Tea time!

Earlier this week I went with my Dad to help him clear out some things from my late Granduncle's house in East Cork. We found some really interesting bits and pieces, from Uncle Steve's RAF memorabilia to his old binoculars, and hand knitted dolls made by his wife May, along with some mutant spiders and alot of dust!

One thing we came across was a very pretty china teaset, which Dad later said I could have if I liked. I was delighted as it really reminded me of going for Sunday tea at May and Steve's when we were small :)
So, I wrapped it in plastic, took it home and carefully cleaned up the cups, saucers, plates, jug and sugarbowl, and now I think it's the prettiest teaset I've ever seen!

Apart from a small crack in the sugarbowl, it's all perfect, and the bright turquoise and pink pattern is really vibrant. Even the gold edges on each piece are all intact. I want to display it on the shelves in our little sitting room, but I can't wait to actually serve use it first. Tea, my dear? And sugar? One lump or two?

How cute would these plates look filled with French fancies, cucumber sandwiches or macaroons?!  I'll have to have some friends over for some girlie afternoon tea really soon.

Below are some gorgeous items I found on Etsy while day dreaming about the perfect Summery tea party...

Featured items:
1. Bunting by giggleberry
2. Box of Macarons by Bokolette
3. Eat Me Party Picks by vintagetwee
4. Custom Patchwork Dress by mariansmale
5. Pink n Orange Sparkly Napkin Ring by Vividhome
6. French Pink Vanilla Cupcakes by SugarPlumsCupcakery
7. Custom Handpainted Maryjanes by Puremystyc
8. Aqua Star Burst Tealight Votive by yevgenia
9. Pink Lilies Earrings by blueserendipity

New photos!

Last week I packed up lots of necklaces, rings and bracelets, grabbed my trusty camera and my model Áine, and we made the most of a gorgeously summery day by heading over to the park for a photoshoot!
I think it's great to have model shots of the jewellery, as you can get a better idea of the size of a piece and how it might to look on you, or see how much fun it is to wear buttony jewellery!

We had such a fun and sunny afternoon :)
Here are a few snaps of Áine wearing some cute pieces from Magpie and Button's Etsy shop...

Why Buttons?

People often ask me how and why I started making jewellery out of buttons. I'm by no means unique in doing so, in fact buttons have been used for more than functional fastening throughout history.


In 1520, King Francis I of France ordered 13,400 decorative buttons from his jeweller. They were sewn, purely as embellishment, onto a black velvet suit, which he wore to a meeting with King Henry VIII of England, in an effort to impress (or dazzle!) him into alliance. Button jewellery was in fashion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when young ladies would save buttons on long cords, called button charm strings, until they had 999 buttons. Not only would she seek buttons for her string but family members and friends would also give buttons to her. Apparently when the 1000th button was placed on the young lady's long necklace, her Prince Charming would appear!

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, turning buttons into earrings became a hobby for thrifty gals in America. They would take fancy buttons off their old dresses, and make earrings out of them as gifts.


My Grandmother was a seamstress, and during her many years of work she gathered a huge collection of buttons, some of which belonged to her own grandmother. Playing with the contents of Granny's button box was a delight every time we visited her house as children. We'd spill out hundreds of them to count and sort through the treasure, or use them as counters for Ludo and Snakes and Ladders, or as play money in an imaginary shop, or as pretend sweets at a dolly tea party.

My mom had a smaller collection, though there were sparkly and shiny gems to be found there as well, so over the years I liked to admire those too. I made my first button jewellery using some from that collection, over 15 years ago! I bent florist's wire into circles and then threaded buttons and tiny seedbeads on to make little rings for my schoolfriends.

After over a decade of dabbling in beading and making small pieces of jewellery, mostly for gifts, my sister and I found some of those button rings last year, and Magpie and Button was born when I decided to make button jewellery again!

The designs have changed but I do still make button rings, along with pendants, charm bracelets, earrings and necklaces. Some of the buttons I use in these pieces are new, but more of them have already had a previous life on a jacket or dress from many years ago. A few have even come from my own Granny's button box.

 I just love the idea of re-using these old buttons to create something new and special, and have lately been thinking that probably many homes have a button collection somewhere... are there treasures stored away in a sewing box, sweet jar or cigar box in your house?

Purple...

