Every time you buy an article of clothing that includes spare buttons, instead of setting them somewhere you'll never find them again, turn them into homemade button stamps! Button stamps are an easy craft and kids love using them to make patterns and designs on paper.
When you need a quick and creative boredom buster for kids, turn to button stamps!
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How to Make Button Stamps
You hardly need any instructions, but here we go!
Materials:
- Buttons in all shapes and sizes. No buttons at home? No problem. Here's a great big bag of random buttons.
- Glue. I used plain white glue, but hot glue will work, too.
- Corks. No corks at home? Get a bag of them here.
Instructions:
Glue one button to the end of a cork. Let dry.
See? Easy-peasy!
How to Use Button Stamps
Buttons with interestingly raised surfaces and shapes create alluring designs.
What Kind of Ink to Use
We experimented with using different kinds of ink. A tradtional ink stamping pad will work fine. However, because fancy buttons can have so many different surface levels, pant works better.
Be sure to spread the paint thinly in a tray, rather than in a big glob as you would when using a paint brush. If the paint is in a glob, you don't get a proper impression of the button's shape and design.
What Can You Make with Button Stamps?
Here are a few ideas for art ideas to make with button stamps.
Wrapping paper! Lay out a large piece of plain white or brown paper and stamp out a random of purposeful design.
Greeting cards. Fold a piece of card stock in half to make a greeting card. Use button stamps alone, or in conjunction with other art materials to design a pretty card to send to grandma.
Custom stickers. See our easy way to make your own stickers here. Button stamp impressions on custom stickers adds a nice homemade touch.
Mixed Media. Get out the paints, collage materials and other items appropriate for mixed media art. Add some button stamping into the mix!
More easy indoor crafts for kids:
Originally published 2009, updated 2022.
Jackie Currie says
I LOVE your stamps! Just pinned to my button board AND my cork board!
Erica MomandKiddo says
Thanks, Jackie.