Buttons, Baubles and HST's

I have been wanting to try making buttons for ages, but have only just got round to making them with polymer clay, and what fun it was. Before Christmas I had a go at making Christmas pudding and Candy Cane earrings from clay for the craft stall at our charity Christmas Bazaar and was really pleased with how they turned out.

So when I found the right glaze and a texture mat in a local shop I was really keen to have a go at some buttons for my cushions, and I finally found the time this weekend. One of the great things about using the clay was that when it didn't quite go to plan I just gathered it all up and rolled it out again, which certainly beat unpicking stitches :) Making the buttons was really straightforward, after you have kneaded the clay for a couple of minutes to get it pliable, you roll it out stamp it, punch holes with a needle and bake it. Once baked I highlighted the stamped pattern with silver paint on some of the buttons and left others without any additional highlighting and then glazed them and left them to dry. I could have sanded them before painting and glazing them but didn't have any sandpaper so didn't, but I think I would in future as it probably gives a more professional finish.

Apart from the texture mat and an acrylic rolling pin the only other equipment I used to shape the buttons was an icing nozzle to cut out the round shapes and a darning needle to punch the buttonholes, so not much of an outlay! I am delighted with my buttons and can't wait to have another go at making them. The red ones I used to finish off the back of my reindeer cushion (the first of my 12 WIP's in 2012 to be finished!!!) and I will use the green ones on the back of my Shades of Green cushion (hopefully, the second of my 12 in 2012 WIP's!).

As we had more snow over the weekend there wasn't much incentive to go outside, so as well as playing with clay I also got the opportunity to tackle my first block for the HST BOM by In Color Order. I was delighted to be able to source all the fabrics needed from my stash, so no need to brave the elements for supplies. As I have no idea where we will be when the quilt is finished at the end of the year, this one is purely for pleasure.

I do like the pace of a BOM, as having made this block everything has been put back into the cupboard until the next block is revealed. I suspect though as holidays and life intervenes later in the year the schedule might not seem quite so relaxing! If you have completed a BOM quilt before you can let me know what to expect :)