Button Boutique

Vintage button cards are always a treasure find while I'm out on my junking adventures. When I get them home, I always have beautiful visions of how I will use them on projects. But when it comes time to deplete my pretty stash, the hoarder in me never uses them. I want to keep them in a little basket, all nestled safely together with all their vintage goodness. That's when I knew it was time to sketch up a stamp set concept for button cards and whisk it off to Nichole. And holy button bliss, did Nichole pull through for me. She took my sketches and scans and illustrated just what my mind had pictured for the new Button Boutique stamp set. I can now create oodles and oodles of vintage looking button cards and never run out.

Just look at the photo below. At first glance can you tell which button card is one that I made from scratch? It's the one on Kraft cardstock. Get out!! We now have stamps and dies that enable us to create our very own button cards. What do you do with button cards, you ask? What can't you do with button cards? You can make them look vintage or very modern. You can use them as card accents, gift tags for packages, embellishments for scrapbook pages....the possibilities are endless. Whether you're a sewing enthusiast, a vintage lover or just plain like fun stuff...this stamp set and coordinating dies are going to supply you with an endless amount of creativity.

Each design team member has put their own special touches on the Button Boutique stamp set and dies today. I can't wait to see what they create, I'm on the edge of my seat just waiting to see their projects! But first, how about a little button bliss from me? I'm going to show you how to use vintage fabric (or you can use new fabric or felt for that matter) to create a beautiful card with a button card focal point.
First, die cut two fabrics of choice. You'll end up with small, medium and large button circles of each fabric. Layer the circles with every other color of fabric. Then secure with a stitched on button.
I ended up with a layered fabric button full of homespun goodness. Next I die cut the new pinked edge square die with a purple snippet from Pretty Pastels. I layered on the fabric button and positioned more buttons and a Mini Wooden Spool (coming later today to my Etsy shop)wrapped with twine. Tip: To sew real buttons to paper, I first use a paper piercer and a foam mat to poke the holes through the buttons. So much easeir than trying to guess where the holes need to be poked with the needle.
Next up is creating the fun, fun button card. I die cut the button card rectangle using Rustic White cardstock. In the Button Boutique stamp set there are lots of graphic, card topper phrases and then several one line sentiments. You can mix and match these for endless button card looks. I like to lay the actual clear stamp and other elements onto the button card to *stage* the design elements. This gives you a good feel for how each element needs to be spaced before you start stamping and adhering items.
Once I was happy with my staged element, I stamped my images onto the die cut button card. Ahhhhhh. Eeeeeek. It's starting to look so much like an actual button card. I can hardly stand it, friends. The beauty of having our very own button card set is that we can mix and match the colors and phrases for a bo-zillion combinations. Here I've used a black outline, a Plum Pudding topper phrase , a Ripe Avocado one line sentiment and a Plum Pudding 25 cent stamp at the bottom. Cuteness. Yes indeedy. Next I layered on my embellished square with the fabric button.
Next up, it's time to assemble all my card elements. I layered my button card onto a very special doily then added Fine Linen ribbon and a die cut piece of Bitty Dots paper. A sentiment from Studio Style is attached to the ribbon with a Mini Clothespin.
Oh how sweet. A pretty little number, don't ya think?
I would love to hear your thoughts on Button Boutique and the coordinating dies. I really think this set will be a fun one for you...a good way to sit and play around with different buttons and little baubles like my new Mini Wooden Spools. Thanks so much for stopping by today.

For even more inspiration, please visit the Design Team blogs. Plus Nichole will be doing her big write up about Button Boutique along with today's prize announcement. Stay tuned this week as I show you more projects made using Button Boutique....plus the new jar set later this week. Let the fun continue:

Nichole Heady

• Heather Nichols
• Dawn McVey
• Lisa Johnson
• Betsy Veldman
• Melissa Phillips
• Maile Belles
• Jessica Witty
• Erin Lincoln
• Danielle Flanders