Il Postino

This is one of my funkier stockists Il Postino - such a great store - it's the old Middle Park post office that has been converted to a clothing/jewellery store - such an amazing space and uber cool postal memorabilia but sadly in its last weeks of trading before the place is turned into apartments.....damn those yuppie apartments. Meanwhile my necklace adorns the mannequins on the streets!

Just a few of my funky spunky Preloved Jewellery customers!

Sping is in the air!!

Finally the sun is coming out to play and along with it all the pretty flowers.....sadly mother natures flowers are seasonal so I decided to make some perenials.
Floral brooches now available at most good Preloved stockists.

Bring on the Revival.......my 5 seconds of fame......The Age 12/9/09

Never thought my buttons would be making news but alas they have!
I love this little flower button - it was my grandmother's and was the source of inspiration for my range. This necklace adorns the neck of the inspiring author Angela Crocombe......couldn't be in better hands or should i say on a better neck! Big thanks to Amy at The Age for her appreciation of my recycled button range!

Buttons are this girls best friend!

Back when I used to live in the Caribbean everyone used to hassle me and my boyfriend to buy diamonds as they are supposedly much cheaper over there......other than the fact that we had no wedding plans, diamonds never really did it for me......maybe if they had been selling buttons rings things could have been different!

Cause nobody likes a bad hair day......

My latest addition to my range are some cute little hair pins. The first customer was a very cute, young little girl who had been given $10 at Elwood market to buy something she liked......and she walked off smiling with a set of these! Hopefully many more customers do too.

Brooch up baby!!

So it seems not everyone wears necklaces.....so here is my first alternative.....my new range of button brooches to funk up any outfit. I have been told by the expert fashionistas that they are all the rage......so here's hoping they are right. These are now going in store to House of Balaklava which is an uber cool store on Carlisle St who are big into supporting local emerging artists....hat's off to them.....oh and they have a great range of hats in store too!!

Buttontopia

I was like a kid in a candy store when I found this bit of 'Buttontopia' at a local market. So many colours and cool shapes. The stories that came with them were just as colourful!!

Meet Olive from Brunswick. Would you believe her family has been in the button industry for over 100 years....a real bit of history! As Olive puts it she was born and bred on buttons. Every week she pulls out some gems to bring to the markets. Some old vintage........and some new. She even dyes her own buttons. She was so exstatic to see a "younger person" buying buttons........am already looking forward to my next visit to her and the stories that acompany my purchases.

Mother Shmee buttoned up cute as can be, be, be

Now this my friends is one funky mum!!
Jenny is the dearly beloved mum of my good friend
De aka Shmee. Lucky for her De was in town and bought this green and wine red buttoned number for her.

I bought these lovely vintage red wine buttons at the antique fair in Sassafras up in the Dandenong Ranges earlier this year.......such a good find so for such a good lady!! Jenny is such a young at heart mum full of great energy and loving spirit......and hopefully now is an energetic spirit loving buttons!!!

Button jewellery for a lighter footprint!!

So glad this necklace found its way to the lovely inspiration that is Angela! Angela is the acclaimed author of A Lighter Footprint which contains hundreds of simple, practical, day-to-day suggestions that will help you to reduce your footprint. www.lighterfootprint.com.au

If that isn't inspiring enough she has released another book Ethical Eating which explores the ethical and environmental implications of the food choices we make, looking at the issues from a uniquely Australian perspective.

Both these books are SOOOOOOOOO worth a read.
So it's only befitting that someone who truly understands the need to re-use the abundance of stuff we already have now has a preloved button collection round her neck for the young adorable miss Verity to gaze at and ponder.

This necklace is also a piece of the history that inspired the range - the little flower button was my grandmothers. An original from her collection. I have always wondered what garment this originally came from.

Oh and the inspiration in this photo is completed by the colourful painting in the background is none other than a Anthony Breslin original!!

My very first button necklace resides in Uganda!

Late last year my friend Genevieve was visiting from Uganda......she without doubt is one incredibly inspiring individual.....well actually there are 2 very inspiring people - her and her husband Adam. Gen has founded ki kati - an incredible fair trade project which I have since got involved in to help support the tailors of Kampala create amazing products for export. For more info see www.kikati.org
Anyways when she was here and told me about her organisation I felt inspired by her creativity....so I decided to make her a b-day gift which has since evolved into my preloved range. So here is the most picturesque shot of my button necklace on the most picturesque person in Uganda!

addictions & phobias

Is it possible to be addicted to......hmmm, cough, splatter.....um, err buttons?
Whilst I may be addicted to collecting them I actually know someone with a phobia of buttons....yes really.....she squirmed at the site of my range.....made me giggle as she tried to find a way to compliment something that she has such an intense disliking for.....who would have thought an innocent little button could stir up a phobia?

oooh I have discovered the world of fabric covered buttons....such fun.... made from vintage fabrics of course!!! all uber eco cool if I may say so myself!!

oh and my necklaces are now tagged up and ready to go.....all tags come with an actual 3d button......you just never know when that may come in handy!!

My vitally (itally) loved Caribbean friend Meish aka Zen

Now this was a fun one....a design for my little Buddha like Rastafarian friend from Da Caribbean Maan......she can lime out with this one on back home in St Vincent. Isn't she just cute as a button......cute enough to make Spanky in the background of the shot come wine with her....for those who aren't familiar with it......
To wine, if you don’t know, is to move your hips and waist in a “winding” motion, hence the name. The dance is familiar to Calypso, Soca and later Dancehall although someone with real skill and dedication could wine to any kind of music. To the unskilled eye it basically looks kinda like dogs humping from behind!!
But back to the buttons.....the sun is most definately shining on this little one!!

Miss Fiji

My beautiful miss Fijian friend Nalia....she can make anything look good.....another custom order....red is all the rage in Nal's world......but if she gets bored she also has a sparkly gold one.

Buttons for all creatures great and small!!

How damn cute is she.....my number 1 fan Bec's little miss Millie. Custom made necklace for my next biggest little fan!!
* Necklaces suit most outfits.....but can't beat the old birthday suit to do the piece real justice!!

My no 1 fan!

My biggest button fan to date....miss beautiful Bec....
all buttoned up in a brown number.....just one of the many button necklaces of mine that have made there way into her house.....another one of my fave designs!!

It's easy being green

This was one of my first sales......a little green number!! Still wondering if I should have kept this one for myself but it looked so good on Bern.....perfect match to her cool earthy look!!!

Preloved - eco savvy jewellery!!

Believe it or not once upon a time buttons were used not only ornamentally but for marking distinctions socially & officially. Buttons were actually once for the rich and laws banned common folk wearing them.
Lucky times have changed hey!!

My button collection was inspired my grandmother's old wooden sewing box full of brightly coloured vintage buttons. It has since become the source of inspiration for my new range of jewellery preloved.
We consume so much stuff......why make new stuff? Why not re-use the abundant things we already have......as did our grandparents.

So with that thought in mind I created preloved jewellery made from vintage buttons. I predominantly buy these from charity stores so not only is your necklace an eco friendly purchase it is also giving a bit back to community charities.

Each piece is unique and just a bit of fun handmade with love for the environment and those little bitsy buttons!!