Button Swap Blog Hop - Reveal

First, a very big thank you to Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio and the art retreat Art Bliss for hosting this very fun button swap. I haven't collected many buttons over the years (but I've certainly collected a whole lotta' other stuff). This was a lovely way to stretch my creativity. Unfortunately, I could have alternately titled this post "Button Swap Gone Wrong" or "Poppy Gone Wrong".

I sent Cilla two tree of life clay buttons by Christine of beadfreaky on Etsy. I LOVE them! The tree of life has significant meaning for my family as it reminds us of TJ for a good many reasons. I also sent her two mother of pearl hearts that I've had for probably 15 or 20 years? I bought several at a very small bead and button shop that used to be in Freeport. I also drilled several pieces of sea glass to be buttons. Finally, I made a hand-painted stained glass button sealed with Ice Resin. This little culprit is the reason my buttons got in the mail a little bit later than I had hoped as I had to wait for the resin to cure.

 My buttons for Cilla

So, we'll put "Button Swap Gone Wrong" up for consideration first. My partner for the button swap is the lovely Cilla Watkins of Tell Your Girlfriends. Cilla sent me a lovely assortment of buttons - 2 clay floral buttons from Valou Poppy of France, an embossed clay heart button, and a polymer clay button from Jane Perala of Canada. They are all lovely. However, Cilla has yet to receive the buttons I sent to her. (Cilla's buttons did arrive on Friday - YAY!!) Her's came so quickly. I have never mailed internationally before, and I didn't think it would take more than the 6-10 business days (and I thought it would be on the shorter end), but I was intending to mail them out with over three weeks before the reveal. When I went into the stamps.com site to create the postage, it required the phone number of the recipient - I didn't have that. I emailed Cilla and didn't hear back from her (she was on vacation in Mexico the lucky duck). Finally after a week of emailing, I just entered my phone number. That was two weeks ago and she still doesn't have them. Further, I can't see where they are through the stamps.com site, only that they left New Hampshire two weeks ago. I.Am.So.Frustrated. (I'm still not happy with stamps.com). Whenever I've mailed priority through the USPS I can see the actual movement of the package, not through stamps.com. I don't think I'm going to continue to use this service. I am so sorry that you don't have your buttons Cilla. I'm mortified.

 Cillas buttons for me

Now, on to "Poppy Gone Wrong". I intended to make two pieces, a multimedia art piece and a necklace. Well, life always gets in the way and this was a difficult week, so only one piece has been made to date. The other will materialize in the next couple of weeks. I am not an artist, even though my kids have called me that. I am a crafter. I've always wished I was an artist. My sister-in-law Denise is a wonderful artist. I can bluff my way along, but it doesn't come naturally to me. I wish it did. I took decorative painting classes years ago. Anyhoo, when I first laid eyes on the buttons Cilla sent to me, I knew what I wanted to make with the orange poppy button - a piece of art. Kerry Bogert has created some multimedia art pieces over the last few years and I was inspired by the art she created. Mind you, my piece came out nothing like my mind saw it. However, I was relatively happy with it (except the poppy petals are too large - haven't worked with polymer clay in about 16 years) until I decided to darken the edges. Poppy.Gone.Wrong. The bottom and lower right edges are too thick and hard - I should have thinned the paint more so I could rub it in and take some away. It stuck, and stuck good.

Poppies symbolize eternal sleep, consolation and remembrance among other things. As this has been a difficult week with the anniversary of TJ's death and Mother's Day (he passed away on Mother's Day eight years ago), the meanings associated with the poppy were quite fitting. I also found a quote by Sri Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian spiritualist leader, that reminded me of the messages we've always tried to instill in our kids: "Have constructive thoughts, consoling words, compassionate acts." Something I need to remind myself of on occasion as well.

There are lots and lots of creative folks who are sharing their designs today (sorry again, Cilla), grab a cup of coffee or tea and go take a peek - and if you're a mom, Happy Mother's Day to you!

