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!
85 comments
Debbie
What 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.
Shoshana
Your blog and daughter is adorable. I am going to add you on my design blog http://www.loveyourroom.blogspot.com. thanks for sharing.
Erin
So cute! Wish I would have done something like this for my kiddos! Enjoy her! She’s beautiful!
Deena
What a great idea!
Briana
Thanks 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.
Kate
Oh.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.
Virginia
Oo, 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!
Briana
WOW, 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.
moderneve
this is idea is fabulous!
puglyfeet
Thank you for this. I’ve been searching all over for a good tutorial and yours is very easy to follow.
jodi
brilliant!
Erin
Very Cute and clever!
kasey
lovely little project.
xo
Tam
P.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!!
birthday girl
really, these are just precious… and i love how the pins make it easy to re-use month after month (or year after year)!
Sue
what a sweet idea! wish I had thought of something like that but mine are 8 and 11 years old now! very cute
rachel denbow
Fantastic idea! So much cuter than the overstuffed doll version.
Your little one is adorable.
Travelingmama
This 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!
leni
i just discovered your blog a love it! such great ideas!
Making it Lovely
I 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
Hi 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!
Karina
Oh 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.
Yard Sale Mama
Love 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!
Estelle
This is ingenious! You should make these available for purchasing!
Dewi
You’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.
Becki
That is very sweet. Your daughter will love to have this “chart” of her childhood.
Carol
Okay, that’s so cute it almost hurts.
JJB
apropos 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!!
Nuit
OMG Nicole, yoiu are just too cool!
luuvely
sooooo cute! super creative! makes me want to do something similar for my best friend and her daughter julia who’ll be here shortly! :)
katherine b
Absolutely adorable! I’d consider offering these in your shop, my sisters would have loved these for their girls!
Claire
I have a desire to eat the buttons, they remind me of minstrels! :)
Ivory Pearl Interiors
Delightful idea! I love it.
Christina
What 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
Zoe
You are so clever with this craft and decoration stuff! I don’t know how you do it, but I sure am envious :)
captain kk
wow.. such a great idea.. wonder if it’s too late to start something similar with my 9month old??? hmm got me thinking :)
Nicole RJ
So dang cute! Wondering how I can sneak a button press purchase pass the Mr…
Manda
Great idea and such a cute ribbon!
Desiree Fawn
That’s such a neat idea for her to wear them like that!
Jennifer Rea
Oh, 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!
Katie
That’s an awesome idea.. For sure something to put up on your website for sale.
Bethany
Best. Idea. Ever.
Rebekah
Adorable- and impressive! I consider myself pretty crafty but I lost my creative drive for months after my lil girl was born.
Kate
Very cute- where did you get those scissors?
Amy
That is so cute!
Jessica
I love every aspect of this…
Now, do you want to make me some of those number pins??
Amy
Too 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!
Heidi Jo the Artist
These 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
Jessibee
Adorable! Eleanor is so lucky…she is going to really appreciate this photo project when she is older. Great idea and such a cute pin!
Megan
So inventive! What a brilliant idea :)
molly
Such an adorable idea! I can’t wait to see the pictures of Eleanor wearing her lovely ribbons.
Zoe, Conversation Pieces
Love your bird scissors :)
Katherine
Brilliant! What a great mom you are! :)
Inspired Events
I love it!! Damn you are such a crafty woman!! Eleanor is blessed to have you as a mom!!
Heather
LOVE THIS!! And yes, you def. should market it for sale too (for us less crafty moms!). :-)
anh-minh
Nicole – YOU ARE BRILLIANT.
ebeth
What a super cool idea! I am 37 weeks pregnant and am inspired to do the same!
nicole
very clever!
kelly
I 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!
Jane
Darling! 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!
Christina
So 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!
Amanda
You’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 :)
Cindy
Such a great idea! You are so creative and very nice to share all of your ideas. Look forward to the photos each month.
JB
Oh. 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.
Laura
Very ingenious! And cute, to boot! Looking forward to seeing Eleanor’s monthly photo!
Breanna
Ugh! You are so creative! Love it!
Alexis
great idea. and what fun scissors!
Melissa
What a cute idea! It will be neat to see the photos that you take each month!
Kendall
Lovely! I would love to purchase one of these, if you ever want to sell them in your shop!
Carol
Too cute!! I look forward to seeing her future ribbon-wearing photos.
Audrey
this 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!
Shannon
Great idea and very cute. I love your photo project idea. It sounds like you’ll have something wonderfully special to treasure in the end. :)
Erica
This is such a charming idea! I love the end result with the felt, the texture combination with the ribbon is fantastic.
Julie
You are so dang creative!! Even more impressive to be that creative & motivated with an infant!
Holly
Awesome! 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!
At Home with Kim Vallee
It is bright idea. And the finished product is awesome.
Benita
Oh, 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!!
Chelsea
This is such a cute idea! I can’t wait to see the series of shots.
Erin
This. 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!
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