The button aisle at the fabric store can be a dangerous place for me as I’m always drawn to buttons that are colorful, oversized, character-themed … you name it. If you and your children love decorating or embellishing with buttons, too, this aisle can be rough on the wallet for you, as well! Around the holidays I’m an even bigger sucker for cute buttons as there are so many fun shapes to choose from for button crafts. Of course, Memorial Day is no different.
Thanks to Blumenthal Lansing’s “Big Bag of Buttons,” Memorial Day gets the button treatment with a bag of star buttons in a variety sizes and styles – all red, white and blue. Buttons don’t have to be JUST for sewing projects; they’re great for all sorts of decorating needs when it comes to crafting.
If your family is in the mood to make some patriotic crafts as Memorial Day approaches, it’s time to pick up a big bag of buttons and get to DIY work! This button start is easy to make and can be personalized by your children by adding their names to the center, the year or even a favorite family photo. Display one on the front door or hang a collection of button stars across the fireplace as oversized garland.
Materials
- 1 package Value Pack stars
- 1 wooden star shape
- Acrylic craft paint (your color choice)
- Aleene’s Tacky Glue
- Toothpicks
- Wax paper
- Paintbrush
Instructions
Start out by painting your larger wooden star shape the color of your choice. Let the paint dry completely before moving on.
Next, place your dry star on a piece of wax paper. Squirt a large amount of the tacky glue onto the wax paper. I find that it’s easier to work with the glue, and helps control the mess, when you can dip into a bit of glue right on your work space instead of trying to squeeze a small drop out of a big bottle, especially for smaller hands.
Using a toothpick as a paintbrush, apply a small amount of tacky glue to the back of a button and start decorating the edges of the star. Work your way around the entire perimeter, adding the buttons of your choice by pressing into place on the star, until you end when your placed your very first button. You can go back and add more, put some in the center, or leave as is. Once the glue has dried for a few hours it’s safe to display or hang this patriotic decoration.
