Felicitations and fine food wish for us all

The bunting is up, the tree is decorated and I'm busy sewing, knitting and baking up a storm of pressies.  Italian Festive Cake is on the menu this week and as is tradition we enjoyed some fresh, piping hot fruit mince pies while decorating our tree on the weekend.

You may have noticed that things have been pretty quiet on the Buttons by Benji website - but not behind the scenes.  Like many of you the silly season is keeping me busy, and I have also been very busy with out-of-town visits and button creating keeps chugging along merrily.

Thanks to all those who have contributed photographs of Buttons by Benji buttons in use.  It is lovely to see your wonderful crafts.  If you haven't seen them already, check them out here:

http://buttonsbybenji.blogspot.com/p/photo-gallery.html

If you like making sunhats, check out my photo tutorial for adapting any sunhat pattern into a double sided, wide brim hat that doesn't droop.

http://buttonsbybenji.blogspot.com/2010/09/simply-perfect-sunhat-photo-tutorial.html

I am planning some new designs for the new year, so check back mid January to see more.  In the meantime, thanks to all who have purchased Aroha buttons over the past few months.  I am nearly ready to make my first $100 donation, and it will go to North Shore Hospice who are doing fabulous work supporting patients, and their families, when facing terminal illness.

Wishing you a joyful and safe festive season.

Nicci

October offerings

Introducing...

- Tea Party

- 'Tis the season

- Concrete trucks

- Three little pigs

- Mini Bs

- Scrappys

- Colour cards and loyalty club

Email fuzzimama@hotmail.com to order

It's time for a Tea Party and you're invited.  With a pot of tea, two teacups, a cupcake and teddy for company this little set of buttons is perfect for a tea party outfit.

 

 

$8 (set of 5)  ~16mm

Tea party with Isabella

   

Tea Party with Lucy 

Tea Party with Elizabeth

'Tis (almost) the season, so time to add these festive buttons to your creations in colours of your choice.  

$8 (set of 5) ~16mm

'Tis the season - brights

'Tis the season - traditional

'Tis the season - plum pud' purple

Oink - No need for a big bad wolf around here, so here's three cute lil' pigs instead.  Don't be constrained by pink, there's a whole world of colourful pigs waiting to be created.

Three little pigs

 $4 (set of 3).  

~17 x 15mm

Candy floss (pearly)

Spa

Miss P Pink

Mini Bs

These limited designs are available while stock is showing.  At ~12mm they are perfect for lil' button holes and with only a few sets in each design you're unlikely to bump into another set at playgroup.  I will be loading new sets of these periodically, so check the Mini B section regularly if you're looking for dinky one-of-a-few lil' buttons.

All Mini Bs $ 4 (set of 3)
(handshaped, so slightly irregular sizes and shapes)

Petals

~12 - 13mm

Hanalei Bay - bouquet
~12 - 13mm

Hanalei Bay - flower
~12-13mm

Moody blues
~12mm

 Whakatipu daisy chain
~11 - 12mm
Good match with BWM 'Lake'








Scrappys

If you received my buttons in a recycled envelope you may realise I dislike wasting stuff.  So these Scrappy buttons use up my odds and ends.  Priced accordingly, they are also small buttons (12mm) which will not be repeated, so they are great for one of a kind garments.  Like Mini Bs these will be updated regularly.

Totaranui

$3 (6)

Colour Cards

Pink is pink is pink - right?  You yarn gurus know this simply isn't so.  Buttons by Benji colour cards will allow you to match your yarn as closely as possible to standard colour ranges that I am developing.  I plan to make a colour card for each of the main colour groups (pink, reds and oranges, yellows, blues, greens, neutrals etc.) and each card will have six different colour buttons on it.

Top to bottom: Miss P Pink, baby pink, candy floss (pearl); bubblegum; princess (pearl); fuchsia 

 Top to bottom: Olive, Luck of the Irish, Lime, Basil (pearl), Robin Hood (pearl), Sage








Of course you can use the buttons on your garments if you choose, as they are standard hand-shaped ~16mm buttons; or keep them for future reference.  This may save you custom colour charges as you can match the colour yourself and tell me what colour you need (either from a card, or from the photos on here).

How do you get colour cards*?  You can buy them for $4 each, or read on...

Loyal customers - thank you

It has been a real pleasure to have repeat business, and I get a wee thrill whenever I receive an email from someone who has ordered before.  From 1st October*, for each $30 you spend on Buttons by Benji, you can choose either a colour card in your colour choice (subject to availability) or two sets of Scrappys with your order (you choose from available sets). 

There is no need to spend $30 in one order, as I will keep a running total.  For example, if you spend $10 three times you will be eligible to chose your free Scrappy buttons, or colour card, when you place your third order. 

