How to Make Pierced Earrings Using Decorative Buttons

A few times every year I volunteer a couple of hours at a local assisted living center to teach quick and easy craft projects to senior aged women. All of the women at this facility are at least 70 years old and with various health problems. All of the projects that we make need to be inexpensive, easy to do and need to work up quickly.

Last week we held one of our craft classes with the women and for this particular class we made jewelry, pierced earrings to be exact and we made them using decorative buttons that you can find at your local craft supply store. Here's how we made them.

How to Make Pierced Earrings Using Decorative Buttons

2 Decorative Ceramic or Resin Buttons
2 Pierced Earring Backings
12" Piece of Twine or Embroidery Thread
Large-Eye Sewing Needle
1 Tube E6000 Adhesive
Scissors
Wet Wipes or Baby Wipes

For this particular pair that I'm featuring in this blog post, we used two ceramic angel theme'd heart shaped buttons. Using scissors, cut a piece of twine or embroider floss measuring 4" long. Thread it through a large-eye sewing needle and then thread it through the button holes. Tie it off in a knot and then use the scissors to trim the ends (see photo).

Flip the buttons over and use the E6000 adhesive glue to glue the pierced earring post onto the back of each button. You only need a tiny dot of adhesive, this stuff is super strong and works great for gluing metal to plastic or ceramic. Try to NOT get it onto your skin as it can be difficult to wash off (hence the need for baby wipes and paper towels to have on standby).

Let them dry for about an hour and then put the backing onto the post, so that you don't lose them. You can use a wide variety of buttons in different materials, shapes and sizes.

Note: If you're using large enough buttons, you can make a matching coat pin or brooch by gluing a metal pin-back onto the back.

The Jewelry Recipe Book by Nancy Soriano

Artisan Books has a great DIY jewelry book publishing in April 2015 that delivers easy to read “How-to” instructions in a recipe format. This fabulous new book is titled: The Jewelry Recipe Book: Transforming Ordinary Materials into Stylish and Distinctive Earrings, Bracelets, Necklaces, and Pins (Artisan Books; April 7, 2015; Hardcover/$24.95) and walks the reader through projects that incorporate funky found objects such as pinecones, ribbon, lace, keys, and nuts and bolts in their handmade jewelry designs.

Title: The Jewelry Recipe Book
Author: Nancy Soriano
Publisher: Artisan Books
ISBN: 978-1-57965-618-8
Genre: Craft and Hobbies

This book has 400 color photographs and contains 224 pages. One of the things I love about the book is at the beginning there is an introduction section that has all kinds of tips and instructions on how to crimp, dull pin tips, how to do dyeing, knotting, polymer clay, make wire loops, how to wrap thread and all kinds of other things. Great info for the beginner for sure!

Inside the book you will find step-by-step project ideas (jewelry recipes) to make all kinds of jewelry items like hair pins, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pendants, rings and more! There is definitely something for everyone.

A few of my personal favorites were the creative jewelry pieces the artisan created using simple things like bobby hair pins and buttons. My daughter who is in her twenties really loved the necklace that was made from Lifesaver's candies. Yes...candies! The artisan shows you how to preserve those candies and turn them into colorful beads which can be strung onto cords or chains & turned into beautiful necklaces and bracelets. If you love the industrial punk rock look, there is something for you too like the bracelets and necklaces made from metal hardware typically found at the home improvement store!

Every project (jewelry recipe) is presented to you in an easy-to-read and understand format. None of the instructions are complicated and all can be mastered by a beginner in only a few minutes. All projects include a color photograph of the completed item and I love how the artisan sprinkles in all of her various crafting tips along with alternative suggestions on materials that are needed.

I think The Jewelry Recipe Book by Nancy Soriano is a great craft book for anyone who is looking to try their hand at jewelry making. It's great for beginners and those who are experienced in this crafting medium. You can find this book in April 2015 from Artisan Books.

The attached digital image file(s) may be used solely in connection with the promotion of The Jewelry Recipe Book. You must include a credit line: “Excerpted from The Jewelry Recipe Book by Nancy Soriano (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2015. Photographs by James Ransom." adjacent to the image and retain any credit, copyright, image identification and associated metadata as part of the digital file. Following the publication [or use], you cannot retain the image as part of your image archive; consequently, please delete the image file(s) immediately.

Disclaimer: Shelly H. received a complimentary copy of The Jewelry Recipe Book for a review on her Passionate About Crafting Blog. No monetary compensation was received. Her thoughts are 100% unbiased and are based on her personal experience with the book. Your opinion may differ.