Alice Peterson  and Kim Bender

Angie Blasingame and Billi R.S. Rothove

 Billi R.S. Rothove and Angie Blasingame

 Birgitta Lejonklou and Pam Farren

 Bonnie Coursolle and Tania Hagen

 Brenda Salzano and Hope Smitherman

 Cat Kerr and Heather Powers

 Cece Cornier and Jeannie Dukic

 Celeste Thurston and Christine Damm

 Christine Damm and Celeste Thurston

 Christine Stonefield and Dana James

 Cilla Watkins and Lori Bowring Michaud (you are here)

 Cindy Wimmer and Mimi Gardner

 Cynthia Machata and Julia Johnson

 Cynthia Riggs and Lori Finney

 Dana James and Christine Stonefield

Diana Ptaszynski and Erin Prais-Hintz

 Emma Thomas and Rebecca Anderson

 Erin Prais-Hintz and Diana Ptaszynski

 Erin Siegel and Sharon Borsavage

 Heather Powers and Cat Kerr

 Holly Westfall and Sally Russick

 Hope Smitherman and Brenda Salzano

 Jayne Capps and Kim Dworak

 Jeannie Dukic and Cece Cornier

 Jenna Meyers and Kristi Harrison

 Jenna Tomalka and Karen McKillip

 Jenny Davies Reazor and Sandi Volpe

 Julia Johnson and Cynthia Machata

 Kalaya Steede and Kylie Dickman

 Karen McKillip and Jenna Tomalka

 Karen Mitchell and Renetha Stanziano

 Karla Morgen and Mary Govaars

Kay Thomerson and Shannon Chomanczuk

 Kim Ballor and Laurel Steven

 Kim Bender and Alice Peterson

 Kim Dworak and Jayne Capps

 Kim Roberts and Partner unable to participate at this time.

 Kristi Harrison and Jenna Meyers

 Kylie Dickman and Kalaya Steede

 Kym Hunter and Lynda Moseley

 Laurel Steven and Kim Ballor

 Linda Djokic and Patty Gasparino

 Line Labrecque and Teri Baskett

 Liz DeLuca and Lorelei Eurto

 Lorelei Eurto and Liz DeLuca

 Lori Anderson and Niky Sayers

 Lori Bowring Michaud and Cilla Watkins

 Lori Finney and Cynthia Riggs

 Lynda Moseley and Kym Hunter

 Marianna Boylan and Tracy Statler

 Mary Govaars and Karla Morgen

 Mary Harding and Stacie Florer 

 Maureen Baranov and Tracy Bell

 Melissa Martin and Theresa Fosdick

 Michelle Hardy and Peggy Johnson

 Mimi Gardner and Cindy Wimmer

 Nicole Valentine Rimmer and Niki Meiners

 Niki Meiners and Nicole Valentine Rimmer

 Niky Sayers and Lori Anderson

 Pam Farren and Birgitta Lejonklou

* Pam Ferarri and Stefanie Teufel (will share their reveal on a later date)

 Patty Gasparino and Linda Djokic

 Peggy Johnson and Michelle Hardy

 Rebecca Anderson and Emma Thomas

 Rebekah Payne and Sue Kennedy

 Renetha Stanziano and Karen Mitchell

 Rose Binoya and Shanti Johnson

 Sally Russick and Holly Westfall

 Sandi Volpe and Jenny Davies Reazor

 Shannon Chomanczuk and Kay Thomerson

 Shanti Johnson and Rose Binoya

 Sharon Borsavage and Erin Siegel

 Shirley Moore and Veralynne Malone

 Stacie Florer and Mary Harding

* Stefanie Teufel and Pam Ferarri (will share their reveal on a later date)

 Sue Hamel and Terry Carter

 Sue Kennedy and Rebekah Payne

 Tania Hagen and Bonnie Coursolle

 Tania Spivey and Teresa Gagne

 Teresa Gagne and Tania Spivey

 Teri Baskett and Line Labrecque

 Terry Carter and Sue Hamel

 Theresa Fosdick and Melissa Martin

 Tracy Bell and Maureen Baranov

 Tracy Statler and Marianna Boylan

 Veralynne Malone and Shirley Moore