Buttons Are a Girl's Best Friend

Ok, yes, I know that Marilyn Monroe would disagree. But when you're a crafter, buttons are every bit as valuable as diamonds -- and a LOT easier on the pocketbook.

Last month, I posted on my blog about my love for (and growing collection of) buttons. It started me thinking of new ways to use them that I hadn't tried before. So I pulled out some chipboard -- a pre-cut shape and a sheet of raw chipboard -- plus some glue, ink and, of course, a few handfuls of buttons.

I used my Slice to cut a 3-inch number 6 from a piece of scrap cardstock. I then turned the shape face-down on the raw chipboard sheet and traced it with a pencil. Using a craft knife, I trimmed it out, then filed down the edges. Then, I inked the entire shape in black (you could use any color) to ensure a nice consistent background color.

You can also skip a few steps by choosing a pre-cut chipboard shape (such as this heart) and inking it.

Once the ink is dry, start applying buttons one-by-one using a good liquid adhesive (I'm using Zip Dry). Overlap them a little so some of them stand out a bit. I chose to use multiple shades of pink and red for the heart.

Or you can go crazy and use lots of different colors, like I did on the 6.

After you've finished, use pop dots or a liquid adhesive to adhere them to your project. Here's how I used mine on a layout and a card.

 

Layout supplies:
Bazzill Basics cardstock (Kraft)
The Paper Studio cardstock (yellow, white)
Sassafras patterned paper (Anthem)
Sassafras journaling spot
October Afternoon date sticker (Cherry Hill)
Jenni Bowlin Studio alphabet stickers (Reverse Red)
American Crafts Thickers
Queen and Company paper trim (red wave)
Slice die-cut number and star (Noteworthy, Basic Shapes)
Tsukineko Chalk Ink (black)
Other: buttons and ribbon

Card supplies:
Bazzill Basics cardstock (pink)
Imaginisce patterned papers (Perfectly Posh, Lucy Bird, Sweet Cheri)
Imaginisce rub-on (Sweet Cheri)
Imaginisce ribbon
Slice die-cut label shape (Noteworthy)
Fiskars border punch (Apron Lace)
Tsukineko Chalk Ink (white)
Cosmo Cricket Buck Naked Chipboard (Buttons and More)
Other: Buttons

Robyn Schaub
http://dreaminginscraps.blogspot.com