Sketchbook Sunday - Let's Make a Button Design

I love making buttons! I make them all the time. Want to see my process from start to finish? Okay, so here goes... I start with my original sketch that I draw in pencil. I usually draw in my sketch book. It looks like this.


Then I ink in my pencil sketch. I like to use different pens for this - so sometimes I draw with a fine tip, sometimes I like to use a heavier tip. For this I think I used a 07 tip.


Next I did some hand lettering. I am making a button to use for my Etsy shop, so I wrote the URL for it Shoppe Sugar Cookie!


Then I scan in my artwork. I like to clean it up in Photoshop. I scan at 600 dpi, and in color. I change to grayscale and fine tune the contrast using Levels, Exposure, and Brightness and Contrast. I convert to RGB next and color in my illustration. I also move the type around to fit my button template, making sure not to place the text too close to the edge of my button design. Once I have this finalized, I put it on another template to print my button design out on nice paper.


This is how they look when I print them out all on one page. I can cut it out to make a button!


And here is the final button badge design to pop in my Shoppe Sugar Cookie Etsy orders!

Orange Popsicles and Lemonade

I drew some new buttons that feature song some of my favorite song lyrics from one of my favorite bands, the B-52's! This pair of buttons are from their song Summer of Love. I love love love that song, so I made these buttons from some of my drawings.




And here is another with lyrics from the B's song Cosmic Thing! We will be shaking our honey buns when we see the B-52's at their 35th anniversary show tomorrow! I am excited!

Button Love

All these new buttons I designed are ready for sharing, or keeping all for yourself, right at Shoppe Sugar Cookie!

Baby Baby Buttons

Our friend Erin who writes the blog Luxe and Lace asked me to make her a bunch of baby buttons. They are for a shower she is throwing for her friend who is a soon-to-be mom. She is having a girl, so of course the baby and baby elephant I drew for these buttons are all in pink!






I also made these designs in blue for baby boys, too. They can all be found at Shoppe Sugar Cookie on Etsy, where you can always convo me if you needed more than one for a baby shower!

Spooky Buttons

I made some new buttons that are at Shoppe Sugar Cookie on Etsy. These are to get you in the Halloween spirit! They also make great party favors!


This is the Spooky Halloween Button Set. It is inspired by my favorite goth music.


Here are my Happy Pumpkins Button Set. I really love the faces on these adorable little jack-o-lanterns!

Buttons Buttons Buttons

These are some of my newest button sets that are ready for you in Shoppe Sugar Cookie and on my personal website!

New Handmade Goodies for ShanaLogic

Last week Raoul helped me get some of my new buttons ready for a special order. These new pin sets are headed to ShanaLogic.com, thee source for great indie goods! And wow - have you seen her back to school goodies? There is some really adorable things! Here is a sneak peek at some of my adorable things that will be popping into Shana's shop very soon!










Here are the two new button sets. I think they look so cute right here. Also, I am happy to announce that my packaging is totally biodegradable! I am slowly phasing in the plastic zip bags that are eco-friendly. You will know this by the green stripe at the top of the zip closure bag.


Here are some of my laser cut wood pins in progress, too. Expect to see those super soon.


And some felt sushis for your hair! Hooray for ShanaLogic.com and shopping indie!

Working On...

Some new button designs for my 365 Button Project for this year. Here are some of my new designs I made recently. I am right on task with everything, except taking pictures for my gallery. I love my new drawings I made for these!

Making New Buttons

This weekend Raoul helped me make a bunch of new buttons. We are gearing up for next week's craft sale, Indie Craft Experience in Atlanta!




These buttons are part of my 365 Project. I had got behind back in April, but I am back on track and finished buttons for April, May, and some of June. Now all I have to do is photograph them for my records. So far, so good!


Some of these designs will be made into magnets for ICE next weekend, too. Hope to see you there!

Buttons for Sci-Fi Caper

I made some buttons for a really cool band called Sci-Fi Caper. They live in California and made a demo available for download on their Bandcamp page. Raoul and I really like the music so far, so check them out.


I really like how their buttons came out. I love the colors and the outer space theme they requested. Emelia from Sci-Fi Caper said she liked the pink one with the UFO driver on it best cos of the colors. That one is my favorite, too!

Birthday Buttons

I had an Achemy request through Shoppe Sugar Cookie for some buttons. These buttons are for Kathy's husband, who is having a birthday soon.

More Buttons!

Here are some more of my buttons that I made lately...




This pair of bananas is called Banana Yes Banana No after a song I made from my band, which was also called Sugar Cookie.








Raoul and I are all about eating healthy this year! So far we are doing good. I love broccoli, pineapple, carrots, and tomatoes, so I made them into happy foods we love to eat. Oreo also likes pineapple, too.








I predict the hot trendy craft food du jour of 2011 will be s'mores! I made this button set of s'mores to be worn as a set. It is inspired by family camping trips when I was little. My brother Greg ate so many s'mores that it made him sick!




I think my Groundhog Day Button Set bears showing again, even though we just celebrated this holiday yesterday! Every time I say to Raoul that this is a "holiday" he laughs at me! Being a Pennsylvanian, this IS a holiday!


And last, but not least, here is my Jumping Squirrel Badge. This button for sure was inspired by Nilla's squirrel friend that comes to the window to visit!