You don’t have to be a tree hugger to love this tutorial, although it does make a great Earth Day craft! Whip up this DIY button art project for a playroom or baby’s nursery using our free template.
Under all the glitter, hot glue and pom poms, we’re kind of hippies around here. We cloth diaper. We compost. We drink weird concoctions that taste like weed soup when we’re sick.
So it should come as no surprise that I think Earth Day deserves its own craft tutorial. And while this button art is a perfect Earth Day craft, it can also live in your home year round without sticking out like a tie-dye peace flag. I think it’d be a super fun DIY art project for a nursery, craft room or a kitchen nook. (And this tree is quite drought-resistant, too. Har. Har. Har.)
This tutorial is easy enough that your kids can make their own versions alongside you if they’re old enough to wield glue with a little bit of precision. (We are most definitely not there yet in this house. Someone would be choking on a button long before we even got the lid off the glue anyhow.)Â
I created a free tree silhouette template for you to download and it’s waiting patiently for you in the subscriber’s Vault. Enter your email address in the pink and green box at the bottom of this post to gain instant access. Alternatively, you can make button art with any simple shape you find by printing it and tracing the silhouette onto your wood.
EARTH DAY CRAFTÂ SUPPLIES
For your button-arranging convenience, this post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting M&DC!
• tree and bird silhouette template (Enter your email address below to gain instant access.) • 14×10.5″ piece of wood (If you don’t have access to a saw, Home Depot or Lowes will cut wood for you for about 25 cents per cut. Or you can simply buy one like this on Amazon.) • pencil • tacky glue • small paintbrush or a Q-tip to apply the glue to the buttons • buttons (If you don’t have an epic button stash, you can buy packs of buttons from Amazon, Walmart or a craft store. The more variety, the better. (These came from Walmart and cost about $8 total.) • swatches of patterned paper for the birds (Use the ones I’ve included in the downloadable template or get your own scrapbook paper. You want something that contrasts with your buttons. Too similar and the birds will get lost.) • a picture hanger and small hammer to attach it • acrylic paint for the edges of the board (optional)
1. Print the tree silhouette template and cut it out. You can also use any shape you’d like. Just search “____ silhouette” to find a shape that fits your fancy.
2. Lightly trace the silhouette onto your wood.
3. Use the bird template to cut your birds out of your chosen paper. Loosely decide where you’d like them to live in the tree. Don’t glue them down quite yet.
4. Beginning at one edge and slightly overlapping your pencil line, glue your buttons down. Be careful not to use too much glue so it doesn’t seep out of the button holes. I used a Q-tip to apply the glue to each button.
5. When the buttons approach a bird, nestle the bird in amid the buttons in a way allows the buttons to snuggle in close. I found that using smaller buttons near the birds helped with this.
6. If you’d like, paint the edges of your board for a little pop of color.
7. Apply a picture hanger to the back of your wood board.
There you go! Plop your button art up on the wall and sit back to admire it’s textured niftiness. Happy Earth Day!
If you’re into making DIY wall art, here are a few other tutorials you might like:
ooo I love button art!! So cute! the birds in the tree are adorable! Thanks for linking up to Tasteful Tuesdays! love it! Really appreciate you stopping by my blog! I’m trying to keep in better touch with my linkers/readers… If you already follow me, please let me know I will find your blog on Bloglovin (I’m transferring my follows there)if you don’t follow in any way, would you consider following via GFC or other method? http://www.nap-timecreations.com
[…] box filled with miscellaneous buttons. What should we do with all these random buttons? In comes Easy Button Art by D.I.Y. Jess, who finds a use for these little guys beyond a needle and thread. The next time I […]
I think using canvas is a great idea! As much as I love to use power tools, I’m all for simplifying things and I think canvas is a great alternative to wood.
Love this, I’ve always wanted something for my room because it’s a bit messy and just full of random pictures and drawings that really shouldn’t be on show. But, thankyou so much, I love the idea!!!
[…] favorite craft projects are those that take something mundane, utilitarian or used up and transform it into something beautiful. Well, my friends, it […]
[…] I am, here are more projects to try: DIY Popsicle Stick Hexagon Shelves Coffee Stirrer DIY Wall Art Easy Button Art (so sweet for a nursery!) Inspirational Wall Art Using Quotes .rad_rapidology […]
Thanks Ananda! You’re such a plant whiz, perhaps sometime we should team up and I’ll grow something out of buttons and you can grow something out of actual seeds and dirt 😉
This is super cute! I love the addition of the birds to your button tree. I am always looking for fun uses for our buttons since we always seem to have an abundance of them!
We do too, Celeste! I’ve always been hesitant to “use them up” because I kept thinking I’d find an AMAZING use for all of them. But then I just decided I needed to create the amazing use for them.
PS. I freaking love your idea for an interchangeable wreath. That is genius!
I have more buttons than I will ever use but not many green ones. I think since I have some green dye I will try to dye some of my hundreds of white buttons. I know this can be done I just haven’t tried it before. Wish me luck.
