Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Crafty Corner: Cute as a Button

I was visiting with a dear family friend several years back and, as we were having a chat, immediately noticed an interesting piece of decor on her coffee table. I liked it so much that I took a picture:


A vase of buttons. A VASE of BUTTONS! I filed it away in the back of my brain as a 'someday' project and then forgot all about it as the days passed by.

A year later, I was shopping with my Aunt in Duluth and came across a jar of old buttons for sale- $5:


'I feel like I need these...but why?' I said to myself. Then the image of the button project danced through my mind and I bought them on the spot. Arg, I totally gotta try to make that thing!

Fast forward another year and there sat the jar of buttons on a shelf...longing to be repurposed and loved. But the time had not yet come.

Fast forward 6 months more and I happened upon a tiny black vase on clearance at World Market and also a spool of wire in my junk box that I had forgotten about- the stars had finally aligned for a button vase creation. I could almost hear those sad little buttons cheering with excitement to be set free! 

The supplies:


I cut a bunch of 24 gauge wire in varying lengths:


Then selected some of the cutest buttons from the jar. Through the button holes:


And twisted tight with the help of my needle nose pliers:


After preparing 4 or 5 of these button stems, I assembled them into a wire tree...some freestyle action took place here. I just followed where the creative wind blew me and twisted the wires tightly around each other until I was satisfied with the outcome:


And then repeated the 'tree making process' 5 more times:


To finish up, I added some sand to the vase to give the wire ends a home to live and stay in place:


A few minutes of arranging and tweaking the wires and voilà- a Button Vase!!


Not as many buttons as the original inspiration, but I am liking the simple look of my own interpretation. And I promptly found it a loving home on the shelf...my old buttons have finally met their destiny:


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