Scrapbusters No. 1: Bead Soup Button

Welcome to Scrapbuster Month at Sara vs. Sarah!  Everyday during the month of March we will be posting a new scrapbusting project.  Without further adieu, let's do some spring stash cleaning.

Can beads be scraps?  I say definitely!  How many times have you had leftover beads from a project?  If you’re anything like me, you throw these strays together in a box or jar and it becomes a sort of “bead soup.”  So lets take that bead soup and turn it into a beautiful button perfect for embellishing just about anything.

My bead soup box--mixes of leftover beads.

I give full credit for this idea to my friend Barb C.  She showed me this and as far as I’m concerned, she’s a genius!

Supplies Needed:

• Some bead soup (a melange of leftover beads) – smaller scale beads like seed beads work best
• A shank back button or covered button base
• Strong, clear drying, multi-surface glue

Instructions:

Step 1:  Cover the top of your button with glue (I used E6000).

Tip:  Add a twisty-tie to the back of the button to give yourself something to hang on to while you are working with the button.

Step 2:  Dip your button into the beads and twist it around until it is covered in beads.  Let dry.

Dip the glue covered button into the bead soup.

Step 3:  When dry, cover the beaded button with glue and dip again.  Do this as many times as needed (at least twice; I dipped three times) to completely cover the button in beads.

Certainly, you don’t have to limit this to buttons.  Why not a brooch, earrings, or a fancy-pants cocktail ring?  This is so quick and easy that you’d think Sara came up with it!