I had to drop a quick note though because I am quite excited about a couple of new creations!  I just snapped a photo of these on my messy coffee table this morning, so the pictures are not that great, but I hope that you like what you see!  These albums are not finished yet, but I thought that I could share the covers with you!  The Great Escape features products from Making Memories and is created on a Chatterbox Canvas Album.  This album also comes with a canvas bag that we will decorate to either hold the album, or to add memorabilia from the trip.  I am also excited about the long awaited wedding album.  This album also features products from Making Memories and is created in a Heidi Swapp album. 

I will be in touch again soon!

Hugs

Angela

Take the time to go visit the site and view all of the cool decorated punches at the site and learn more about this fun tool.  Many awesome designers decorated Binderie Punches including, Heidi Swapp, Donna Downey, Cosmo Cricket, Prima, all of the hot 7 Gypsy designers, even the founders of 7 Gypsys.  You really should go check out the fun and even consider decorating your own Binderie Punch.  Please visit the site by visiting here:

http://www.sevengypsies.com/

This is for sure the most interesting thing that I have ever altered!  When I got this email, I thought ‘what?!’, this punch is bright red and is a very strange shape.  This is what it looks like:

Well, I love a challenge and as I kept wondering how I could decorate it, I got more excited.  I really have not had much time to ‘play’ lately, so I spent a couple hours in the workshop last night and boy, did I have fun!  I had to get rid of the bright red right away so I painted it to match 7 Gypsies papers that I chose to work with.  Check out my finished punch below!

I even got so excited about the project that I decorated a canvas bag for my Binderie to ‘hang out in’ between use.

Join in on the fun today and get decorating your punch too!

ttfn!

Angela

Debi K. sent me these pictures of her complete Outdoors album-not only is her grandson adorable as can be, but I was so excited to see the photos in the album!  Check it out:

I love how Debi cut out a little of the circle on the lower left hand side of one of her pages so that the cute little beaver embellishment was highlighted.

notice how Debi used some duplicate photos and cut out cute little blocks highlighting her grandsons adorable features.  Thanks for sharing with us Debi!

It was also so exciting to have people purchase my kits and even sell out of some items!

Stacy Julien from Simple Scrapbooks stopped by the booth in Buffalo that first year!

  Although the growing pains have been painful at times, I am now seeing the benefit of sticking it out for three years.  Building a business can be really hard, but feels right to me.  I really feel a sense of fulfillment ‘farming’.  The creative process gives me joy and I love sharing it with you!  Please know that I will always remember and appreciate ‘you’ the customer as the most important component along the way.   It has been the icing on the cake to fall in love with my customers.   I am certain that I have the BEST customers a girl could ask for!

Hugs to all

Angela

Jason and I drove home from Manchester CKC Saturday night, this was my 3rd time as a vendor in Manchester!  It was such an exciting show.  I really enjoyed seeing everyone - Manchester is my ‘home base’, and I love seeing all of my local customers.  Sadly I was unprepared and in the back of the room working on kits most of the time.  So if you dropped by to say hello,  and I missed seeing you - I am so sorry, what a bummer.  I had a ton of people drop by and help me this weekend.  I used to call these people customers, but they are dear friends.  I never thought my business would bless me with such friends along the way.  I dont know how to thank you all!  I am not even going to mention names, because I fear leaving one out, but when I close my eyes, I see you there and send you a big hug!

Today, I spent the evening packing up boxes that needed shipping and tomorrow will spend the day getting my pallet ready for Buffalo.  The truck needs to come get that Thursday, so I have another couple of busy days this week.  Once my shipment leaves I hope to spend some time creating.  I have participated in some major retail therapy this last month and hope to play during the long weekend.  One of the most exciting things that I purchased was the ‘Bind it All’.  I cannot wait to  play with this tool and create my own bound books.  When I was in Mesa, I purchased some Grand Canyon postcards and hope to make a little book with the Bind it All.  I will keep you updated! 

