Great Googly Moogly!

Note to self:  I really MUST get on here more often.

Cool Colors and a Watermark

Aren’t these colors just fantastic?  I’m working on a few custom orders and one of them includes two of the  yarns in this photo-espresso and dark teal.  LOVE the combination.  I can’t wait to finish it and share it with you.

Aside from some custom order hats I’ve been working on my “watermark” for the photos I take for my site.  Wow!  I admire graphic artists and the patience they must have.  Well, let’s face it, it probably doesn’t take them two hours to do something so simple.  Anyway, here’s my handy work:

The buttons are sorta on top of the ‘y’ and the ‘n’ but for the life of me, I couldn’t get it spaced correctly.  I’ll keep working on it but in the meantime my photos are “branded.”  Yay! 

Word of the day ~ Stupendous~

Today is Saturday. 

For most of you, today is your day off from work.  Not me.  I am excited to be able to say I have to work today.  I have hat orders to fill, four, to be exact.  Four is super.  Having orders to fill is super-duper. 

Yep, today is Saturday and I have to "work." 

Stupendous!  

Afraid no more...

Gracious...it's been a long and crazy summer.  I've totally  neglected my "craft zone" and my sharing spaces (blog, website, etc.)  I had a lot going on...it's been stressful.   Where do I start?  Let's just say most of the issues were health related and thankfully, everyone is healed and back to normal (as normal as we ever were, anyway).  Typically, I would turn to my crafting to ease the stress, it has never let me down.  I always feel better when I sit down to create and even greater when I have a new doo-dad, clippie-clip, or crocheted something or other when I get back up.  Not this time, though.  This time it was part of the problem. My crafting had become a problem. *sigh*  How is that possible? 

Well, here's the story...

Quite some time ago, my sister-in-law, whom I love dearly, asked me to donate some of my hats for a silent auction fundraiser that she was working on.  I was happy to help.  I was even happier when I heard they were a hit and helped raise money for a great cause.  Not too long  after that, my S-I-L offered to help me out by taking some of my hats to a local (local to her) shop where she thought they would sell and potentially bring me some "wholesale" business. What a great offer!  What a fantastic compliment! She felt confident that my hats would sell...in a shop! Really?? My hats in a shop?  That's when it started. 

  I got butterflies in my stomach even thinking about it.  When I told my mom about the offer...butterflies.  When I told my husband about it...butterflies.

What was that about? 

 I didn't know.  After hemming and hawing about it for a while, my husband asked me one simple question, "What are you afraid of, success?" What a silly question- am I "afraid of success?"  Holy cow!  AM I afraid of success?  I thought long and hard about that.  After a while I came up with the answer-yes, I was. But why? Well, as I neglected my crochet hooks, my yarns, my glue gun and doo-dads,  I got plenty of time to think about it

I thought...

I like my freedoms.  

I like doing things on my terms, not the terms set by someone else.   

I like not having any obligations outside of my family.  

I like being in charge of what I do...

I thought...

Being successful would change all that

And then I thought...

Duh!

Having a business IS my choice, which I FREELY made.

My policies , my products, and my schedules are all on MY terms.

 An "obligation" isn't a bad thing if it's what  you want to do.

Having my own business is totally being in charge of what I do.

And there it was. 

 I was afraid no more.

So, after a long hiatus I'm back.  I'm "working" hard to tweak my skills, my styles, my methods and my success plan.  I'm working to find my place in the home based business world.  I'm having fun creating again.  I'm having even more fun imagining the possibilities and making friends in the crafty world.  I love it. It's exciting!

Thanks for sticking with me while I worked it out.  

I am no longer "making buttons."  Once again, I've moved  "beyond buttons."

Feelin' a little like Dora...

Yeah, you know, Dora the explorer!  Every  Dora episode guest stars "the map."  The map tells Dora how to get where she  needs to go and in the end when she reaches her destination they sing a little diddy. It goes like , this :

"...we, did it, we did it, we did it-hooray!"

(yeah, sorry...that'll be in your head for a while).

 Anywho...I DID IT! 