*Boring stuff:  I cannot promise this offer will run indefinitely, so I will put a finish date of end of June 2011, and will review it nearer the time and may extend it for longer.  Colours are mixed at my dining table with as much accuracy as my scales and skill allow, and they will be ideal for matching to yarn.  However I'm not running a CSI lab, so I cannot guarantee the colours will be exactly the same each time.  If you want to use a number of colour card buttons on the same garment I would recommend you ensure they are from the same batch (each batch available for limited time).

Spring has Sprung Downunder - new buttons for September

Anything new on the horizon at Buttons by Benji?

Oink.

Oh, and if you're planning any Christmas crafting, check back 1st October.



The September Collection - Email me on fuzzimama@hotmail.com to order.

 Aroha

All sales of Aroha will be donated to support people with kidney cancer and those researching it.  See here for details. 

Planning your summer crafting? 

 

Summer by the sea buttons feature a starfish, jandal, shell, sandcastle, and ice-cream, and can made in colours to suit your project*.

 $8 (set of 5)

Brights, neutrals, boys, girls - the possibilities are  unlimited. 

~16-17mm diameter

Just want sandcastles or starfish?  No problem. 

 

Zoom zoom into summer with VW Beetle buttons.
 $8 (set of 4)

~25 x 14mm

Always wanted a funky dubby?  Go wild!

Icecreams anyone? 

Neopolitan, boysenberry or something else?  Name your flavour.

$7 (set of 5) ~16-17mm

Neeeee nawwww neeeeee nawwwww

Fire trucks - 'nuff said.

$9 (set of 4) ~19 x 18mm

Be still my beating heart...

Dotty love

$7 (set of 4)
Colours like these, or something else to please?
~18mm

And while we're feeling dotty...

Spotty circles

$7 (set of 5)

You know the drill - colours of your choice.

~19mm with textured surface 

Finally...

Robots

$9 (set of 4)

Two sizes: 

smooth base ~21.5mm (see left)

textured base ~18.5mm (see below)

* Custom colours may incur a small extra charge ($2-4) particularly if matching specific yarns or if several colours are required.  Email me on fuzzimama@hotmail to check.

Meet Aroha

This is Aroha.

I created Aroha with my lovely mother in my mind.  Aroha is a Māori term for 'love'.  There is more to Aroha than simple love though, as it encompasses tenderness, compassion and sustaining love as well.  These terms are perfect for Mum, thus Aroha was born.

 Why an elephant?  Mum has had a sustaining love of elephants for decades.  She effortlessly combines strength and toughness with love and tenderness.  Mum also has kidney cancer, and those attributes are standing her in good stead as she journeys with cancer, continuing to protect her young and enrich those around her with her love, quick wit and compassion.  

Kia Kaha Mum.




About Aroha buttons:  ~15 x 18mm; can be made in any colour* you choose; all money from the sale of Aroha buttons will be donated to support kidney cancer research and those affected.

$5 (set of 3), $6 (set of 4), $7 (set of 5)

* custom colours may incur small extra charge, contact me for details fuzzimama@hotmail.com.

Colour examples.

Click here to order

What's happening late August at BbB?

Congratulations Kristie from Bundaberg!  Kristie won $100 worth of Buttons by Benji with these little fellas.  Thanks to all those who entered.

Here's looking at you!

The winner of this button collection in July was Jen.  Thanks so much for entering, I enjoyed hearing about your favourite buttons.

An august collection

 

Fancy an outing?  Whether you prefer the theatre, desert or jungle, or perhaps a wee relax by a quiet pond on a summer's day, these may inspire you.

Down at the pond
$8 (set of 5)

 

In the dressing room   $11 (9), $8 (6)

In Mary Q colourway

Jacqui K   or colours of your choice

Want to keep it simple?

Feathers

Ric-rac

Polka







$5 (4), $6 (5), $7 (6) of same design.


Need some camouflage?

Cam it up.  $6 (4), $7 (5), $8 (6)

L-R Delta; Sierra; Zulu; Bravo; Foxtrot 

What?  More cupcakes?  I hear you ask.  The lil' cupcakes launched in June have been very popular, but a request for a custom order made me realise 'I'm more of an icing girl myself'.  So, for all you other icing fans out there, we now have 'Cherry on the top' cupcakes and they can be made in whatever flavour you fancy.

 Cherry on the top 

$6 (4), $7 (5) in Raspberry, Choc-berry and Grape or flavours of your choice

Limited Editions - while stocks last

Tartan $5 (4)

SOLD :)  Finally, I am delighted to list this limited edition set of buttons on behalf of a fledgling artist I'm lucky enough to know.  Actually I'm super lucky as she calls me "Mummy".  With no input from me (other than slicing off clay in the colours she requested) my five year old daughter created this set of pizza buttons.