I’ve been planning to take a photo of Eleanor each month, and I wanted a way to mark each one for easy identification. I ran across a prize-ribbon tutorial recently, and I was going to make one but I didn’t have the right kind of ribbon. Sure, I could have gone out and bought some, but I had a sleeping baby in the house and a desire to make something now. I ended up rummaging through my craft closet for supplies that I had on hand and I came up with a felt version instead.
First I cut two matching circles out of pink and white felt.
Then I cut a slightly larger circle out of brown felt with pinking shears (using one of my pocket mirrors as a template).
Next I marked an asterisk pattern on the pink felt circle, stacked it on top of the white circle, and then cut out eight triangular points.
I chose a few cute ribbons to form the tails…
Then I hand stitched all of my parts together and formed the body of the pin.
I could have stopped there or sewn a button in the center if I just wanted to make a cute pin, but I wanted to be able to change the center each month for Eleanor’s age (in months). Since I have ready access to a button machine (I make pins and magnets with it for my shop), I decided to make 24 numbered buttons. May as well make this a two year photo project, eh?
Now I can just swap out the center each month and Eleanor can wear the correct number on the pin each month for her photo!
Erin
May 26, 2009 at 10:46 amThis. Is. Awesome. You’d better start making a ton of these because I predict you will get lots of requests for purchase. Thanks for sharing and making this look easy!
Chelsea
May 26, 2009 at 10:53 amThis is such a cute idea! I can’t wait to see the series of shots.
Benita
May 26, 2009 at 10:58 amOh, I was afraid the numbers where her age in years :) I though, Oh my, she’s not going to love having her picture taken like that at 16… Haha! But it’s such a good idea!!
At Home with Kim Vallee
May 26, 2009 at 11:13 amIt is bright idea. And the finished product is awesome.
Holly
May 26, 2009 at 11:32 amAwesome! I would love to buy some for my sister, who had a little boy just a week or so after your daugther was born! Let me know if you sell them!
Julie
May 26, 2009 at 11:36 amYou are so dang creative!! Even more impressive to be that creative & motivated with an infant!
Erica
May 26, 2009 at 11:36 amThis is such a charming idea! I love the end result with the felt, the texture combination with the ribbon is fantastic.
Shannon
May 26, 2009 at 11:53 amGreat idea and very cute. I love your photo project idea. It sounds like you’ll have something wonderfully special to treasure in the end. :)
Audrey
May 26, 2009 at 12:06 pmthis is so cute! and you should definitley take her monthly pictures in the Eames rocker. Those picture would make a great graphic collage once you’re all done!
Carol
May 26, 2009 at 12:13 pmToo cute!! I look forward to seeing her future ribbon-wearing photos.
Kendall
May 26, 2009 at 12:28 pmLovely! I would love to purchase one of these, if you ever want to sell them in your shop!
Melissa
May 26, 2009 at 12:36 pmWhat a cute idea! It will be neat to see the photos that you take each month!
Alexis
May 26, 2009 at 12:37 pmgreat idea. and what fun scissors!
Breanna
May 26, 2009 at 1:10 pmUgh! You are so creative! Love it!
Laura
May 26, 2009 at 1:36 pmVery ingenious! And cute, to boot! Looking forward to seeing Eleanor’s monthly photo!
JB
May 26, 2009 at 1:46 pmOh. Mygosh. I have a 4 mos. old at home, and I can barely manage to read my emails. And our “monthly picture” consists of her in her crib with a hand-scrawled sign. I feel like a bad mom. Sigh.
Cindy
May 26, 2009 at 1:48 pmSuch a great idea! You are so creative and very nice to share all of your ideas. Look forward to the photos each month.
Amanda
May 26, 2009 at 2:07 pmYou’re so crafty and what a wonderful idea! Better get ready, I’m sure you will get a ton of requests for people to purchase this from you :)
Christina
May 26, 2009 at 2:11 pmSo cute!
I’m doing something similar for my son (6wks), but have made a design which is printed on iron-on transfer paper & applied to a onesie.
It’ll be fun to see the progress & watch them grow!
Jane
May 26, 2009 at 2:26 pmDarling! Stash them for birthdays too! I can see a proud 3, 4,5, 6,7 year old wearing that to school on birthdays. Might as well get a lot of bang for your effort!
kelly
May 26, 2009 at 2:33 pmI love to check in on your blog and see your adorable home and family. This such a great idea, I think you should sell something like it in your shop, I would snatch it up in a second!
nicole
May 26, 2009 at 3:03 pmvery clever!
ebeth
May 26, 2009 at 3:18 pmWhat a super cool idea! I am 37 weeks pregnant and am inspired to do the same!
anh-minh
May 26, 2009 at 3:33 pmNicole – YOU ARE BRILLIANT.
