The Making of a New Button

Following the great success of my Lamb-e buttons,* I thought I would share a little bit about the process of creating a new button. Step 1: I draw something with crayons or whatever I have on hand, onto a scrap of paper. You can see I initially drew it in red, but had some problems with the placement of my unicorn, so I had to draw it again in blue.
Step 2: Brendan, here at the shop, turns it into a few options for a button.
Step 3: It gets printed onto our button paper.
In this case, we're adding a little extra glimmer to things, and we had to do a little experimentation on just the right glue/glitter application.
Step 4: We punch out the buttons with our circle puncher.
Step 5: We put it through our button machine.
And voila! We have our freshly pressed button. As we start to get a good supply of these buttons, they'll be floating out through the postal system and out into the world over the next few weeks.
And if you had any doubts about whether or not you could do such magic yourself, keep in mind that even Caleb can make his own buttons. He's had a lot of practice, but he can pop out one with the best of us.

***

It's been March Break this week, and a bit of a crazy week. I'm not kidding when I say a few things have fallen by the wayside here at home. Some mamas send their kiddos to fun, professional March Break camps with enthusiastic, high-energy counselors, but Caleb goes to this mama's March Break camp, with arts and crafts like button making with glue and glitter, and exciting field trips like tagging along with his mama to the big library book sale. It's been a lot of fun to have Caleb around all day again, in and out of the apartment and warehouse, and riding his bicycle or car around the shelves and tables. We've also been carting the two babies along for some of our errands as an "adventure," and everyone is exhausted by the end of the day. Me, especially. There seem to be times when I'm trying to get both babies to nap, and I'm the only one with my eyes closed. In any case, behind the scenes we're still keeping busy. Everything is starting to come together under the pressure of our impending renovations/move/launch (and only crumble ever so slightly at the edges). The big announcements are all happening next week, so please sit tight. What a thrill!

Currently reading: A Widow for One Year by John Irving.

Currently eating: dried figs.

Currently writing with: Pilot Custom 92 with a soft fine nib (Sailor 4B, a new personal favourite), Sailor Pro Gear Slim Highlighter with Noodler's Raven Black, a Kaweco Al-Sport Rollerball.

Currently looking forward to: glorious spring at the cottage.

Current project: decluttering the kitchen cupboards in preparation for the move.

Current pipe dream: everything will be packed and moved for me overnight by magic elves who I will thank by offering lifetime supplies of ink.     *Actually it's been a deep and personal disappointment. We get emails and messages about what exactly this "sheep-e" button means. And just the other day, I was walking up the lane way to the shop with Caleb, and I overheard two customers passing the button back and forth, saying, "sheep...e? sheep...e? SHEEP...eee??" But on I forge.

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March 16, 2018 — wonderpens
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Comments

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

Yes, of course! Thanks so much for your support and your orders. We truly appreciate it.

I’m glad you’re impressed with Caleb’s dexterity, but seeing him in action might convince you otherwise! There’s a lot of problem-solving in some creative ways ;)

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

So glad to hear it! :)

Maggie

Maggie said:

Oh man, there needs to be a PEN TRIVIA NIGHT! Stand aside, popular culture, the pen nerds are coming.

Nadine

Nadine said:

I thought the Lamy button was Hilarious! And so cute! Thank you ????

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

I love John Irving! This is my second time with Widow for a year, and there is something very comfortable about settling in to re-read a good book.

And glad you enjoyed the button :)

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

So glad to hear it! Thanks for your support :)

Paul

Paul said:

OMG… it wasn’t Sheep-E at all, it was LAMB-E!!

???

LAMY!!!!!

The light has finally dawned! I am such a failure, I’m so sorry :)

Jonathan P Craig

Jonathan P Craig said:

Love the button, got the reference. By the way, John Irving is my favorite author. Loved Widow for a Year! Enjoy.

Lillian Chen

Lillian Chen said:

Could you please put aside a lamb-e button for my next order, please? It’s the perfect visual pun. I love the pen nut button and was pleased to receive it with several orders. Good luck with the packing and the move. So impressed with Caleb’s dexterity.
All the best.

Ruth E. Martin

Ruth E. Martin said:

Oh, I get it now! Good one! ?

Well done on the scarf! Has your “teacher” told you about Ravelry, the site for knitters and crocheters?

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

You’re right! It is indeed the surname of the founder, C. Josef Lamy. But what I meant was that the name itself “Lamy” is a French surname, and the French prounouce it “lamb-e.” Despite being German, C. Josef Lamy must have had some French in his blood!

We have heard it both ways, and I thought it might be fun to have a button playing on the sounds of one of our favourite shop brands. However, next time, I think we’ll have to try harder not to make such a contentious button! ;)

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

Yes! I found a pattern for a sweater for Naomi! It’s good because it looks like she’ll be able to wear a sweater like this when she’s maybe 2-3 years old, and with some good luck I’ll be there in time. I did do some straight knitting when I was younger, so at least while I’m learning to read patterns I have some very loose muscle memory. I’m finding it very relaxing to knit while listening to audio books, although possibly too relaxing, as there is laundry piling up and emails to write and sorting through the warehouse to be done…

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

Haha! Glad to hear it!! It goes a little better in store because we can explain it in person! :)

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

Haha! Glad it all makes sense now :)

Maggie

Maggie said:

It’s actually the surname of the founder, Josef Lamy.

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

That’s great! I’m so glad to hear it. Thanks so much for the order. I hope you enjoy your new supplies, and also your new button! :)

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

Caleb special editions are a rare thing! His attention span is only long enough to make three or four buttons ;)

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

I owe you a letter! I’ll send a button with it :)

And, you might be pleased to know, I’ve started knitting a scarf! I knit a little bit back in the day, but someone here on the team is a real knitter, and she’s taught me to read a super easy scarf pattern. It’s for Caleb starting kindergarten in the fall!

We will be carrying the Edelstein ink, although it’s been delayed from the Canadian distributor. We will have it for sure, though!

Heather Landry

Heather Landry said:

I received my first order from you a very short while ago and am happy to say that I received your Lamb-e pin and did figure it out as soon as I saw it, lol. I love Lamy pens, so perhaps that is why! I thought it was cute!!!

Maggie

Maggie said:

I think the confusion is due to the fact that Lamy is pronounce “lah-mee” as opposed to “lamb-ee,” it would never have occurred to me! Regardless, it’s still a cute button and I don’t mind confusing people ;)

wonderpens

wonderpens said:

Haha, we’ve heard it pronounced both ways!

Technically, Lamy is a French word, pronounced “lamb-ee” – it’s just been appropriated by the Germans for their excellent pen company ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-J94S0NC1c

Rosemary

Rosemary said:

I’’d want one that Caleb made! Special edition button.
I always laugh when I see my “lamb-e” button now.

Leslie Coates

Leslie Coates said:

I loved the lamb e buttons, even though it took me a little while to “get it”. They are brilliant! ?

Jenn

Jenn said:

Wait wait wait…. did you say you got a CH92 with a soft nib? Did it come that way or was the nib swapped?

Ruth E. Martin

Ruth E. Martin said:

I must confess, the sheep-e button still escapes me. Just glad that apparently I am not alone. Ironically, sheep are a bit of a mascot of mine, being a knitter and handspinner. I might have to place an order in the hopes that you still have a few kicking around. Speaking of which, dare one hope that you will have the 2018 Edelstein ink soon?

Andrea Spruyt

Andrea Spruyt said:

Hahaha, I got one in my last parcel and I was so confused!! But I get it now! :)

Ron

Ron said:

Lamb-e! HEAD SLAP

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