Author Archive | Angie Holden

Mason Jar Valentines

By Angie Holden on January 13, 2014 in Card Making, Holidays, Valentine’s Day

Give the gift of handmade Valentines this year with these super simple mason jar Valentines. The perfect way to bottle up your heart and give it to someone you love. Grab a few supplies and your buttons from Buttons Galore and More to get started.

Mason Jar Valentines Supplies:

Red or pink mixed pack of buttons
Mason jar chipboard embellishments
Americana multi-surface paint in cottonball
Rhinestones
White tags
Baker’s twine
Pink sharpie
Hot glue
Envelope (if desired)

Paint both sides of the mason jar chipboard embellishment with the white paint. It will take 2 – 3 light coats of paint to completely cover the embellishment.

Allow your mason jar to dry completely. Then wrap the top with baker’s twine. Tie and leave your ends loose as shown below for now.

Play with your buttons until you get a heart like shape. Hot glue the first layer of buttons to your mason jar.

Add a second layer of buttons with hot glue. Write a sentiment on your tag and punch a hole. Tie your tag to the mason jar. Tie the baker’s twine in a bow and trim any excess. Apply a rhinestone to the center of the bow again using hot glue.

Slip your mason jar Valentines inside an envelope for delivery to that special someone. Who will you give your heart to this Valentine’s Day?

Candy Cane Button Tree

By Angie Holden on December 4, 2013 in Christmas, Holidays, Home Decor

My candy cane button tree is the perfect addition to your holiday decor. Grab a styrofoam cone and get started on this fun tree today. It may look complicated but I will show you how to lay out your colors to get those perfect candy cane stripes every time.

Candy Cane Button Tree Supplies:

Red and white buttons
3 7/8″ Styrofoam cone
May Arts mini pom pom fringe in red and white
May Arts shear red ribbon (not shown below)
Hot glue

Candy Cane Button Tree Instructions:

1. Wrap your red and white mini pompom fringe around the cone. Hold in place with sewing pins for now. Adjust until you like the spacing and location of your candy cane stripes. Hot glue your fringe into place and remove the pins.

2. You don’t want the white cone showing through your red buttons so add the red shear ribbon just in the “red” stripes of your candy cane. Again hold in place with pins for now.

3. Because the ribbon is shear, there is no need to hot glue it down before you add your buttons. The hot glue will seep through the ribbon with the buttons on top. So start adding various size buttons with hot glue filling the red and white stripes all the way up the cone. Remove the pins in the shear ribbon as you go up the red stripe.

4. Once you reach the top, add a mini bow from some additional red shear ribbon. Again attach with hot glue.

5. Use a hair dryer to remove any glue strings. You are ready to display your candy cane button tree for the holidays. This is a super fun way to celebrate the holidays in your home.

I love candy canes and of course candy cane button trees. How about you? Will you be making a button tree this holiday season?

Fall Button Serving Tray

By Angie Holden on November 11, 2013 in Autumn / Fall, Holidays, Home Decor, Mixed Media

My fall button serving tray is one of my favorite buttons projects I have ever made. Plus it is easy to make which is a win win right? Grab your buttons and a thrift store tray to get started making your own version. Don’t need a serving tray for fall? Maybe use this same idea with a button ornament in the center for Christmas? Or a heart in the center for Valentine’s Day? I can think of all sorts of different tray designs for all seasons of the year.

I started with a tray from the thrift store for 99 cents and a bottle of Americana gloss enamels in Antique Gold.

I painted my entire tray with 2 coats of the paint then grabbed some fall themed buttons from Buttons Galore and More.

I laid the buttons out on my tray until I was happy with the arrangement. I then used my 3 in 1 Beacon adhesive to glue them directly to the tray.

Once the glue was completely dry, I mixed a two coat epoxy to make my tray nice and smooth. Don’t be afraid of epoxy! Just mix and pour according to the package directions. I spent quite a bit of time using a flame to pop bubbles that come up from the epoxy itself and the buttons. Yes my finished project still has a few bubbles but overall it looks amazing. The buttons seem to create more bubbles than is normal with an epoxy project.

Allow your epoxy to dry for a nice long time before you touch it (don’t be tempted to touch!!). You will be left with a glossy flat serving tray with buttons in it! Now some of my buttons stick up just slightly out of the epoxy (there is a slight hump in the epoxy). This can easily be fixed with a second epoxy pour however the bumps do not really bother me for my needs so I am leaving them. You could also be extra careful when choosing buttons for your design and choose only the flattest buttons to include.