Heather
May 26, 2009 at 3:42 pmLOVE THIS!! And yes, you def. should market it for sale too (for us less crafty moms!). :-)
Inspired Events
May 26, 2009 at 3:52 pmI love it!! Damn you are such a crafty woman!! Eleanor is blessed to have you as a mom!!
Katherine
May 26, 2009 at 4:02 pmBrilliant! What a great mom you are! :)
Zoe, Conversation Pieces
May 26, 2009 at 4:17 pmLove your bird scissors :)
molly
May 26, 2009 at 4:37 pmSuch an adorable idea! I can’t wait to see the pictures of Eleanor wearing her lovely ribbons.
Megan
May 26, 2009 at 4:54 pmSo inventive! What a brilliant idea :)
Jessibee
May 26, 2009 at 5:06 pmAdorable! Eleanor is so lucky…she is going to really appreciate this photo project when she is older. Great idea and such a cute pin!
Heidi Jo the Artist
May 26, 2009 at 5:27 pmThese are very neat! Love your blog! :)
I’m curious where you bought your button machine from? I’ve been looking for one to buy recently. Can you switch the plates and do different size buttons with it? If you get a chance, e-mail me: swirlsofcreativity(at)artlover(dot)com
Thanks,
Heidi Jo the Artist
Amy
May 26, 2009 at 6:09 pmToo cute! I only wish I had thought of this when my little one was born. I will have to do this for baby number two. I absolutely love your blog and your style. Congrats on the baby too!
Jessica
May 26, 2009 at 6:55 pmI love every aspect of this…
Now, do you want to make me some of those number pins??
Amy
May 26, 2009 at 7:03 pmThat is so cute!
Kate
May 26, 2009 at 7:33 pmVery cute- where did you get those scissors?
Rebekah
May 26, 2009 at 7:56 pmAdorable- and impressive! I consider myself pretty crafty but I lost my creative drive for months after my lil girl was born.
Bethany
May 26, 2009 at 8:02 pmBest. Idea. Ever.
Katie
May 26, 2009 at 10:46 pmThat’s an awesome idea.. For sure something to put up on your website for sale.
Jennifer Rea
May 26, 2009 at 10:49 pmOh, you have to sell these! I can think of a million friends of mine who would love to give a set as a baby shower gift!
Desiree Fawn
May 26, 2009 at 10:57 pmThat’s such a neat idea for her to wear them like that!
Manda
May 26, 2009 at 11:12 pmGreat idea and such a cute ribbon!
Nicole RJ
May 26, 2009 at 11:12 pmSo dang cute! Wondering how I can sneak a button press purchase pass the Mr…
captain kk
May 27, 2009 at 2:07 amwow.. such a great idea.. wonder if it’s too late to start something similar with my 9month old??? hmm got me thinking :)
Zoe
May 27, 2009 at 2:07 amYou are so clever with this craft and decoration stuff! I don’t know how you do it, but I sure am envious :)
Christina
May 27, 2009 at 3:19 amWhat a wonderful heirloom … I could see you getting it out for each birthday as a great tradition. Don’t stop at months; keep it for the years too.
:)
Good luck on the porch thing.
Christina
Ivory Pearl Interiors
May 27, 2009 at 5:33 amDelightful idea! I love it.
Claire
May 27, 2009 at 6:45 amI have a desire to eat the buttons, they remind me of minstrels! :)
katherine b
May 27, 2009 at 8:37 amAbsolutely adorable! I’d consider offering these in your shop, my sisters would have loved these for their girls!
luuvely
May 27, 2009 at 8:59 amsooooo cute! super creative! makes me want to do something similar for my best friend and her daughter julia who’ll be here shortly! :)
Nuit
May 27, 2009 at 10:08 amOMG Nicole, yoiu are just too cool!
JJB
May 27, 2009 at 10:10 amapropos of nothing, thought i’d share my redecorated china cabinet:http://dancingcommas.blogspot.com/2009/05/our-fancy-cabinet.html
i was so inspired by your dining room hutch makeover that i couldn’t resist trying out a fabric back as well. i love it. thanks for the inspiration!!
Carol
May 27, 2009 at 12:24 pmOkay, that’s so cute it almost hurts.
