I'm wishing the summer away. I love summer and wish it was summer all year round. However, in the crafting world you have to think at least one season ahead all the time. I've started listing my Halloween themed items on Etsy so that everyone that makes crafts or items with my buttons has a chance to order them in time to make all their wonderful goodies.

I've been enjoying looking at some wonderful penny rug creations on Etsy and that got me thinking of the primitive style. I've had a lot of fun adding some prim buttons this weekend and have plans for lots more. This is one of the sets I added this weekend http://www.etsy.com/listing/77543640/primitive-halloween-witch-handmade. Isn't she adorable!

Vacation Photo Bracelet with my Handmade Button Charms.

2011-07-04T14:52:00.002-04:00

I love going away on vacation! Well who doesn't. I love it so much I'm planning to buy a vacation home (eventually to be a retirement home) somewhere warm. I'm currently looking at Costa Rica. To remind me of my dream and of the wonderful vacation we had there in February 2011 I've taken some of my vacation photos and instead of making them into my buttons as I usually do I put a hole in the top and made them into little charms and simply added a jump ring and put them on a chain/bracelet. Now I can have my vacation memories with me any time.

While I can put photographs on my buttons (as you can see from above) it's a bit tricky and I sometimes find they're a bit darker than I'd like. It's hard to get the contrast just right when the photographs have similar tones. These charms are also about 3/4" or 2 cm round and I think next time I'd make them a bit bigger just because the photographs have a lot of detail so it would be easier to see them that way. The backs of the charms are just plain white. I think I might put a colour/color on the back next time as well. This was just an experiment really but I think it turned out pretty well. I'm not a jewelry/jewellery maker so will not be adding these types of items to my Etsy shop. This one is just for me and it's fun and brings a smile to my face when I remember the fun we had in Costa Rica.

Halloween Cupcakes Handmade Sewing Buttons

2011-07-04T10:28:00.000-04:00

When I saw these images from Jazzy Patterns I couldn't wait to turn them into my buttons. As I write this the US is celebrating the Fourth of July and here in Canada we just celebrated Canada Day (July 1st) so the weather is hot and thoughts have not yet turned to fall for most of us. However I know that crafters need lots of lead time to create their wonderful creations. I am imagining these turned into adorable Halloween hair accessories or maybe just added to a simple black shirt or sweater to make an adorable Halloween outfit. I have so many ideas in my mind about what I want to make with these that I can't decide where to start. I have only made one set for now which is listed here http://www.etsy.com/listing/77158114/halloween-cupcakes-handmade-buttons-13 but I plan to make several more sets since they're just so darned adorable.

Happy Fourth of July to my US friends and happy crafting to all!

Handmade Button Necklace - Butterflies and Bright Buttons.

2011-06-25T18:55:00.000-04:00

I've been experimenting with different ways to use my handmade buttons. I bought these ribbon necklaces the other day and thought they' would be a great place to add my buttons. At first I thought I would sew the buttons on but it turns out that gluing them on works much better. I glued one button to the front of the ribbon and another to the back and the ribbon is sandwiched in between. On this necklace I've used three of my handmade butterfly buttons and then used some brightly coloured/colored purchased buttons. These are bright and cheerful. Right now I'm not putting these in my shop www.buttonsbyrobin.com. I think I'll keep these for myself and try them out to see how they work and how they look and then I'll see if I want to list them. If any of you want to use my buttons to make button jewelry/jewellery or anything else for sale that's not a problem. I love seeing what you make with my buttons. I'm a button maker not a jewelry/jewellery maker and just dabble in experimenting with different ways to use the buttons so I'm not concerned if someone uses my buttons to make jewellery/jewelry. There are lots of ideas for all of us.

Superhero Handmade Buttons

2011-06-11T12:45:00.000-04:00

These are my latest line of superhero buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/75795645/super-hero-handmade-buttons-six-buttons. These buttons are 3/4" or 2 cm size but can also be made in other sizes. These would be perfect for a boys outfit. It's very hard to find cute things for boys so whenever I can I try to make items that would be great to use on things made for boys. I will admit I have lots more buttons made for girls but I do try to add boy themed items when possible. I hope to do more superhero designs shortly.

Alice In Wonderland Etsy Treasury

2011-06-10T18:40:00.000-04:00

My Alice in Wonderland buttons are included in this adorable Etsy treasury! Thank you. http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NzM3Nzg3N3wzMTcyNDU5MDE/alice-in-the-land-of-wonderful-things

Red Riding Hood Handmade Buttons

2011-06-09T14:43:00.000-04:00

Aren't these Red Riding Hood handmade buttons adorable? I've added them to my www.buttonsbyrobin.com in this size which is 3/4" or 2 cm and I also have another listing which is 5/8" or 1.5 cm size. I love that this girl had big eyes and a large head and her red cape is bright and cheerful. This is a modern take on the classic Little Red Riding Hood.

Mary Had a Little Lamb (Handmade Buttons)

2011-06-08T18:33:00.000-04:00

I've been adding a number of nursery rhyme themed buttons lately. I think they're adorable and I get excited each time I find a new set of images to add. This particular set is of Mary Had a Little Lamb http://www.etsy.com/listing/75626991/mary-hand-a-little-lamb-handmade-buttons. These are available in my Etsy shop at www.buttonsbyrobin.com. Lately I've been asked by my customers to make the buttons in smaller sizes. Since I don't knit or sew I'm never sure what size I should make so have up until now opted for a pretty standard size. Now that I have this feedback from my customers I will be adding more of the smaller size. Hopefully this will be helpful to people that sew. I love getting suggestions from my customers.

Summer Time! Summer Time!

2011-06-07T10:38:00.002-04:00

It finally feels like summer here. The weather has been beautiful this week and the cherry on top of the situation is that I am on vacation from my day job this week as well. I'm using the time to enjoy some time with my hubby doing nothing in particular but enjoying every moment. I'm also using the time to catch up on custom handmade button orders. All in all the best of both worlds.

I've had some suggestions from some of my customers lately to make my buttons in a smaller size so I'm trying to make each of my buttons in my usual 3/4" or 2 cm size and a smaller 5/8 or 1.5 cm size. Of course all my buttons can be customized to the size you need so if you see anything just send me an email and I'll see what I can do.

I hope you all are enjoying your week as much as I am and that wherever you are the weather is co-operating as well. It does make me want to be on vacation somewhere exotic but I think all in all I'd rather save my vacation dollars for the cold cold Canadian winter times. I'll enjoy this "tropical" feel weather here at home for now.

At the Seashore (Handmade Buttons)

2011-05-15T15:43:00.002-04:00

These buttons remind me that it's time to start thinking about summer http://www.etsy.com/listing/73506473/at-the-seashore-handmade-buttons-set-of. It's a rainy Sunday afternoon as I write this but looking at these bright seashore themed handmade buttons it sure makes me dream of hot summer days at the beach (and it really makes me remember my vacations in hot tropical locations!).

Goldilocks and Three Bears Handmade Buttons

2011-05-05T11:58:00.002-04:00

I was very excited to finally come across these images of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I've been wanting to make these buttons for a while http://www.etsy.com/listing/73511523/fairy-tale-handmade-buttons-goldilocks but wasn't able to find the images I wanted. I know I could actually draw them myself but I haven't quite mastered the art of graphic design. I'm slowly learning and did manage to make an image I'm going to be making into buttons later today but the unveiling of that will have to wait. For now I've used these images (with permission of the artists Glazed Mud). I am very thankful that she has allowed me to use these adorable images and I hope you like them as well.

Well I'm also nearing the end of my week off from my day job and as I mentioned I know I'd never be able to make enough product to be able to support myself financially so I'm very thankful to have a pretty good day job to support me. For now I'll have to concentrate on the buttons as a very nice side supporting business. I do have dreams of owning property in Costa Rica (after our last trip there in February 2011) so perhaps I'll make some goals of expanding the business with this dream in mind. Who knows one can dream and it's a great incentive to get those buttons going.

I'm also having lots of fun this week watching some videos from www.ifiredarts.com and am learning lots about different ceramic techniques.

