Buttons, Badges & Pins - People Power Blog
Upcycled Basura Bags Turn Trash into Totes! November 16 2017
Recycling can mean a whole lot more than just using your blue bin, and our Bazura Bag Collection is a testament to the wonders of upcycling!
Why Bazura Bags?
Bazura Bags are made by a Women's Co-operative in the Philippines. All products are made of used juice containers, recycled rice bags and discarded advertising banners!
These upcycled bags not only eliminate the need to use plastic shopping bags, but also make for less trash on the streets. Now THAT'S a win / win situation for sure :)
So Many Styles to Choose From!
Whether you're in need of a shopping bag, lunch bag, pencil case, purse, or even a luggage tag, Bazura has got the pouch for you. Take a peek at some of the different Bazura Bags below!
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Happy Holidays! Storefront Holiday Hours December 21 2016
Our storefront at 3095 Dundas Street West has modified Holiday Hours!
This year, we're open on Christmas Eve, Saturday December 24th from 12pm - 3pm! so all you makers out there can get last-minute stocking-stuffers for your crafty friends and button buddies :)
People Power Press Holiday Hours 2016
Saturday, December 24: OPEN 12pm - 3pm
People Power Press Holiday Gift Guide
To make your holiday shopping as easy as possible, we created a 2016 Gift Guide with all of our best goodies for those who made it on the nice list!
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It's Our Storefront's 1st Birthday! July 19 2016
We are celebrating the 1 Year Anniversary of opening the front part of our shop in the cheery pink building at 3095 Dundas St. West! It's been a great year full of fun new products, parties and events, and of course Make-A-Button!
Recently one of our awesome neighbours dropped off an article written by Claude McGilvray whose father, Watson McGilvray built the building that is now our happy home. He was a Tinsmith and started a tin shop in the basement and eventually opened a hardware store on the main floor.
Wait a second, Buttons are made of tin! We can't help but feel like we are carrying on a bit of a tradition!
This is Claude and his dad "Watt" McGilvray in front of their shop at 3095 Dundas West c. 1920:
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Introducing Make-A-Button at People Power Press June 27 2016
We've been working hard at turning our storefront into the best Maker Space it can be! Some of our favourite new additions to the shop is our Button Bar and Make-A-Button Punch Cards!
Now whether you want to Make-A-Button or rent a machine in-store, there is a great place for you to work on your button creations. Don't worry, the kids table is still around for all of our young button enthusiasts too!
Not sure how the whole Make-A-Button thing works? That's A-Okay! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the video: Introducing Make-A-Button at People Power Press :)
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The Button Bar: A Cool New Place for Button Making May 26 2016
Things are changing in the showroom!
Not only are we getting in tons of awesome products for your browsing pleasure, we now have a Button Bar.
What is The Button Bar You Ask!?
Our Button Bar is a swanky new place for you (ya, you!) to make buttons in our Toronto showroom space.
You can bring in a digital file of your design, design in-store on our online button designer, or draw your own work of art. Make-A-Button if you just want one or a few, or rent a machine by the hour. The possibilities are endless and The Button Bar is where it's at!
Stay tuned for more updates as our showroom continues grow and change!
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Introducing Recycled Rice Bag Wallets! May 12 2016
If you've been into the shop over the past few weeks, you might have noticed that our storefront has been rocking a new look.
In keeping with the theme of "new stuff," we've got some brand new products available in store and online and this is one of my very favourites :)
These recycled rice bag wallets are a fashion statement that you can feel good about!
Each recycled wallet is colourful, environmentally conscious, and completely unique. With plenty of place for cards, a zippered change pocket, and magnetic snap closures, they're practical too :)
Add some extra personalized pizazz with a custom button key chain or pocket mirror and you're ready to take on the town!
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Come on In and Make-A-Button May 03 2016
If you are looking for a fun place to take your little one, or even a place to come yourself with some friends, the Make-A-Button table is where it's at!
We supply the paper, markers, pens, pencils, and crayons so you have everything you need to draw your own masterpiece, or colour in a pre-made design! You don't even have to stay inside the lines :)
and once you're done it's time to get button pressing!
