Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Scribble Picnic - BUTTONED

I had a very big project to finish this past week/weekend that I'll be posting soon but that doesn't mean I wasn't pondering what I could do with this theme - BUTTONED.  Problem was, I had in my mind that it was "BUTTONS" (of which I have several thousand I'm sure) and there were a few ideas floating around in my head.  It was when we returned home on Sunday and I checked the list again so I could get started when it hit me, or rather I should say I hit the wall realizing that it was not BUTTONS but BUTTONED.  So I set myself to thinking about it again and being a little wiped out from both the big project and the end of ICAD, that wall loomed large in front of me.  Finally, last night I decided to check out the definition of BUTTONED...and there it was, from the Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: Decorated with buttons or small bosses, as a glass vase.  (via Worknik)

So I pulled out one of my tins of buttons and started running my hands through them.  The memories of playing with the tin of buttons my grandmother brought home from the sewing factory all came flooding back and I spent more minutes than I should have pulling out all the buttons of a certain kind before I realized what I was doing.  I still needed an idea.  And then I saw a tortoise shell button that reminded me of something I had made about 20 years ago........ can you find them?


These turtle brooches that were tucked away in my jewelry box haven't seen the light of day in a long, long time.


I thought I remembered which of my craft books I found them in so I could share the pattern, but after spending more time looking through books than I should have I sat down and created my own.


By then, bedtime was quickly approaching and I had every intention of just having the turtles in black and white on the white sheet, but during work today, I decided that they needed something to swim in so I came home and gave them some water.  The background is acrylics and I added a metallic watercolor wash over the turtles in a light blue.  


Yes, I know that was a very long-winded explanation of my Picnic contribution this week, but I hope you enjoy the final product.  

Now, off to see what all the other Picnickers BUTTONED up.  Click here to join me, and should you wish to attend the picnic next week, you'll have to bring a FLOWERBED.

One more thing, Button Floozies has a post about a button collection for a good cause.  If you have buttons you would like to donate to the California Holocaust Education and Resource Center they are looking to collect 6 million that they will be using to build a memorial out of.  Here is the link to the post.

22 comments:

  1. Just as cute as can be! Love the turtle buttons.

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  2. Lovely piece inspired by that beautiful turtle button!

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  3. I am especially partial to turtles as my first children's book is Tadeo Turtle. Those are adorable button pins and your illustration is lovely.
    Blessings
    Janis

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    1. Thanks Janis. This is my second post including turtles this summer. I guess I can almost call it the summer of the turtle.

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  4. I love where you took this and thank you for exploring the BUTTONED theme. I thought it would be interesting to add that little extra twist instead of jsut a noun again. As it is, this turned out fabulous. I've never seen these kind of buttons so that makes it all the more intriguing! Wow.

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    1. Thank you Michael. I'm actually glad that I had to think about this a little more because it brought back some good memories.

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  5. Oh wow, I love your turtles Lorraine! Both the button ones and the drawings! I too have a collection of buttons that belonged to my mum. Lots of them are off some of her clothing and like you they bring back lots of interesting memories. I always check out the local Hospice Shop to see if they have any interesting buttons I might need/want/have to have!
    Thanks for sharing with us:-)
    Sunshine, new Zealand
    www.ihearttostamp.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks Sunshine. I find it hard to pass up a bag or jar of buttons at yard or garage sales even though I have more than I could ever use. I used to have them displayed in pretty jars but stopped putting them out. I might have to do that again.

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  6. Good job on your "buttoned" turtle creations! I went with buttons too late to change to buttoned. (Though technically they had buttoned many items of clothing in their time!)
    Afraid I fizzled out on the ICAD Challenge; perhaps I'll try again next time. Sure enjoyed seeing what all you came up with!

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    1. Thanks Jolene. I love your basket of buttons. You're right about them having buttoned many items. Isn't it amazing that something so pretty and simple can be so useful.

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  7. turtle buttons/brooches sounds like a great idea. your drawing is wonderful & I do like that it's buttons as their back, quite cute

    have a lovely day.

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    1. Thank you lissa. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  8. Oh gosh, I love your collection of buttons. How FUN! I love the turtle button and how you turned it into a painting. I absolutely love it....of course, I also love turtles too! :) hee hee Well done, Lorraine. x

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    1. Thanks Alexandra. I've had a love for turtles as long as I can remember.

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  9. I also love where you took the theme, Lorraine. As you know, I was stuck with the term 'buttons' in my head too. I absolutely adore your turtle brooches, both the real thing and your sketch. Such a lovely idea!

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    1. Thanks Serena. I think we both did well getting past what we thought and what it was.

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  10. Absolutely loving your artwork turtles Lorraine - and enjoyed your buttons story.
    Mary -

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  11. I wrote a comment on this earlier in the week, and then accidentally clicked the wrong button and lost it. Isn't there something totally enthralling about button boxes, so full of magic and memories. I still have a few favourite ones from my mother's button box. Your turtles are so sweet, I've never seen anything like that before. And the drawn ones, in their watery home, they are just totally enchanting.

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  12. Thank you Sabrina. I would totally love to get my hands on my grandmother's button box. They packed it away somewhere when she passed and no one is willing to look for it. Makes me so sad.

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