Monday Moodboard: Natural History

I tried to make some new photographs for my wooden button jewelry this weekend, and decided to go for a "natural history" look. I am not there yet, but here some inspiration from some of our European Street Team members on Etsy.

For more monday moodboards see fleurfatale's blog.

1. Elbenta
2. zsazsazsu1963
3. staroftheeast
4. annarubyking

And my own first test pictures:

Etsy : New Brooches & Industrial Sewing Machine

This week I made more pieces in my "double buttoned embroidered" jewelry line. But this time I used the small branches, so I made a type of toggle buttons. Embroidered them again with silk floss and a lovely button. I so like making these girly woodland pieces !

Most of the new creations are now in my Etsy shop: P8 Button Art, but there is more to come !

And I played the whole week with my industrial sewing machine, hubby bought it for me from an old man in Kiel who buys and repairs those monsters as his hobby. I had to get used to the speed of the machine and how to get it even, and learned a lot about threads, tension, and spooling. There's no tutorial handbook, so I had to find it out for myself. And I am still very careful for my fingers because it is a real monster, it goes easily through 2cm (almost 1") thick leather like butter....
Here some pics of my new playmate:

Etsy : New Jewelry Line

This week I made more pieces in my "double buttoned embroidered" jewelry line. I love the work; drawing the embroidery plan, drilling, sanding and oiling the wood, looking for a fitting button, choosing colours for the floss, and then the embroidery itself ! I am pretty happy making and seeing my new line. I made brooches, rings and pendant necklaces so far, but more ideas are continuously popping up.


Most of the new creations are now in my Etsy shop: P8 Button Art, but there is more to come !

Tidbits: Weihnachtsmarkt and new Brooches

picture taken before the fair started

This week was dominated by the alternative Christmas fair (last night) in Flensburg on the Danish-German border. It was in the Norderstrasse, close to the medieval Nordertor gate. The market was on two opposite sides of the Norderstrasse, at one side it was in the Danish Library (that's where I was) and at the other side was in an Art Gallery and its inner court. Despite the cold there were many people and the whole atmosphere was very cozy; lots of Xmas snacks and Glühwein, and very alternative street decoration with bunting made of rope with old shoes and paper snowflakes. Hubby, Peggy and I had a great evening, despite the fact I did not sell as much as I hoped I would :)

Das Nordertor, Flensburgs Wahrzeichen

It's a beautiful old street with a lot of athmosphere; I could not take pics of the Nordertor because it was too dark, but I found some great pics on the net. Next to the market was a lovely coffee, cocoa and tea house with great cakes, so everybody went there to warm up and have some drink and cake. The interior was so beautiful, it was like an exhibition of a tea and coffee can collector !

And I made a new collection of brooches this week. Obsessed with buttons, I finally decided to make my own ones. Gathered some lovely wood branches in my garden (something I have to do each year anyway for my wood stove) and let them dry for a couple of months. Sawed them into thin slices, and let them dry again for some months. And then the thrill of making the holes ! Not 2 or 4 holes, as ordinary buttons usually have, but much more holes I drilled into those slices. Then sanded and oiled (with organic corn oil), and there they were; the real special P8 buttons. So, what now to do with them ? Took them many times in my hands, they feel so yummy.... Why not combine them with some embroidery, which I so love to do ? And some of my special vintage buttons ? So far so good, and the new line of double buttoned embroidered P8 brooches was born. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did making them. Here some pics of the new brooches:


They are for sale in my Etsy P8 Button Art shop, and there are more to come in the coming days !

Etsy : Earrings

This week's earrings are from imogeneANDannie, who makes beautiful metal jewelry. I fell in love with these branch earrings having such a beautiful form. And not only that, they are also incredible light to wear. I wear them pretty often, because they are so light and fit with every possible outfit; the power of nature !