LA

DIY: Button Collar for your Pet

[Originally posted in early 2010, Style School] I'd secretly always wished that Lola and I looked alike (you know, bowsers.) and I made my wish come true... I made Lola a button collar that matched my yellow & orange glasses! :) I've been making Lola and Tom (my two dogs) button collars for a few years and they hold up surprisingly well & we receive so many compliments at the dog park :) Lola loves hers and but after Tom's puppyhood passed, Keith said he needed something a little more buff ;)

Using buttons & just a few supplies, I'd like to show you a fun & easy way to add personality and style to your pets collar or leash :) This project best suits cats and dogs of any size and is a really fun way to give your sweetie a little flare!

Me and Lola are clearly related!! (Keith custom painted my glasses with my favorite colors... we're planning to do a DIY post together about how you can do this too). Check out our dressed up little family...

Supplies:

Select a nylon pet collar that fits your Cat or Dog (these kind do not work as well, choose the metal buckle kind). You will also need buttons, embroidery thread or strong/thick thread, pointy needle and scissors.

Little Suggestions:

• Pick out buttons in a color scheme that suits you or your pets style.
• Lola's collar took 18 buttons but each collar varies depending on the collar length and button sizes.
• Choose thick/strong buttons, avoiding any with cracks or weak spots.
• If your pet has dark fur, bright buttons look best. For light fur...dark buttons are a hit.
• Try to choose buttons that span the width of the collar or leash (not too much overhang).

1/ Lay the buttons out on the collar so that you can measure the right amount and visualize your pattern and flow :) Be careful not to put buttons over the collar holes or too close to the buckle closure.

2/ Once you're happy with your button choices and layout, slide them off the collar and keep them in a row in front of you.

3/ Cut an embroidery thread the length of your full wing-span (arms out, from hand to hand), then use this technique to avoid tying extra knots; it makes things way easier :)

4/ Start at either end of your collar and begin sewing the buttons onto the front side. I used a long/strong needle so that it was easy to aim & push through the holes.

5/ You will use the same thread to attach the buttons one by one (no need to tie a knot behind each button, that would make the collar weak). If you run out of thread along the way, tie it off as shown here and start a new thread the same way as the step 3. It's important to stitch 3-4 times per button, pulling the thread snug with each stitch (do not yank too hard though).

Tip/ As you continue sewing on your row of buttons, you might find it hard to grip the needle or pull it through tough spots. My solution for this is to use office supply rubber fingertips... it's better than a thimble! (Sometimes I cut one side so it can sit looser on my thumb).

Rubber fingergrips are helpful for any type of stitching or embroidery :)

6/ When your thread runs out or you're done stitching, take half of the thread (3 strands) out of the needle-eye. Leave half in (3 strands). On the backside where your stitching ends, weave the needle under the nylon a little bit (or under a stitch works). Then take the needle off and tie the two threads in 3-4 knots (don't tug crazy-hard, just firmly). Trim the thread tails near the knot. Now go dress up your furry friend, you're a great pet mom (or dady)!

Pet Leash:

Your button leash will be made exactly the same way as the collar, except that it will take more buttons & thread. On my leash, I sewed buttons on one side starting at the clip, heading all the way up to the beginning of the leashes handle loop. If you think your dog will want to chew at the buttons on the leash, then it would be better to start the pattern a little higher so that it's out of your buddies reach ;)

A few collars I've made... (Tom's first puppy collar... we saved it :)

Safety Tip: Please check your pets collar monthly to make sure your stitches are holding up. Lola and Tom's collars start to look beat up after about half a year, then I give them makeovers :)

I'd love to see pictures of your sweet pet wearing your handmade Button Collar-- please share a photo link in the comments (or email me) if you wanna show it off!

xox, Leigh-Ann & the Pups

Here comes Papercuts Handmade! [Visitor Pass: Corey Marie]

Hi! My name is Corey Marie.  I'm an illustrator/comic book artist & web designer (proud to be part of Team Freckled Nest!) and basically an all-around creative nerd type.  Leigh-Ann was sweet enough to ask me to share the story of my little shop, and how it came to be.

