Buttons, duck, and succulents!!

I had asked for suggestions for new things to paint on buttons and two I received were a panda and raggedy ann and andy... so I gave them a try.. Another reader asked if I could fit a cat, a mouse and some cheese on a 1" button,  It took a few tries but I managed.  I also added a new woodpecker to my collection... a pileated woodpecker with its red bonnet.  They are all now loaded up on the Etsy site. https://www.etsy.com/shop/olderrose   Getting all the buttons organized is a top priority.

And in the kitchen I made duck wellington for a company on Sunday.  Not having done them before I was a bit nervous but as it turned out there was an excellent YouTube video on how to assemble them.  You spread pate on a layer of prosciutto  and added the duck , rolled it up and then encased it in puff pastry... This is a show stopper main course that could be assembled the day ahead.  Before I have done duck crepes but making the crepes at the last minute is hectic.  The puff pastry was perfect.  Instead of the recommended blackberry sauce I used our local huckleberries as a sauce.  Yummy all the way around.

I snagged this cool picture  off of facebook because I thought it was a great idea for a balcony.  It won't be long now before we have to make a decision about selling the farm and moving to town... I will require at least a balcony if I can't get a bit of actual ground and succulents would be just the ticket and I'm thinking I need to get a head start.  My dear friend Susie Wolfe has a fabulous collection of succulents on her patio and I'm thinking she may be coaxed into sending me some starts....hint/hint/hint,

Walking a LOT and we joined the Y so I am stronger than I've been for years and all the heart drama is a thing of the past. My goal is 6000 steps each day and mostly make it and if I hesitate DH gives me a nudge and encouragement.  I have a small patch in front that is free if snow and I am out there tomorrow rain or shine...

Keyboard,scanner and computer all working.

It took forever but I have everything working and I can finally start dealing with the backlog of buttons that need to be uploaded to Etsy.... of course there will be lots of birds.......some new and some of my favorites.

Some suggestion from blog readers included Raggedy Ann and Andy and a panda.  I did both for valentine's day and then couldn't upload them.  They will go up this coming week.









And another challenge came as an email wanting to know if I could get a cat, a mouse and some cheese on a 1 1/4" button and I did it...

What next in buttons?????

 These are the buttons that went on Etsy yesterday and I have made a lot of progress since I started trying to get buttons back on track.  I had little trays of buttons all over in various stages of completion and I am just about done with these.  Some were unfinished, others needed fixing somehow, some needed to be just sealed, scanned or posted on Etsy. By the end of the week all that needed to be done should be up.  It has been a big job and glad it is done. 

  In fact I'm at a point that I'm actually looking for ideas to paint that I haven't done before.  I have started some loons as well as both sunflowers and poppies (neither of which I have ever done)  A good many of my ideas come from requests or special orders.  If you have an idea I might be able to paint ...let me know and it might get you a button if I paint it.

 

If it looks like I'm doing a happy dance I am... At this moment in time I AM LOOKING FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT IS LOST.  It feels so good as I can't remember when I haven't been looking for something or multiply somethings.  Now that I can ease back on the buttons I went looking for the spider bag parts and much to my surprise found them quickly so that project is back in the frame of things.

As I have often mentioned I have family in Alaska and some in Anchorage.  Everyone is OK after the big quake  and my granddaughter Leigha, who was just here in Sept for a visit, is right out there volunteering wherever she is needed.  She has a heart bigger than the whole state of Alaska... love her dearly.

Great button round up!!!

This panel of small pockets was originally meant to hold earrings but it has my inventory system for buttons for years.  And it has worked great as they are easily accessible and I can also easily see what I am out of.  Since I haven't painted buttons for months the pockets are mostly empty... and since I want to eventually close out the Etsy button site I started to really look at the current inventory...

I loved painting the buttons but not so fond of the following steps.. spraying with sealer,  scanning, formatting for Esty, writing descriptions, etc.,,and the buttons themselves are done in stages  and I have many in various stages of completion as I painted as the mood moved me..  I had to be in the mood to paint or I either just sat there staring at a button or I messed it up.


It hard to see but this little tray has buttons with the image sketched in pencil ready to paint.

I have several trays where the buttons, like these robins, are finished but waiting for several layers of sealer.  I like to do that when the humidity is low so the sealer hardens properly.







