Today’s tutorial is on making bookmark clips decorated with vintage buttons. I love these kind of bookmarks because they don’t slip out of place, and you can use several of them as markers for places to refer back to. I also love buttons, and this is a great way to make use of all those pretty little ones! This would be a great idea to use Grandma’s heirloom button collection to make gifts for the family. You can make many of these in one setting, and it is a fun project to do with your kids (as long as they are old enough not to swallow the buttons!)
To start this simple project, gather your materials:
A nice selection of buttons about 3/4 inch and smaller.
Jumbo sized paper clips from an office supply store and your choice of bond everything glue. I like this Amazing GOOP Craft Arte alot, but it is kind of stringy for tiny things, so I used a fine tipped Super Glue as well.
I also spread the table with a waxy paper like the kind on the back of contact paper saved from other projects. Plain old wax paper would work quite well too. You want something that any excess glue won’t stick to.
Now you are ready to start assembling your buttons. I used two or three that fit nicely together, making little stacks and then going back and gluing them together once I was happy with them. A really special button you could use on its own!
After your glued button stack has had time to dry a bit, you are ready to stick them to the paper clip. This is where the Amazing GOOP Craft Arte glue comes in handy. Squeeze a small blob on the bottom side of the button stack, and put on the side of the paper clip with the open inner loop. Put clip side down on the waxed paper until set. Yes, the glue will ooze between the clip and onto the waxed paper, but that’s okay.
After the buttons are holding firmly to the clip, you will glue another button onto the backside, covering the clip (and your glue mess). Make sure you use a button that is smaller than your largest button, and one that has a fairly flat profile.
That’s it! These make sweet little gifts for your booklovers.
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