For the next little bit I have to get some more resin buttons made and then I'm hoping to play with ceramics this afternoon. I am bound and determined to make these ceramic buttons a hit. It's been an uphill battle so far and I haven't quite found my niche but I need to make them unique and different from all the other wonderful handmade ceramic buttons out there. I'll keep experimenting and plodding and along and we'll see how it goes. I also want to expand a bit into ceramic beads and use some of the wonderful techniques I've learned over the last few weeks. And let's not forget my love of fused glass! So many ideas and so little time or so it seems.

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!

Ceramic Bee Buttons - Handmade Buttons in Etsy Treasury

2011-05-04T09:02:00.001-04:00

My ceramic bee buttons are included in the great Etsy treasury http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dc0f7738f378eef4bacfb3c/bugafied#4dc14d99b16e6d9191291b7cThanks to PaperPicker for including these buttons in this treasury!

Butterfly Buttons - Handmade Buttons

2011-05-03T13:13:00.002-04:00

I love love love these bright and colourful/colorful handmade buttons with the butterfly images http://www.etsy.com/listing/73377760/butterflies-handmade-buttons-9-butterfly. I think they would look wonderful on a simple white or black button up sweater but I'm sure that you can think of many more interesting ways to use them. I think these are so beautiful that they would take a simple garment and elevate it to something extra ordinary.

I'm also on day three of my vacation from my day job. I've quickly come to the realization that I could never make enough buttons (quantity-wise) to be able to quit my day job so for now it has to remain a nice supplement that I have to fit in. I am going to give it some more thought though as I do think there has to be a way to increase production or make supplementary products that will compliment the buttons. I am a bit distracted today though because I have found some adorable images of children's story books and I can't wait to get making some buttons out of them so my practical approach has gone by the wayside by now and as soon as I finish this post I'm going to get started on some of these adorable buttons. I've been looking for these types of images for quite some time and now have finally found them and can't wait to get started. I'm sure I'll be posting pictures of these in the upcoming days.

Well enjoy your Tuesday everyone. It's a rainy day here and the perfect day to be inside making buttons!

Girly Skull Handmade Buttons and Day 2 Experiment

2011-05-02T12:44:00.004-04:00

Here is the handmade button of the day http://www.etsy.com/listing/73263087/pink-skulls-handmade-buttons-washer-and. These are bright pink girly skulls. These aren't my usual style but I think they have a girly punk appeal. I listed these yesterday and also have them in a bright yellow and a pretty bright blue.

Yesterday was Sunday and was a typical day in my home studio. I made and listed lots of buttons. I mentioned in my post yesterday that I was going to treat this week as if it were my real day job. So far today it seems I'm off to a slower start than I anticipated. I did manage to get a kiln full of buttons fired and I'm waiting for them to cool. I have been able to peek into the kiln and I think they turned out really well. I am finding that ceramic buttons are pretty time consuming and really don't seem to give me the quantity I need to list new buttons all the time. I really love them but I think they're beyond the budget of most craft sewers so sales are not as high as they are with my resin buttons which are much more affordable for people. Also with the resin buttons I can make them quite a bit faster.

Anyway so far today I've fired a kiln with the third firing so that when these ceramic buttons cool they should be ready for listing. Fingers crossed they turned out. Ceramics are so unpredictable and each step takes so much time. I had some buttons yesterday but they aren't quite what I wanted as an end result so I have to decide if I want to try and change them in some way. I'm not sure yet what I plan to do.

I seem to be getting distracted with household chores and interruptions from my husband who works a split shift so was home for a couple of hours earlier this morning. I have to learn not to be so easily distracted.

The plans for the rest of the afternoon include finishing listing the resin buttons I took pictures of yesterday and take pictures of the newest batch of resin buttons that are ready to go today. Then I have new buttons to make and get ready for tomorrow. It seems a never ending cycle - make, take pics, list and repeat. I also want to fit in some more ceramics. Since I am teaching myself ceramic button making not all my experiments are successes but I do learn something each and every time.

Oh and I must say I had four packages to mail off this morning and I know one purchase was as a result of my facebook page since I was contacted through my facebook fan page. So off to list some new buttons and tweet them to see if I can get some views and hopefully attract more people to my shop.

Happy Monday everyone. I hope you have a successful and productive day!

Handmade Button and Vacation Plans

2011-05-01T16:18:00.002-04:00

I am quite excited because I have the week off from my day job. Usually when I'm on vacation I go away but this time I'm home by myself since my husband doesn't have as many vacation days as I do. This means I have the week to stay home and work on my buttons. I know that a lot of people dream of quitting their day jobs and doing their art as their job. For this week I want to explore that a bit. I'm going to pretend that this is my day job and approach is not as a vacation but as a real job. I know right now that I'd never be able to make enough buttons to replace the income from my day job even if I made buttons 8 hours a day every day. They're just too labour/labor intensive to actually be able to make them in quantity by myself. Never-the-less I'm going to explore my options and use this as a mini experiment to see what I can do. It also happens that today is the first of the month so it's a good day for some new beginning and exploration. So far today I've fired a load of ceramic buttons in the kiln and am experimenting with some glazing and handmade decals combined in a technique which I thought I had discovered. It turns out that this isn't a new technique but something that has been explored by others. It's funny how I really hadn't seen this combination of techniques before and yet it's not new. I guess there really isn't anything new under the sun. Anyway I'm going to explore this technique, make it my own and see how far I can push it. I've also made some more resin buttons which are drying. They should be ready tomorrow. I've also listed a few resin buttons that I made yesterday (I took the pictures this morning and am in the process of listing them.) So for my first "pretend" day of the new job I've done a lot of work. So far no sales for today but Sunday (and weekends in general) tend to be quiet so I'm optimistic that the week will be successful. I'm going to continue to list the rather large pile of buttons I have ready to go and will then decide what I plan to do tomorrow. I do know I have some ceramic buttons ready to go in the third firing of this really labour/labor intensive creations. The problem with the ceramic buttons is that they take a lot of time so are quite a bit more expensive than my resin buttons. They should appeal to a different type of buyer though so I know it will take some time to get them going. I have so many ideas I just hope the week doesn't fly by too soon. I'll try to keep this blog updated throughout the week to let you all know how it is going. Here's to all of us dreamers who want to make a living with our art!

Handmade Buttons. Art Quilt Embellishment-Blue Bird.

2011-04-23T20:07:00.004-04:00

I just love the EXTRA LARGE ceramic bluebird buttons I just added to my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/72770409/ceramic-handmade-button-blue-bird. These are extremely large for a button and measure approximately 4 1/2" or 8.5 cm. Although these are too large to use to use on items that need to be opened and closed through a button hole I thought they would be a perfect embellishment for a home decor item such as a cushion or pillow or better yet - wouldn't they look wonderful on an art quilt. I am sure that there would be endless possibility for large buttons such as these. I just love the bright colours/colors and how the orange and yellow blend together. I'm not sure if I'll do more larger buttons but I am happy with how this experiment turned out. How would you use such a large button?

Custom Purse Charm made with my Handmade Button

2011-04-20T12:25:00.004-04:00

In addition to the buttons I offer on website www.buttonsbyrobin.com I also do custom buttons on request. Here is a felt and fabric purse charm made with my handmade button in the centre/center. The designer of this charm sent me their image I made it into a button which matched the fabric they were working with. I love seeing all the beautiful and unusual things made with my buttons. They aren't just for clothing (although they do add a special touch to hand sewn items.)

Bird Sihouettes (Handmade Buttons)

2011-04-19T13:15:00.003-04:00

I have an unexpected day or two off from my day job. The bad news is that I had to take a couple of vacation days because my fairly new (5 year old) house has sprung a leak in the roof so I have to be home for the roofers to come and make the repair. Unfortunately they didn't come today so I will have to stay home tomorrow as well as they say they may come then. I'm not happy about having to fix the roof but I am pleased we will be getting it fixed shortly. Because I had to be home I have a couple of extra days this week to work on my buttons so I'm making the most of this opportunity. I made these beautiful bright bird silhouette buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/72481060/bird-silhouette-buttons-6-handmade that I absolutely love. I originally thought I'd use these images just for the silhouette and make some screens to screen print on clay which I've been experimenting with lately. When I saw them though they were so bright and cheerful and quite lovely in their simplicity that I decided to make them in my usual resin buttons. Having the extra day off from my day job today I was able to make some silk screens and I do plan to try screen printing them on clay in some of these bright colours/colors much like they are here. Having this extra day gave me the time to get the screens ready so that when I'm ready to work with the ceramic I will have the screens ready. If it doesn't rain tomorrow I will be taking the day off as well and hopefully the roofers will come and I can continue to work on some more beautiful buttons. I guess this is what they say is "making lemonade out of lemons". Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone - the Easter long weekend will be here shortly and hopefully you will have an extra day or two to do something enjoyable for yourself as well.

