Button Mania

Over the weekend, I participated as a vendor in the Quilt Exhibit at the CanadInn in Polo Park.   It was a huge show, and the hours were very long.  Lots of gorgeous quilts and I think the folks who put on the show were happy with the turnout.  The weekend was lovely weather wise, and I had an opportunity to re-aquaint with lots of the gals (and a few guys) who have taken an interest in quilting.  It was a lot of work preparing for the show, as I had only been home for four full days before we had to set up, and my button inventory wasn't as large as I would have liked. 
All in all though, it was a great way to spend the weekend.  Had to miss the Masters Golf tournament, but was kept up to date on the proceedings by checking on my Blackberry every now and then as well as getting calls from hubby who was very tuned into it. I would love to get out and golf myself...the courses are all open here and the weather is good enough for those of us who like a breezy walk.  There are all kinds of reasons why I can't go...among them the fact that I still haven't totally unpacked all my stuff from this winter's journey.  One of these days though...

These are a few of the buttons I had photo'd prior to the show.  Of course they're gone now but I do know how to make more.  I am thinking of a few new themes and if I get a chance to finish some, I may get them up here. 

Button it up

Not much time to blog today, as it's Friday which means getting stuff ready for the weekend. But I figured half a loaf is better than none, so I just threw these buttons on the scanner and let 'er rip.

I made several sets in similar shades (different configurations) but all with black backgrounds. May be good for fall wardrobes, and speaking of which,

it's sad, but they are predicting just a few degrees above freezing (gack!) for the early mornings this weekend and that's really pitiful. We've had no summer to speak of, and if it starts getting really cold soon, we'll feel so gypped! Guess we'll just have to head to Arizona sooner this year (like that's going to happen) to capture The Summer That Never Was. (I am thinking of calling my first book that, hehehe). It wouldn't be my first real book, but maybe the first one to be really published.

Now, to get back to work. Sorry this was such a boring post, but sometimes life is uneventful and probably I shouldn't post on those occasions.

Name that Button!

Next week I will be taking part in an Arts Festival in some very scenic surroundings in the neighboring province of Ontario.I have been busy preparing for it and today my area of focus was on creating a few buttons. I know that technically, buttons may not seem to "fit" the category of ART, but having gone by my past shows there, they have been very much appreciated by the committee and the clientele, so I continue to make them available there.

I have tried to follow up on what folks have done with them, and have often heard they've been used as book closures, quilt decorations, garment fasteners and some have been added to collections as "studio buttons" by button collectors.

This particular series was done with shades of golds, browns,coppers and bronzes. For the background on some of these scans I've used snippets of Gustav Klimt's more renowned works. I don't mean to use his work merely as a background...it's far too precious for that, but if someone were to fashion a fabric akin to his mastercloths, I think the buttons would go well as adornments.

Now it's back to work. Hubby's arm is getting better...it's been two weeks since he "hit" the pavement, and so he was able to cut some pages for some books I am preparing. This afternoon and tonight I have scheduled my "time to bind". And no, I haven't been eating a lot of cheese lately. (That's in reference to a sketch of a table full of cheeses I did a number of years ago that I sacrilegiously titled "Blest be the Cheese That Binds". That's NOT a sketch I will be showing at the Art Festival, tee hee.)

Reflections on Quilt Reflections

Whew! Now that is what I call an exhausting nine days! Five days of super -intensive work making buttons at the clay table, and one day in kindergarten, followed by three very long but superbly satisfying days at the Quilt Reflections Seminar and I am spent!

The good things? There were many, but to list a few...Transporting a whole lot of buttons to the show was easy. The containers were small, very portable and with minimal display fixtures our set-up and take-down was a breeze. Working with a partner whose work was complementary and whose demeanor was compatible made for a very pleasant time when there were no visitors to the booth. We talked about everything from cuteness, to categorizing certifiability and Icelandic Tenors and their roles.

The great things? so much about the week end was great...In particular, meeting all the wonderful people, rekindling friendships with everyone from Grade Four School chums, to former teaching buddies to snowbirds from the same commune was terrific. Seeing all the wonderful, innovative, colourful, incredible quilts that were overpowering that the colours that registered on my brain wouldn't let me fall asleep for three nights; even though my exhausted body was pleading for rest. Above all, the organization of the show was probably the most efficient I have ever seen...Several standing ovations go to the Members of the Prairie Quilters Guild and all their volunteers...white gloved or not. And to all those supporters who "liked" my buttons ...thanks big time.

The down side? It's over and now it's a two year wait for the next big quilt show around here. Needing sleep and no time to "fix" unruly hair seemed unimportant.

Epilogue: After a good night's rest tonight and the day to unpack everything, I hope to post more tomorrow, including a few pictures of some of the memorable quilts that were there!

More buttons to push...am I panic-stricken yet?

We arrived home from our snowbirding to a ton of snow and work to do! It just never quits, but I guess I am happy to be busy.

I really wanted to post more, but not having a computer handy it was not that easy! And one hour a day at the library just wasn't enough to even keep up with email.

All is back to normal now, and of course, I am in the throes of getting ready to strut my buttons this weekend at the Quilt Reflections show here. It's a big deal and I am so lucky to have a space there...didn't think I'd be in it because when I had applied last fall, all the major spots had been allocated to big enterprises and the few small vendor spots were already assigned. Well as luck (good or bad, depends on how you look at it) would have it, there was a cancellation and we were next in line for the spot. Sooooo...guess who has been madly pushing buttons into the oven and working like crazy getting the labels and pricing done.

There must be four hundred buttons on my kitchen table now...Good thing buttons aren't that hard to carry around. The ones pictured above are just a wee sample of the variety and colour mixes in the buttons box...Let's hope they go well with the quilts at the show.

Button, Button

Yesterday was the final sale of the year for moi. It wasn't supposed to happen; originally I had been scheduled to teach a workshop this weekend, but the drive was very long and the temperatures have been so frigidly awful, that the organizers and I figured we should wait until spring.

The sale was poorly attended...can't blame people for not wanting to come out, but sadly, the cause was good and there were tons of cars in the mall we passed. The sale was being held to assist Africa and there were some excellent visual presentations.

I did well with my buttons though, and a lot of people commented on my womanakin....whom I have lovingly named Herdy Gourdy. She has no face, and not much of a life as she only comes out for show; but she is dressed to kill! She sports a black organza skirt and iridescent sequined bodice and she is bedecked with a lavendar boa, beneath a shock of pumpkin coloured hair. She displays the buttons so well. Because of her wire frame, the pinning on of the buttons is somewhat akin to sticking pins in a voodoo doll, but she so far doesn't seem to mind. And of course, we don't stick them in with ill intent.

The button sets are displayed on a table...perhaps one day I will get some prongs for them to hang them up...if I ever find a suitable backdrop! And since it's the last sale of the year, I have some time to think about that!