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New additions to Luluké's Aura Collection and The Button, showcasing local favorite Metheny Weir...

25/4/2015

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With Mother's Day around the corner on the 10th May and graduations near, the Luluké studio has been busy working on a few projects.  I've also been busy interviewing local artists again and I'll introduce you via The Button to the fabulous Metheny Weir, specializing in decorative furniture finishes. 

Firstly, I've added new jewellry items to Luluké's Aura Collection, a collection of pieces made up from semi precious and precious stones such as rubies, jade, labradorite, spinel, citrine, rainbow moonstone and hematite.  I can also make up a bracelet or a piece to your requirements and design, and I have gift certificates available upon request too, a lovely touch for a Mother's Day or graduation gift.
Click on an individual picture to see more details or go to the shop here.  
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Secondly, working on multiple items of the same pattern at the same time helps me to master the ins, outs and little quirks of following a pattern.  However, Luluké's latest pattern project has been bigger than originally thought and thus taking a little longer than anticipated.  Any of you that like to pay close attention to what Luluké gets up to will remember the little facebook page teaser recently, asking you to guess what the pieces to the left were destined for.  Well done to those of you that guessed that they were the inside pockets of shoulder bags. 

The first pocket found its way into this creation and sold before I had chance to complete it...
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*SOLD*
The design is from the lovely Leona bag pattern, from Delinda Boutique. I'm currently working on the following fabric combinations in the same pattern: 
If you are interested in owning one of these one off combinations click here.
This week in The Button, I have great delight in introducing you to Shaker Heights based, Metheny Weir.
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Larchmere Road, Shaker Heights studio location
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Detroit Road, Rocky River
studio location
Handmade button: Metheny Weir Painted Finishes is a decorative painting business specializing in custom furniture finishes.  They are also retailers of Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan which is a mineral based paint developed by Annie Sloan 25 years ago in England. Metheny Weir teaches workshops on how to use the paint to repurpose furniture for Do It Yourself enthusiasts.

Can be found at:  Store locations are 13001 Larchmere Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH 44120 and 20254 Detroit Road, Rocky River, OH 44116.
  
Email: sue@methenyweir.com & kim@methenyweir.com
Telephone: 216 707 0301 (Shaker Heights), 216 303 9755 (Rocky River)
Website is www.methenyweir.com 
Facebook: methenyweirpaintedfinishes
Instagram: methenyweir
Twitter: @methenyweir
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Owners, Susan Weir and Kim Metheny
Background: Sue and Kim started their business in 1998 in Kim's basement in Shaker Heights.  Their children were in kindergarten together and they started painting in their own homes, and soon friends and neighbors started asking them to help them with their projects.  The ladies eventually moved to a studio on Larchmere in 2008 where they worked with homeowners/designers on their residential painting projects.  Three years ago, Metheny Weir became retailers of Chalk Paint® which means the shop carries and sells the complete line of products, teaches workshops, and creates custom finishes on furniture.  In recent months the ladies have opened another shop for the residents of Rocky River.

Inspiration:  Both Sue and Kim are inspired by other painters, traveling, magazines, fabrics and color.  They have both also learned and mastered their artistic talents by taking workshops with other painters across the country who they have found to be their true inspiration.

Luluké comments:  I find Metheny Weir a fascinating and inspirational place. You can choose a piece of furniture of your own to paint, choose a paint from their many colors, use a finish to suit you, and you can do it all in their studio. When you walk into the shop/studio, the reception from Kim and Sue is always warm and friendly, the array of beautiful colors, different textures and (probably my favorite part) the artistic hive of activity is just everywhere and a delight to see.  It all reminds me of the UK and how I discovered and fell in love with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® just before I got married and moved to the USA in 2012. I purchased a piece of furniture painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® that was featured in our wedding photos and now sits in my own studio.  These days the ladies are rarely seen together due to the exciting news that they have opened a new shop/studio in Rocky River.  I highly recommend a visit next time they have an event at either location to experience this inspirational place.

Upcoming events:  A complete list of workshops are scheduled on the Metheny Weir website at www.methenyweir.com or www.unfolded.com.

Nomination for The Button in the future:  Dash Dot Dash Studio located in Shaker Heights 

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Happy Easter & The Button featuring the delightful Emilie from Button Down Designs.

4/4/2015

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Happy Easter Everyone! It's my favorite time of year where the weather is desperately trying to turn into more bearable temperatures, the blossom buds can be seen on trees and fresh flowers start to poke up through the ground stretching out to the blue sky.  It's also the time of year that my lovely Mom and Dad send us a hoard of REAL Cadburys chocolate that includes my childhood favorite easter egg - The Flake.  Despite waking up to a light dusting of snow this morning, wearing a thick jumper to sit in the Luluké studio this morning and write this blog, I am delighted it's SPRrrrING!