Handmade Buttons (Ceramic Rabbit Buttons)

2011-04-16T16:21:00.004-04:00

I am very fortunate to have my buttons selected for quite a few different Etsy treasuries. These adorable bunny buttons can be found in this "Mint and Chocolate" treasury here http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4da99db197126d91013398b1/mint-and-chocolate-in-my-easter-basket. I love these. They turned out really well and I can't wait to make more ceramic buttons.

Handmade Buttons. New Ceramic Bird Silhouette Buttons.

2011-04-12T10:41:00.003-04:00

I've been having a lot of fun lately working on my ceramic buttons. These ceramic bird buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/71951090/handmade-buttons-ceramic-bird-silhouette are some of my latest creations. These are on a peachy pink background. I love how they turned out. They're a bit shabby chic and distressed looking. The bird image is fused into the ceramic so it won't come off - it is part of the glaze/glass covering the buttons. I've been experimenting with screen printing, painting and laser transfers as well as other options and am having a blast! The only thing with ceramic buttons is that you have to have patience. You have to make the shape then wait and let it dry which takes several days to a week. You then have to bisque fire so you get the plain button with no glaze. Then you have to glaze and fire and sometimes glaze and fire again depending on how many colours you want and the effect you're going for. This little work of art was fired four times. This means lots of planning in advance and lots of waiting for various stages of firing, drying, glazing, waiting, drying, firing, firing and more waiting. That means no instant gratification with these but I think the wait is worth it.

I'm still continuing on with my resin buttons which make up the majority of Buttons By Robin but I've decided to expand and see what I can come up with. The possibilities are endless and I'm so excited to see what I can come up with. I'm self taught with all of this so am finding my way around the Internet and incorporating other techniques with the formal ceramics techniques. I think that being self taught is a wonderful opportunity to find new ways of doing things because if you don't know you're not supposed to do something you go ahead and try and sometimes you discover something new and exciting. On the other hand sometimes you find out why others before you haven't done it either as it turns into a mess. But that's the fun of experimenting. Have fun with what you do and don't be afraid to experiment a little. Do remember to always be safe though with what you try so if you're not sure its safe don't do it!

Exciting Destinations for My Handmade Buttons!

2011-04-06T18:26:00.002-04:00

These buttons are off to Maryland in the US. How exciting to think about all the destinations that my buttons have been shipped to. Other packages are also being prepared to go to the North West Territories and to Norway! I wonder what these buttons will be when they grow up? Will they adorn hand knit sweaters, clothing, cards or maybe some adorable button jewelry/jewellery or hair accessories! Oh the possibilities with buttons!

Handmade Buttons. Duck buttons for Easter.

2011-04-05T13:37:00.002-04:00

I think these buttons would be great for Easter http://www.etsy.com/listing/70734902/handmade-buttons-bright-yellow-duck but they aren't so Easter-specific that they would be out of place any time. These bright yellow ducks would be a very cute adornment on your handmade hair accessory or for that super cute spring outfit that you've made for someone special. I keep telling myself that I'm going to learn to sew one day. You'd think with all the buttons I make that I'd put them to good use but the thing is I rarely use them on things for myself. I really need to get sewing or at least adding buttons to my own items to spruce them up a bit. Happy Easter everyone - it will be here before you know it!

Handmade Button Rings - Peter Pan Button Rings.

2011-04-03T11:22:00.002-04:00

I love it when people send me images of things they've made with my buttons. Aren't these Peter Pan button rings made by Etsy user marthamilln beautiful! People are so creative and it's really nice to see my buttons in things besides clothing. Of course they're great on clothing and knit items but for those of us (like myself) who don't sew these show a wonderful way to use these buttons for other applications. Thanks marthamilln for sharing your wonderful creations with me. Here are the buttons on my Etsy shop so you can see them before they were turned into these adorable creations! http://www.etsy.com/listing/70045306/large-peter-pan-handmade-buttons-10?ga_search_query=Peter%2BPan&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5376608

Etsy Treasury - Dandelion- with my handmade buttons.

2011-04-02T16:14:00.001-04:00

My handmade buttons in this beautiful dandelion design are in this beautiful Etsy treasury which honours/honors the lowly dandelion! Click on the link and take a look to see how beautiful the dandelions can be http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d9731e92bb68eefe4466896/dandelion#4d978385f9096d91cddbf48c

Handmade Buttons - Ceramic Dragonfly Buttons

2011-04-01T21:49:00.003-04:00

Well after a wet snow yesterday it seems as if spring might actually be starting to peak her head out. It is supposed to be a warm weekend and I'm looking forward to a day spent with hubby. We are going to the trendy downtown area where we live and will spend the day wandering around bead stores, art supply stores and the fashion district. What a good husband he is to spend the day doing all these wonderful things with me. In celebration of spring I thought I'd post a picture of my newest ceramic dragonfly buttons. I'm teaching myself the ceramic button process and with some bumps and bruises along the way things are starting to come together. I've got lots to learn and I'm also experimenting with some big ideas of my own. Sometimes I think not having formal training in an art is a good thing. That way you aren't afraid to think outside the box because you don't really know what being "in the box" means as you don't know the formal rules. Now don't get me wrong I've been reading up on the process and I've been working with fused glass for a while so I know my way around a kiln. Some of my earlier glazing processes weren't what I had hoped for so I'm really pleased that the last few sets of buttons have been something I'm very pleased with. I guess I can only improve with time. I hope you enjoy these buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/71298072/handmade-buttons-dragonfly-buttons-2. I have some custom orders to complete of my resin buttons this weekend but I hope to experiment with my ceramics a bit more as well. Have a great weekend everyone.

Handmade Buttons. Dandelions.

2011-03-30T08:49:00.003-04:00

What is it about this lowly weed (the dandelion) that is so appealing? Normally these are yellow weeds that invade our lawns and which we try to eradicate so they don't spread their seeds all over and completely take over the landscape. However when you put them in images such as these (particularly with colour/color) they take on a whole new feeling. I think for me it's something about their ethereal floating qualities that appeals to me. They are airy and light and make you think of freedom. I absolutely love these images and have made a couple of dandelion designs for my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/70936780/red-dandelion-handmade-buttons-handmade?ref=pr_shop and am thinking of trying my hand at making them into some ceramic buttons. It's funny to think how even the simplest of images can become art.

When Will Spring Arrive?

2011-03-28T15:46:00.001-04:00

I know that spring has arrived (at least the date for spring 2011 has come and gone) but I'm wondering when the warm weather will arrive. It's still very cold here in Ontario, Canada and I can't wait for the spring flowers to poke their heads out. I guess that's why I've been in the mood to make spring flower handmade buttons lately. Does longing for spring make you create bright and cheerful items?

New Handmade Ceramic Owl Buttons

2011-03-23T13:01:00.002-04:00

I am having a lot of fun working with my kiln and creating all kinds of new handmade ceramic buttons. These are some turquoise owl buttons I made and listed yesterday http://www.etsy.com/listing/70591846/turquoise-owl-buttons-4-handmade-by-me?ref=pr_shop. I love the look of them and have created the same design in lime green and yellow.

Working with ceramics takes patience though and you never know what you're going to get. You have to take the raw clay and make the buttons and then wait, and wait, and wait some more for it to dry. I usually leave it at least a week to make sure they're bone dry. Then you have to fire in the kiln for several hours. Then when they cool you can glaze them. Each glaze needs to be applied at least three times to get the depth of colour/color required. Sometimes I glaze in steps depending on what I'm doing so I may glaze some of the buttons. Fire in the kiln which takes a full day (including the cooling time) and then glaze and fire again. It's a very labour/labor intensive process but I must admit I do love how they look.

I'm teaching myself the process and have lots of ideas - not all of which work out. Since there is so much time involved from start to finish it's truly disappointing when an experiment doesn't work out. I guess that makes the successes that much sweeter though.

I can't wait to get started on some of the other ideas I have in my head. Now let's hope they translate well to ceramic!