On my little painting table I have a lot of buttons in various stages....more robins almost done and others images I was having a problem with and just quit until a day I was calm and relaxed to start again.  This happens often with cats and pansies...

Near the computer I have lots of little trays and I try to put a sticky note what needs to be done with each tray.  Some just need to be signed, others need to be scanned and formattted, others are scanned and formatted and need to be entered on Etsy, and some trays have all of the above and just need to be bagged and inventoried.



And there are little bags of buttons with no  note and I can't remember what the heck needs to be done.










And finally I found a basket and a shoe box left from  retreats  I attended   and the buttons are still  on cards.  I nave been approached to give a slide program this fall on painting buttons and also want to have a booth at the Idaho Button Society's convention in the spring to sell remaining inventory so I won't remove these buttons from the cards just yet.

So the great button round up begins....................................

A definite challenge

I spent almost the entire summer outside banishing weapons (aka as tools) such as shovel, spading forks, hammers, drills, and saws.  It was a great stress releaser to bang, prune, repair and attack everything in general..  If it was raining I was in the kitchen banishing different weapons but still stomping about as I was listening mostly to the   music of the Statler brothers.  All in all it was a very physical summer.

But like stitching, button painting was at a complete halt for months  except for one special project... a commission by a grandmother for two buttons of a cat  co-owned by two sisters.

The cat was named Hex and I found his eyes mesmerizing.  I happen to have two large MOP buttons that had  very unique coloration which seems perfect for Hex.  I did not paint the background...I just used the natural color of the mother of pearl.


There was another granddaughter who had a pet lizard and I was asked it I could paint a lizard.  I hadn't heard anything for some time so I thought my chance to paint a lizard wasn't going to happen but today I received some photos of and am eager to start.

The elongated body does not lend itself to a round button so it will probably be a head pose.  Meet "Bask!"

Latest on Harley

You have to love a dog named after a motorcycle and Harvey here is indeed a real cutie.  When I get all the basics blocked in I lay the button on the picture and take a photograph.. Many times the camera gives me a better perspective.  I not only want to capture the image of the animal, I want to capture a personality.  Things started off well with Harley...  Here his nose is still just a blob and I haven't even started on the fur on the muzzle.

When I'm closer to being done I will scan both the button and the photo and put them on the computer screen and leave them there for a while and keep looking at all the details.

Sometimes I find I have to remove or replace one or both eyes or a nose but here the changes to be made are very minor and I'm happy.

I'll tell you what I see:
Change the shape of the left ear
Forehead a little higher
Several tiny changes to left eye
Reshape the neck area.
The very last step is fine tuning the fur..

It feels good to be painting again and I must start regularly as my supply of buttons for sale is so low.  I have to either do it or give up Etsy as it has been so long they have changed the site and I had a devil of a time figuring it out.  I have been making a list of new ones to paint... I just painted a special order for a clown and now I'd like to do a few more...  I have one more special order to do then start on my list.

Lily's portrait on a button

Beloved Lily is Nicki Lee's theme for CQJP2017 and she had me paint her portrait on a button... Have you ever seen a dog with such a happy smile.  It kept me smiling as I painted it... The portrait is on a antique 2" MOP button.

I'm so grateful I can still paint on buttons... In  fact it is the only stress-free  hobby I have now...  The only really useful vision I have left is the peripheral vision in my left eye.. and it is nearly impossible to keep anything focused as either things or my head shifts.  But because the size of a button is such a small field of vision and I can keep it both it and my head still, I can still enjoy painting....or course the large magnifying lamp is a godsend..

Just the buttons you were waiting for!

I finally got some of the new buttons posted and there are more to follow..   Lots of critters... check them out..

https://www.etsy.com/shop/olderrose

 

The trip to Seattle was scary... The roads that the weather service said were rainy and clear were so bad that they closed the pass for three days just after we crossed.  Thinking we could go south to Portland and then inland, we found it was closed due to an ice storm - 4 days.  We were stranded   and finally went north to Stevens Pass and got across and drove forever in dense fog....so glad to be home.

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas

If you are doing a Christmas CQ project and need a friendly Santa, I just finished a very few one-of-a-kind that might be just what you need.  They are large...almost 2" and could even be made into an ornament.  Check them out https://www.etsy.com/shop/olderrose

With my peripheral vision and my super magnifying lamp I can still paint buttons for which I am so grateful.  I haven't had any luck trying to stitch under it.... I think the difference is just having to try to focus on such a tiny area and minimal movement.


