Tutorial: Easy Button Blossoms!

Years ago I saw some darling flowers made of buttons 

in my favorite magazine, Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion.
Inspired to try this new craft project, I made some of my own

using scrapbook papers, miscellaneous buttons, and chenille stems
[we used to call those things 'pipe cleaners', remember?!]

and some green velvet ribbon as 'leaves'...

 Well, that was long ago and they've long since disappeared...

but when I came across these photos recently, I got inspired all over again.

So I decided to make some NEW button flowers,

and create a simple tutorial for you while I was at it!

supplies:

 .

paper - scrapbook paper, sheet music, old magazine & catalog pages, anything.
pipe cleaners / chenille stems - white or green (any color, really!)

scissors and a hole punch

assorted buttons - vintage, thrifted, pulled off of raggy clothes, or new from the craft store.

NOTE: You'll want the buttons to have holes in them - though the smallest buttons can have a shank back and will still work.

.

 #1. cut circles from the paper - various sizes, all bigger than your biggest button sizes.

#2. punch a hole in the center of each circle.

#3. slide a small button with tiny holes onto a pipe cleaner - it should fit TIGHTLY.
pull it down the stem about and inch and a half.

#4. slide on one of the paper circles, so that it fits right up tight against the button.

 add more buttons, working from largest to smallest sizes. 

vary the colors and shapes so that all the details show up.

 #5. secure the top button by bending the end of the pipe cleaner stem over. 

#6. from the bottom of the flower, GENTLY push all of the buttons and the paper circle upward

toward the top, until the buttons nestle closely together.

#7. cut pipe cleaner stems to the length you'd like.
NOTE: if you want your finished stems to be longer than @5",

they can be wound around a length of wire or a bamboo skewer for strength.

 OPTION:
#6. add tiny paper, felt, or fabric leaves to the back of the paper circle

or if you cut them from fabric or ribbon, you can glue them to the stem.

Display in a sweet little bouquet of button-y beauty!

shared online:
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