Personalized Handmade Sewing Buttons

2011-03-22T10:51:00.002-04:00

Now isn't this a great idea. I was asked to make these personalized buttons to be worn for a birthday party for two little ones. What an adorable way to identify twins to your party guests. Well I'm assuming they're twins as they have their first birthday on the same day. I'm always amazed at what people do with my buttons and this is certainly a unique idea. I know personalized buttons could have many uses but I thought I'd share this idea with you. What would you use personalized buttons for?

Bright Spring Flower Handmade Buttons

2011-03-18T10:15:00.002-04:00

Well it's a glorious Friday morning and spring seems like it might actually arrive sometime soon. I know we'll have some colder March days here but I am very optimistic that warm sunny days will be here soon. I don't know about you but I'm tired of drab winter and messy snow and can't wait for the flowers to start peeking their heads out. In celebration of all things bright and springy I've listed a few sets of spring coloured/colored flowers at www.buttonsbyrobin.com. This set is just one of several http://www.etsy.com/listing/70262119/dark-pink-round-flower-buttons-handmade I have listed and I can't wait for the weekend to get here so I can start adding some more. I have Monday off from the day job this week and so have big plans to make buttons buttons and more buttons. I have about three custom orders to make but then it's all me-all buttons. I'm itching to get to them. I just have to get through the Friday work day at my day job and then I can get going. I also have some ceramic buttons that have been bisque fired (quite a while ago) and really want to get these glazed. So many ideas so little time! Have a wonderful weekend everyone. I hope you have time set aside for your creative projects!

Buttons and a Grandmother's Love

2011-03-15T20:05:00.003-04:00

These are some tiny custom buttons I made for a Grandma who is going to make some doll clothes for her granddaughter. She thought it would be great to add buttons that were handmade just for the little girl. How special will this little girl feel to know that her grandmother made the doll clothes for her and that everything - even down to the buttons - was made just for her. I so love seeing all the wonderful things that people make and especially all the things they make for the ones they love. It's such a wonderful feeling to know that my buttons help add to these creations and make that just that bit more special.

Daylight Savings Time and Spring Butterflies

2011-03-14T09:56:00.002-04:00

I must admit I do look forward to daylight savings time - except for the first little bit when I have to wake up and it feels so super early as my body hasn't adjusted to the "spring ahead" of the clocks yet. I'm super tired today but know I'll soon adjust. On a positive note I know that with the moving ahead of the clocks that spring is just around the corner and I can't wait. I think its my favourite/favorite time of year. With that in mind I thought it would be appropriate to show my bright and cheerful collection of butterflies http://www.etsy.com/listing/67084664/8-bright-butterfly-buttons-washer-and?ref=pr_shop. They look yummy and they certainly make me feel like spring which is a welcome change after the cold and dreary days of winter.

Button Pony Tail Holders

2011-03-12T21:17:00.003-05:00

I planned to have a very productive button making day today and spent the morning getting caught up on my saved TV shows and making these simple yet cute (if I do say so myself) hair accessories. They're super simple with my handmade button just sewed to a pony tail holder. I think they'd look great with an outfit made with matching buttons - how cute would that be. I haven't listed them yet in my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/buttonsbyrobin?ref=pr_shop_more but will probably list a few tomorrow. I like to show different ideas of how to use my buttons. Of course they're great for sewing projects but I don't sew and I know there are lots of people out there who don't so I like to show different simple ways to use these buttons. I also don't mind if people purchase my buttons to make their own hair accessories since my business is primarily buttons and not really the hair accessories. Anyway as I said I had very good intentions of having a full button making day but my son called unexpectedly and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend some time with him. So this afternoon I spent some time chatting with my son and then had dinner with my two favourite/favorite boys - my son and my hubby. We went to a wonderful Korean BBQ place where you cook your own food at a BBQ at the table and then went to Pacific Mall which is an Asian mall here in Toronto. I bought a couple of good luck charms (hope they work) for myself, my son and his girl. Too bad she wasn't able to join us today. I did manage to get the couple of small custom orders I had promised to do done this today though. They are drying as we speak so should be ready tomorrow. I just didn't get to do all the extras I had planned. That's OK though. As long as my obligations are met it's really nice to take the time that is available when it becomes available to spend time with the ones we love. I hope you all had a great Saturday as well. Now tomorrow I really must buckle down and get to "buttoning".

Back to my Primitive "Button" Roots - Primitive Crow Buttons

2011-03-09T19:55:00.001-05:00

When I first started making buttons I began by making buttons with primitive themed images. I was into tole painting and primitive art at the time so it was natural I'd make buttons in these designs. I still enjoy the primitive look but my buttons have evolved and changed over time and I've forgotten my prim loving friends. I think I need to get back to carrying a line of primitive style buttons to fill that niche. I've got lots of ideas in mind but for now here is my latest prim creation http://www.etsy.com/listing/69717776/primitive-crow-buttons-set-of-6-handmade

Three Little Pigs Handmade Buttons

2011-03-06T12:00:00.002-05:00

I've been wanting to make some Three Little Pigs Buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/69458748/7-large-three-little-pigs-themed for quite a while. I've listed a few sets before but they didn't have all the images I wanted. I am thrilled with these. I think they are just adorable. This is my larger size but I've also made some in a smaller size which I hope to list later today. I've also just made a pretty big investment in some equipment which will help speed up the button making process for me. I really hope this works out so that I can make a lot more buttons in a shorter amount of time. I have so many ideas and just not enough time in the day. I find that through the work week (when I'm at my day job) that I have little to no energy in the evenings and it's hard enough just to package up orders that come through. Don't get me wrong - I am so excited with each and every order - but sometimes I just don't have the energy to package them up in the evenings. Of course I do it because I want to get your treasures off to you as soon as possible. I pride myself on customer service. If the equipment I've purchased works out this should help out quite a bit so that I can make a lot more buttons on the weekends and then just list throughout the week. We'll see how it goes. Now I just can't wait for my equipment to arrive in the mail. It will likely take 2-3 weeks so until then it's the usual labour/labor intensive process. Making the buttons will still be fairly labour/labor intensive but I'm hoping to decrease some of the processing time by quite a bit. Fingers crossed.......

Bunny Town Card Embellishments

2011-03-05T14:06:00.002-05:00

I'm having a bit of a play day today. I've finally pretty much got caught up on custom orders - yeah! I've had this idea for a while to make a simple greeting card and to decorate it with my buttons. The idea is that when the person is finished with the card they can remove the buttons and embellish some clothing with them (sort of the premise of a DIY embellishment kit). If you can sew a button you can take a simple t-shirt or other garment and embellish it with these buttons to make something special. We'll see how these go over in my shop but I think the idea is quite innovative (at least I've never seen it before). Here is a link to the listing http://www.etsy.com/listing/69401357/bunny-town-card-with-8-carrot-and-bunny. Let me know what you think of the idea. Is it something that you'd try?

E-Bay Handmade Button Auctions

2011-03-05T12:23:00.003-05:00

I've got a few E-bay auctions going this week for some of my most popular buttons. You may be able to snag a deal as the auction prices are starting at a lot lower than my usual retail price. I don't have sales in my shop as I believe that's unfair to those who have purchased at the regular price. Having these auctions may introduce other to my buttons as E-bay has a very wide audience but you may also be able get a great price on some handmade buttons that are only available from me - Buttons by Robin. Here is the link to the Snow White auction http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140520222509&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT. I've also listed some Red Riding Hood Buttons http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140520193425&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT and some Alice in Wonderland Buttons http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140520195758&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT. I plan to list more over the next few days and on an ongoing bases as it allows me to introduce my unique buttons to a broader audience so keep checking E-bay or sign up on my Face Book page through the link at the bottom of my blog and you can be notified of potential auctions and hopefully save a few dollars.

Construction Tools buttons for Boys

2011-03-04T11:26:00.003-05:00

I'm always looking for designs which I can incorporate into my handmade buttons for boys. I find that there are so many options for cute buttons for girls but not as many for boys. I think these fit the bill and will hopefully be a hit with those who sew for boys http://www.etsy.com/listing/69220875/construction-tools-set-buttons-handmade?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=construction+tool+buttons&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade.

