I im LOVE with old buttons. But unless a button is common, it's a rotten dirty shame to risk harm to it by making jewelry from it. If you leave the shank intact, and don't clip it off, you can use E6000 glue and one day pry it out of the glue and it not be harmed, so long as you don't lacquer over it. Still...
I searched for a source for reproduction buttons and it looked like most companies that were using them were having them custom-made---especially imaginative ones. Finally I found someone who still had dies to make old cufflinks and tie tacks. When stamped into heavy gauge brass, the result looked like old Victorian and Deco metal buttons! But they are flat on the back.
NO MATTER.... To these button shanks (see the pix below) can be added by simple glue, or soldering with a gun, if desired. I use E6000 glue, and have had fab results!
This is an easy project: instant gratification for an accomplished jewelry maker, or an easily-made gift; sweet, quick success for a new, novice jewelry maker.
You will find the button tops and chain findings used in these products on my website at http://www.bsueboutiques.com
HAVE FUN!
Date(s): February 23, 2004. Album by Brenda Sue Lansdowne. 1 - 9 of 9 Total. 9423 Visits.
AM I EVER THRILLED!!! I don't really know how I found your site. I had an accident resulting in permanent short term memory loss. (just like the movies, "50 First Dates" and "Memento") I don't consider my brain injury as a bad thing at all...when I go shopping and my husband tells me not to spend alot of money, I just tell him afterwards, "OOPS! I forgot you told me that!" down side is I have 3 pairs of the same shoes & 5 gallons of milk in the fridge! I love creating jewelry and your site has sent my creative juices flooding! Now I just have to remember to bookmark your site on my laptop! PS my business is called, Trudy's Little Sister" named after my sister who died 2 years ago from breast cancer and I donate a portion of each sale to breast cancer research, so that no other "little sister" has to lose her "big sister" to breast cancer... Sincerely, Karen Sorey (ksorey@fatdot.com) - Karen Sorey, Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:54AM
These are really neat projects and I love your findings! Your findings are unique and not expensive! - Kathy Noda | bajunajewelry.etsy.com, Sun, 11 Oct 2009 8:24PM
You are now top on my favorites. Your web sight is gorgeous as well as your product and the ideas for projects are a God send for me, I have fibromyalgia and can't get out of bed many days. Now I have your site to encouarge and inspire me. Thank You! - Lisa A. Gardner | LisaLouRedoVintage2 on ETSY, Wed, 2 Sep 2009 7:24AM
1 Here you find a textural mix of the buttons I've made from restruck cuff link and tie tack blanks. This set is all brass ox, but I've combined a few cool dangly cast charms as well. WHY NOT? The more the merrier.
This was made on my brass ox 4mm rolo chain, and I used a lobster claw clasp. I like 6mm brass ox jumps but you can also use our brass ox split rings. All materials found on our website, even the brass ox lever backs. AND...if you just want the finished item, you'll find it in our CHARM BRACELETS section. "being from south carolina,..." View Comments...
2 Fast and easy! Just use E6000 glue to attach the restruck cuff link-tie tack findings to our 11 link brass ox bracelet finding. It has its own attached foldover clasp. To make the reproduction findings into earrings, I used sig tags (some call them beaver tails)---just glued em on and attached to our brass ox lever back earring findings. The completed bracelet can be found on my website in the Charm Bracelets section. All components used are also sold on our website. Don't like to glue? Yes, you can solder them on with a soldering gun.
3 This is our brass ox seven link chain (seven inch, includes clasp), item number chn04836brox at http://www.bsueboutiques.com. We do carry the beautiful little medallion that fits nicely into the bracelet links. This one went together with glue in five minutes.
4 Here's a unique found item piece that I made using my usual collage crescent, which you will find in Cuffs and Bases on my site. I collaged it with a mix of vintage black glass, old trouser and jacket buttons, vintage red brass leaf stampings, charms and other found paraphernalia. This project took about an hour to complete but of course, you need to collage the front and let it cure before you can attach the beaded chain.
5 This is our best selling chain. Since my site specializes in stampings and charms, the right chain is very important to us. This one does the trick just about every time for charm bracelet and treasure necklace making. The links are 4mm and this is our brass ox shade. We carry many other plating shades on our site at http://www.bsueboutiques.com in the JEWELRY CHAINS section.
6 This is a button shank up eye. On our site you will find it as item number base195 in the Cuffs and Bases section. This is the finding I bond to the backs of the button top medallions to make them into buttons. At this time we only have them in dark raw brass, but it tends to blend with all the button top components in brass ox or gold ox.
7 Our very popular 11 link bracelet is seven inches long with 10mm square pads. We carry it on our site in the JEWELRY CHAINS as well as the CUFFS and BASES section at http://www.bsueboutiques.com. I have it in brass ox, copper ox, goldplate and silverplate. It's sold by the bracelet but we also have bulk deals...just ask.
8 Here is a sampler of some authentic old buttons. There are some fancy Austrian tinies in the lot. You would not want to destroy buttons of that sort by clipping off the shanks to glue to bracelet findings...why NOT attach charm bracelet style by jumprings? You can this way collect them and enjoy them at the same time---wear your collection where ever you go.
9 Here is a fine example of what can be done with a mix of Czech glass shank back buttons, charms and beads. Just collect up some pretty buttons (these are new Czech glass) and make some beady drops, and connect them to rolo chain in a pattern that pleases you....add a clasp....and WEAR! You'll get compliments where ever you go! Another idea is to use the BUTTON GRID CHAIN in our jewelry chain section at http://www.bsueboutiques.com to connect vintage shank buttons, enjoy them as art around your wrist without damaging them! "this is really beautiful a..." "I'd like to see a video on..." "I can't figure out from th..." View Comments...