29 Comments
Monica
March 25, 2013 at 4:05 pmOo, I love this! I am always looking for DIY wall art ideas, and this one is great! 🙂
♥♥Monica
mon makes things
Make and Do Girl
March 26, 2013 at 1:50 pmThanks Monica! I’m always looking for reasons to buy buttons 🙂
Katherine of Aurora Spitfire
March 26, 2013 at 3:35 pmI officially love this! I’m already brainstorming what I want to make!
Make and Do Girl
March 29, 2013 at 11:20 amAwesome! I’d love to see a pic when you make your masterpiece.
Happy crafting!
j
Emily
March 28, 2013 at 2:56 amooo I love button art!! So cute! the birds in the tree are adorable! Thanks for linking up to Tasteful Tuesdays! love it! Really appreciate you stopping by my blog! I’m trying to keep in better touch with my linkers/readers… If you already follow me, please let me know I will find your blog on Bloglovin (I’m transferring my follows there)if you don’t follow in any way, would you consider following via GFC or other method?
http://www.nap-timecreations.com
Make and Do Girl
March 29, 2013 at 11:21 amEmily,
I’m officially your newest Facebook follower 🙂
j
CJ @ Knitworked Yarns
March 28, 2013 at 7:00 amThis is such a great idea!! Would be super cute as you said for a nursery :).
Make and Do Girl
March 29, 2013 at 11:19 amThanks CJ! That’s exactly where I think it’ll end up!
j
Michelle
March 30, 2013 at 3:27 amI love the little birdies! So cute.
Make and Do Girl
April 1, 2013 at 8:35 amTweet, tweet! Happy Spring, Michie!
xo
j
Cute as a Button Art | Shimmeroo
May 27, 2013 at 7:00 am[…] box filled with miscellaneous buttons. What should we do with all these random buttons? In comes Easy Button Art by D.I.Y. Jess, who finds a use for these little guys beyond a needle and thread. The next time I […]
Penny
November 5, 2013 at 11:44 amLove your button art! I am wondering if this would work on canvas as well?
Make and Do Girl
November 5, 2013 at 12:57 pmHey Penny,
I think using canvas is a great idea! As much as I love to use power tools, I’m all for simplifying things and I think canvas is a great alternative to wood.
Happy gluing!
j
Felicity
May 3, 2014 at 7:58 amLove this, I’ve always wanted something for my room because it’s a bit messy and just full of random pictures and drawings that really shouldn’t be on show. But, thankyou so much, I love the idea!!!
Laurie
December 31, 2015 at 12:33 amThis is adorable! Love it! Please look for your feature at next weeks Brag About It! Happy New Year to you!
~Laurie
Brag About It Link Party | VMG206 - VMG206
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January 24, 2016 at 8:02 pm[…] I am, here are more projects to try: DIY Popsicle Stick Hexagon Shelves Coffee Stirrer DIY Wall Art Easy Button Art (so sweet for a nursery!) Inspirational Wall Art Using Quotes .rad_rapidology […]
ananda
April 4, 2016 at 10:09 pmhappy earth day jess!! you are so AMAZING!!! such a gorgeous and creative work of art, i LOVE it!!!!!!!!!! xo
Jess @ Make and Do Crew
April 5, 2016 at 10:18 pmThanks Ananda! You’re such a plant whiz, perhaps sometime we should team up and I’ll grow something out of buttons and you can grow something out of actual seeds and dirt 😉
Celeste
April 11, 2016 at 9:30 amThis is super cute! I love the addition of the birds to your button tree. I am always looking for fun uses for our buttons since we always seem to have an abundance of them!
Jess @ Make and Do Crew
April 11, 2016 at 8:16 pmWe do too, Celeste! I’ve always been hesitant to “use them up” because I kept thinking I’d find an AMAZING use for all of them. But then I just decided I needed to create the amazing use for them.
PS. I freaking love your idea for an interchangeable wreath. That is genius!
tymothy bradley
May 14, 2016 at 1:21 amWow Impressive! I do not think all of this is wonderful. I was so inspired by the content of your blog. thanks. maybe one day I can try.
Jess @ Make and Do Crew
May 17, 2016 at 9:09 pmTymothy,
Give it a whirl, friend! You can do it! And let me know if you have any questions. I’m here to help!
Jess
iman fatah
December 26, 2016 at 10:51 pmWooooow, thats amazing diy. thanks for sharing jess. I will make it latter for my bedroom wall decoration.
Nice..
Jess @ Make and Do Crew
December 29, 2016 at 3:23 pmAwesome! I hope you enjoy it!
toko bunga
February 11, 2017 at 12:03 pmGreat idea… I love it! Thanks for sharing
Linda
June 28, 2017 at 1:10 pmI have more buttons than I will ever use but not many green ones. I think since I have some green dye I will try to dye some of my hundreds of white buttons. I know this can be done I just haven’t tried it before. Wish me luck.
Jess @ Make and Do Crew
July 16, 2017 at 3:31 pmThat’s a cool idea, Linda! I never thought of dying buttons!