I took this:



poplar board



and using this:

handy dandy SKIL scroll saw

and many, MANY of these:

regular tooth blades

I made these:

and these:

and these:

for this:

Ok, yeah, so I used a little paint, a few buttons and gadget or two more but I've done that all before.  THIS  was my first time doing my own cutting. Which was so very exciting to me!  

Sure, it was incredibly frustrating, nerve wracking and oh, the torture of a snapping blade (and the virtual heart attack it brings with it as it snaps-LOUDLY) were a bit much at times BUT...in the end I am so happy with the decor.  Yay! 

So, now, after  years of watching the show, I finally know how Dora feels...

I did it!  I did it!  I did it, hooray!

Alas! I have photos...

I've been fighting with my photo editing software (Picasa) for DAYS!  *sigh* Sometimes computers can be so darned frustrating.  Enough about that though, here's what I've been trying to work on...



Turquoise & Chocolate





Cookies n' Cream




Ring Around the Rosy




Deep Rose Newsie




Posh in Purple



I was excited to create "collages" of these cuties in a new (to me) program: PhotoScape.  I've learned one thing for sure...I have a lot, lot, lot to learn when it comes to computers and photo editing.  Baby steps.

I'm going to make each of these available in my store as soon as I can get them uploaded.  All but the "Posh in Purple" will be available in infant through adult sizes.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.  More to come...lots more to come. Thanks for sticking with me.  :)

Love.

What brings you joy?

Quite a while ago I stumbled onto a blogger who is also an artist. I've been in love with her artwork ever since.  This piece in particular. It struck a chord. So many things bring me joy...my kids, my husband, my family, crafting.  And SO many little things like this:

 

 

I saw this photo the other day...and yes, it brought me joy! 

The colors are brilliant. Don't you think?

Do you see all the hidden treasures? I'll give you a few hints...I see a duck, a pumpkin, a flower patch, oodles of newsboys, bows for babies, scarves, hats, hats, more hats, and so many other wonderful possibilites tucked right in. 

Yes, joy indeed! Now, what brings you joy?

Grammar, websites and spring hats...oh my!

*sigh* I can't believe it's been so long since I've taken the time to write here...I believe I've "blogged" in my head at least 20 times over and it never seems to make it's way here.  I never was a writer. Never even enjoyed it one little bit.  Now, I've always loved to tell a good story but I would have enjoyed it even more if someone has written it down for me.   Not to mention, who wants  to read this stuff anyway?  It's mainly for me so I spose I shouldn't feel pressured to spell correctly or to use proper grammar and punctuation.  I mean really, was I actually supposed to remember the Christiansen grammar I was taught oh-so-long ago? I think not.  So there.  I said it.  I'm off the hook.  I'm letting it go and I'm moving on without the stress.  Phew!  I feel better already. Now I can get back to sharing (if with no one other than some random stranger who stumbled upon me while searching for buttons).

What have I been up to?  crocheting, crocheting, crocheting...I have at least 20 hats sitting here.  I have been meaning to get them posted sooner but I keep getting in the way.  ;o)  My goal is to finish my website so that I can sell them.  Yep, that's right--I have a website:  www.beyondbuttons.com  It's exciting to me and yet so overwhelming!  I don't know anything about running a website, let alone selling my items on one.  I'm trying, though.  Lots to learn and do yet but it's there :o) .  Now, if I could just get some decent photos of my stuff.  I need to find a local photographer who would be willing to take photos of my hats, possibly in trade.  What photographer doesn't need props for pictures with babies?  Seriously...this hat would look SO much better on a baby posing for their first Easter photo-don't you think?

I've got more spring hats on the way too...ladybug perhaps?  A frog possibly?  A bonnet complete with bow?  Yeah, now we're talking! 

Now then, I've babbled enough for one post...off to make something happen. 

Love.

Turning Anger Into Love

So.  I was really angry the other day.  You may be asking, why? All I can say is someone imposed their negative energy upon a happy moment I was enjoying.  I didn't want the negative...what was I to do with it? 

As I have been doing for a while now, I turned to my crafts to "shake it off." 

With that in mind...I set out to look for a new hat pattern to try out.  While I was looking for a new hat to crochet I found some "chemo cap"  patterns.  They were all so plain and simple.  I loved the idea but I kept looking...and then I found it at Speckled Frog.  The "Boquet Beanie" is a great little hat that was simple and  yet beautiful.  It wasn't meant to be a a chemo cap but I was inspired...



