Button Boutique...

Oh my.  You are all in for a treat tonight.  I hope you don't have anything lined up for the next few hours and can sit back and enjoy the projects that the Papertrey Ink design team has in store for you.  Grab something warm to drink...I've got a whole lot of info for you tonight. 

We are kicking off the February release with a group post featuring a collection of products that I am head-over-heals in love with. 

It speaks right to my crafty, vintage-lovin' soul...it's called Button Boutique. It will be available for puchase on the 15th of February.

The products include an adorable stamp set with all of the bits and pieces you need to create your own vintage-style button cards.  There are also coordinating dies....buttons in 2 styles, 3 sizes of each -- and a matching button card die complete with a seperate tiny little die to create a hanger on your card. 

Talk about Ca-Ute!  Mish and Nichole collaborated on this set, so you know it's gonna be a goodie. 

Okie dokie.  Let's get on to some projects shall we? 

Who's ready for a dose of color? 

Let's just be frank for a minute and let me say that winter stinks!  I am so over this frigidly cold, snow-covered land.  When I sat down to create yesterday, I wanted to just fill my projects to the brim with COLOR...just warning you...you might want to put on some sun glasses. Let's get started!

First off is a mini album.  I created the pages out of fabric using the Library Card Tag die, and I used the new button cards as photo mats.  Let's take a peek at the cover. 

What goes better with buttons than a dress form??  I couldn't resist pairing this set with the Signature Series Dress Form die.

 

Here's a detail shot of the binder ring that holds it all together...I slipped a bunch of buttons on the ring for a fun accent.  The stack includes real buttons as well as diecuts using the new button dies.

 

Let's look at some of the pages.  Look at those fun button card frames!  There are lots of different little toppers for the button cards...love, love, love them!

 

I diecut buttons from lots of different materials...felt, fabric, patterned paper, and the new Coaster Board that Papertrey will be carrying.  It's white and cuts like a dream with the dies.  It stamps beautifully too!

 

Another page...I added lots of sewing-inspired details to my album, including trinket pins, lace, pinked edges and more.  I used fabrics from Heather Bailey and Amy Butler (my two favs!!)  The papers are from the new Hello Luscious collection from Basic Grey.

 

Back to the buttons...they are so fun to mix, match, stack and stitch.  They make adorable embellishments!

 

I have a few step-by-step shots for you if you'd like to try your hand at making your own fabric album.  It's very simple, actually. 

Start by ironing some stabilizer onto the back of your fabrics.  I used Pellon's Decor Bond, which is very firm and crisp.  You can then diecut your pages using the Library Card Tag.

 

Each page of my album is actually two pieces of stabilized fabric placed back-to-back and then zig-zag stitched. 

 

The pages are bound together with a binder ring.  Slip a stack of buttons on the ring for a fun touch!

 

To create the button accents, I just spent some time cutting a pile of buttons from assorted materials.  I then stamped on the Coaster Board buttons with different color inks.  Then comes the fun part...I just stacked them randomly...didn't think about it too much...and the result was a funky-fun batch of button accents.  Wouldn't it be fun to just keep a stash of these on hand to use on projects?

 
Well, that's all for my album, but guess what?  This is Group Post night, but it's also my countdown night, so I've got some more projects for you!

Next, I kept going with the fabric.  It was lying all over my work table looking so pretty, so I decided to put some scraps to use and create a little pin cushion.  Melissa makes the most gorgeous little beauties and she inspired me to give it a shot.

 

When working with the new Button Boutique set, I couldn't help but think about another popular button set...Everyday Button Bits...and how fun it would be to pair the two.  I chose the cherry image and paired it with with some felt buttons cut with one of the new button dies.  See the gingham background square?  That's another fun product I get to help introduce tonight!  It's called Bitty Background Blocks and it is just what it's name implies...squares of some of your favorite backgrounds, scaled down in formatted into 1 3/4" squares.  They fit nicely on the new pinked-edge square die that comes with the Button Card set of dies.

 

I created a fun tag to coordinate with the pin cushion which turns this into a fun and inexpensive gift for a crafty friend.  The tag was made using the new Tag Sale #4 die.  I love the shape and the embossing of this new tag die!!