Just so you can see my entire button fall scene here is a picture of the entire tray.

It is so darn cute I could eat it up. Speaking of eat it up, use your fall tray to serve snacks to the kids or for a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving and fall themed parties. Want more buttons on your Thanksgiving table? Be sure to check out my rustic burlap napkin rings as well.

Will you be adding buttons to a tray anytime soon? Don’t let that epoxy pour scare ya! My fall button serving tray will make an appearance at our Thanksgiving meal and many snacks in the meantime.

Button Pumpkins Fall Craft

By Angie Holden on October 4, 2013 in Autumn / Fall, Kids Crafts

My button pumpkins are the perfect fall craft. They are quick and easy to make plus make a fun little addition to any of your fall decor. Grab some buttons and lets make some pumpkins.

Button Pumpkins Supplies

buttons (orange is required but green is optional)
green twine (if you don’t have green buttons)
hot glue

Yes that is it!

Button Pumpkins Instructions

Sort your orange buttons and find some that are various sizes. When stacked they should be sphere shaped. Hot glue the buttons together.

If you have some green buttons, find two mini sized ones that are the same size. Hot glue those on top.

No green buttons? Hot glue a couple of orange buttons on top that are mini size.

Then use hot glue and the green twine to wrap those two buttons for a stem.

You can have an entire field full of these mini button pumpkins in no time at all. Use them in your fall decor or to give out as party favors. This is also a great craft to do with older kids (be careful with the hot glue!). Who doesn’t want some little button pumpkins?

DIY Button Clock

By Angie Holden on September 2, 2013 in Home Decor

A DIY button clock is fun and can make a pretty addition to any room in your home. I am going to show you a super simple way to make this cute clock yourself. Trust me you can make this clock at home in the colors of your choice easily.

DIY Button Clock Supplies:

Walnut Hollow Creative Clockmaking Kit
Buttons (the fruity mix works well for this project)
Americana paint in white and Whispering Turquoise
Americana Stencil
Hot Glue
Tacky Glue

DIY Button Clock Instructions:

1. Paint your wood clock base from inside the kit. I did a base coat of white on the entire surface and allowed to dry. Then follow with your stencil and blue (or color of your choice). Paint your numbers that come with the kit in this step as well. Allow all of your components to dry completely before continuing.

2. The rim of this particular clock kit is just perfect for laying in buttons. Layout your buttons and numbers until you are happy with the results. Pick up each button and hot glue to the surface. Once complete, use tacky glue to put your numbers into place. Allow the glue to dry completely.

3. Add in your clock movements from the kit and your clock is ready to hang. Please note that you may have to adjust the hands so they don’t hit your numbers (since they stick up).

A simple DIY button clock that anyone can make. The kit from Walnut Hollow makes this one a breeze to complete. Grab your buttons and get started today!

Back to School Embellished Pencil Pouch

By Angie Holden on August 21, 2013 in Back to School, Kids Crafts

Send your kids back to school in style with my embellished pencil pouch. Who wants plain old school supplies when you can have some with a little flair? You daughter will love showing off this little pencil pouch to her friends this school year. The best part is that it only takes a few minutes to add this little embellishment. You could coordinate a backpack or other back to school accessory to go with the pencil pouch as well.

Back to School Embellished Pencil Pouch Supplies

Pencil pouch (mine came from the Dollar Tree)
Felt (I used zebra stripes felt)
Button in your choice of color
Needle and thread
Scissors, Sizzix die cutter, or other ways to cut circles

Back to School Embellished Pencil Pouch Instructions

I have a treat for you all today. I am not going to just tell you how to make this great back to school accessory….I am going to SHOW you. Come on over to my house and grab a glass of sweet tea. Sit back and watch this short (less than 4 minute) video to see how to make a pencil pouch of your own. The video is captured live and is just me sitting and crafting along with you all. It is the equivalent of you coming to a crafting party at my house…if it was possible to squeeze all of y’all in here. So come on over and craft along with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHod6JPk3Nc

Did you have fun? Come back anytime y’all and craft with me via video. I love inviting my readers into my home with fun live videos. Plus when it is live there is no retakes. Just me, the camera, and some crafty fun. I have included a close up shot of the finished flower embellishment below in case y’all had a hard time seeing it on the video.