Our Tower Garden arrived yesterday and we already have seeds prepared and planted. We are looking forward to lots of organic cucumbers, lettuce, basil, tomatoes, swiss chard, eggplant and peppers over the coming months.  The spinach seeds (my favorite superfood) are on their way in the post. I will stop now, I know it's not technically handmade but its homegrown and thought it worth a little share here!

I've been working on small sewing projects, such as upcycling curtains into table runners and continue to work on my secret multi project.  I've also made some more jewellry for the Aura Collection.  Things are a little behind than planned but all will be revealed in good time.

Now for...
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This week The Button highlights the very talented local artist... Emilie, from Button Down Designs...

Handmade Button: Bracelets hand sewn from antique or vintage buttons from the 1840's - 1940's.  "Art for your wrist".

Style: Art Deco, Victorian and niche.

Found at:
www.buttondowndesigns.com
Www.facebook.com/buttondowndesigns

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Owner: Emilie Collens Illson
Favorite outing, since age 3- The Cleveland Museum of Art
Background:
When Emilie welcomes you into her home it is immediately evident that she's an avid collector.  She has a range of collections, her favorite being vintage porcelain baby bowls.  She loves what they represent and the history of each one.  Unexpectedly, she doesn't consider herself a collector of buttons but rather more an artist who uses buttons to create.

Emilie came across the idea for button bracelets accidentally at a flea market in 2006, thinking, "I can do that and I think I can do better".  In the same year her son was deployed to Iraq, responsible for escorting convoys and diffusing bombs on roads.  This caused Emilie understandable anxiety and she found that making the bracelets helped to keep her calm and focused on something that tapped into her creative soul.  She didn't look back and since then has earned herself recognition by having her bracelets sold by two national museum shops, The Museum of American Folk Art (in Manhattan) and the Museum of Women in the Arts (in Washington D.C.).

This is not the first time Emilie has been recognized for her work.  She won the Laurel School Art Prize in 1969 for a story about her childhood experiences with a group of Amish friends that welcomed her into their fold.  This nurtured Emilie's admiration for hard work, dedication to a job well done and simple living.   This story was later accompanied by her own watercolor paintings and was then published.  I felt honored when Emilie presented me with a copy of her book and will treasure it as reminder of meeting someone very talented and equally modest.  In 1973 Emilie was awarded her Fine Art degree from Denison University.  Emilie has always loved to use her hands to create and her talent spans across writing, needlework, painting, drawing, and photography, to name some.  

Inspiration:
Emilie generally uses buttons made from the 1840s to the 1940s.

Favorite project:
Restoring the buttons that are part of “Aunt Minnie’s” collection.  Emilie was approached by the great niece of an avid button collector, Minnie Esworthy Dunbar (1875-1967), a member of the National Button Society.  She brought Emilie a large number of antique buttons that she had inherited from her beloved aunt.  These included seven “trays” of button art which Minnie put together in the 1950s, when she was in her eighties.  There were also many hundreds of loose buttons, from which Emilie was asked to make ten bracelets for the younger generation in the family.   Given the cost of restoring the buttons and making the bracelets, Emilie and the niece came to an agreement that no money would change hands.  Ten Victorian-style Mother of Pearl bracelets were “paid for” with the remainder of the button collection, giving Emilie scope for the restoration opportunity of her dreams.  Below show pictures of the bracelets and each of the trays.
Aunt Minnie's Collection
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Luluke comment:
It is clear to me that Emilie has a wealth of experience and is cut from quality cloth.  She is big hearted and talented.  She explained to me that she has given away over 600 bracelets since she started Button Down Designs and that each time she has given one away, she has been the one who received.  She takes joy in sharing her work and I will take great delight in using buttons from her stock.  She is a true inspiration to anyone who appreciates all that is hand made. 

Upcoming Open House dates:
Sunday, April 12 and Sunday, June 7, 1 to 5 P.M.
Nomination for The Button in the future:
Sandy Millman, Yours Truly
Handmade Button: Purses
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    Author

    Lou Khayat, Owner of Luluké (www.handmadebyluluke.com).

    "The Button"  takes a sneaky peek at local handcrafters in and around Cleveland.   Check back in regularly or like the Luluké 
    Facebook page (here) to keep up to date with my discoveries in the world of locally handmade.




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