Handmade Bunny Shaped Buttons

2011-02-28T15:54:00.003-05:00

I "think" I'm finally caught up on my custom orders - the last batch is drying and once they're ready I can take the pictures and mail them off to their new homes. I'm very excited to be caught up for the most part so I can move on to some of my new creations such as these adorable bunny shaped buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/69062092/six-handmade-large-rabbit-or-bunny. These shaped buttons wouldn't work very well as buttons that need to be opened and closed through a button hole since their ears would snag and probably break off. They'd be adorable for use to decorate Easter Cards with though or as an embellishment on something that didn't have to be opened and closed. I created these originally since I wanted to use them on my Easter cards but I fell in love with them and thought they'd be a really wonderful addition to my Etsy shop. I hope you like them as well. I'm loving the shaped buttons more and more and while they are more labour/labor intensive I think they're well worth the effort.

Red Riding Hood Buttons.

2011-02-27T13:28:00.002-05:00

Well I've been back from vacation for a week and am back into buttons big time. I have a large number of custom orders I'm working on and I'm trying to balance that with making the buttons that I find fun. Lately I've been into making fairy tale and story book themed buttons and I love these Red Riding Hood Buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/68979688/10-red-riding-hood-buttons-set-of-10. I think these would look adorable on a child's outfit or as special embellishment to items in their room. There are so many things that you can do with buttons besides just using them on clothing. I have so many ideas but now I just need to find the time to bring them to fruition!

Heading Home and So Excited!

2011-02-19T09:37:00.002-05:00

I've had a wonderful time in Costa Rica and will be starting the trek home in about an hour. I am so excited to be heading home (yes even to the snow!) This has been a fantastic vacation and I love Costa Rica and will be back another time for sure.

I'm excited to get home first to my son and family but I'm also looking forward to getting back to my handmade buttons. I plan to use the time on the plane to organize my custom orders and plan a strategy for moving forward with the projects I have been dreaming of this week. My new supplies arrived while I was away so I need to go to the post office to pick them up and then I can move forward full speed.

I want to incorporate some more artisan buttons into my line - ceramics and glass in particular and perhaps even get back to some handpainted wooden buttons. We'll see. I do know I have to make a concerted effort to launch these as they take a lot more time and planning than the resin/acrylic buttons not to mention several stages of creating. I do think they're worth it though.

I also haven't forgotten that I reallly want to work on my sewing skills this year and while I've been away I have also decided I want to incorporate more of my original art into my buttons. That means I have to improve my graphic design skills. All of this has to happen while I'm working at my day job. I will have a couple full days before I head back to work and then next weekend I have another three day weekend coming up. There never seems to be enough time in the day though for all my ideas.

Anyway I am back and energized and ready to get back to handmade buttons!

Last Full Day of Vacation

2011-02-18T13:16:00.002-05:00

Today is my last full day of vacation here in beautiful Liberia, Costa Rica. I'm sitting by the beach writing this and enjoying the beautiful sunshin and the nice cooling breeze coming off the Pacific Ocean. I have had a wonderful time but am looking forward to getting home and back to my buttons and other ideas.

I have a number of packages to pack and some custom orders to get started on. Tomorrow will be mostly a day of travel but then I still have two full days before I have to head back to my day job. I've been trying to focus a little bit during my vaacation on the direction I'd like to take my shop. I have some ideas but only time will tell if I think these are developed enough to actually put into practice. I do know I have to find a balance between my custom orders and the things I want to do just for me. I also want to start doing things for my home. We've been there for three and a half years now and have done little to no decorating. I think its time to make my house a home and inject some personality into it. I also want to organize and redesign my office and creative spaces. I have packed in far too much extra stuff into my tiny office and am feeling a bit stifled creatively. The problem is that I love doing so many different types of creating from glass to ceramics to metal smithing etc. My main profitable endeavour though is by far my buttons. I haven't really seen anything exactly like them and because of this they seem to be quite popular. Because they're popular its hard to find time to experiment with my other ideas and I'm not able to get enough of a selection to actually see if my ideas are something that can take off. In my dreams I do dream of being able to quit my day job and earn a living creating. I know this would take the magic and a lot of the joy out of it though because it would put pressure on me to make money to pay the bills. Right now I don't have that pressure and any sales are able to fund new and fun things.

Today as I sit by the beach everything seems possible. Tomorrow as I travel back to reality I hop0e to bring that sense of possibility with me.

There is a time to relax and a time to make buttons!

2011-02-17T10:46:00.003-05:00

Right now I'm writing this from a sunny beach in Liberia, Costa Rica. It is about 90 degrees fahrenheit and there is a beautiful breeze coming in off the Pacific Ocean. The tide is out now. I've just had a leisurely breakfast and my husband has gone diving. I've been here a few days and absolutely love it. I have taken a much needed break from button making but now that I've been away from it for a few days my mind is wandering back to button designs and I'm starting to think of all the things I want to make. New ideas are bubbling and yet I have a few more days before I can start to make my ideas into tangible objects.

When I do get back home (to the cold and snow) I have a few custom orders that I have to make and some packages I have to mail out from people who have purchased this week and are willing to wait until next week for me to mail them to them. As I write this I don't have a picture to post but I'll do that shortly.

This morning is the perfect time to sit back relax and think about where I want to take my business this year and what I want to do with my creativity. It's also a time to realize how lucky I am to be able to take this time and escape the Canadian winter for a short time and enjoy this wonderful wonderful weather and the truly warm and inviting hospitality of the people of Costa Rica. I can say this - we'll be back another time to enjoy all this beauty.

Thank you to the wonderful people of Costa Rica.

Happy New Year

2011-01-02T09:36:00.003-05:00

Happy New Years everyone! I wish everyone a very prosperous, healthy and happy New Year. I also hope you had a wonderful holiday season whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year.

I know I've neglected my blog for quite some time and I hope to get back to providing updates on a more frequent basis. I do post images on my buttons by robin facebook page so you can always find some newer images there or of course in my www.buttonsbyrobin.com shop which is my Etsy shop.

I've been very busy making buttons for the holiday season and I'd like to thank all my customers who made it a very successful season in the button shop! Thank you all so much. I hope to see you back in the New Year and I hope that many of you that haven't found me yet will venture on over to Etsy and have a look.

Above is a picture of some of my buttons drying. It's not the prettiest picture but crafting is kind of messy until you get to the end product.

For 2011 I'm going to be adding hair accessories and button jewelry to my shop. I want to use these as more of a showcase to give you some ideas of some of the wonderful things you can do with my buttons. If you want to use them in items in your Etsy shop, your own website or anywhere I'm perfectly fine with that. I'll even post pictures and a link here if you like to help promote your items. Even if you make hair accessories or jewelry similar to those I make that's perfectly fine. There is room for all of us and, as I mentioned, I'm not really into the hair accessory business - my main thing is the buttons themselves - so I have no problem. I'm sure your creations will have your own spin and special touch and I'd just love to have you use my buttons and hope in some small way they they'll help make your projects just that bit more special.

Well off to post some new Valentine's Day and Easter buttons in my shop. Then making a late New Years dinner for the family - since my husband will ill yesterday and we weren't really able to have a proper family celebration!

All the best everyone!

My Oak Leaf Buttons in Etsy Treasury.

2010-11-12T19:23:00.002-05:00

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cddcaac0a248eef267ae4f8/c-o-l-o-r#4cddd91fa6c16d913cb3d0ca

New Fox Buttons

2010-07-27T09:45:00.004-04:00

Okay. I'll admit it. I'm a sucker for trends. It's not that I intentionally set out to follow popular trends but I seem to get drawn into them. You'll notice the over abundance of bird and owl buttons on my www.buttonsbyrobin.com shop on Etsy. Well now I seem to see that foxes are popping up all over so had to give some fox buttons a try http://www.etsy.com/listing/52399193/fox-buttons-set-of-six-handmade-by-me. Honestly I'm not just willy nilly (is that even a saying anymore - I must be old) trying to put up what I think is popular. I do try to put up what I like and when I saw these fox images I just had to try my hand at these buttons. I have two other fox images from the same Etsy artist (helloaimi) which are in the works. I can't wait to get them listed as well. They're so darn cute!

