If you’re anything like me, and I know I am, you save every extra button from every shirt/sweater/suit/etc. you buy, and now have a whole bowl/tin/container filled with miscellaneous buttons – even long after the shirt/sweater/suit has gone to the Goodwill.
Recently I purchased a greeting card from Papyrus. It was adorable – a heart made with colorful buttons on a multi-layered card with a pretty ribbon bow. I knew instantly I had to have the card, and didn’t even look at the price.
It’s adorable, right? It was only at the register that I realized the card cost as much as the actual gift. I went ahead and bought it. And after the sticker-shock wore off, I realized I could make the card – or a close facsimile – myself for mere pennies.
Here’s my first attempt at some prototypes. Of course, when I make them to give, I’ll add extra layers of card, and maybe some fancier buttons. But this gives you an idea of just how easy and inexpensive these cards are, and what a big impact they can make.
The supplies are simple. Blank cards with envelopes, buttons, and glue sticks. I bought the cards/envelopes at a yardsale for ten cents a pack (for a pack of 10 cards/envelopes). All the buttons came with clothing purchases, so I don’t count them as an expense. And, it’s painfully obvious that I’ve had that glue gun for at least a hundred years (or since high school).
Place the buttons on the card in whatever arrangement you want. I’m going to make a Christmas card with a button wreath. Adjust the buttons until you get just the shape/design you want.
Start gluing down the buttons. It only takes a tiny amount of glue per button. Sheesh – that glue gun has seen better days! I really should get a new one – but this one still works like a champ. Oh, the difficult decisions in life…
Add a pretty bow, or other adornments, to complete your card.
Once you start thinking, the possibilities are endless. Of course, if I had more supplies in my stash, I would add more things…silk petals under the flower buttons, a gold ribbon on the wreath, larger buttons for the balloons, etc. But this should give you an idea of the many variations of button cards that are possible. Go wild! Make them your own! And if you have kids (or nieces or nephews), this would be a good activity to do with them (be sure to use low-temp glue sticks).
The best part for me? Finally a way to use all those buttons cluttering my office/sewing/craft/painting room.
