We at Badge Bomb had a ton of fun collaborating with UK artist, Gemma Correll, to bring you the Puppy Party button collection!  You might know Gemma from her awesome pug illustrations.  That’s how she first got on our radar a few years back.  We were really excited to finally have a great project to team up with her on- our mutual love for dogs of all kinds!  There are 24 unique buttons illustrated by Gemma - find them at cooler retailers near you!

Best part is, Badge Bomb will be donating 2% of Puppy Party button sales to the Pixie Project, a Portland-based animal rescue charity that has helped successfully place over 1000  pets with new families! Here’s how Pixie Project describes their mission on their website :

The Pixie Project is “committed to changing the image of a ‘rescue’ or shelter animal. With a fully stocked non-profit pet supply store and a knowledgeable and supportive staff trained in the art of ‘pet matchmaking’ adopting a pet through the Pixie Project feels more like a personalized dating service.”

Rescue Dogs Here’s Emma the long time Button Forewoman at One Inch Round (on the left) with her pal Denny from the Pixie Project. Denny was a short term rescue dog who lived and worked with Emma while looking for a permanent home. He found an awesome home by the way!

So check out the new Badge Bomb Puppy Party button collection, sport some sweet canine flair, and support an awesome animal rescue group at the same time!

All Badge Bomb products are manufactured in Portland, Oregon by One Inch Round, our custom button shop.

The birth of a button is a joyous occasion.

Badge Bomb buttons are the love children of One Inch Round’s dedication to using the best button technology, and the highest quality recycled materials, plus the fun innovative inspiration that comes from the many artists, designers, and illustrators that get cozy with us. All Badge Bomb buttons are created in Portland, Oregon, but what happens after a Badge Bomb button is all grown up, packaged, and ready to leave its Portland nest?

It’s out in the world like a Cat Steven’s song, that’s right, Baby, It’s a Wild World, and like the people who wear them, Badge Bomb buttons gotta be free and expressive.

Amanda is showing off her tokidoki badge bomb button love bag.

Mary and Craig really know about enthusiasm when it comes to wearing their buttons.

Where can you find Badge Bomb next?

They can be anywhere! They were spotted at San Francisco’s Treasure Island Music Fest. It’s up too you wear they go.

If you want to see more Badge Bomb in the Wild get your camera, pen, or paint ready for the next contest coming your way so stay tuned for the details!

All Badge Bomb buttons, magnets, and packaging are made in Portland, Or by One Inch Round.

We were in LA to visit friends and to check out the sites. We were grateful and lucky to hang out with OG Badge Bomb button masters Park La Fun’s Paul Frank and Susan Wang, who graciously showed us around, and took us to one of the most eclectic stores in Los Angeles, Soap Plant/Wacko.

How is the best way to describe Wacko? Well, if you took an old junk shop, the kind that is magical and filled with the craziest hidden treasures, and has the legend of a wild man owner that used to be a pirate, add it to a side of the road folk art shop filled with Day of the Dead and Voodoo dolls, blend that with pop art straight from the wave of 80’s New York punk, sprinkle on some kitsch, swirl in a dolop of collectible toys, and top it off with some soap, and that would just be the beginning of what makes up Soap Plant/ Wacko.

It truly is a special place that brings the word eclectic into being. Starting back in the 1970’s as a soap and basket store, Soap Plant rapidly evolved or melded into the counter culture store, showcase, and gallery that it is today. It isn’t just a novelty store, it is a place that has made the unaccessible accessible by introducing new artists and designers to the public by offering them a place to show and share their work.

You can find anything there from toys, to Larvets, to trinkets, beaded curtains, to clothing, to Badge Bomb buttons.

Susan and Lauren are playing with peace hand potato peelers…

While Scott and Paul have found entertainment with big mouthed bottle openers.

If you find yourself in LA be sure to make it over to Hollywood Blvd to experience it for yourself. While there be sure to check out La Luz de Jesus gallery. We are excited to note that Soap Plant/ Wacko has remained true to its roots; you can still pick up some soap.

The hair salon next door is pretty amazing too. People really used to pay seventy-five cents for an electric scalp massage? Wow.

Badge Bomb buttons, magnets, and packaging are created by One Inch Round in Portland, OR.

It’s no secret that Seltzer Goods are green conscious. Their cards are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with veggie-based ink. They collaborate with companies that are eco-friendly, and they have created a pen that lasts for seven years (a pen by the way that a couple of us at Badge Bomb own with pride). Still, Badge Bomb decided to go investigative and find out the gritty on Seltzer.

We Interviewed Gay Lam from Seltzer Goods and she was happy to give us the scoop on sustainable business, button love and more.

BB: Seltzer has been given the Green America Seal of approval. The Green America Seal is no joke their requirements for approval go down to the core values of a company, some might say the folks at Seltzer are serious about the planet. Did you plan from inception that Seltzer was going to be an eco-friendly company?

G: We at Seltzer love to go the 100%! Our paper is custom made so that we could get the 100% recycled content in a super deluxe paper that is thick and luxurious to write on. It was a challenge at first, but through force of will we got to the highest level of recycled content. Brian is a super dedicated vegetarian, and his commitment to the environment has led us to create a company with a conscience. Seltzer was intended to be a green and conscious company, that also makes well-designed products people want to buy.

BB: Do you hope to motivate as an example? Here you are a creative company that designs, cards, journals, and gift wrap amongst other things, and yet you still manage to create products while saving on the use of trees, water, emissions, and energy. Do you see more consumer, art product based companies moving in the same direction?