I used one of the barrettes I made to attach the "ribbon."  I will be changing it up just a bit but I am really pleased with this one...I did it in a nice turquoise as well.

I really like this pattern and I hope to make many more for those who need one...all those beautiful people. 

Now, what was all that about being angry? 


I feel nothing but love. 

Thanks for helping out a hat maker!

I just love making hats...they're perfect for someone like me to crochet .  You know, someone with a short attention span.  I only have so many heads in my family to cover, though.  What am I supposed to do with them all?  Luckily for me, I have found some super cute heads to cover...thanks for helping me out!



Miss J is super cool in purple, wearing this hat with style, girl!



 

Colton & Kyra keeping extra warm with a hat and a snuggle.

 
 

Blue looks good on you, Kyra-cutie!

  



Look at those eyes!  Perfect match, my sweet nephew...




Ty, keeping it real in NC! Thanks for wearing it so well, pal.

And that's just a few of the hat wearing volunteers...there are more where they came from, I just don't have the pictures to prove it yet!  This grey and black one has a new home atop my step-father-in-law's head in Florida. Yes, my friends--even FL folks get cold now and again too.  Wear it well, Bill!

                                                                         Peace out!

This is a post about Elmo...and Cooper

My Cooper-Doo is a huge Elmo fan!  His favorite video is A Song About Elmo .  Which, let's be honest, is a really great video and song!  We are big Adam Sandler fans in this house so this one is ok with  us!  So, what does every huge Elmo fan need? 

An Elmo hat-- of course! 



Ok, not the best shot of the hat but how could I not share this cheesy grin?



I wasn't sure he was crazy about the hat until Christmas morning...he wouldn't take it off.  There was a funny glow coming from the bright red hat and in a few pictures it looked like Rudolph was lighting the joint up with his red nose.  ;o) 

it was a great day...

Let it Snow...let it snow...let it snow

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this has been one of the coldest winters on record for us in NC.  We are on our second snow already too...hard to believe!  It's the first white Christmas for my husband and, of course, my children.  What a beautiful sight it was!  Here's a glimpse...

Our backyard winter wonderland

Our neighbor's tree hanging on to the last bit of color

We had somewhere between 6-7" of snow in a twenty-four hour period.  It was so wonderful to see.  The girls had a great time playing in it.  What's a mom to do inside while the kids build snowmen outside?  Why, "build" snowmen, of course!

My snowmen were much warmer

And even with his magic hat,  this Frosty refused to come to life

No hat needed for this cutie

I have a few extras if you are in need of some non-melting snowmen...  :)

Happy winter and stay warm!

Speaking of Winter...

My winter inspired welcome sign ornaments are complete...

Where DOES the time go?

Life just keeps moving faster and faster, doesn't it?  Since my last post we've had a wonderful time celebrating Thanksgiving AND Christmas?  Where has all the time gone?  Well, part of it goes to my girls and their new adventure with Girl Scouts.  Moll-a-rooski is a Daisy and Maddie-Moo is a Brownie.  They love it!  What is my favorite part (aside from the plethora of smiles and happiness it brings them, of course)?  COOKIES!!  I am so looking forward to having all my favorites.  :)  I am so NOT looking forward to the manning of the cookie stands outside our local grocery and retail stores.  I've been told we should plan on pitching in a minimum of 5-10 hours.  Yikes!  I say yikes because the sales have just begun-and in case you hadn't noticed- it's winter ;o).  Not just ANY winter, mind you--one of the coldest on record--not to mention the amount of snow we've had already, oy!.  I know, blah, blah, blah.  What I really meant to say was, because we are looking forward to pitching in and doing our part,  I wanted to be sure the girls would be warm and of course-stylin' with their uniforms. Here are the hats I made to match their uniforms...

  

   



Molly's Daisy Blue Hat

Complete with a daisy button flower

Maddie's Brownie Hat

And of course the 'brownie' button flower

Now they'll be nice and cozy warm when we are standing out in the cold raising money for our girl scout troop...speaking of which...wanna buy some cookies?

Call me! :)