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been using alot of purple in new jewellery pieces recently. I've also been seeking out purple pretties in other shops! Here is a selection of gorgeous purple items from some wonderful Irish Etsy sellers. From delicate mauve like the flower in this necklace from ABoxForMyTreasure, to the soft heather colours in hedgehogfibres' yarn and the really vibrant violet of AlejandraJacoby's earrings, purple can so versatile and pretty. I just love it!

Featured items:

Taryn amethyst and brass necklace by Balanced

The Peckish Moon handmade notebook by meluseena

Teardrop silk/merino yarn by hedgehogfibres

Stained glass suncatcher byRainbowStainedGlass

Purple crocheted doily earrings by AlejandraJacoby

Romantic purple rose and pearl necklace by ABoxForMyTreasure

Hydrangea leather cuff bracelet by SilkstoneDesigns

Summer jewellery

I've been gathering some really pretty buttons and beads in the past few weeks to make new Summer pieces for my Etsy shop. I love floral patterns at the moment so I've used them many of the designs. Purples seem to be featuring alot too - it can be such a Summer colour.

< Peony Button Necklace

I like to put purple with greens and blues, it's such a soft and natural combination of colours. In this button bracelet I've also included some silvery mussel shell charms as the colours of the buttons reminded me of the sea.


Shoreline Button Bracelet >

Many recent additions to my shop have been nautically themed, as it's a style I've admired in fashion lately. I've used alot of navy, white and red in other pieces, but with this necklace I've kept things simple and stuck with silver and grey. I love the cute anchor charm!

< Anchors Away Button Necklace

Button rings are some of my best sellers, and since they were the first pieces of jewellery I ever made (though the design has changed alot in 17 years since the first ones!) I love to see that people still enjoy them. They always seem to draw compliments as they're just a little bit quirky :)

Sweetpea Button Ring >


These items are all available at magpieandbutton.etsy.com right now!
Of course if you'd prefer to see some jewellery 'in person', I'm having my third Magpie and Button jewellery night on Friday June 18th at Jacob's Island.

I'd love to see you there for a glass of wine and to have a browse through the jewellery. As always, bring a friend or two with you if you like. Just contact me for more details!

Lovely lace

During my week in Paris I went to an amazing flea market in Montmartre, where among 1950s telephones, 1900s opera glasses and gorgeous Art Deco furniture I also saw some beautiful examples of vintage French lace. It was being sold in the form of collars, lengths of lace ribbon and of course as an embellishment on gorgeous dresses from the 1900s. I didn't buy any, a decision I now regret as I'm already thinking of ideas to use it to spice up some items in my wardrobe and around the house, or to make something completely new.

Here are some absolutely beautiful items from Etsy sellers who've used lovely lace, both old and new, in their handmade homewares, jewellery and accessories. Don't they all look so romantic?

Featured items:

Pretty Cream Heart Corsage by rubensribbons
Pearls and Lace Earrings by LaCamelot
To Wake the Soul Necklace by sparrowsalvage
French Grain Sack Clutch Bag by BagNoir
Film Noir Crazy Quilt Pincushion by homespunireland
The Big Lavender Bag Herbal Cushion by lapomme
Black and White Wrist Cuffs by LadyLamb

Yesterday's news

This week I've really been thinking alot about recycling and repurposing things. I always try to keep and reuse what I can, especially paper and card, so I have drawers and boxes full of all sorts of scraps and wrapping paper. I'd love to say I'll use them all eventually but in reality I probably won't!

However, here are some wonderful Etsy sellers who have used old newspapers and books in lots of different ways to create some amazing things. Isn't JustLiv's headband so cute? And I love love LOVE the idea of the paper wreath, like this romantic one from SimpleJoysPaperie. It's so great to see such imaginative repurposing of paper to make beautiful craft items.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on how we can make use of the papers many of us have been hoarding... any ideas?

Featured items:
Origami Newspaper Crane Garland by arawlins
Custom Initial Necklace by EsmeDodsworthDesign
Recycled Bow Headband by JustLiv
Big News Notebook by cucumbersoup
Present Topper Kit by InklingPaper
Romantic Vintage French Book Paper Wreath by SimpleJoysPaperie
Recycled Paper Bead Earrings by hippiekingdom
Vintage Dictionary Bird Cutouts by mommyholly