Easy Button Bracelet

Happy (Almost) Spring! 

Nothing is more fun and as easy to create as a button bracelet.  And, with Gwen Studios new line of buttons, you have so many color choices.

I chose the Pastel Mix for this bracelet.  It's perfect for Spring, Easter and Mother's Day.

You need:

Chain (6-8 inches)

Jump rings, 6mm

Lobster clasp or toggle clasp

Tools:  two pairs of needle nose pliers

Pick the colors you like.  Open and slide jump rings through your selection of buttons. Leave them partially open. (Remember to open and close your jump ring by grasping it with two pairs of pliers one on either side of the cut and twisting to open.  Close in the same way.)

Using 6mm jump rings, you will be using the smaller buttons.  If you want to use some of the larger buttons, use larger jump rings or oval jump rings that will fit over the buttons.

Line them up along a piece of chain about 6" long.  This will make a bracelet about 7" long with the added jump rings and clasp.  Check your wrist size by measuring or use your favorite bracelet as a guide. Arrange them along the chain to see how it looks.

Slide the jump ring onto a link and close the jump ring.  Add more as needed to fill in the chain. You can fill it as much as you want.  For my bracelet, I used 52 buttons.

Attach a jump ring to one end of the chain.  On the other end, attach a jump ring and lobster clasp.

You can find Gwen Studios buttons at Walmart. They have a lot of color assortments and two sizes.  You'll be able to create a button bracelet to match any outfit.  

Find more Spring designs on the Designer Crafts Connection blog.

(I received these buttons as part of the Design Team compensation from Gwen Studios.)

Spring Designs in Plastic Canvas

 Hi Friends!

Herrschners has released two more of my recent designs just in time for Spring stitching!

I have to say that I'm delighted with how they turned out.  

Here are some Garden Fairy Doors that I designed. They can sit on your mantel or shelf.

Look for these on Herrschners.com.  Happy Spring stitching!

Hopping Down the Bunny Trail

 Hi Stitchers!

Are you ready for some Spring stitching?  Here's my latest project from Herrschners featuring the Easter Bunny hiding eggs.  I hope you enjoy it!

Herrschners Hiding the Eggs Window Frame Plastic Canvas Kit

Flowered Bag

 Hello! 

This month for my Gwen Studios project I created a flowered bag using their ribbons, buttons and iron-on patches.

Flowered Bag

To make this bag, you'll need the following:

A bag, canvas or burlap 

Gwen Studios 3/8" ribbon, pastel buttons, bee patches 

Hot glue, Felt Glue

The following are links to Walmart.  

Pastel Buttons

Solid and Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon

Bumble Bee Patches

Instructions:

For the flowers, choose your buttons.  Cut matching or contrasting ribbon in 3" pieces.  I used 8 per flower and hot-glued them to the back of the button.

I added a smaller button in the center of the larger one.  

Arrange your flowers on the bag as desired.  Mark the stems with a fabric marker if you like.

For the stems and leaves, cut green grosgrain ribbon in the lengths to fit your design.  To adhere the ribbon to the bag, I used Felt Glue from Beacon Adhesives.  

Adhere the stems first aligning them with the bottom seam.  I tucked the ends of the ribbon into the seam.  If your bag doesn't have a seam, you could fold under the end of glue some buttons over the ends.

Hot glue the flowers over the ends of the stems.  Use felt glue to adhere the leaves.  I overlapped the leaves and tucked the ends into the seam.  I left the top of the leaves unglued.

To finish, glue the bumblebees among the flowers.

Valentine's Day Garland

 Hello Everyone!

This month I'm creating a Valentine's Garland for Gwen Studios using their ribbon and their new buttons.  It's a fun project that will brighten up your Valentine's Day. It's easy enough that everyone can make it.

You'll need:

A large sheet of stiff felt in red (Kunin Friendly Felt)

Gwen Studios Button Favorites in red and white

Tacky glue

Gwen Studios red and white Taffy Stripe ribbon

Cut the large sheet of felt (12" by 16") into 4 pieces (each 6" by 9").

