Support Your Local Roller Derby :)

 

For the past 4 months I have been skating with the Rebel County Rollers, Cork's roller derby league, and I've completely fallen in love with the sport! Flat track roller derby is a fast paced and very exciting game, and is one of the fastest growing sports in the world at the moment. There are existing leagues in Cork, Dublin and Belfast, (as well as all over the US, UK and many other countries) and new leagues developing in Galway, Kerry and Carlow. 

So, it's likely you know someone who's involved :) Support your local roller derby by checking out these fantastic derby themed items from Etsy sellers around the world!

1. Red and Silver Striped Sports Shorts, by knickerockeroller

2. Cubic Zirconia Bearing Pendant, by CausticThreads

3. Red Roller Derby Skate Patches, by DollyCool

4. Red Rebel County Rollers Girlie TShirt, by rebelcountyrollers

5. Custom Roller Derby Helmet Panty Set, by JoyTheSeamstress

6. I Love Roller Derby Necklace, by sculleydesign

7. Red Stay Down Hot Pants, by hotacrossbuns

8. Derby Love Gift Card Set, by infraredstudio

Want to know more about roller derby or the Rebel County Rollers?

Visit our website or drop us a line on facebook :)

♥ Beth (aka Bettie B.Goode)

Crafty Quickie: Button Heart

Here's a quick and easy project to while away a dark January evening. This button heart will look really sweet hanging on a window or mirror, swinging on a drawer handle, tied on a ribbon to decorate a gift or even decorating next year's Christmas tree! It's a very cute way to display those lovely treasures that have been lying idle in your button box even though the coats, dresses and baby cardigans they once belonged to are long gone...

So, the first thing you need to do is gather up the buttons you want to use. You can use any colourscheme you like, but I find these hearts work very well when similar coloured buttons are put together. Now, lay your buttons out in a heart shape. Try not to have too much variation in sizes, but do play around with the positioning to see what looks best.

Next you're going to need some wire to string the buttons on. I have used a silver colour 20 gauge craft wire, which can be bought on a reel at any craft shop for a couple of Euro. If you want to make smaller hearts you could also use florists' wire as it comes in short lengths rather than a roll, though it's less flexible and you may need a pair of pliers. Measure a length of wire that will hold all of your buttons and leave about 5 inches extra. Cut the wire and you're ready to put on your buttons!

The easiest place to start is with one of the top two buttons. String the wire through the buttonholes and pull it tight, leaving about 2 inches of wire to spare. Continue your line of buttons along the wire, working around your laid out heart pattern. Try to make sure the buttons are facing the same way up and are nice and flat. Once you get to the last one, you should have a neat line of buttons and some spare wire at each end.

Bend your wire around to make the heart shape, and cross the wire ends over eachother. Twist them together to secure your heart shape. Now clip the end off ONE piece. Bend the second piece round to create a loop, twist it in to close your loop and now you have a hanger for your pretty button heart.

Reshape the heart as required, add a ribbon if you like, and hang your gorgeous handmade button decoration somewhere nice :)

Done! If any of you makes one of these, I'd love to see your pictures or hear about where you've put your pretty button heart ♥

What else but...

As anyone who knows me is well aware, I really do love buttons and, by association, many things made with them. With this in mind, I've gathered up not one but two selections of adorable items from wonderful Etsy sellers who do wonders with the humble button! What better way to kick off the blog's new year :)

 

This first collection features a stunning blue glass bracelet by fellow Etsy Ireland team member Balanced, a cute felt and button brooch by bucketofuzz, a really quirky fascinator by crafty Australian gal Nicole, of NicAnswer, a very sweet little button bookmark from greenlacecorner, an absolutely adorable apple jacket by jacquelineknits, and a practical and pretty double oven mitt by Helen of ModernHomewares.

How cute are these girlie button items?! lovahandmade's whimsical plush owl is just gorgeous :) Etsy Ireland team members LolaDee, homespunireland and heatherstreasure often feature in team treasuries, and here they are again with gorgeous things to tempt us.

So, what about you? Do you collect buttons or use them in your crafts?

Also, if anyone of you has a jar, tin, box or bag of buttons lying around the house and would like them made into something special, drop me a line and let me know! 

Beth

Treasury Love

The lovely Anne Marie of byAMOR has featured my Elise Button Necklace in her new gift treasury on Etsy :)
Thank you!

A little project!

In my day job, I teach painting to teenagers, which can be difficult work at the best of times, and even more tricky when I'm having a particularly clumsy day! I had one such day very recently, when I spattered red paint down the front of one of my favourite tops. Argh! I spend so long telling the kids to be careful, I often forget to do so myself. So, as a result, I was left with a really tough stain that just wouldn't budge. It was acrylic paint, which is especially hard to get out of fabric.

I really didn't want to have to give up on wearing my stripey top, so I decided to cover up the stain instead of removing it, and with my favourite craft supplies: buttons! I have lots of black buttons that aren't suitable for jewellery making, so I gathered up a selection of pretty ones and laid them out in a pattern that would decorate the neckline and cover that stain. I sewed each one on very securely in its assigned place, and in just 30 minutes I had a very cute button embellished top, ready to wear again! Yay!

I'll definitely do something like this to some other things in my wardrobe, whether they have a stain or not it's a nice way to add an individual touch to any item of clothing! Do you have any ideas for personalising or decorating clothes? Or getting rid of paint stains? Let me know ;)

Spring forward, Fall back

Next weekend, Daylight Savings ends in Europe, and we'll put our clocks back one hour. Time to get ready for darker evenings and really prepare for Winter! Here are some beautiful timepieces and clock inspired items from wonderful Etsy sellers...

Featured items:
Missing Time Clock by CyberMoon
Vintage Style Filigree Pocket Watch by lunashineshine
Angel of Time Earrings by miskay
Every Story... Quote Clock by mbartstudios
Kirie 02 Bamboo Clock by decoylab
Vintage Mechanical Alarm Clock by ClockworkUniverse

Etsian serendipity

 I've sometimes met people who had previously been unknown to me aside from an "online" alias, whether it's being introduced to a friend of a friend I've already encountered on facebook, or meeting with up the talented members of the Etsy craftyirelandteam.


Very recently I've had the pleasure of meeting a fellow Etsian, Lisa Falzon, also known as Meluseena. Since I started my own Etsy shop in 2009, I have admired Meluseena's gorgeous art work, and had featured it in both my own and the craftyirelandteam blog. Earlier this year my sister Ruth secretly commissioned a special painting of "Snow White and Rose Red" by Meluseena for my 30th birthday, and I absolutely love it! It was the perfect present.

In the completely Etsy free side of my life, I joined Cork's roller derby league this month (the fabulous Rebel County Rollers), and on my first day of training I was introduced to Lisa, who I immediately recognised as Meluseena herself! How exciting! I am delighted to make a real life link with yet another Etsy artist, and especially glad that Lisa is just such a lovely person to know :) She even brought me a little present at training on Sunday, which is a beautiful pendant printed with the Snow White and Rose Red picture. How thoughtful!

So, I just want to say a big thank you to Lisa/Meluseena for the gift, and also invite you all to take a look at her amazing Etsy shop. Here are some gorgeous examples of original work by this talented artist.

Featured:
The Peckish Moon large print
Queen Elizabeth cuff bracelet
Ann Boleyn pocket art mirror
Jumpin Jack Me lustre print