I also hope to have a few new kits up on the site this weekend, thank you all for being so patient with me.  Check out these fun new kits:

Enjoy the Journey is a fun album created with the 7 Gypsies Envelope Album.  I used Collage Press’s brand new line, Knave of Hearts for this treasure.  Tuck 7 Gypsy journal cards in all of the pockets through this album.  This project would be perfect for travel or for a family themed album.  You get an entire sheet of stickers in this kit, so you can be creative with your title.  This album retails for $39

This fun album, Days of Summer is made with a Maya Road album and decorated with papers and embellishments from Fancy Pants.   This album retails for $36

Another fun album created with a new line from Collage Press.  This album is created with a Bo-Bunny mixed media album including chipboard, clear and felt pages.  You will love this bright fun paper line, with coordinating sticker letters, and embellishments.  This album retails for $38.

Dont forget the ‘Happy Family’ album pictured below.  I will be adding that to the site as well!  I hope to have these up by Friday at the latest, (just in time for pay day!).

Ok, I am heading for bed!  I will be in touch again soon!  Thanks for checking in with me friend!

Angela

I am excited to have 3 new kits in Manchester (maybe 4) and I hope to have these kits up on the site within the week for online ordering.  The ‘Happy Family’ kit is a ’spinoff’ of a kit that I had last year featuring 7 Gypsies Nottinghill collection.  I was able to obtain more of this beautiful product and recreated it with some new elements as well.  Here are some pictures of this fun new album.

I am also excited to announce that I will be visiting ‘Absolutely Everything’ in Topsfield Mass on June 19th and 20th.  This is quite possibly one of the projects being taught there as well as ‘The Story’.  I would love to have you join us!

Check out the store for more information, class projects and times are still being pinned down, but I will get you the details as soon as possible.

Absolutely Everything
30 Main St
Topsfield, MA 01983
978-887-6397
www.absolutelyeverything.com

That is it for tonight! I will try to update you tomorrow with more pictures of new kits!

Hugs

Angela

Congratulations to:

Amy Hogge (Newport News, VA) is the winner of a $50 gift certificate.

Caryn Ross (Norman OK) is the winner of a Making Memories Spinning Organizer

Amy Hart (Maynard MA) is the winner of a Making Memories Ribbon Organizer

Christine Welty ( Belleville IL) is the winner of a 7 Gypsies Prize Pack-Including new Binderie Punch!

Lisa Weismore (Derby NY) is the winner of a 7 Gypsies Prize Pack - including new Binderie Punch!

Congrats Ladies!

Last time I checked in I was on my way to Portland Oregon-this was the farthest The Button Farm has ever traveled west!  The people were amazing in Oregon and I met many new friends there, I am excited to head out there again.  When I got home, I was crazy busy getting prepared for The Extreme Scrapbook Event on April 4th and 5th.  We had an amazing time together as usual, and it really again \confirmed my love of being with my customers.  It is incredible to spend a weekend together and it always gives me such an energy boost.  

Here is what we made:

A Day in The Life:

This 7 Gypsies shaped board book was the base for this album, featuring papers and embellishments from Pink Paislee.

 Pure Bliss:

This album was a new find from Maya Road, a 5 x 5 chipboard album with envelope inserts!  CUTE!  I used funky papers and embellishments from Sassafrass Lass, American Crafts and Creative Imaginations.

The Great Outdoors:

This album was a crowd pleaser, I think that it was the general consensus that this album was the most favored album of the weekend.  Featuring a Bo-Bunny album and paper and chipboard elements from DCWV, this album was perfect for many different album titles!

You and Me Acrylic Album Stand:

This album was my ‘panic project’.  Some product that I was hoping to use for ESE did not make it across the ocean quickly enough, so I purchased these adorable products from We R Memory Keepers for this acrylic album stand from Maya Road.  It was a fun and happy project to work on!

and my personal favorite - ‘The Story’.  I was inspired by these 7 Gypsies products and created this fun album with insert folders, pockets and more!  This album was even featured on the 7 Gypsies website and blog - check it out at www.7gypsies.com!

We also created 4 make and takes at the event!

Here are some pictures of everyone having fun!

Ok, so there is a recap of our weekend together!  I will post more soon about what is new since ESE! And there is lots to share!

Hugs to all!

Angela

Right when I got home, I started getting the pallet ready for the trip to Portland Oregon CKC (oh, with a flu bug tucked in on Monday).  My product needed to be sent out today to make it clear across the country for the show.  Here is a picture of my boys getting the pallet ready and loaded:

so tonight I can report that my scrapbook products are happily on the way across the country and I can take a small breath of relief and a moment to catch up with you all on the blog.

