Customer Spotlight: Selvedge House

Today’s customer spotlight shines on the fine folks over at Selvedge House, which is based in Brisbane, Australia. Selvedge House, as their website explains, provides a collection of hand crafted designer textiles, patterns and craft kits.

Recently, Danielle from Selvedge House sent us an email to tell us know how “brilliant” our button machine work and “how much fun” they have using it well set up at a weekend market stall. And in addition to fun, Danielle informs us that during that one weekend craft fair they pretty much made the cost of the machine back.

Here is a portion of Danielle’s email to us and some pictures from their weekend:

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ABM Video Series: How to Make Versa-Back Buttons

It is with tearful eyes and a plaintive heart that I come to you today.

You may be wondering, why? How could one be immersed in the wonderful world of buttons and yet filled with and overwhelming sense of sadness?

Well I will tell you: we have now reached the end of our ABM Video Series.

I know, I know. Here, have one of these.

I realize that we all wanted the joy and inspiration of the video series to go on forever; but alas, as they say, all good things must come to an end.

So let’s all compose ourselves and give our full, undivided attention to the latest and great, the last but not the least, the fun final finale…yes, ladies and gentleman, the versa-back button.

More specifically, how to make one.

By now you know the drill. The video is embedded below and we have taken the liberty of also including step-by-step directions for you to follow. All of our machines and suggested procedures are simple and easy to follow, but we leave nothing to chance or to the imagination.

So enjoy embarking on your final journey in the ABM Video Series. We shall miss her once she’s gone, but just remember that you can always visit her again with this link.

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ABM Video How-To Series: Aligning and Cutting Button Graphics Using a Punch Cutter

What is as smooth as a butterfly’s flutter?
And as precise as Tiger Woods’ putter?
It slices paper like a hot knife through butter,
Ladies and gents, it’s our peerless punch cutter!

That’s right, we welcome you back to the ABM Video Series, where today we educate you on the simple process for lining up and cutting button graphics using a punch cutter.

Here are the steps, and you can follow along as you watch the video:

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ABM Video Series: How to Create Ponytail Holder Buttons

As we continue our one-by-one journey through the tutorial videos that we have posted on our button making videos page, today’s video involves the creation of ponytail buttons.

The beautiful thing about making ponytail buttons is that the process for making them is very similar to the process for making any type of button, as you will see in the video below.

Here is the main difference: our ponytail kits include an eyelet that is easily inserted into the back of the button. This eyelet then allows you to easily add an elastic ponytail cord.

When you watch the video, you’ll see just how uncomplicated these additional steps are.

Follow the link for more information about purchasing our ponytail sets, which will allow you to start creating and customizing your own ponytail buttons today!

Video: How to Make Ponytail Buttons

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ABM Video Series: The Exciting World of Fabric Buttons!

As we continue with our button making video tutorial series, we take a quick break from the tutorials to celebrate the exciting world of fabric buttons.

And as you will see below, when set to a funky background beat, a montage of fabric buttons can be and is exciting!

Fabric buttons have been one of the most prominent topics that we have covered here at The Button Blog. Rather than try to re-invent the wheel or regurgitate old information, we will provide you with the links to our fabric button tutorial series, plus some other useful resources to help you in your fabric button endeavors.

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ABM Launches Social Networking Site For Button Makers

American Button Machines is proud to announce the official launch of the web’s most immediately responsive button making tips and advice resource: The Button Blog Discussion Forum.

We launched The Button Blog a few months back as another vehicle, in addition to our main website, for providing tips, ideas, and information to customers and button enthusiasts everywhere. We are now taking the next step by creating an interactive site where users can ask questions, quickly find relevant information, and engage in lively discussion about buttons and button making.

The Button Blog Discussion Forum allows for discussion that has Twitter-like efficiency, but without character limitations. There are also intuitive navigation systems in place to make finding information as easy as pressing a button together.

We have worked hard over the years to carve out a niche as one of the most comprehensive online sources for everything related to button making. We are proud to announce our online support and assistance for anyone who wants to take part in the joy of button making.
To take part in the button making discussion, go to the following link:
http://www.american-button-machines.com/discuss

Thank you to all of our loyal customers and as always…

Happy Button Making!

American Button Machines

Monogrammed Belt Buckles: Fun, Easy, and Inexpensive

When I say “belt buckles” what is the first thing that comes to mind?

(And if you don’t say “Texas” or “cowboy” or some synonym of either, I am calling you out right here and now for lying!)

Well the truth is that belt buckles’ reputation for simply being an accessory for snakeskin boots and ten gallon hats is far too narrow to actually represent reality. You don’t have to live on a ranch or make garish spectacles with your wardrobe to have a little fun and customize a belt buckle.

More and more people these days are finding understated yet fun and personalized ways to dress up their belt buckles. How do we know this? Because of the consistent stream of requests we get from visitors to our website who inquire about monogrammed belt buckles.

And in our unyielding quest to give our customers what they desire, we have joyfully taken the plunge into the wonderful world of monogrammed belt buckles.

And here is the best part from your perspective: it is not that expensive nor difficult for you to take the monogrammed belt buckle plunge yourself.

Here is how it works:

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Monogrammed Badge Reels Are Customized, Personalized, and Make ID’ing Yourself Fun!

We’re back!

After a brief hiatus, we are back with fresh content here at The Button Blog. And today, we are going to veer in a direction that we have not veered in since launching the blog: badge reels.

Badge reels are small round devices with a retractable cord that attach to an ID badge. And as we have become well aware through our many customers who have ordered badge reels, there are myriad jobs for which you might need an ID badge: working in a hospital, government jobs, working in the media, etc.

If you are constantly using your ID badge to gain access to different rooms or areas, it makes sense to have a reliable and convenient tool to help you keep tabs on it.

If you are unfamiliar with customized badge reels, here is a picture:

Most people wear their badge reels on a pocket, collar, or belt, thus allowing them to have access to their ID badge at all times without worrying about losing it. The retractable cord allows you to quickly pull your badge out for display or swiping, and then quickly retract it back to its resting position.

The great part about monogrammed badge reels and other customized and personalized badge reels, like the one you can make using our badge reel products, is that you can add a little personality and flair to the tool you are using to identify yourself with.

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Button Maker Manufacturing Quality Comparison: America v China

So far this week here at The Button Blog we have discussed myths about Chinese 3-in-1 button makers, provided a price comparison between American-made all-in-one button making kits and Chinese all-in-one button making machines, and contrasted the great usability and design of American-made button makers with their Chinese-made counterparts.

Today, in the final installment of our four-part, weeklong lesson on the differences between American-made button machines and Chinese-made button machines, we are going to discuss the significant differences in manufacturing quality.

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Button Maker Usability Comparison: American v Chinese Button Makers

Over the last two days here at The Button Blog, we have discussed some of the differences between button makers made in America and those made in China. If you want to get caught up before this post, here are the links to the other two posts:

• Common Myths about Chinese-made Button Making Kits
• Button Maker Price Comparison

Today, we are going to take the next step and discuss the specific usability and design factors that make Chinese 3-in-1 button machines far less effective than single-size American-made button makers which, we reiterate, can be purchased in all-in-one button maker kits that are less expensive than the single multi-purpose Chinese-made machine.

So, where do we start with the usability comparison? Simply put, there is no comparison.

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