Great Supplier of Jewelry Findings for Your Jewelry Making Projects

This is a compensated post written by me on behalf of jewelrybeads. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you make jewelry as part of a jewelry making business or just as a hobby? If so, you know how important it is to find high quality, affordable jewelry findings to use in all of your jewelry crafting projects. I know that when I shop here locally for my supplies my choices are limited so I usually buy my supplies online because I can find a larger selection and I can find them at better prices.

I found a really cool store today called PandaHall.com where you can find various types of beads, jewelry findings, gems, tools of the trade and various other supplies that one would need if they are making jewelry. PandaHall.com has a very nice selection of products at prices you can afford.



Shopping their site is quick & easy and you can shop by the Best Sellers, New Arrivals, Mixed Products or PH Categories. I think you will really like this jewelry supply site so I hope you will check them out the next time you are looking for some supplies.

FREE Crochet Duck and Easter Bunny Pins

Two years ago I found this free pattern online to make cute little crochet duck and bunny pins which I think are totally adorable for the Easter Season.

You can find the pattern and print it out ---> HERE

(Sorry, the designer has removed her post over the years, so I've now removed the link)

The designer of the pattern is named Marlo Cairns and I found her pattern and instructions to be super easy to follow. I think a beginner in the world of crochet could make both of the pins. (printable pattern includes both designs).

Instead of using a black bead for the bunny's eye, I chose to just glue on a wiggle eye as it was quicker. I then used tacky glue and glued a pin back on the backside. You can use your glue to glue on a tiny pom-pom for his 'cotton' tail.

Please read Marlo's copyright guidelines and policy before printing out and using her pattern.

~ Happy Crocheting ~

FREE St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Crochet Coaster or Pin Pattern

If you are looking for a way to use up some of your green scrap yarn, this FREE crochet Shamrock pattern is super easy and quick.

The pattern maker uses a size G crochet hook and designed it to be a coaster. However, I used a smaller crochet hook (size E) and made it into a cute St. Patrick's Day Shamrock coat pin by gluing a pin back on the backside with some quick-drying craft glue.

You can get the FREE Crochet Shamrock Pattern ---> HERE

Just by using different sized crochet hooks, you could make refrigerator magnets, ornaments, coat pins and yes....her beverage coaster!

Handmade Cotton Felt Snowman Ornaments And Coat Pins

A few days ago, my mother-in-law asked me to make her a snowman pin for her winter coat. I couldn't find a pattern that I liked so I decided to just make my own.

This project is really easy to make...you can do hand sewing or use your sewing machine. (I did hand sewing). You can omit the hat and leave his head plain if desired.

Supplies Needed

scraps of cotton batting or cotton felt
scraps of homespun fabric
poly fiber fill (for stuffing)
eyes - black seed beads
nose - orange wooden toothpick or orange clay nose
needle and off-white sewing thread
all-purpose craft glue
small pom-poms
scissors
pin backs (if making pins)
gold metallic hanging cord (if making ornaments)
disappearing ink pen

Pattern: I just free-handed a basic snowman shape measuring approximately 3 1/4" tall by 1 3/4" wide.

Batting/Felt: You need to cut your felt into rectangles which measure 1" on all sides bigger than your pattern.

Step 1: Place two batting rectangles right-sides together. Center your pattern onto the cotton batting and trace around it with a disappearing ink pen.

Step 2: Using a sewing needle with thread or a sewing machine, stitch directly on your traced line the whole way around your pattern. Once done, use scissors to trim close (but not on) your stitched line. Turn your snowman over to the back side and make a 1 1/2" slit in his body. Turn him right side out. Lightly stuff with poly fiberfill and hand sew the opening closed.

Step 3: Cut a small rectangle from homespun fabric and glue one of the short edges under. Next, glue the two long edges together to form a tube. Set aside to dry. Cut a piece of homespun fabric that measures 1/4" by 5" long and tie it around the snowman's neck to form his scarf. If needed, trim the ends if they are too long.

Step 4: Using craft glue, adhere two tiny black seed beads to his face for eyes. For his nose, you can break off a wooden toothpick and paint it orange or you can make an orange clay carrot shaped nose.

Step 5: Glue the folded under short edge of your fabric tube to the top of your snowman's head as shown in the photo. You might have to hold this in place for a minute or two. Once its stable, bend over the tube and glue the other end to the side of his head along with a tiny pom-pom.

Step 6: If you are turning him into a holiday ornament, thread a piece of gold metallic cord thru the top of his hat. If you are turning him into a coat pin, glue a metal bar pin back to his backside.

If you use this pattern/instructions on your site, you must directly link it to this post. Copyright 2009 by Shelly Hill, All Rights Reserved.