I hope you will add these fun flower embellishments to your daughter’s back to school supplies this year. What a fun and unique way to carry your pencils and even books. Grab some felt and have fun going back to school this year.

Beach Theme Button Decor with Starfish

By Angie Holden on July 30, 2013 in Home Decor

Make this great beach theme button decor with a starfish for your nautical themed room. A great addition for summer or any time of the year. This button decor is easy to make and will look great in your home.

Beach Theme Button Decor Supplies Needed

Wood Buttons
Styrofoam
Rope
Starfish
Styro Cutter or equivalent
Hot Glue
Scrap fabric

Beach Theme Button Decor Instructions

1. Lay your buttons out on your Styrofoam then mark the perimeter.

2. But around the perimeter with a Styro Cutter, serrated knife, or other cutting tool.

3. Cover the front with a scrap piece of white fabric. Then use hot glue to add buttons, rope, and starfish.

4. Add a rope to hang your project that is also secured with hot glue.

5. I added my beach theme button decor to the center of an empty white picture frame to really make it shine.

Enjoy this beach theme art in your bathroom or any other part of your summer home. This nautical inspired art will bring the beach indoors this summer.

Americana Decorations: Buttons and Stars Garland

By Angie Holden on June 18, 2013 in Home Decor, Patriotic

Are you looking for Americana decorations for the 4th of July for your home? This buttons and stars garland is the perfect solution. A great way to combine the red, white, and blue for a patriotic display that your family and guests will love.

Americana Decorations Supplies:

Styrofoam Sheet
Styrofoam Cutter
Mod Podge
Laura Kelly fabric (available at JoAnns)
Ribbon
Assorted buttons
red, white, and blue embroidery thread from Coats and Clark
hot glue

Americana Decorations Instructions:

1) Cut stars from your styrofoam sheet as shown above. You could also substitute wood stars if you can find them. I used a Styro Cutter to cut my foam.

2) Cut fabric into squares leaving at least a couple of inches around your star.

3) Cut into the square to the points on your star.

4) Use Mod Podge to adhere the fabric to the star as shown below. Trim away any excess fabric.

5) Cover the outer edge with ribbon and use Mod Podge once again to adhere it to your star.

6) Twist your red, white, and blue embroidery thread together to form one string. Add your stars and buttons to the string using hot glue. I assembled this garland right on my mantle.

All that is left is to step back and enjoy your creation. A wonderful addition to your 4th of July decor. This buttons and stars garland will be the hit of your Americana decorations this year.

Graduation Gift Card Holder

By Angie Holden on May 14, 2013 in Graduation, Occasions

Make this graduation gift card holder for the graduate in your life. The perfect thing to make a gift card a little more special. Plus these can be customized to the graduate easily. Show the graduate how much you care by adding these handmade gift card holders to their gift.

Graduation Gift Card Holder Supplies Needed:

white cotton material
spray adhesive
white card stock (8 1/2 by 11)
printer
phoomph or other fabric stiffener
sewing machine with colored thread
felt
die cutter and cutting die (or scissors)
assorted buttons

Graduation Gift Card Holder Instructions:

1) Cut a piece of white cotton material to the size of your card stock. Adhere the fabric to the card stock using spray adhesive. Pick graduation themed images on your computer and put them onto one page in a word processing program or equivalent. Run the card stock through your printer printing the images onto the fabric. Allow to dry before touching. You can set the images with some aerosol hairspray for extra insurance if desired.

2) Next you need to stiffen the fabric. I used a self adhesive product called phoomph but any type of interfacing that you would like to use would work. The phoomph helps keep the fabric from fraying when cut which will be important because I am not sewing the edges. I cut my fabric down then adhered to one side of my phoomph. I then ran the fabric through my die cutter with a die to get rectangular shape. You can use scissors and a straight edge to get the same results.

3) Now cut a piece of felt to 4 inches by 6 inches. Fold your felt around the gift card as shown below. Wrap loosely so you will have adequate room.

4) Turn over and find the center of the front. Mark for reference.

5) Add your saying to the approximate center. The shorter end should be up as this will be the flap you fold over on the back.

6) Use a zig zag stitch to go all around your rectangle. Now fold into position again around a gift card. Pin around the edges that you are going to sew. Also put a few pins to mark the top of your graduation gift card holder. We will be sewing across this top as well.