I have a fond little memory of an otherwise uneventful evening back in the Winter of 2005.  If you'll allow me to set the scene: My husband & I were newlyweds living in a 400 square-foot apartment in Lansing, Michigan.  As the snow piled up outside, we spent most of that winter inside, together, listening to music and working on various creative projects. Maybe it was the cabin fever, but I was trying very hard at the time to come up with a way to combine scrapbooking and comics.  It never worked out, but it was one of these evenings that a friend told me to check out a band called "The Boy Least Likely To." 

I found the song inspiring, and used a snippet of the lyrics in an art project.  Even though I didn't really know what it would become at the time, I knew it fit me, and the name "PAPERCUTS" stuck around in my head, waiting patiently for me to find the inspiration for a project to go with it.  We only stayed in that tiny apartment for a year before moving into a rented house in Richmond, Virginia on our first anniversary.  My husband had gotten a job offer that would allow us to start our family, and we took the opportunity.

October 17, 2007 was my birthday, and I bought a gocco screen print machine -- found on this cool web site I had stumbled onto called Etsy.  Since I'd already signed up for an account, I decided to try my hand at running my own shop, and November 29, I had my first Etsy sale (a screen print of four cassette tapes) and while I was certainly no overnight success, I was fortunate enough to have several sales by the end of the year.  Needless to say, I was stoked.

My son was born in the Spring, and the responsibilities of a newborn kept me busy for quite a while, but by the time his first birthday rolled around I was experimenting with different types of things in my little shop.  I was collecting vintage books and interesting found papers and putting them into themed kits.  A close friend encouraged me to try out book-binding and I made a few journals with the same sort of mixed and found papers.  PAPERCUTS was born.

As I said, I'm also a web developer, and through the blogging community had the awesome opportunity to help Elsie & Emma launch the Red Velvet Shop earlier this year.  I had a blast helping them build their dream store and was thrilled to work on a site called "Shopify." I left Missouri feeling super inspired and started making notes on what I'd do with my own shop. 

 

This week, I quietly opened my brand new store to friends and family and blog friends, and am continuing to add items as I get ready for my June 1st "Grand Opening."  It's been an incredible experience to build a professional storefront that is completely customized to my own tastes and aesthetic.  I love how easy it is to manage my products within the store, and by using their built-in "Collections" and tagging systems, I've been able to feature my products in ways that just aren't possible with Etsy.  I'm no longer limited to plain text, white backgrounds and five photos per item-- the sky is the limit!

I could write love letters to Etsy. I still love Etsy and think it's a great resource and opportunity for artists, makers and vintage enthusiasts to shop and sell.  (I'm definitely still going to shop there!)  I'm excited if a bit nervous to take these first steps with "my own store" and eager to see my dream continue to grow.

Thank you for letting me share my story!  I'd love it if you'd come by the shop and take a look around!

xoxo,

Corey Marie

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Added by LA: Corey Marie sent Kyla and I a surprise package last week and we were so excited to open it up, each gift was beautiful and clever :) I love Corey's shop, material choices and quality craftsmanship! Thanks Corey, you're so sweet and talented!!!

2 new toys...

My 4 year old neices visit my house every Wednesday and they love the toy drawer (mostly vintage)... and I love shopping for toys for them (excuse for more thrifting).

But I'm not fond of thrifted stuffies and noticed I was missing "dollies" in my well rounded toy selection. I fixed that this weekend when Keith and I went to the craft sale downtown. My friend Kami was one of the vendors and her shop Marathon 1981 had tons to choose from :)

I picked a "mommy and baby" elephant pair for Olivia and Kennedy and they tested them out today! The girls loved them and before leaving, Kennedy tucked them into bed in Violet's room (my guestroom nobody but Violet has stayed in).

I love being an aunty :)

Juicy Inspiration!

Love the inspiration I gleened from this blog...pure beauty! Makes me want to knit and sew---or should I say learn how ;)

...the framed fabrics--Wow, so wonderful! This will look beautiful in our bedroom at the cottage~!