50 Button Crafts: idea #22 – button tie tack

Posted on June 1, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

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

Posted on May 26, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

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.

50 Button Crafts: idea #17 – Button Picture Frame

Posted on May 4, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

custom button frame via YankeeMagazine.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:

This would also make a great Mother’s Day gift or birthday or anytime for that matter. All you need is an inexpensive flat frame. If the color of the frame isn’t similar to the color of the buttons you are using, it will look better if you paint it first. Then just glue on the buttons with hot glue or household glue. Slip in a favorite photo and you have a precious gift.

custom button frame from YankeeMagazine.com

Family History Writing Studio

Posted on April 29, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

Lynn Palermo of the Armchair Genealogist has put together a great resource for anyone writing their family history. The studio was inspired by her annual Family History Writing Challenge. I think the writing part is the most intimidating part of putting together a family history, so for me this is a wonderful resource. So if your like me and need some help in this area, here is some of what you will find in the Family History Writing Studio.

What’s in the Writing Studio

Workbooks – Lynn’s series of Family History Writing Workbooks are designed to build on one another. Each workbook looks at one aspect of writing your family history narratives. Filled with worksheets, they will help you apply the various elements of creative nonfiction to your own research and ancestors.

Webinars – On-demand webinars work nicely with Lynn’s workbooks. They provide exercises and examples to expand on the workbook content. They are designed for you to watch over and again at your convenience. There will also be stand-alone content, addressing a variety of needs family history writers face.

Courses – Our online courses are designed for writers who want to have a more in-depth look at a particular aspect of writing in a more intimate environment. Lessons will be delivered in a variety of formats from downloadable worksheets, workbooks, and videos. All courses include private groups and forums to bring the class together for discussions and critiques with the teacher. Classes are small to provide a more personal learning environment.

Personal Coaching – If you’re nervous about sharing in a group environment then personal coaching might be more your style. In the personal coaching section, Lynn offers a couple of options to work privately work with her, whether it be to brainstorm your story or book or for a critique of your written narrative.

50 Button Crafts: idea #16 – Mothers are like Buttons

Posted on April 27, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

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:

Mothers Day snuck up on me and it finally hit me a couple of days ago that it is just two weeks away. My sister hosts most of our family gatherings but Mothers Day is traditionally in my court since I’m the only one with both my mother and my mother-in-law still living. It simplifies things by having it at our house. I like to give all the mothers attending gifts so today I did some searching for a button themed gift. I’m still working on the ideas but I’m sure about part of it. I want to do some kind of wall hanging with the words “Mothers are like buttons, they hold everything together.” Here are some of the ideas I found during my research.

I’ll report back with what the finished product looks like. Hopefully next week.

StoryCorps App: part 2

Posted on April 22, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

I downloaded the StoryCorps app today. It looks pretty easy to use. At first I couldn’t figure out where the questions where but then realized that when you add a new interview it automatically takes you to the list of questions. They are listed under different categories, starting with a fairly short list of “the best questions.” It is very simple to click on the questions you like to add them to your custom list. You can also make your own questions.

My Dad had is appendix removed last week so he is recovering at my sister’s house for a few weeks. I’ll be visiting him on Friday. Hopefully he will feel up to answering a few questions so I can try this app out. If not maybe I can get my Mom to talk or maybe one of my sisters.

I’ll let you know how it goes. This seems like a really great way to get family stories recorded.

50 Button Crafts: idea #15 – dyed buttons

Posted on April 20, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

dyed button from fiberluscious

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 your button stash could use some color here is a solution: Rit Dyes. Click on the photo above for a step by step tutorial. While not all vintage buttons dye equally, if adding some color gives these buttons new life I think it is worthwhile. Have fun with this.

50 Button Crafts: idea #14 – button bikes

Posted on April 7, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

button bikes from This that and everything in between

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:

No instructions for these little beauties but when I saw them I just had to share them. Can’t wait to have some time to try these out. As a small gift they would open up the opportunity to share bicycle memories or talk about how the use of bikes has evolved and changed since their invention. You must have some family story that could be trigger by these sweet little things.

50 Button Crafts: idea #13 – button family tree

Posted on March 30, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

button tree via Bonkers About 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:

While this tree was a temporary creation of an Ebay seller, the idea is a good one using buttons from your stash to make a family tree. I can imagine adding small tags to the buttons for names. Another option would be to write names directly on the buttons. That method would make it very easy to add more names to the tree as your family expands. Lots of possibilities with this idea.

50 Button Crafts: idea #12 – turquoise buttons bracelet

Posted on March 23, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

turquoise buttons bracelet 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:

This button bracelet puts the buttons on edge. While this takes many more buttons, I really like how it changes the buttons into flat beads and give a completely different look. I can imagine making a beautiful but simple bracelet with a variety of white buttons that I have in abundance in my stash. I looked for the original place this photo was posted on the internet but didn’t find it, so I have no information on the bracelet above. It could be made with a clasp or some thin elastic to thread the buttons on should work great.