In case you are interested I have added a coupon code for free shipping on orders of $24 or more in the US.

Cats on Buttons and Fabulous Recipe Site......

Clear back in Sept I accepted orders from Lydia and Lonna to paint cats for them and between being gone and my eyes, it took me forever to finish....but I did finally and as soon as the sealer dries completely I will get them in the mail...  I enjoyed them and plan on doing some more cats now that winter is setting in and I will have some painting time.




It is easy to paint just a generic cat or dog but much harder to try to capture the personality of a specific pet. ...a challenge I enjoy.







Also quite by accident I discovered a recipe site for Downton Abbey.  It has a fabulous collection of recipes from that time period put together by a food historian...  As I go down the index of recipes I want to do every one. Next to a day stitching, my favorite is a day in an apron... and luckily it is much easier on my eyes.

 

 

I was searching the internet for hazelnut crusted halibut when I found the site and I started with their recipe for "Hazelnut crusted halibut with boozy blackberry sauce" and it was delicious... This is their picture.  I didn't use the green beans as I served mine with roasted sweet potatoes.  The blackberry sauce had caramelized onions in it and I had my doubts about that but it was just the savoring element needed... Yum!!!

And since they have a recipe for scones you know that I have to try them next... I have to admit I have never even seen a single episode of Downton Abbey but now that I'm doing the recipes I will have to get the series and watch them all.

She lives!!!! and cottages finally....

I can take my arm out of the sling for part of the day and the splint is off my hand so I can stitch and hopefully paint again soon... almost 2 weeks since the accident.  I can probably mop the kitchen soon also as it certainly needs it.   These are a few of the cottages I did just before the accident and just now getting them all posted on Etsy.

More UFOs

Several years ago in one of my less lucid moments (and there have been many) I made a slipcover for my ratty old desk chair.  I used a white bedspread.  It was absolutely gorgeous at the beginning but easily  soiled with use and every time I washed it, it became grungier and grungier... So a new slipcover has been on my list a LONG time..  I kept bringing in pieces of fabric from the barn and draping it on the chair to decide which I would  use...  This photo was taken in November 2012 when the selection process started and have now ended with a different piece entirely...  DH is out of town for 5 days and this has moved to the top of my list.  In fact I am washing the tapestry fabric at this very moment...not only to preshrink it but to give it an aged look.


Also in this vein of getting organized I think I have finally solved the problem of keeping track of my buttons that I paint.  I have used baggies, envelopes, and various containers but all have been so inconvenient when an order comes in.  I needed something I could find buttons quickly and have handy when I needed it.

 Since my inventory of hand painted buttons is so low at this time,  I figured that now was the ideal time to come up with a solution.. hopefully the final solution and I think I have.

Years ago I bought this wall thingy with 100 pouches for earrings but I never really used it and even tried to give it away once on this blog. But now I'm so glad I kept it... I alphabetized the list of buttons I usually paint and made labels for the pockets.

Then I went to my magic barn and found this vintage rolling rack that I vaguely remember women used when they ironed.  I have two and used to use them for display in booths at shows...of course I never get rid of anything and this project proves why.




I hung the pockets (shortened a bit) on one side and on the back side I hung a shoe holder in which I keep shipping supplies... labels, envelopes, tapes, etc. I can roll it next to the desk when I need it and out of the way when its not needed.  I have been using it now for about a month and it is going to be the best solution..  There are a few little things to tweek but I'm happy with it.... plus I've been able to "upcyle" three things to make them useful again and that is always a plus in my book.

Note: this is just for my hand painted buttons... All the CQ buttons are in bags, drawers,  and jars...

More American songbirds from the Singer series.

I just finished a few more birds in the series of American song birds put out on advertising cards by Singer Sewing Machines around the turn of the century. There were 14 birds in the series and some I will probably not do again as I tend to only paint birds from my garden...

All  buttons are hand painted by me and there are no transfers. They are meant for decorative or collective purposes and are not washable.. Each finished button received several coats of an acyrilic sealer to protect them. They are lovely on needlework and made into jewelry

New Cats in New Hats

New cats in new hats..... I don't do cats often but I love giving them Victorian bonnets and I will have them all up by tomorrow.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/olderrose?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Lost Buttons Found in the Elusive Safe Place!

