Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Interview & Giveaway with The ButtonMachine!




Alright, so I've been in love with Chris's (ButtonMachine) amazing buttons for a while now. We became Etsy friends a while back..I actually own a few of his buttons including his Hello Kitty set (of course!), his Pacman love button set and the amazing back to the 80s buttons. I have at least one on all of my totes:)

Chris has been on Etsy for a year now, his Etsyversary just passed, so he's not new to the whole handmade thing. (& ladies.. he's a part of the 3% male population on Etsy!)

The ButtonMachine shop has a variety of buttons and he also does custom work. He also has a few very neat vintage items once in a while. Definitely check him out!







1. Hey Chris! Tell us a bit about your self ! Where are you from?


I'm 29, single, live at home with my parents, and make buttons in my bedroom! My bedroom is located in beautiful Toronto, Ontario, Canada.







2. Is selling on Etsy your full time job or do you something else?

I sell on Etsy and eBay. It’s currently what I do for my primary income and as you can see it’s working out really well for me, being single, 29 and living at home with my parents…


3. I love buttons! How did you get started in the button business?

Buttons rule! I used to be in a thrash metal band and we needed buttons. So, instead of paying someone else to do them, I bought a button machine and some parts and did them myself! From there, I figured I’d just make buttons to sell on eBay as well. Then I discovered Etsy, which is a far more pleasant online market place. Plus, making buttons is just fun. I recently started to do custom orders for friends, bands, businesses, and charities. I like it.



4. What is your most favourite set of buttons you've ever made?

Tuff question! This is like asking me to choose my favourite child. NOT THAT I HAVE ANY CHILDREN! But, I think it would probably have to be my Zelda Triforce set. I like that when you put them together they make the Triforce. So cool! I’m a genius! Ok, if you’re not a game nerd and don’t know anything about Zelda, this will make no sense. So ya, that set or my Mexican Wrestling Mask set, which actually sells pretty good! I love wrestling (another reason why I’m a nerd and single).

5. Alright, confession time.. I was one of those kids with at least 10 buttons on their backpack.. please tell me that was you too?

I think I was the adult with at least 10 buttons on their backpack for a while… I don’t wear backpacks anymore, thankfully. And my current button wearing style has been toned down to 1 or 2 buttons MAX. That’s just me, though! I’ve always loved buttons. I have a box full of buttons that I’ve collected since my childhood. Sometimes you just gotta let people know what’s up with a button on your jacket. That way they know you love Tofu or hate the Yankees or that you’re a huge video game nerd.



6. Any advise to fellow Etsians?

Ya, make cool stuff! Not that I’m some sort of Etsy role model, but there are tons of talented people making awesome stuff and it’s pretty cool that there is a place like Etsy to find them.




Lucky #7: Tell me what's been on your playlist lately.

Thin Lizzy
Municipal Waste
Candlemass
Slayer
ABBA (don’t laugh)
Dolly Parton (shut up, ok!)
Alcatrazz
Judas Priest




Giveaway time! Chris is letting one lucky winner a chance to win 2 sets of his buttons!


Wanna win?

Mandatory: Visit the ButtonMachine & comment with the two button sets you'd like to win!

Extras:

♡ Purchase anything from the ButtonMachine (+5 extra - leave 5 comments)

♡ 'Heart' his Etsy store! (Leave your Etsy s/n in the comment)

♡ Follow my blog!

♡ Blog about this giveaway (+2 extra - leave 2 comments; w/ link)

♡ Tweet about this giveaway (leave link)


Please post a separate comment with each entry and with a way to reach you please!! :)



Open to anyone, anywhere!

Giveaway will close November 30 and winner will be chosen with random.org (Trying to stay green!)

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay for buttons! :D

I (super) love the fixed gear bike buttons and the megaman button set! ;D

(side note: i thought the snes game controller buttons were neat in the way the controllers lined up with the main button. way cool! same with the triforce button set.)

Anonymous said...

And of course I ♥'d his etsy shop! :) ... [minaux@etsy]

(*confused* i should make a separate comment for each entry? apologies for the spam, if not! =x)

Anonymous said...

and t-t-t-tweeted --> [here] ;)

+ now i'm following your blog. no extra entry needed for that one. n_n

roro said...