Button Jewlery Using My Buttons

2010-07-24T08:34:00.007-04:00

I am constantly surprised with the beautiful things that people make with my buttons. Check out the beautiful button jewelry/jewellery at a Need to Create http://www.stleen.zoomshare.com/. I love how my bird buttons are incorporated with the other buttons. The colors/colours blend perfectly. What a creative use of buttons! You can find these bracelets along with other beautiful button bracelets here http://www.stleen.zoomshare.com/1.shtml/Jewelry%20-%20Button%20Bracelets.

Happy Birthday Mom

2010-07-15T19:08:00.003-04:00

I kind of hesitate to put a picture of Mom on my blog as I'm not sure she'd like it. She never really liked to have her picture taken. I'm hoping she'll forgive me because this is a nice picture of her with my son when he was little. The sun rose and set on him as far as she was concerned. Today would have been her birthday. It's the second birthday that she's no longer with us. I think of you every day Mom. I love you and miss you. I hope you know how I feel. I wish I had the chance to tell you one more time but I hope that you know and hope that somehow you can hear me. Love you Mom. I think of you every day. A big hug to you. I appreciate everything you did for us (Penny, me and Matt).

A Hot Summer Treasury on Etsy

2010-07-13T19:18:00.002-04:00

Must be my lucky day. My butterfly buttons are featured in yet another treasury on Etsy which can be found here http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3bb5dc05818eef22bb9f0f/god-its-so-hot-here?index=0. Thank you to Digital Perfection. Please take a moment to check out the beautiful images from Digital Perfection which can be found here http://www.etsy.com/shop/DigitalPerfection?ref=seller_info.

Another Etsy Treasury - Halloween Themed

2010-07-13T19:06:00.003-04:00

I've been lucky enough to be chosen for another Etsy treasury. This one is Halloween themed and can be found here http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3cbd8492578eefbd799fa3/a-hallowed-night#4c3cef3150f26d912b6c5f02. Thanks to Firebolt Creations on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/FireboltCreations for choosing my items.

My Butterfly Buttons in an Etsy Treasury

2010-07-12T19:24:00.003-04:00

My buttons are in this beautiful butterfly treasury on Etsy. The treasury can be found here http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c3b988908386d916c3c0217/butterfly-bliss?index=0. Thank you to momosboutique http://www.etsy.com/shop/MoMosBoutique for including me. Please be sure to cheque out her shop.

Happy Birthday Dad

2010-07-12T18:16:00.003-04:00

This is the second year without my Dad on his birthday. The picture above was probably taken in 1965. It is of my Dad with my younger sister and myself.

Happy birthday Dad from Penny and I. We miss you but you are in our hearts every day and know you're watching over us. We love you.

Button Button, Who's Got the Button?

2010-07-10T15:42:00.003-04:00

I don't really remember the rules around the Button Buttons Who's Got the Button game but I do remember the saying. I think I'm going to have to google it to see if I can find out anything about the game. Anyway despite that it seems that I have the buttons right now. Pictured above is my latest batch of buttons after they're drilled and before their individual pictures are taken and they're ready to be listed at http://www.etsy.com/shop/buttonsbyrobin. Whew! So many buttons it took quite a while to get the holes drilled and then even longer to get the individual pictures taken. I guess I'd better get to work now though and get them listed in my Etsy and Artfire shops. I also have a big wholesale order to do and a smaller custom order to get ready. Good thing I have this Monday off from the day job. I also want to get a bit of glass work done. So many crafts so little time........................

Happy Belated Fourth of July

2010-07-05T14:16:00.003-04:00

Oh oh. I guess I am a bad Canadian as I forgot to post a picture on Canada Day (July 1st) and now I'm posting a Happy Fourth of July for my American friends. It is a belated happy fourth however. I guess I'm just not very good at recognizing these things. I hope I'm forgiven both at home in Canada and across the border by my American friends. I'm sure lots of Americans are off today since yesterday was the fourth. I hope everyone is having a wonderful long weekend. In honour/honor of the holiday I have posted a picture of my patriotic crows http://www.etsy.com/listing/24655207/handmade-buttons-primitive-americana.

My Bluebird Buttons in an Etsy Treasury!

2010-06-27T13:05:00.002-04:00

My buttons are in an Etsy treasury which you can find here http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c26a2a918cd6d9102cc651f/birdy. Thank you to redchuckstress http://www.etsy.com/shop/redchuckstress for selecting my buttons to include in the beautiful bird treasury!

Latest Finds at the Antique Market

2010-06-24T14:56:00.003-04:00

My husband and I went to the antique market last Sunday and I found a couple of things that I just had to have. I had to make a deal with my husband that I would limit my purchases of these "treasures" and he promised we'd come back if I actually used them to make something with. You see I have a habit of collecting these items and then not actually using them on anything. I sometimes can't bare to use them as they're one of a kind and then once they're gone, they're gone. This means I usually let them sit around waiting for the perfect thing to use them for and sometimes that perfect thing never materializes. Well I do have an idea for these and I've actually started on my project since I'm on holidays from the day job this week. I have to show my husband that I'm right and he's wrong and that I really really will put these treasures to good use.

By the way, in case you don't know what these are, these are antique wooden letter press letters that were actually used in printing at one time. I chose to purchase a few x and o's and am hoping to make them into some kind of jewelry. My first attempt didn't look very good so I've made some modifications and am waiting for some glue to dry and then I'm going to try again. I'll post the finished picture here when it's done. It will be beautiful! I just know it this time! Do you every purchase items and then can't bare to use them in projects because they'll be gone. Are you a crafting supply hoarder?

Halloween Mouse and My Cat Buttons

2010-06-23T21:44:00.003-04:00

Here is another absolutely adorable creation by fibre artist Barby Anderson. This one uses my handmade black cat button. Don't you just love Halloween?

Here is the link to Barby's eBay auction for this adorable creature http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270597913863&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Another One Of a Kind Needle Felted Mouse with my Handmade Buttons

2010-06-23T12:40:00.004-04:00

Wow another adorable one of a kind handmade mouse by Barby Anderson which incorporates my handmade buttons. This one has two of my buttons. A piece of "button" cheese it tucked in the back pocket and the sheep is sewn onto the back pocket. How cute! You can find the auction here http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270597012827&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T17:59:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to say Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad's out there and Happy Father's Day to my Dad. I miss you and love you and you're still in my heart.

One of a Kind Fibre Artist and My Buttons

2010-06-19T11:17:00.003-04:00

I'm so pleased to see that this wonderful fibre artist is using my buttons to add a little bit of embellishment to her creations. These mice are so adorable. This one is currently up for auction on E-Bay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270593914391&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT. Hurry up and check it out before the auction ends!

Vacation Starts Tomorrow

2010-06-18T10:11:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I get to start my vacation. I'm just taking a week off and since I'm staying home I'm hoping to get lots of creating done. My husband has an event he's going to tomorrow which I'm going to bow out of so I can create and we'll have to do something for Father's Day with his Dad tomorrow. We'll visit the cottage and get it ready for the summer one day but other than that I have a week of free time. Sometimes I find though that when I have a whole lot of perceived time ahead of me I tend to procrastinate. When I have just the short weekend I tend to jam it full of projects. One thing I'm going to have to do is remake a button order that got lost in the mail I'm afraid :) That's not something I look forward to but it happens every once in a while. Chances are it will show up when I've made up the new ones. The customer is being so patient though and I want to make sure I get the replacements to her. My head is bursting with things I want to to try - mainly some upcycled jewelry/jewellery items so we'll see how that goes. Have a great weekend everyone!

Staycation

2010-06-14T09:50:00.002-04:00

I'm going to be on vacation next week and while I tried to find something to do and somewhere to go, in the end I decided we'd stay home. I love travelling and especially love Mexico but somehow couldn't bring myself to spend the money to travel there when we have beautiful summer weather here. I'll save my pennies for a vacation to the warmer climates in the winter. Now I have to decide what to do while I have a week away from the day job. My husband will be off as well so we'll have to figure out something we both want to do.

I do want to work on my buttons some and I have a ton of ideas for jewellery. Jewellery is such a hard sell on Etsy because there is just so much of it and, to be honest, I don't really spend a lot of time promoting it (shameless plug here www.outspokenjewelry.com) because I'm usually busy promoting my other store (shameless plug number two www.buttonsbyrobin.com).

Anyway I'm sitting here at my day job thinking of all the wonderful things I could do next week. I have a week of possibility ahead of me. I guess that's something special in and of itself.