All of our lovely staff are Make-A-Button experts. We would be happy to press the button for you, or walk you through how to do you on your own :)
GIVE THE GIFT OF MAKE-A-BUTTON
Make-A-Button is a great gift for your friends, loved ones, or yourself! You can make 1 button for $5, 5 for $10 ($2 per button) or 20 for $20 ($1 per button)
Can't make them all at once? No problem, we'll give you a punch card and you can come back to finish them later :)
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If that doesn't float your boat, we also offer Make-A-Button Kits! Each kit includes artwork and button supplies to make 5 complete buttons. Once your artwork is done just stop by the shop and use one of our machines!
We hope to see you in the shop sometime Making-A-Button, and making fun memories to boot!
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Events, and Parties, and Trade Shows, oh my! April 11 2016
Here at the button store we put a little bit of button magic into everything we do.
Do you want to make your next event super special? We would love to help you put on a fun-filled Button Birthday Party, Event, or Workshop.
Birthday Parties
Throw an awesome Button Birthday for a super special kid (or kid at heart!) Whether you would like to rent our space, rent a machine, or have us come to you, our button making experts will ensure a great time is had by all!
If you have something specific in mind, just let us know and we will put together an awesomely unique party experience for you and your button making guests.
Events
We can help you turn any event into an interactive button making extravaganza! We can work with you to create anything from custom button artwork, to craft activities to keep the youngsters busy.
Trade Shows
Create low-cost, high visibility promotional products for your next trade show or promotional event. A unique button giveaway is a sure-fire way to make you the talk of the trade show!
Photo Button Booths
Take a photo on site, and we can turn it into a button on the spot. It's a great way to add some fun to corporate events, and is a blast at weddings too!
Get in Touch
Contact us at info@peoplepowerpress.org for more info about how to incorporate buttons into your next event!
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Buying a Button has Never Been More Fun! April 05 2016
If you're ever strolling around the west-end of Toronto, come by and say hello! We are the bubblegum pink building jam-packed with buttons :)
You can make-a-button, and if you aren't in the creative mood you don't have to leave empty handed!
Pay a visit to one of our lovely button vending machines (yes they are as cute as they sound). The buttons are all Toronto-themed because we love our city THAT much :)
Here's to Toronto. A super cool city, and home to our pretty delightful little button shop.
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It's Cool to Recycle: Upcycled Notebooks are Here March 03 2016
Who would have thought that some old un-loved books could get a second chance at life? We believe that anything is possible, and we have proof. Take a look:
These books have been turned into some seriously cool notebooks and sketchbooks, ready for you to fill with whatever your heart desires.
All books are hardcover, coil bound, and use "Tree Free" recycled paper.
So whether you like retro books, sketching and writing, or just want to reduce your carbon footprint, we've got you covered.
These little beauties are available online and in store. If you're ever in The Junction, come on by and browse through our whole selection. And maybe make a button too :)
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Angelica's Dream Fund: Supporting Artists and Dreamers December 23 2015
Our shop has been looking a little bit cuter recently thanks to local artist, freelance writer and fellow button enthusiast Angelica LeMinh!
What is Angelica's Dream Fund?
An adorable array of Piggy Pins are on display in our shop as part of Angelica's Dream Fund.
The idea of the fund is to consciously cycle money raised from selling art like this to support and celebrate the arts while also supporting the many dreams of artists behind the art!
As a freelance writer, Angelica is looking to fulfill her dream: to create partnerships with people and publications that value unique voices.
Angelica's Dream Fund is super special because it is an interactive installation.
If you like anything that you see, it can be yours! All she asks is that you leave something or share something with her in return.
Next time you're in The Junction, come by the People Power Press storefront and pick out a Piggy Pin for yourself!
You'll not only get to home with the cutest one-of-a-kind creation, you will also be supporting dreams which is pretty awesome too!
Get In Touch With Angelica
If you would like to contact Angelica directly about this project or her dreams, you can reach out at angelica.le.minh @gmail.com of find her online on Twitter or on her blog.
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Welcome to Our New Store! September 28 2015
After spending the past few years in Toronto’s fantastic Junction neighbourhood, we’ve expanded! Same location, but we now have a storefront with workshop space to offer more button-related fun!
The Liberators, helped us celebrate during our soft launch party on July 18, with lots of button making musical jam sessions and performances. It was a hot day, but so much fun. Thanks to all who joined us!
Parking and Entrance Changes
Our regular (and super awesome) sales staff will now greet you at the front entrance of 3095 Dundas St. W for all pick-ups and visits. Just look for the bubble gum pink building between Clendenan Ave. and Quebec Ave. You can’t miss us : )
Rear laneway access and parking is now for staff and deliveries only, but plenty of parking is available nearby. There is Green P parking on Dundas St. W. and lots of FREE parking on any of the side streets East, West, and North of us : ) If you have a large order and need help loading it into your vehicle, come to the store front first and we’ll happily help you out from there.
