Today’s flower is the simplest of them all {perfect for a mid-week spurt of creativity}.
I saw this project in the April 2008 issue of FamilyFun magazine {yep, I still have the tear out in a binder}. I didn’t changed much from the original how-to, other than using silver wire instead of florists’ green. These are super easy and a great craft to do with kids.
Here is what you’ll need:
:: buttons in various sizes {I went monochromatic, but you can be as crazy as you want}
:: 26 gauge wire {or whatever you have that is easily bendable}
:: scissors or wire cutters
STEP ONE: select your buttons
Choose three buttons in varying sizes and stack them up
STEP TWO: cut wire to desired length {mine are approximately 6 inches}
STEP THREE: thread wire through holes in buttons
STEP FOUR: loop the wire up through the hole and down the opposite button hole
{oh good heavens, don’t judge my hands}
Thread the wire back through the bottom button
STEP FIVE: twist the wire to secure
Aren’t they so sweet?
I used a silver egg cup, added play dough to the inside {you could use florists foam if you have it, but I didn’t and play dough seemed to do the trick!} then covered with a bit of moss. Poke the wire stems in and you have a playful little flower arrangement.
These are the same button flowers that are in Audrey’s room, except in white and tied up with twine.
I did a search on google images for ‘button flowers’ and look what else I found:
How beautiful, unexpected and cheap{!} for bridal bouquets. Wish I thought of that for my wedding! You could even have each of the bridesmaids make their own at a button-flower making party. I like that idea.
This is the photo from that magazine article where I first saw these flowers. They look awfully cute sticking out of a plant.
And I love these ones that have black wire stems that twist all the way down. Very whimsical.
So many variations you can do with sizes and colors of buttons. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
These are so cute! With your directions I think even I could make them! Thank you.
My son has a teacher that adores flowers. He made her a bouquet of origami flowers. She loved them. Now he can make these for her as well. She writes each students name under the flowers and pins it to the board. She calls her students ” her bouquet of knowledge”. And they all live in her garden.
This is a brilliant idea i loved it and i will try to do it .Thank you for sharing this with us.
Please let me know how i can learn more about your hand graft.
Love this one too! Now I know what to do with all my buttons.
Just came across this tutorial. These are adoreable, thanks for sharing! I think they would be cute wired onto bobby pins or barrettes!
Hi Emily – just wanted to share my button flowers with you and to let you know that Iv posted posted your pic and a link to your blog. Please pop along and let me know what you think.
Thanks
Natalie
Loved doing this project with my 4 and 6 year old grandchildren. The best part was that I had EVERYTHING I needed here at my house. For our vases, we used yellow ceramic egg cups I use at Easter. So adorable. They were so proud to present their arrangements to their parents.
The last pic of the button bouquet totally reminds me of Mary Engelbreit’s art….. I love it, especially since she isn’t afraid to use black and pink and red together!
I used to make “gardens” of these all the time with my mom. For an added step, we would wrap the wire in green floral tape and add little satin leaves to the stems to soften their appearance a bit. Have fun!
I love this quirky craft and have started making my own button bouquets. Today I bought more wire and am hoping to find a place where I can get buttons for cheap. Any ideas? Thank you for sharing. I love your website/blog!
I love this idea. I am going to use it at a church picnic! I am so excited!! Thank you!
Love this! I too have a button stash (hoard) that I’d love to display. What a terrific way to enjoy my beautiful buttons! Thanks so much!
I used these for the guy’s corsages at my wedding last weekend! Everyone loved them, and they look great in pictures!
I made one like you have in Audrey’s room for my daughter’s wedding on Saturday. EVERYONE loved it and wants me to make them one! I, of course, gave you the credit! I also made your rolled fabric flowers for some special people to wear! The wedding was beautiful and I wanted to THANK YOU!!!!! You have an amazing talent! Thanks for sharing it with all of us!
I love the button flowers. I made some a few years ago when trying to find something to do with all the buttons my mom had collected from years of sewing. Made for such a sweet memory of her.
Beautiful!
Thank you for a great Mother’s Day gift and card. My Mom loved both. She is 88 y/0 and has a drawer full of old buttons from her mother, several aunts and great-grandmother. I used all sizes and colors to make her bouquet. She was so delighted with it that she jumped out of her chair, hugged me and kept saying, “Oh, I just love it”.