+ one more for grobot for the blog following!


It's needed as a separate comment so that when I enter the number of participants into random.org if you're let's say number 4.. which this comment is.. you win!

So the more separate entries the better. Hope it made sense!

xx

Irit said...

I love these buttons!

My favorite two sets are the Hello Kitty Set and the Ice Cream Cupcake Teapot and Teddy Bear Button Set.

(I'm Irit/KitschyKewpie from Swap-bot, BTW)

Irit said...

I follow your blog!

Irit said...

I hearted Chris's Etsy store. My Etsy user name is irit.

Lily said...

i would want to win the Ice Cream Cupcake Teapot and Teddy Bear Button Set and the Set of 4 FRANCE Pinback Buttons!
Lmhoot@flash.net

Mocha Princess Aurora said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the I hate Yankees set and the Ice Cream, Cupcake, Teapot, Teddy Bear Set!

Mocha Princess Aurora said...

I am a follower of your blog!!!
and love the bear music player on the top :)

Mocha Princess Aurora said...

I also tweeted about it!!!
http://twitter.com/RoraBorieAlice/statuses/5869424596

icitea said...

Buttons buttons buttons~!

Got to say I love the nintendo items set and the internet memes set the best.

email is chibi_nu at yahoo dot ca.

Lilly said...

I love the Ice Cream Cupcake Teapot and Teddy Bear Button Set 1 inch and the Cupcake Man Pinback Buttons. Cute!
Thanks for the chance.
eli_green22 at yahoo dot com dot br

Lilly said...

I hearted the store (LillyT)
eli_green22 at yahoo dot com dot br

Unknown said...

I love the Pac man love and the eighties set.

Anonymous said...

Great giveaway I love the I heart seals and vegan buttons.Thanks
Marian

mtzeenla@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Just posted about this on my blog: [link]

Anonymous said...

comment numero dos for ^

Unknown said...

ohmygoodness hard to choose, but i guess i'd have to go with the hello kitty buttons and the ice cream cupcake set.

goddard.anna(at)gmail(dot)com

throuthehaze said...

I like:
Nintendo
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19705688

Icecream Cupcake Teapot Teddybear
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19661111

throuthehaze at gmail dot com

ktkins said...

I love the metallic unicorn buttons (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34172169) and the eighties buttons (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21721529).

orangegirl779@hotmail.com

Paige said...

The gay and lesbian pride ones!

Caitlin Reed said...

I love this set:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21721529

and this one:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19661111

Thanks!

xmo14x at yahoo dot com

Caitlin Reed said...

I'm a follower :)

xmo14x at yahoo dot com

Valerie said...

Because I love the teapot:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19661111

Because I'm planning a trip to Paris and this would be lovely inspiration:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20916136

vaverine at yahoo dot com

Valerie said...

Hearted ButtonMachine (etsy n/n: vaverine)

vaverine at yahoo dot com

Ellen Ault said...

I would love to win the Megaman set and the Nintendo items (star,coin,etc) set. My husband is a huge Nintendo fan and these would be great for his stocking!

ellen@3doodle.com

Ellen Ault said...

Hearted his shop! (Handmade3D)

Michelle said...

I would choose the ice cream/cupcake buttons and the conversation hearts buttons. Super cute!

mandm_2002 at hotmail dot com

Hayley said...

I like the cupcake man buttons and the fashion pattern buttons :) THanks for the chance to win!

K said...

I love the Set of 5 CONVERSATION HEARTS Pinback Buttons 1 inch and the Ice Cream Cupcake Teapot and Teddy Bear Button Set 1 inch

K said...

I have hearted on etsy

K said...

I am a blog follower

Unknown said...

My favorite two sets are the Hello Kitty Set and the Set of 4 I HEART SEALS Pinback Buttons Set.

Thank you!

Unknown said...

I ♥'d his etsy shop :)

MadeInCanarias said...

I love Nintendo Items Buttons and HELLO KITTY Pinback Buttons.

MadeInCanarias said...

I hearted his etsy shop (MadeInCanarias).

MadeInCanarias said...

Tweet: http://twitter.com/MadeInCanarias/status/6212018935

MadeInCanarias said...

Follow your blog too!

Fifi Flowers said...

FUN buttons!