As for ESE, the products are rolling in -  I have started working on the projects and hope to start revealing them in the next week or two!  I am so excited to be working with these new products and hope that you are excited too.

The economy has been tough on all of us, and I made the decision before I went to CHA Winter, to cut 50 spots for the Spring ESE Event.  The spots that I do have however, are filling fast, so if you are planning to join us - do not hesitate, I would hate to have you be dissapointed in missing out.  I will keep you posted on ESE Fall 2009!

That is it for now, but I will be in touch again soon, with project updates!

Angela

I had a nice relaxing break from The Button Farm over Christmas and spent my free time in January working on Button Farm inventory.  I think that I have finally almost finished that.  The bad news for me is that I overordered on many things last year, but it will be good news for those of you that are attending the Kiss Scrapbook Convention in Manchester New Hampshire as I will have a yard sale table (as well as a booth) at this show.  As I was working through inventory I was sorting extras in boxes marked .50, $1, $2, $3 and so on and almost all of those boxes are full and I am not even done sorting.  You will find some great buys at this show, remember that the Yard Sale Alley is only open on Saturday!  Please visit www.kiss-scrapbookevents.com for more information on this fun show.  I will also be teaching two classes at this show and would love to see you there!

Remember that registration is open for ESE Spring!  A big thank you to those who have already signed up for the event, having NO CLUE what we are making.  I can only promise the high quality projects that you expect from me!  I have started the planning phase and I am excited to tell you all what I picked out at CHA for the projects for this event below!

For each ESE I try to make sure that all of the projects are very different, allowing for a large pallet of tastes.  I think that you will find something for everyone in the fun projects below:

Project 1:  I was pretty surprized with the outcome of my product choices this time around.  I usually purchase from similar companies each time around, but this time I only repeated 7 Gypsies.  As always I find this companies products irresistable.  For this project I chose the new envelope book from 7 Gypsies as well as the new line of Gypsy papers.  These rich papers are in shades of maroon, greens, black and golds.  They are sophisicated and we will pair them with 7 Gypsy ephemera pieces, clear tranparencies, journal cards and will embellish the cover with a red door knob and coordinating 'dangle' clips for the binding.  This albums pages are created from envelopes and we will fill those pockets with many fun items.  This album can be used for old photos and memorablia, or convert todays memories into black and white photos and highlight them in this album.  The possiblities are endless!

Project 2:  Well, I am consistantly WOWED by Pink Paislee!  Not only did I like one of their four released but loved them all.  It took me a considerable amount of time to choose my favorite.  We will be creating a fun accordion album composed of several different shapes from 7 Gypsies.  We will be decorating this project with the 'Captivating ' collection from Pink Paislee, utilizing the coordinating chipboard shapes and stickers.

Project 3:  I am also a fan of clear albums, but decided to mix it up a little.  Maya Road has a new album out with chipboard pages and clear covers.  This album will be decorated with bright beautiful papers, tranparencies, rub-ons, and ribbons from the Summer Soiree line from Fancy Pants.  These bright bold colors will highlight your summer memories beautifully!  Ribbon with pom poms were very popular at this show too and I  picked up the coordintating red to use on this album!

Project 4:  Sassafrass Lass = whimsical and we will be creating an exciting mixed 'media' album with the "fawnd of you' line.  We will begin with the gorgeous mixed media album from Fancy Pants.  This album has transparency pages, felt pages and chipboard pages and is so darn cute!  Spring will be on our doorstep and this album will be in your hands just in time to record the long awaited season!

Project 5:  Well we are all trying to be more 'green' and who knew that I would fall in love with the green line from DCWV?  These papers are made from  70% recyled materials, but what is even more wonderful is the quality and designs of these papers.  The pictures will not do it justice, but they are so cute.  To be honest, I have not been crazy about all of the owls out there on the designs of papers and embellishments, but how cute is the one on this paper??  Great for summer or camping pics, this album will be created with a brown album from Bo-Bunny.  We will be adding embellishments and chipboard letters from the coordinating embellishement box that comes with this kit!

I have also picked out many of the items for our make and takes.  We will be creating a small notebook, Artist Trading Card box and tag album.  We will be utilizing products from 7 Gypsies, My Minds Eye and more!

I hope that you have enjoyed this little ESE preview and I will be in touch again with more pictures of the products and projects as they are being created!

Angela