I hope you all have the opportunity to take a vacation this summer and whether you go somewhere fun or exotic or just stay at home I hope it gives you time with family and friends and an opportunity to recharge your batteries and perhaps spend a little extra time creating or doing what you love.

Bird Silhouette on Turquoise - My Newest Favourite Buttons

2010-05-18T13:49:00.003-04:00

Why is it that my most recent buttons are always my current favourite/favorite? Well in this case that's certainly the case. I love, love, love these buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/47086846/bird-silhouette-on-tuquoise-buttons. These are recently listed in my Buttons By Etsy Shop at www.buttonsbyrobin.com. I just read a newsletter from Fire Mountain Gems that said turquoise is the not new colour/color right now. It has been one of my favourites/favorites for a while now. I also am loving turquoise and red right now as a combination. Hope you like these as well.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T10:07:00.002-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there. This is the second year without my mother and I miss her terribly. As time passes though I am able to remember and be thankful for all the good times we had. Happy Mother's Day Mom. Love you and miss you.

Buttons By Robin Link Love

2010-04-18T21:27:00.001-04:00

I've just figured out how to get my short url for my Buttons By Robin face book page. It is http://www.facebook.com/buttonsbyrobin. I've started a link love discussion on my discussion page. If you'd like me to fan your page please leave your info there and we can all share links. Please only link to my page if you like my items though. No pity links please :)

As always you can see my work on www.buttonsbyrobin.com.

Turquoise Owl Buttons

2010-04-15T09:12:00.004-04:00

My turquoise owl buttons have found a new home and are packaged up and will be on their way to Australia later today. I just love the idea that my buttons and jewelry/jewellery items have found places all over the world. I just wish I had started marking on a map all the countries where they have been sent. I think that would have been fun. I don't have any more of these owls listed in my Buttons By Robin shop at the moment but I hope to get some more made this weekend. In the mean time there are lots to look at including owl buttons of different designs http://www.buttonsbyrobin.com/

White Rabbit from Alice In Wonderland Fused Glass Pendant

2010-04-13T09:31:00.002-04:00

I know that my site is primarily for handmade buttons but I couldn't help designing a few Alice in Wonderland pendants in fused glass and listing them here. I particularly love the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland and have incorporated him in this design http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44533015. This is made with a laser toner fused glass decal. When you use the right type of laser printer you can print the image in black and it fuses to a really dark reddish brown. The image becomes part of the glass and you can add anything you want. Too bad it only works in black but I'm working on doing some screen printed designs that will work on glass as well. That way I'll be able to add colour/color. Anyway hope you enjoy Alice in Wonderland as much as I do. As always you can find more of my buttons and jewelry at http://www.buttonsbyrobin.com/.

Fireman or Firefighter Buttons

2010-04-12T11:29:00.003-04:00

These buttons would be great for the little fireman/firegirl (I do have an image of a female firefighter for anyone that would like that.) I love the bright red colours/colors against the white. Also I think it's great to encourage children in their dreams to be whatever they want to be when they grow up. Firefighters are truly modern day heroes and these buttons help celebrate that. They can be found in my etsy shop at http://www.buttonsbyrobin.com/ or http://www.etsy.com/shop/buttonsbyrobin the specific listing for the buttons is here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44084032

My Owl Buttons in an Etsy Treasury

2010-04-10T18:57:00.003-04:00

My Owl buttons are featured in this Etsy treasury http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=124891. I love all of the colours of these items. Thanks so much to mycyberfiber http://www.etsy.com/shop/mycyberfiber who included my buttons in this treasury. Please check out her Etsy shop if you love fiber. She has a wonderful selection of items including hand dyed yarns. They look delicious!

New Buttons By Robin Zibbet Shop

2010-04-08T13:20:00.000-04:00

This is just a really quick note to let you know that I've opened up another Buttons By Robin shop on Zibbet. I only have one item listed at this moment but will be adding more as time permits. You can find it here http://www.zibbet.com/buttonsbyrobin. My main shop is www.buttonsbyrobin.com which is my Etsy shop. The vast majority of my items are there. I also have a few listings still on Artfire at www.handpaintedbuttons.com but I have sadly neglected that the last while. I am considering opening up my own website but we'll see how that goes. For now I just wanted to let you know about the Zibbet shop.

Artist or Studio Fused Glass Button-Bird Silhouette on Orange and White

2010-04-07T09:06:00.002-04:00

I'm so excited to be adding some handmade artist or studio buttons to my www.buttonsbyrobin.com . This is one of my latest creations http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44265729. Of course I'll still be adding my usual handmade resin buttons that seem to be so popular. I just wanted to expand a bit and add something a bit more unique and special for when you really want to add an extra special touch to something. I'm also adding a bit of my artisan jewelry/jewellery as well. My latest jewelry/jewellery additions are some fused glass Alice in Wonderland pendant. There are also a few fused glass Alice in Wonderland buttons. I've got more to add and will be doing so slowly over the rest of the week as time permits. The day job does get in the way and sometimes you just have to spend time with the hubby. Hopefully I'll be able to get some serious glass fusing done on the weekend. So many ideas, so little time.................

Newest Fused Glass Lime Green Owl Brooch or Pendant

2010-03-23T08:51:00.003-04:00

I've been very busy lately working on wholesale orders and custom orders for www.buttonsbyrobin.com making some really unique handmade buttons and I have a really interesting project in the works that I don't want to mention just yet but it's really exciting and I hope to be able to share the information shortly. Working so much on my buttons doesn't leave me much time for other creative endeavours like my fused glass. A couple of weeks ago I did manage to make some fused glass pieces and I really love them. The picture here is one of them. It's a fused glass owl and has a metal finding on the back that allows this to be worn as a pin/brooch or as a pendant. I really love this little guy and he's available in my other Etsy shop www.outspokenjewelry.com . Here is direct link to the listing http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43311115 I have also been working on some painted quilts and can't wait to get one finished. This is strictly for my own pleasure at this time and won't be something I'll be selling - at least not this one. I may try my hand at designing some painted art quilts and then we'll see. Oh so little time for all these projects I want to do. If only I didn't have to sleep...............

Knit Shop Carrying My Buttons

2010-03-07T19:15:00.003-05:00

A while back a new knitting shop which opened up in Stratford, Ontario asked for some of my buttons to carry in their shop. Their philosophy is that they want to support local artisans. I was thrilled when they asked to carry my buttons and even more thrilled now that they've placed another order. I guess this means my buttons are a hit in Stratford. If you are ever in the area please stop by CloseKnit http://www.closeknit.ca/index.html and tell them Robin of Buttons By Robin sent you.

Juggling

2010-03-03T08:34:00.009-05:00

I feel like I'm juggling too many balls at the moment and can't seem to get a good handle on any one of them. I'm trying my best to keep up with my Etsy shop(s) http://www.buttonsbyrobin.com/ and www.outspokenjewelry.com , list an item or two on Ebay and think of new ideas so that I don't get tired of making the same types of products. I'm also trying to get back into going to the gym and that leaves me extra tired and sore in the evenings. As if that weren't enough I'm really trying to go on a major kick to clear out some clutter (especially from my art studio). That seems a bit overwhelming so I've started with my kitchen and will work my way through the house up to the studio. Don't get me wrong my house is quite clean and clutter free but it's those hidden little junk drawers and the kitchen cupboards that collect stuff that is never used but sure does get dusty somehow. I started trying to clean out one drawer or one shelf most nights and run an extra load of rarely used dishes through the dishwasher to freshen them up. So far so good. As for going to the gym - I love it when I get there and feel so good when I do a class (well except for the fact that I can barely move for a day or two but that comes from having neglected going for so long and that will pass as I get used to using these muscles.). I'm just such an all or nothing person that if I don't' do everything perfectly I get really down on myself and usually just give up and do the "nothing" part. I'm trying to find that balance between doing some of what I want to do/need to do and the "all" or "nothing" part of me. Oh yes, I do have a day job so that takes a good part of my weekday hours. I'm up at 6 a.m. and (if I don't go to the gym) usually home by 5;30. I have to figure this out as I do want to do all of these things. I just don't want to be exhausted doing it. If anyone knows how to get more hours in the day please let me know. (The picture here has nothing to do with my post but of course I have to get in my shameless self promotion for http://www.buttonsbyrobin.com/ whenever I can.)