I found a whole bag of buttons which I had taken to the retreats in Salt Lake and Omaha.  When I got home I put them in a safe place.  It only took me about 3 years to find them again...  I posted some of them on my etsy today...  Also I have a special price on some lady bugs and some bees...    https://www.etsy.com/shop/olderrose

I also have another safe place because I have not found the bag of painted buttons I took to Houston...

A Bunch of Bunnies and Sweet Chicks Too!

I've added some bunnies and chicks for spring...

 

Mother Update: I want to thank everyone who has sent emails of concern and prayers. My mother is dying a very slow and painful death.  I didn't think she would make it through last weekend but she has rallied slightly and is tenaciously clinging to life and every minute is a struggle.  I continue my vigil and so grateful for the hospice helpers.  Most everything in my life is on hold and I make no commitments and go day by day..

Button Giveaway - Post # 1498

I wanted to do something to celebrate the upcoming #1500 post and decided to do a special button for a giveaway.... I now am using my new magnifying lamp which I love.  It is like stepping through a looking glass into a world I can really see.  After I've painted a while I am hesitant to come back into my blurry world.

I have been experimenting with painting baskets and have several others done as well.  These buttons are barely larger then 1"....

There are going to be 4 winners so leave a comment on this post to be eligible to win.  I will do a drawing one day next week...

 Our orphaned fawn is staying close and fattening up for winter.  Morris loves to watch the fawn gobble up sunflower seeds.  He never barks or makes a sound that would frighten the fawn away...  The fawn is only about 3' from the house.

And Molly who   likes sunflower seeds as well has become "friends of sorts" with the wild turkeys who come for snacks also..  We love our wildlife.. 


So leave a comment and help me celebrate this milestone!!!  You might just be a winner.!!!

Birds and cottages....

These are for the back of the jacket... My goal was to have 6 more done (besides these) by the end of the week.  I'm not going to make it but will be close enough that I can jump right back into doing seams knowing I will have enough birds...  The birds are so much fun to pop into my bag and go,,, I'm working on a chickadee and an owl right now....and a nuthatch and mourning dove will be next.. I still haven't found the house finch.

 

I have been busy painting buttons which is always hard to find time for.  My eyes can't be tired, I have to be calm and relaxed,  and I need an uninterrupted stretch time... Hard to get all three at once...but I did get cottages and haunted houses done and am working on some birds and Santas... Usually if I am calm and relaxed, I'm asleep.  It's not something I can do while jumping up to take care of other chores.

 

I'm hopeless

I promised myself resolutely, irrevocably, that I would not start another project OR even think about another project, until the suffrage quilt was done.  But alas I have failed again and am a wimp of major proportion (literally).

 Last Saturday my CQ stitchers met here and brought their collections of hankies which were amazing.  I had wanted to save mine until after the suffrage quilt and use that fabulous table cover which is good sized... But then I thought "maybe just a little piece".............. but then again how many hanky quilt will I do.  I had better do the table cover to begin with... Sooooooooooo  I got it out, pressed it, and added the fusible tricot to the back of the linen...

I placed hoop there to get a feel for the size of center motif I want to do... This is really an incredible piece of vintage linen and I love being able to get it out of the bin.

Last spring I painted some buttons for Valentine's Day which had a heart of forget-me-knots.  At the time I thought would be fun to do something similar in embroidery and ribbon work.  It would make a great focal point for the hankies and wouldn't take long... And of course I have been wanting to do bluebirds and I can do them off block and add after my suffrage quilt is really done.... Cathy K posted some ribbon bluebirds on Pinterest that made me want to do them.  In fact I may add 4-5 bluebirds

When I sorted my hankies I had a LOT of hearts and roses.  I don't really want a Valentine quilt but I do want to aim for romantic.

So since a central focal point will be on a vintage damask napkin, it will be easy to tote about and the actually attaching the hankies can wait until after the suffrage quilt.

This piece of counted cross-stitch which I stitched almost 40 years ago will definitely be my inspiration.  And I'm off and running AGAIN!!!

Most dogs would  be grateful just to be allowed on the couch... But Morris has to rearrange all the pillows and blankets on the couch every time he wants to nap there.