On each piece, outline the letters for "LOVE" in white buttons.  I did this freehand, but you can make a pattern by writing out the letters to get the sizing as you like it.  I made the "O" in the shape of a heart.  My letters are about 3 1/2" high, but there's room to make them larger if you wish.

Glue down the first set of buttons along the letter.  After outlining the letters with white buttons, add a second layer with red and white buttons.  When you are satisfied with the look, glue these to the first layer.  

Cut eight 3" pieces of ribbon.  Fold each in half and glue the ends together.  Glue these loops on the top of the flags even with the sides and 1/2" down.

Cut a strip of ribbon about 8" long for each flag.  Glue this across the top and even with the top edge.  Fold the ends to the back and glue.

Cut two more 6"pieces of ribbon for each flag.  These will be crossed on the end of the flag as shown.  Mark the center of the bottom of the flag and cross the ribbons on that point.  Place the ribbons 2" above the corner and crossing at the center point.  Glue down and fold the ends to the back and glue.

Here are all the flags.  I was going to trim off the corners on the bottom to create a more pointed flag, but I decided I liked the look.  There are a long of possibilities for finishing the bottom edge.

Glue buttons in the top corners.

Here's the garland strung on a red bead strand.  You could use ribbon also.

Here are some links where you can find the materials I used. The buttons can be found at Walmart and the ribbon at Michaels.

Gwen Studios white buttons

Gwen Studios red buttons

Gwen Studios Red and White Grosgrain Ribbon

For more Valentine designs using Gwen Studios ribbon and buttons check out the Designer Crafts Connection blog.

I'm a member of the Gwen Studios design team and receive product (which I love and recommend) as part of my compensation.

Decorate with Ribbon Scraps

Hi Everyone!

It's less than a month until Christmas and time to decorate, send greetings and wrap some gifts!

It's a good time to use up some of my leftover ribbon scraps from the projects that I created this year, too! I can never throw them away. I put them in a baggie and save them for projects like this. 

 I started with some simple shapes that I cut from felt. This is stiff felt (Friendly Felt from Kunin), but you can use regular felt, too. Shapes like a stocking, a tree, an ornament or a gift are simple to cut out and decorate. If you need more shapes, use cookie cutters.

Besides felt shapes, you'll need:

Thick tacky glue or hot glue and glue gun

Ribbon scraps (Gwen Studios)

Tags, bags or blank cards

Backing fabric or paper

Glue the ribbon scraps onto the felt.  Use binder clips or clothespins to hold while they dry if using tacky glue.  Glue to your surface. or create a fun garland by tying them onto more ribbon.

Here's a gift bag that I created with a green square of felt, ribbon scraps, a chipboard word and a rectangle of cardstock.

Ribbon Scraps Gift Bag

Here's a card with felt trees, sparkly Gwen Studios trim, cardstock and a chipboard word. I cut strips from the wide trim at the bottom of the Gwen Studios trim and glued it on the trees.

Trim Scraps Card

It's easy to make ornaments or gift tags.  Here's a circle with three rows of ribbons across the red felt circle.  For this tag, I used double-sided tape, pressed on the silver ribbon and then the red/silver ribbon.  Press the ends down on the back and add a loop for hanging.  Cover the ends with another circle of felt.

Ribbon Scraps Tag

Don't have ribbon scraps? Look for Gwen Studios ribbon at your favorite craft retailer:  Joann's, Walmart, Michaels or Amazon.

Looking for more holiday ribbon ideas?  Go to the Designer Crafts Connection blog.

Happy Holidays!

Breaking News!!  Gwen Studios now has Buttons!

Gwen Studios Round Plastic Sewing Buttons Value Pack, Assorted Sizes, 1 LB, Solid Christmas Colors - Walmart.com

I can't wait to design some projects with these!  Of course, you can add them to any of the designs above.  As a member of the design team for Gwen Studios, I'll be receiving some soon.

Over the Rooftops

Hi Everyone!

 Just in time for Christmas crafting, Herrschners released a new design of mine.  Look for it in the plastic canvas section on Herrschners.com or click on the link below the frame.

Over the Rooftops

Happy Stitching!