Button Swap Blog Hop

Button Swap Bracelets

Hi and welcome to the Button Swap Blog Hop hosted by Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio! My swap partner was Sharon Borsavage of Livewire Jewelry. She sent me a generous collection of beautiful buttons and I love them all. To see the full stash, visit my previous post. Well, as you can see, I'm still on the bracelet bandwagon from a few weeks ago. What can I say, bracelets are the thing this year! I created 3 bracelets with individual buttons from my swap collection. I used two of my favorites from the vintage selection and one handmade ceramic button by Mary Harding. 

Aren't these vintage buttons amazing? Sharon sent me some extra special beauties. They are precious little gems. I wanted to create simple designs that would allow the fantastic buttons to really stand out and be the stars of the show. The bracelets are made with colorful Irish waxed linen cord and antiqued brass beads. I really like how these turned out. I thought of our button swap host while I was creating them. Hey Cindy Wimmer, these are for you! :) Both bracelets were made using different braiding techniques.

Americana Queen

This red one is a six-strand flat braid with small brass beads incorporated. The braid looks much more complicated than it is! I love this vintage pearl button with a rhinestone inset. Gives the bracelet a fancy, regal look fit for any antiquing queen out on the hunt. ;)

Shiran

This purple bracelet is a Kumihimo round braid. Kumihimo is a Japanese braiding technique. I've been admiring the technique for some time now. I finally got a chance to use my Kumihimo loom disc and I love it! I think I might be hooked. The name Shiran is a type of Japanese orchid. I really enjoyed making this. The button is just phenomenal! A vintage brass filigree button with a mirrored back. It's kinda tough to see in the picture, but it's got a shiny, reflective backing that can be seen through the openwork at the top of the button. Stunning.

May Flowers 
And last, but not least, I created this feminine, Springtime bracelet with soft colors pulled from the floral impression button. I made my signature multi-strand, button & loop bracelet with a handmade button by Mary Harding.  Mary creates beautiful ceramic jewelry components from various botanical impressions. Visit her website to see more of her incredible work.

Thank you for stopping by!

Happy Mother's Day! 

Relax, enjoy the day and have fun blog hopping...

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

 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

Button Swap Sneak Peek

Buttons I received from my swap partner, Sharon.

Buttons are one of my very favorite components to use in jewelry. I particularly love using them as clasps in my designs. So, when Cindy Wimmer of Sweet Bead Studio announced she was hosting a Button Swap Blog Hop, I just had to jump in and participate! I received this gorgeous collection of vintage and handmade buttons from my swap partner, Sharon of Livewire Jewelry. The vintage buttons are very cool. It will be interesting to see how I will incorporate them into my design style. The buttons at the top left-hand side are handmade ceramic. I had told Sharon I liked handmade best. I'm not sure if she knew ceramic is my favorite or if that is just what she had on hand, but in either case, they are perfect and I LOVE them! The large leaf is by LeAnn of Summers Studio and the other is by Mary Harding.

 Sneak peek at my project for the Button Swap Blog Hop. Ceramic button by Mary Harding.

And speaking of Mary Harding, there was one more Mary Harding button included in the collection. The one pictured above! I had a spark of inspiration and I started working with it before I took the photo of the buttons I received from Sharon. Oops! Oh well, now you get a little sneak peek at my project for the upcoming Button Swap Blog Hop reveal on May 13th. Come back and visit me on Mother's Day, May 13th to see the full project. Hopefully, I'll have more creations to share from the rest of this beautiful button stash!