Thanks! We made these for the grandmas. They loved them! Thank you for sharing the idea!
This is so adorable great presents…
I made some and added to some impatients for my mama’s gift. So adorable. Thanks for the inspiration.
Love, love, love Flower Week! As soon as I get home from work, I’ve been checking to see what the tutorial will be for the day! Its been fun. I can’t wait to start some projects. Your creativity is inspiring. Thank you soooo much for sharing it with us!!
We made the cutest bouquet to send home with my mom for Mother’s Day, since she lives in another state. I’m not sure my daughter’s going to part with it easily though….
I just made these lovely flowers, along with the rolled paper ones, with my fifth graders for mother’s day. I hope all the moms are proud of their child’s handiwork!
Love it. Trying it right now with my daughter but having a hard time pushing the wire back through the buttons. It’s not going down. Any advice? Thanks
i love this one! so cute! i have a ton of buttons. i will have to try it out!
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The timing couldn’t have been better! I saw these yesterday and thought how cute, then a few hours later I remember that today was the last day my son (4yo) was going to see his Grammy before Mothers Day. So I helped him make a sweet little bouquet of these to give to her. He was so proud to give them to her this morning! Thanks!
So cute! Thanks for sharing the idea.
Really cute! My daughter is going to love this idea…
I say you have a “worst nails” contest!! I would win! Hard to find an artist/crafter with a beautiful manicure. Love those crafty hands. The button flowers are just the cutest!
Hello teacher gifts!!! I love family fun magazine for fun and easy crafts :)
I’ve always loved buttons! And I’ve been wanting to make button flowers for years! I even have the cute little jar picked out! Hopefully after I’ve moved I can actually make some!!!
so cute! and it just so happens i have a TON of buttons right now left over from other projects! perfect. thanks for sharing!
I love these button flowers. I already had the buttons, wire and added some floral tape, ribbon and paper leaves to it. It’s a hit!
THAT is about the CUTEST idea EVER! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this! It will be the perfect activity at Avery’s birthday party; the girls will love it!
adorable, again! you’re always full of great ideas. I love this flower week idea! Keep it coming.
d e n i s e
totally wish I would have thought about this for centerpieces for my wedding last week! oh well, I will just have to do it for the vases I have left and leave them in rooms around the house. :)
I love these, so cute!
I love these and how simple they are….I am going to have to get out my button collection this weekend and get busy!
I’m going to make some, but think I’ll add some green felt leaves to the stems. So cute!
Totally loving this idea! What a fun project to do with my daughter…she’ll love making these and putting them in a bit of ivy to give to my mom for mother’s day! Thank you for you all your inspiration!
Hugs!
These are amazing! What a simple yet amazing idea!
Adorable!!! I love your blog and looks forward to your posts : )
I love them tied up in a bundle – so sweet! Thanks for another sweet flower day. :)
I love your button bouquet and all your pretty flowers this week. Such creative talent. For more inspiration and eye candy you might want to visit Princess Lasertron http://princesslasertron.com/2011/02/cristinas-flowers/ I am amazed at what she does, too.
OMG (I hate saying that) but I have to today. These are really adorable. You have some really great ideas. I am so glad I am follower of yours.
Thanks
Kathleen
What a great idea! These will be lovely for my daughter’s Pink-a-licious B-day party!
love this tutorial. great idea for mothers day. thanks for sharing. I hope it’s ok if I re-post this sending people to your blog.
Supper cute! I really like the flower art in Audrey’s room.
Perfect for Mother’s Day. So colorful and fun to make.
I love this idea! I am going to try it now! ^__^ Thanks!
So cute! I love all these flower-making ideas! Thanks for sharing! ~Aimee
Hi Emily! Your button flowers are really adorable. I really like the little bouquet in audreys room. So sweet! I made some awhile ago too – they are so much fun! If you want to see them here is the link – http://happenstanceathome.blogspot.com/2010/05/button-time.html I have also been meaning to send you an email – for the kids Easter table I made your adorable little striped books. They gave the table such fun color and pattern. I posted the table on my blog last week. Thanks for all of the eye catching projects you share and create!
Love this idea!!! So cute and whimsical. Definitely going to make some.
Another great idea and this one is so very simple. Thanks!
Love this idea! Thanks for the inspiration.