Handmade Button Gift Packs - Red Owl

2010-02-10T08:59:00.005-05:00

I've recently added some button gift packs to my shop http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40216620. I've packaged these buttons in little mini CD cases that I've decorated with a decorative cover. The second picture shows the cover of the CD case. The first picture shows the inside of the CD case with the buttons. The inside cover is blank so you can write a message to the person you're giving the gift to. Inside the CD cover I include a little tag that says "Secret Pal". This can be changed to the persons name or some other phrase such as Happy Easter, Mom, Button Collector or anything else that you would like. I think these are a little bit of a special way to gift a button gift. Of course the packages of buttons themselves can be given as gifts but sometimes it's nice to have an extra special presentation for even the smallest of gifts. We'll see how these go over but I think they turned out quite well. What do you think?

Pink and Green Owl Buttons - Handmade

2010-02-05T10:26:00.003-05:00

I quickly uploaded these little guys last night http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40045782 to my shop. I think they're adorable. I have quite a few owl buttons in the process and will hopefully get them done this weekend. I think they're adorable and although I know they're popular and trendy right now I still like to make them - even if it makes me look like I'm simply jumping on the owl bandwagon.

Branding

2010-02-03T08:49:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to figure out how to brand my products. I've read a lot which says that branding is important. I think up until now I've packaged my products in a simple way. I was packaging my buttons on a simple hang tag. I think they looked kind of cute but they didn't have my contact information on the packaging. I've recently switched to adding a bag topper and placing the buttons in the bag. I think they look kind of cute and they do have the information for all three of my website. We'll see how it goes. I know that if I want to move this business forward as a business and not just a hobby that I have to figure out packaging, branding etc. I also have to be able to ship economically (which is a problem in Canada because the postal rates are pretty high compared to the United States.) I've had some really cute packaging ideas but if they bump up the shipping to the next category they more than double my shipping charges which make the little buttons too expensive to ship. No one wants to pay that much shipping for buttons - even if they are in a cute package. I do have an idea for packaging up some gift type buttons (maybe some for a secret pal or just because gift etc.) but I won't talk about that just yet until I work out the kinks. For now here is a picture of how I currently package my buttons.

Red Owl Buttons

2010-02-01T15:20:00.003-05:00

Here are some of my newest buttons. I'm quite in love with these but then I always love my newest creations best! I know that owls are everywhere on Etsy and and some people think they're a bit overdone. I just know that I fell in love with this image and couldn't wait to get these buttons made. I like them so much I'm going to make a bunch more similar owl buttons in different colours. These are at www.buttonsbyrobin.com and the direct link to the listing is http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39766135.

A Magazine Wants My Buttons!

2010-01-13T06:53:00.002-05:00

I got an email yesterday from a Knitting Magazine (I'll name it later if this actually happens). They wanted a picture of my buttons for their magazine. They were going to put a picture of them and my web address on their recommendations page! How cool is that. I would imagine that IF they use the pictures that it will be a few months down the road but you can bet I'll be watching that magazine for my button images and if they do actually use them I'll be sure to buy a few issues. It's so exciting how these things can come about by having a product out there on the web and I think a huge part of this is having a site on Etsy. Etsy is becoming so popular these days and there seems to be a fresh feeling to the site these days. There seems to be a more positive outlook in the forums. It may be that their new/old CEO is back and he seems to be bringing a positive outlook with him. I also watched a Wayne Dwyer show on my local PBS channel this weekend - The Power of Intention. It basically said if you want something you have to intend for it to happen. For me this means you have to do the things to make it happen. Since the New Year began I've been focusing more on my buttons and to a lesser extent my jewelry. Exciting things have happened already this year. In addition to the magazine wanting my pictures I also have my buttons in a local store here in Ontario. I have been asked in the past to do wholesale orders for brick and mortar stores but have turned them down. This time I decided to go for it and put my buttons in an actual physical store. I always thought that I didn't have time. I'm going to play it by ear and see how it goes. I also just did a big button order for someone for their wedding. They are going to use the buttons for wedding favours/favors. How honoured I am for my buttons to be a part of such a special day in someones life! How cool is that.

Lot's Of New Buttons!

2010-01-04T18:57:00.003-05:00

I just added lots of new images to www.buttonsbyrobin.com and these are some of my newly listed wooden buttons. These are available now in my Etsy store. I had a request by someone with the same first name as myself (Robin) for some robin buttons. Funny I hadn't thought of that before since I have lots of bird buttons. I took the request and made a couple of different kinds in both wood and my usual resin buttons. I think they turned out really well. I also took a few of my wooden buttons and made them into pendants. I listed a couple of these at my other Etsy shop www.outspokenjewelry.com although I haven't been listing too much jewelry lately these were seen and featured in this blog http://www.thischarmingcandy.com/2010/01/since-were-offering-free-shipping-on.html by This Charming Candy. That was a really nice surprise. Thanks very much Charming!

New Kilns

2010-01-02T21:17:00.004-05:00

What a day. We went and picked up a couple of new kilns that I purchased from the parent of a co-worker. My husband I went and picked it up and it was a fair bit heavier than I anticipated. I am very excited to have the much larger kiln even though it will mean that I have to get an electrician in to do some rewiring. I will also have to call my insurance guy and make sure I am covered before we get this big boy going. I also got a second test kiln which I can use for small runs of ceramic or glass. Right now I only have a very small tabletop kiln I use for glass but hopefully once we get these all up and running I can make larger items.

Anyway the problem came when we came to lift it out of the van we had borrowed (with no help). I have an injured shoulder at the moment so was concerned about trying to lift the 250 lb beast with my hubby. I could just envision either crushing my fingers, injuring my shoulder more or having the whole kiln either crash into my father-in-laws van or just simply crash to the ground. I do not know how we did it but we did manage to get it out of the van and onto a dolly and then somehow lift it to its stand. What is even more amazing is my husband did not get upset, did not get angry and just calmly did what had to be done. We had no choice. We worked as a team. We did it.

It was a good day.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T10:21:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year everyone. Here is to a great year and fresh start. The new year is the perfect time to focus on fresh starts don't you think? Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be able to leave work early. They let us go at 1:00 because it was New Year's Eve. My husband was working so we didn't do anything but he did manage to get home shortly before midnight so we were able to share a midnight kiss. I've never beenmuch into New Year's anyway. I usually do manage to stay up and ring in the New Year but don't usually go out or anything. Last night while hubby was at work I did manage to get over 70 bird silhouette buttons made for a custom order for a wedding. Today the resin should be set so I can add the holes and take the pictures and hopefully the bride to be will be pleased and I can get them mailed off to her. She wanted them for February so for once I'm ahead of the game. It's really an honour for my buttons to be included in such a special day. I hope she sends me a picture of the finished wedding favours. I also finished up a couple of robin (the bird) buttons that were requested. My first name is Robin and so it's the name of the preson that requested the buttons as well so I'm pleased to be making them. The ones I made are resin but I'm also going to be making some in wood. I've go the wood all painted up so just need to add the image. These wooden buttons are priced a bit higher priced as they're much more labour intensive than the resin buttons so we'll see how that goes. I think they look great but so far not too many wooden buttons sales. I also found or refound some fused glass pieces I had etched a while back. I'm hoping to do some silversmithing today and make some bezels for them. I've go some really cute ideas and we'll see how they turn out. I'm really new to working with metal/silver so it takes a bit of time to make these items and its hard to get the quality to the point to where I could sell it but I guess that's where the practice comes in and I actually love the finished pieces I've made so I'm very happy to wear them. I'm probably the only one to see the tiny imperfections but until they're perfect I won't be listing them for sale. Anyway so New Year's eve was productive and today I've made a couple of purchases so all in all the New Year is off to a pleasant start. Today my husband and I are just relaxing at home and tomorrow I get to go and pick up two (yes) two kilns I purchased from a co-workers parents so I'm very excited. The one kiln is pretty large compared to what I have now so I can try new things and the other is a bit bigger than my current kiln so now I can fire a lot more items if I want without having to wait a whole day for the one small kiln I have to cool down. I may end up giving one of the small kilns to my son who is super creative as well and makes jewlery for a living - stainless steel and titanium mostly for body piercing etc. but he's getting into silversmithing so would love a kiln to expand his creative possibilities as well. We'll see.