G: Seltzer would love to be a shining role model, and many in our industry have joined us in using better materials and production. However, there is still so much in the marketplace that is not conscious; consumers ultimately decide with their dollars. If more people buy from independently owned companies, that will help the cause. Small companies like Seltzer are not required to make extra profits for shareholders and meet quarterly earnings goals.

BB: Your designs are modern, but have a very classic feel almost reminiscent to old timey art work. Where do you get the inspirations for your graphics and designs? What are your artistic influences?

G: Seltzer intends to make modern designs, but still have the hand-made feel or a personal touch in each piece we create. It’s not just the art, but the writing, too. A Seltzer product should make you think, “this reminds me of my friend”, or “they would like this!” The artistic inspiration comes from everywhere– flea market finds, great artists- as long as it shows a personality or tells a story.

BB: Do you work collaboratively as a team and do all the design work together or does each person focus on a certain department and collaborate later? What is your creative process?

G: Yes, we work together as a team– there are four of us and we all have different strengths. Brian is our writer and resident right-brained person. I am a librarian of ideas, and Nikki is our resident fine art professor. Jordan is the only one of us who studied design, and he shares my love of retro typefaces.

BB: Okay, now our fifth question really gets down to the nitty gritty: What are your feelings about buttons? Accessories or expressions?

G: Buttons are both! As an expression, buttons say a lot in a small space, which makes them powerful and disarming. As an accessory, buttons scream “youth” and “cool”. The inexpensive, small details that make a statement– as strong as wearing a Chanel bag.

BB: How did you first meet Badge bomb? Was it love at first sight? Can you remember what you did on your first date?

G: Oh, the love! Badge Bomb are the greatest, and they are so cute they eat super healthy and then their treat is noodles! Scott and Lauren are so ambitious and full of ideas. It’s impossible not to get caught up in their enthusiasm. You never know what they’re going to do next…

BB: Now that you are seeing your work in button form what would you say is your favorite Seltzer design?

G: Our fave design is “praise bees!” The bees and all hard-working creatures of this world deserve our respect and support.

BB: Okay, this is a very important question: If Seltzer had a super power what would your super power be?

G: If Seltzer could have any power, it would be to stop the insanity.

Thank you so much for talking with us and answering some of our questions. We are really excited to be collaborating with Seltzer and becoming a part of the eco-friendly team. Your designs are awesome, the Seven Year pen is genius, and PRAISE BEES!

One Inch Round makes all Badge Bomb buttons, magnets, and packaging in Portland, Oregon, and is Recycle Works Certified.

What do you get with two hugging monkeys, a squirrel named Peanut, a dancing Babushka sister, and an elephant called Blueberry? A whole lotta fun is what you get. You’d have to play ten games of Kitten Wars to reach our latest button collaboration of one inch cuteness.

Now with the kawaii powers of Wanart’s Kiwi and Pear we’ve put the sugar in the sweet, we’re puttin’ the lockdown on darling, we’ve got you in a headlock of so much adorable you wont even want to cry uncle. We are seriously hopping like bunnies in a carrot patch over our collaboration with Kiwi and Pear. Too much cute? Never!

Joyce Wan who created and designed her first greeting card when she was just a bright-eyed girl in grade school is the imagination and designer behind these two loveable world-traveling monkeys. Her work is sweeter than butter, and her colorful and harmonizing designs are perfect compliment to our button frenzy. Dig through our newest addition of Badge bomb button box and experience the cute smack down.

You can buy her buttons in the coming weeks at stores around the globe, and our friends at Modcloth will be carrying her special button packs online.

Badge Bomb Buttons are made by One Inch Round in Portland, Oregon, where we’ve got the smack down on fun.

Check out the Mystic Circus themed one inch pins by Portland, Oregon’s Emily Martin! The Black Apple button box is brought to you by Badge Bomb.

Made in Portland by One Inch Round.

In honor of ten years shipping buttons ’round the planet, and three years from here in Portland, we’re throwing our 10-year anniversary party at The Woods for our friends, customers, fellow button enthusiasts, and anyone else who wants to come out and have a kick-ass time. Come join us and dance to the soulful stylings of DJ Cooky Parker, eat your food cart heart out, enter our drawing to win 1,000 free custom buttons with your logo, come take a swing at a custom pinata full of buttons and other goodies… Are we ballsy enough to make the pinata look like our boss? You’ll just have to come to find out.

RSVP via Facebook

When: Saturday July 3rd at 8:00pm ’til late
Where: The Woods Portland
What: DJ Cooky Jar Spins Soul, Win 1000 custom buttons, Mystery Pinata, and more…

Admission is 21 & over and FREE!

Get the full scoop here

This was our One Inch Round & Badge Bomb ad for the Crafty Wonderland program.   Thanks to our pals Richie, Jen Smith, and Seasons K Designs for lending their Tony Award worthy acting skills & amazing art studio.

Check out all the amazing local artists & crafters that make this city such a great place!  We are excited to be part of this year’s spring Crafty Wonderland!

Come early to grab one of the 200 goodie bags given daily at the door with special surprises.  And stop by our PDX themed cardboard booth to check out some brand new buttons from the likes of Susie Gharemani’s Boygirlparty, Twinkie Chan’s Yummy You, and much much more!  Don’t forget to enter our contest for a chance to win free Badge Bomb PDX button packs and Portland made custom buttons with your own art!

Badge Bomb PDX buttons

Out now from Badge Bomb,  the new Frank Kozik “1984″ button box.  Filled with 24 anti-everything designs.   Check ‘em all out  at www.badgebomb.com/kozik