For health and safety reasons, we cannot let you walk through the factory space to get to the new store front. So, if you do go to the back door, you will be asked to walk around the block to the front. This will be an inconvenient transition for many of you and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation : )
New Hours – We are Open Saturdays!
Having a new storefront space means we also have new hours. In addition to our regular hours during the week, our store is open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are not open Sundays.
That means you can now pick up your orders on the weekend. You can also give us a call to place new orders and get a real person on the line to help you with any other customer service needs you might have. Or come by in person to pick up supplies and make your own buttons at our new work stations.
As usual, if you have hard deadlines and just want to drop in to pick up supplies, please call a week in advance to make sure we have enough stock on hand (or can have it sent over) before you come to pick up your order.
Shipping, Design, and Custom Button Production Services are only available Mon-Fri unless a special arrangement has been made in advance.
Make Something Different with In-Store Button Maker Rentals
Our storefront is a bright space with work tables so you can use any of our hand presses, for any size or shape, and just rent by the hour without the hassle of putting a hold on your credit card or having to lug the machine home and back again. This is especially great if you want to make a variety of items, but don’t necessarily want to buy all the machines to do it. There are so many things our machines can make: necklaces, bracelets, square, oval or rectangle buttons, magnets, and more!
Maker Space Memberships coming soon!
Make-A-Button Stations and Packs
Make-A-Button stations are set up so kids (and kids at heart) can drop in and make a button or two using artwork and art supplies already set out for you. You can pay per button and collect stamps to earn free buttons as you go! Or you can purchase prepaid button making cards, drop in whenever you want, and leave your pocket book at home : )
Give the gift of Make-A-Button with prepackaged Make-A-Button packs. The packs include artwork and supplies so all they have to do is bring the package in and we’ll show them how to do the rest : )
Birthday Parties and Workshops
We love running button making events in and around the city, but until now we have never had the space to run events at our location. Now we can! If you would like to have a birthday party or other special event, please contact our Events Team for more details about creating a special custom event for that special day.
We will also be running fun design and button-making workshops throughout the year so be sure to connect with us through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the newsletter and blog for more details about what we’ve got planned. (Psst…we will be soon announcing plans for a spooktacular Hallowe’en button making event!)
Create and Print Your Own Designs In-Store
We also soon have a computer station set-up with our templates and button design programs so you can design and print off your own unique designs here in store. We will show you how it works and then it is up to you what you create!
These are just some of the exciting new things we have planned for our new store space.
Stay tuned as we roll out more great stuff. We can’t wait to share it all with you!
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Introducing The People Power Award and the first winner! October 24 2014
Have you ever seen someone doing great work and think, “Man, I wish I could give that guy an award?”
That’s exactly what happened at here at the People Power Press office when we learned about Blake Morgan and the I Respect Music project. Blake is a recording artist, producer, and label owner who has created a campaign that asks people, including the music industry, digital economy and politicians, to treat artists like professionals and compensate them fairly. He is also asking artists to show respect and pride for themselves and their work.
And he is using buttons to spread this message, which is very cool!
This is a movement that the musicians and music lovers in our office really support. And others around the world are responding too. Just follow #IRespectMusic to find out!
Blake and his work with I Respect Music have inspired us to create the People Power Award. This is an annual award we will give to a grassroots organization that is working hard to make a difference and is using buttons to spread their message.
Many of our clients are charity, not-for-profit and campaign groups.
They often ask for discounts when placing orders. We want to help all the great work being done, especially with buttons, but to be a sustainable business we are not in the position to grant everyone discounts. We are hoping that with the People Power Award, we can have a greater impact for one group.
Along with a custom six-inch button award, the winner will receive a free order of custom buttons so that they can continue to spread their message! Through our promotion of the award and the recipient's work, we can help create greater awareness for the work they are doing.
Recipients of the award will demonstrate our own values here at People Power Press. We believe in the power of people working to create positive change in the world. Buttons are an effective, fun and low-cost way to share the spirit and message of any organization’s work.
So here’s to Blake Morgan and the #IRespectMusic campaign as the inaugural recipient of the People Power Award.
Congratulations and keep up the amazing work!
We cannot wait to start accepting submissions for next year’s award. You can find the submission forms here or contact us to find out more!
