Button Magnets

As women, we tend to fall into 2 categories when returning home with a new clothing purchase (such as a sweater or pants): those who take the extra button and throw it immediately in the garbage, knowing there is no chance in h*ll that we will ever make use of it; and those who carefully store the extra button in a safe place, knowing full well we will never actually sew it o to anything!

Quite honestly, what is the likelihood that a. we keep a sweater or pants in use long enough that we lose a button and b. upon losing said button, that we can actually locate the original match? Now, I was a mathlete in high school and should be able to calculate that probability. However, it makes my brain hurt and I’m going to go with my gut: slim to never.

So here’s your solution to all of those extra (and sometimes fun?) buttons: button magnets. Who wants the bank or insurance magnet on the fridge? Or the taxi service? Ok, so they’re useful, but let’s face it, they’re not pretty!

Needs:

Hot Glue Gun

½” Diameter Magnets (about 8-10, from your local hardware store)

Buttons (either your extras or from a local notions store, such as Jo-Ann’s, Les Fabriques or Fabrics Unlimited)

Old newspaper

Time: 5 minutes!

Instructions: Set the old newspaper under your work area and plug in the hot glue gun. Once the glue is hot (give it a test squeeze, it should come out easily; wipe off the “test squeeze” onto old newspaper), put a small glue dot in center of magnet and press button to glue, right side facing up. Repeat until finished and voilà you are done! Makes for a fun and inexpensive gift to someone, or it simply adds color to your refrigerator.  Here are mine:

I must give credit where credit is due: the original idea came from none other than the great Martha Stewart (circa 1996, oldschool).