Becki
May 27, 2009 at 3:04 pmThat is very sweet. Your daughter will love to have this “chart” of her childhood.
Dewi
May 27, 2009 at 6:54 pmYou’re truly amazing, and seriously in the running to be the next Martha Stewart.
I used a yellow post it note on the baby’s shirt with the date scribbled on it for my monthly impromptu photos.
Estelle
May 27, 2009 at 8:18 pmThis is ingenious! You should make these available for purchasing!
Yard Sale Mama
May 27, 2009 at 9:34 pmLove it!! Now I just need a time machine to go back and do that for my kids. Oh yeah, and a nifty button maker :o)
Way to go Crafty Lady!
Karina
May 28, 2009 at 12:08 amOh My Goodness – seriously, you have a brand new baby and you are finding time to actually create things (other than just ideas in your head). I am very impressed. What a fantastic idea. Love the buttons – now, gotta get me one of those machines.
Making it Lovely
May 28, 2009 at 8:20 amI would be happy to make and sell these… if only I had the time! Really though, they aren’t that difficult to make… just time consuming. Try making one if you want one and you may surprise yourself with your crafty abilities!
Oh and for those that asked, I get all of my button machines and parts from American Button Machines.
Selidji
September 20, 2011 at 2:07 pmHi Nicole,
I LOVE your blog! Just came around this post. I recently had a baby boy too and would love do to that each month. I can’t afford a button machine right now do you know where I can purchase some buttons just like yours?
Thanks so much! You inspire me!
leni
May 28, 2009 at 12:12 pmi just discovered your blog a love it! such great ideas!
Travelingmama
May 28, 2009 at 5:42 pmThis is such a sweet idea! BTW- Happy Anniversary too! My husband and I are celebrating 10 years and it is so amazing to spend year after year with someone so special! Wishing you much happiness!
rachel denbow
May 28, 2009 at 7:30 pmFantastic idea! So much cuter than the overstuffed doll version.
Your little one is adorable.
Sue
May 28, 2009 at 8:34 pmwhat a sweet idea! wish I had thought of something like that but mine are 8 and 11 years old now! very cute
birthday girl
May 28, 2009 at 11:46 pmreally, these are just precious… and i love how the pins make it easy to re-use month after month (or year after year)!
Tam
May 29, 2009 at 1:53 amP.s.–all you generous commentors, please support Nicole and don’t forget to VOTE EVERYDAY in the B.H.G. 48 hour challenge–the squeeze for first place is getting close!! IT’S UP TO US!!
kasey
May 29, 2009 at 8:22 amlovely little project.
xo
Erin
May 29, 2009 at 2:11 pmVery Cute and clever!
jodi
May 29, 2009 at 2:52 pmbrilliant!
puglyfeet
May 29, 2009 at 3:38 pmThank you for this. I’ve been searching all over for a good tutorial and yours is very easy to follow.
moderneve
May 29, 2009 at 5:13 pmthis is idea is fabulous!
Briana
June 1, 2009 at 2:16 pmWOW, what a fantastic idea! If you had any idea how seriously obsessed my 3 1/2 year old son is with numbers….
We have a little girl due in a month, and this might be a great way for him to be involved in tracking how old she is. So cute! Thanks for the idea.
Virginia
June 3, 2009 at 12:41 pmOo, I second (third? fourth?) the previous posters – I would love if you offered these in your shop! Looking forward to seeing the cute cute photos!
Kate
June 5, 2009 at 12:22 amOh.my.gosh! Nicole, please please pretty please tell me where you got your bird scissors! They are to die for!
And Eleanor is such a doll. What a fabulous idea for her baby photos.
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Briana
June 8, 2009 at 2:38 pmThanks for the idea! I didn’t make exactly this, but did end up making a series of number magnets for my 3 year old with a friend’s button maker, and my son drew some pictures and we made buttons for his Grandma’s 62nd birthday too! Fun stuff.
Deena
June 16, 2009 at 9:43 amWhat a great idea!
Erin
June 26, 2009 at 8:42 amSo cute! Wish I would have done something like this for my kiddos! Enjoy her! She’s beautiful!
Shoshana
June 30, 2009 at 10:51 pmYour blog and daughter is adorable. I am going to add you on my design blog http://www.loveyourroom.blogspot.com. thanks for sharing.
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Debbie
September 1, 2009 at 10:20 amWhat a wonderful idea! I am trying to scrapbook my daughter’s baby pictures. And it is really hard to tell the age in some of the pictures. Wish I had thought of this or even a hand scrawled sign like JB used.
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