The People Power Award: For excellence in grassroots campaigning and inspiring positive change.
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The Button Shop est la première boutique en son genre au Québec. October 10 2014
La boutique ouvre officiellement ses portes le 11 octobre 2014. (Now CLOSED)
The Button Shop est la première boutique en son genre au Québec. C’est aussi l’atelier dans lequel nous fabriquons tous nos produits.
Voici quelques photos qui vous donneront un petit aperçu de l’endroit. N’hésitez pas à venir nous voir et nous questionner, il nous fait toujours plaisir de partager notre expertise et notre passion!
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A new button store opening in Montreal. Custom Buttons galore in Montreal September 17 2014
After more than 2 years established in Quebec we have had our best year yet in 2018. As a thank you to our customers we are giving a simple $20 off (Call it free shipping) any order that is going to a Quebec address. Any order (over $100) for custom buttons, button machines or button parts gets $20 discount.
Use discount code: Quebec2016thankyou$20 at checkout. Order at PeoplePowerPress
Great news for all button makers and button people in Montreal. Nic from The BUTTON SHOP is open in Montreal too. Checkout Nic's website:
Nic is possibly the best button maker I know but we never did have the button making Olympics we planned to see who really is the best. He's making custom buttons right there in Montreal and he is a very experienced button maker who can help and advise on any button making project. Ontario has had a button store for some time, in Toronto, but this is the first button store I have heard of in Quebec. He is stocking button makers, button machines and button parts right there in Ville-St-Laurent very close to the Du College Metro Station in Montreal.
This is what the store looked like in August 2014 but this closed and is now in the downtown.
New Button Store opening in Montreal
Yes I don’t see a button shop either. But this was Google street view, it’s always out of date!
The new store was the one with the “Bieres” sign and next time I’m in Montreal I’m going to swing by and see how Nic is doing. I will provide a new update with the current picture soon. In the meantime lets support the Montreal Button Shop.
If your placing an order let Nic know you got his contact from The Button Guy.
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Hanging out with the button supplies at People Power Press! August 15 2013
Pancho! taking a break with some Button Supplies at the People Power Press Button Factory.
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Come by our shop!! March 14 2013
Come by our Button Shop in Toronto and take a look at our unique collection of Button Makers! We can give you advice on Button Making and demo how to use our hand presses. You can learn how to make buttons : ) See you soon.
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Circle Cutting March 06 2013
Just taking a break from cutting out thousands of 1-1/2" circles for a custom button order:
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Coffee keeps us going making button orders February 26 2013
We're always drinking coffee to keep us going with Button Making. When we're busy we work long hours making buttons. It's not nearly as hard work though as picking coffee beans. When we found this postcard showing a coffee growers hand with coffee beans, we thought we should thank the coffee growers for their hard work which allows us to do our work making your buttons.
Coffee growers and button makers unite!!! People Power Rules!
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Cutting away... January 19 2013
Thanks to you for keeping us busy!!
Just getting ready for a crazy week of fulfilling custom button orders and thought these cut outs made a cool image :)
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Renting a button maker in Toronto January 19 2013
Renting a button maker in Toronto couldn't be easier. We all possible sizes of button maker in our rental program from less than an inch to 6 inches. We have round, square, rectangle, oblong and oval button, badge and pin making machines.
Button Maker Rental Program from $58.04 / day.
People Power Press
3095 Dundas St West
Toronto, ON M6P1Z9
Tel: 416 204 1984 Open Monday-Friday from 11am to 5pm and Saturdays 11-4
We are open weekdays for button making machine rentals in Toronto. Closed Weekends. You can pickup a machine and the necessary parts from our store in the Junction from 11am to 5pm. To rent a button maker you need a credit card and we take a security for the value of the machine on your card. It is better to call in advance and book your rental so we can also prepare the machines as well as the button parts you will need. On pick up we will show you how to use the machine if you need it. BUTTON MAKING TRAINING INCLUDEDWith our rental service you can rent a wide range of button makers from less than 1” to 6” round as well as oval, square, oblong and rectangular shapes in varying sizes.
Below is a link to our online Toronto Button Maker Rental product. Rentals include the button maker as well as the corresponding Graphic Punch for circle cutting. You can place your order online.
This is the perfect Toronto button making rental opportunity! If you need to rent a button maker in Toronto we have everything you need!
If you have questions please feel free to call us on 416 204 1984 with any questions. Checkout the online order form.