Here is a close-up of the buttons on the tag which were cut from Coaster Board and stamped with button images from the new Button Boutique set.

Moving on...next is a quick and fun project using Button Boutique to create some cute treats.  These would make fun Valentines, party favors, or lunch box notes.  With a little strategic stitching, the buttons become baseballs or candies!  The Button Card die fits perfectly on the small glassine bags.

 

I thought it was kind of fun to squeeze a BOY project in here!

 

Creating the baseball buttons is very simple...it's all in how you do the stitching.

Start by coming up in one of the bottom holes.  Bring your thread around the button and back up through the same hole. 

 

Go down through the hole just above it, then around the button and back down the same hole.  Repeat for the other side.  A fun and easy accent!  The scalloped button die works great for this because the scallops help hold the thread in place.

 

You can create candy buttons using this same principle.  It's all in the stitching.  Wouldn't these be fun done with red buttons and white stitching to create little peppermints for holiday projects?

 

Ok...one last project for you!  This one showcases a little more of the new Bitty Background Blocks that I mentioned earlier.  I created a pretty background that resembles a patchwork quilt and put it to use on a baby card.

 

The patchwork blocks were done with Bitty Background Blocks...the vine "stitching" was done with Beyond Basic Borders and the zig-zag stitching is from an image in the new Button Boutique set. 

For the sentiment, I created a button card using Button Boutique with a sentiment from Baby Button Bits.

 

Let me show you a little step-by-step for creating the background.

Bitty Background Basics consists of 6 background blocks.  I put them all on two clear blocks -- three on each.

 

Begin stamping in one corner, working at an angle.

 

 

Now come back with the second clear block full of stamps and finish the row.

 

Keep stamping blocks until your whole surface is covered, alternating them like bricks.  It doesn't have to be perfect...the "stitching" will cover up a whole lot of imperfections!

 

Now go back with the vine from Beyond Basic Borders and stamp along all of the long diagnal lines.  

 

 

Then I used the zig-zag stiching from the new Button Boutique set and filled in the short diagnals.  I think it turned out so fun...and it was very easy too!

 

Ok...I think that's all I have for you tonight!  Phew!  I hope you enjoyed it...I sure did!

Be sure to hop around to the other DT members to see their Button Boutique beauties!

Danielle Flanders
Jess Witty
Erin Lincoln
Maile Belles
Nichole Heady
Lisa Johnson
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Melissa Phillilps
Michelle Wooderson

 
Button Boutique Fabric Album
Stamps:  Button Boutique
Ink:  Pure Poppy, Aqua Mist, True Black, Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, Yo Yo Yellow (Stampin' Up!)
Cardstock:  Rustic Cream
Dies:  Button Card, Buttoned Up #1 and #2, Library Card Tag, Dress Form
Other:  Coaster Board, Poppy Baker's Twine, trinket pins, fabrics from Heather Bailey and Amy Butler, patterned papers from Basic Grey's Hello Luscious

Cherry Pin Cushion
Stamps:  Button Boutique, Everyday Button Bits, Bitty Background Blocks
Ink:  Aqua Mist, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado
Cardstock:  Rustic Cream
Dies:  Mat Stack #4, Button Card, Tag Sale #4
Other:  Coaster Board, twine, buttons, trinket pins, fabrics from Heather Bailey and Amy Butler, pom-pom trim from Maya Road, lace

Button Treats
Stamps:  Button Boutique, All Star Team, Signature Series: Cupcake
Ink:  Pure Poppy, Raspberry Fizz, Sage Shadow, Yo Yo Yellow, Lavender Lace (last 3 from Stampin' Up!)
Cardstock:  Kraft, Rustic Cream
Dies:  Button Card, Buttoned Up #2
other:  Coaster Board, small glassine bags, embroidery floss

Patchwork Card
Stamps:  Button Boutique, Bitty Background Blocks, Baby Button Bits
Ink:  Aqua Mist, Pure Poppy
Cardstock:  Vintage Cream, Kraft
Dies:  Button Card
Other:  twine, red embroidery floss, vintage buttons