7) Sew all the way around again with a zig zag stitch. Sew with your flap open.

8) Cut the back flap into a triangle shape. Sew on a button to the back and cut a button hole from the felt. Add your gift card and a note of congratulations. I put a few glue dots on my note and adhered them to the gift card. Button your gift card holder closed and give this graduation gift to a special someone.

You graduate will love this small personalized gesture. Add this graduation gift card holder to your to do list today.

Wedding Decorations – DIY Candle Wraps Two Ways

By Angie Holden on April 11, 2013 in Home Decor, Mixed Media, Occasions, Paper Crafts, Wedding

Looking for DIY wedding decorations for your wedding? These candle wraps with buttons are perfect for your ceremony. Plus there are two different looks to choose from. These wedding decorations can be modified to work with any style.

Materials needed for candle wrap wedding decorations:

Something New Button Pack
Victorian Treasures Button Pack
Blank Craft Shapes
Fiskars Everywhere Punch
Scrapbook paper
Sheet Music
Tissue paper
Stamps
Ink
Tape
Ribbon

Directions for making candle wrap wedding decorations:

For the blue candle wrap, cut a sheet of paper so that it fits your candle. Punch out a pattern of windows in your scrapbook paper with the Fiskars Everywhere Punch.

Cut a sheet of tissue paper slightly smaller than your paper and tape to the back.

Use various stamps to decorate each window of your candle wrap.

Wrap the candle and secure with tape in the back. The candles I am using are wax sleeves that accept battery power tea lights. There is no threat of fire when using these types of candles. Add random buttons from the Something New button pack around your candle wrap. Use hot glue to secure your buttons.

Add this one to the center of your wedding table for a beautiful centerpiece. A collection of these would look great at your wedding reception.

Now for the second version just to show that these can be customized to any wedding theme. For this version, again I cut the paper to size. This time I used my Fiskars Everywhere Punch to make an elongated hole.

I cut some sheet music to size and taped it to the back of the paper over the window.

Stamp the blank shape with the monogram of your choice. Then thread through some ribbon. Glue the shape and the buttons to the ribbon ONLY. Do not adhere to your wrap in this step.

Wrap the paper only around your candle first and secure with tape. Then add your ribbon and secure with hot glue.

You can change up the paper and buttons on your candle wraps to match your wedding theme. These are a quick and easy addition to any wedding decor. Not getting married anytime soon? These could also be customized for any season or home decor. Grab your buttons and get started on your wedding decorations today.

Easter Table Decor — Handmade Utensil Pouch

By Angie Holden on March 11, 2013 in Holidays, Home Decor, Paper Crafts

Today I am going to show you some Easter table decor in the form of a handmade utensil pouch. Your Easter table will never look better once you make this table decor. These utensil pouches are perfect for your Easter celebration. Plus they are easy to make and will really impress your guests. Learn the basic technique of creating these then put your own spin on the front for a personalized table for any holiday.

For this Easter Table Decor you will need:

Directions to make this Easter Table Decor:

I used a cookie bag that I purchase in bulk for the base of my utensil pouch. You should be able to find something similar in a party supply store or online. I ran it through with the Spellbinders embossing folder and was happy to see that the embossing looked wonderful! I wanted a punch of color on the plain white bag however so I went over lightly with the chalk ink from Clearsnap in Yellow Citrus. Just allowing the embossing to really come to life.

The cookie bags are actually a little wide to be used for a utensil pouch. I used the utensils as a guide and then folded over the excess on both sides. I used Mod Podge to adhere the excess on the back of the pouch.

Now let’s work on the decoration for the front. I cut a shape from card stock using the Spellbinders dies. I then used some flower stamps to add two flowers. I used fine line craft markers to color in the stamps then added the button brads to the center of both flowers.

I then drew stems and leaves on my flowers using the same set of fine line craft markers. I stamped “Happy Easter” onto a small oval slider using the Colorbox Ink.

The cardstock shape was applied to the bag using Mod Podge. I then used hot glue to attach the slider to the front. I tied baker’s twine to one side of the slider, ran it around the back, and tied the other end to the opposite side of the slider. Make the twine taught but don’t cinch your pouch.

Add a napkin and your utensils for a festive addition to your Easter table. I think the basket weave emboss is perfect for spring but you could incorporate other emboss folders you have to put your own unique spin on this idea.