Thursday, 17 March 2011

Finished Button Box

I was amazed at how many people also had lovely memories of rummaging and sorting their Grandmother's button box!  I always had a theory about scrapbookers... if you ask a scrapbooker what pretend game they most enjoyed when a child the majority will answer that it involved playing with stationery...  pretend games of being a post mistress and doing a lot of stamping and thumping of envelopes and selling stamps etc, or being a teacher and having lots of little homework books to mark or a secretary with all the memos and things and they all stationery and the playing with it in common.  Next time I ask a scrapbooker the question I am also going to ask if they liked to sort the buttons in their Grannies button tin!!  Stationery and buttons obviously lead to a love of crafting in its many forms...
I finished the button box off yesterday and it is now residing on a shelf looking pretty happy with itself!! ;)
After so many questions about it I thought I would add some details on how it got the way it did. So it started off as a normal lidded box.
You will also need pretty serviettes (decorated paper napkins) and Mod Podge and a couple of brushes. Paint the box with the Mod Podge and then add your pieces of serviette, making sure you cover each piece with Mod Podge as you go along. The serviettes I used were in two layers, so I removed the back layer which left me with the tissue paper thin design layer only.  The pieces look better if you keep the edges of each piece curved or wavy... straight edges show up more.  I used two serviettes for my box as I have about 5 Eiffel Towers on the top of my box as they are layered one on top of each other to give the required depth of colour.
Decorate the top of your box as you wish, I added buttons and a flower with a chipboard button as its centre and some lace down the border.  I wanted my box to have a hinged lid so I cut through the two corners and gently moved that side piece back and forth so it would lift easily.  I hot glued it to the base and then added three black brads to make sure it didn't come loose.
Add your letters down the side and Mod Podge some more serviette into the inside lid and bottom of box if you wish.  I added satin material to the bottom of the box and attached it with double sided tape.
Fill with buttons and stand back and admire!!
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8 comments:

  1. donnalouiserodgers17 March 2011 at 18:26

    okay okay - I am about to dress her - will video it so you have evidence, but I can't mail it until the 27th as `i am broke. Do I have your addie?

    also you are spot on regarding the stationary game, I remember writing loads of essays in blue ink just so i could then - 'gather them in' and 'mark' them with my Red Pen, and stick on bronze silver or gold stars
    dx

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  2. Unknown17 March 2011 at 20:29

    Beautiful box ... and what a lovely collection of buttons you have there!

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  3. okienurse17 March 2011 at 21:13

    Awesome button box! Love all the 'vintage' buttons. Vickie

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  4. misteejay17 March 2011 at 23:27

    The box is stunning Annette.

    Can't remember if the post office set was mine or my sisters but I do remember making little school books for all my dolls...

    Toni xx

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  5. Ladkyis17 March 2011 at 23:35

    I have my grandmother's button box and my mother's button box. I inherited both and as a lifelong stitcher I have my own button box too. Most of them are black or brown trouser buttons - tells you how old they are - and my DGD has fallen in love with them and also wants to learn to sew (thank you G*d!) She has made a purse with a button fastening and she chose overcoat buttons for the tab top of her curtain she also wants a quilt with buttons on. I love buttons

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  6. Bleubeard and Elizabeth18 March 2011 at 03:45

    It's pretty obvious I was never a scrapbooker, because I was designing things, or tearing things apart, which had nothing to do with the pretend game of stationary. Of co8urse, I DO love going through my buttons, even though the ones that had been my grandmother's are no longer in my possession.

    I'm in total awe of the tutorial as well as the completed box. It is lovely, and you have an absolute right to stand back and admire. I know I SURE AM from Kansas!!

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  7. sandra de18 March 2011 at 08:53

    You have created a gorgeous button box. thanks for the tip on how to make it a hinged box.

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  8. fatmonica18 March 2011 at 08:59

    Just love the button box. I have one but it's never lived up to my grandma's!Might have a go at decorating it.Thanks for the inspiration!

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Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment, it is truly appreciated - sort of confirms that it is more than my Mum and husband that read this thing! :)

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