Category Archives: Gift Ideas

50 Button Crafts: idea #26 – button snowflakes

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  button snowflake by EmilyDawnWright.wordpress.com

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

Maybe it is all the heat we’ve had lately but I couldn’t resist these button snowflakes this morning. Summer is a great time to prepare for Christmas and I can visualize these snowflakes in all the lovely white shell buttons I have in my stash. I found two tutorials one using Popsicle sticks for the base and the other wire. Depending on the size of you buttons one might look better than the other. I already have snowflakes on my tree so a few of these button snowflakes would be great additions.

If you have family stories about winter or snow or even your own memories, these button snowflakes would make the perfect little gift to go along with a copy of the story or if given in person the culminating gift at the end of a family story time. Then every time they see their button snowflake they will remember that story. Great way to make connections between family members.

button snowflake from Crafts-for-all-seasons.com

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

50 Button Crafts: idea #25 – pearl button necklace

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Earley pearls – a necklace made from the Earley family buttons 

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

I love this eclectic collection of buttons made into a lovely and fun necklace. The base of the necklace looks like some type of braided string or cording. I think one of the things that makes this work is how the creator make groupings of buttons, often of the same type. While most of the buttons are basic white pearl buttons there are a few other fun trinkets sprinkled in. I’m putting this project on my someday projects list. Sure hope that isn’t too faraway.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

50 Button Crafts: idea #24 – button tote bag

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button tote bag via pinterest

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

I think this is a lovely way to use a bunch of buttons from your stash. I tried to find the original source of the photo but failed. I really like the simple square quilting and how it sets up the even spacing for the buttons creating a pattern yet letting each button stand on its own merits too. This would make a great gift for any woman in your family, from a grandmother to a young adult. Especially if paired with some stories and a photo of the person whose buttons were used in the creation of the tote bag.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

50 Button Crafts: idea #23 – button bouquet

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  button bouquet from LillybudsBouquets on Etsy

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

If you have a wedding in your families future, consider a button bouquet for the bride. What a priceless keepsake this could be made with buttons from the brides ancestors and maybe even some from the grooms side of the family too. An add-on gift would be any information you have about the ancestors whose buttons you use and any provenance on the buttons themselves. Here are a few more of LillybudsBouquets from her Etsy shop.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

Family Tree: Faux Embroidery

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Faux Embroidery Family Tree from PiecesByPolly.com

Here is a light-hearted family tree that many a grandma would love, featuring all of her grankids. Instead of doing the traditional and time intensive embroidery that the pattern (see below) was designed for, Polly used what she calls a faux embroidery technique using crayons instead of thread to add color to the design. Great idea for today’s busy lifestyles. Click on the image above for Polly’s tutorial.

Our Family Tree pattern from TwinStitchers.com

 

50 Button Crafts: idea #22 – button tie tack

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from feelgoodstyle.com

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

Here is a super easy idea for Father’s Day. Find an interesting button and super glue it to a tie tack back you can buy as a craft store. Wait for the glue to dry and all you need to do is wrap it up and add a card. It would be great to include the background of the button to add sentimental value to the gift. Maybe I should make some of these for all the fathers in my life. If you wants a little more detail on making a button tie tack, click on the photo above.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

50 Button Crafts: idea #21 – felt house with button shingles

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felt house from pakamera.pl

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

I stumbled on this cute little felt house with button shingles on Pinterest. I can see creating something similar patterned after the house where my mom and all of her younger siblings were born. What a sweet gift that would make for my mom. Putting it on my list for future projects. The house was torn down a few years ago and it was emotionally really hard on my mom. I put together a book at the time for her but I think this would be a nice way to remember her childhood home. Do you have a family home like that? Maybe it could just be inspired by the type of home that was typical in the country where you ancestors came from. Lots of fun possibilities with this idea.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

Family Tree: tag album

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tag album by Karin van Dalen

Here is another way to represent your family tree, this time in an album. I really like the idea of having a tag for each person with a photo and some information. The album Karin used is very cool because you can take the tags out and then easily return them. I did some research to figure out where to get that kind of album but I struck out. Karin’s website is www.scrapbookatelier.nl and I found the project under her workshop section but even after translation there isn’t enough information to figure out the album. If anyone has seen as album similar to the one above I’d love to know for future reference. Even so I think it is a great idea that is adaptable to available supplies.

50 Button Crafts: idea #20 – DIY button cufflinks

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button cufflink tutorial from cremedelacraft.com

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

Is it too soon to start thinking about Father’s Day? If not, here is a super simple idea to make cufflinks (if there is a dad in your life who wears cufflinks). Clink on the photo above for detailed step by step instructions from cremedleacraft.com. This idea would make a really cool gift for a groom to wear if the buttons where from his father, grandfather or great-grandfather’s buttons.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

Family Tree: 8×10 Photo Pedigree Chart Template

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blank 8x10 photo pedigreeAs promised here is a link to the InDesign CS6 template for my 8×10 photo pedigree. (Remember that the template file in Dropbox will look really strange but if you save it and open it in InDesign it will look right there.) Feel free to use the template for personal use or gifts. If you’re not an InDesign user, I’ve open an Etsy shop focused on products for puppy raisers and service dog handlers called The Salty Pup Shop. I’ve got both the 8×10 and the 4×12 photo pedigrees available there as custom items. Proceeds from the shop go to paying for the costs of raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind.