Tuesday, November 16, 2010

25 Days of Hand Crafted Gifts and Ornaments - Vintage Charm Push Pins

Today I have another gift idea that would be super for anyone on your gift list...Vintage Charm Push Pins.  This is also another "Green" gift idea....you can recycle soooo many cool little bits and turn them into some way cool classy push pins for the bulletin board.

Now for this tutorial I am using Vintage Earrings and Broaches because I have a nice collection I won on ebay!  You can also find lots of earrings and pins at garage sales, flea markets, second hand shops and more.  Heck, you might even have a relative or two that is looking to clean out their jewelry box ;)

25 Days of Gifts & Ornaments - Fancy Push Pins 001

I know what you're thinkin' ~ How can this be for a guy...well, you can use more than just vintage jewelry for these push pins.  Other ideas include: Game Pieces, Foreign or Domestic Coins, Buttons (plain or decorative), faux gemstones, rocks (polished or plain), watch faces, etc.   The possibilities are endless, you may even have everything you need in your stash already!

25 Days of Gifts & Ornaments - Fancy Push Pins 004

Supplies:

Jewelry or other bits (game pieces, buttons, etc.)
Push Pins
Hot Glue Gun
Pliers
Side Cutters

Instructions:

1. If you are using vintage earrings or pins you will need to remove the findings...  I use a pair of pliers and snip off anything that sticks out...be it earring posts, clips, pins, etc.  You want a flat back if possible.

25 Days of Gifts & Ornaments - Fancy Push Pins 002

2. Flat tack pins work best and require no additional steps to use.  However, if you're like me I had the regular dimensional type push pins.  You will need to cut off the upper half of the push pin ~ The plastic cuts easily with a pair of side cutters.    This photo shows a flat push pin, a normal dimensional push pin and a push pin that I cut the top off of.

25 Days of Gifts & Ornaments - Fancy Push Pins 003

3. Place the earring, pin, etc. face down on your work surface; squirt a nice size pile of hot glue in the center.

25 Days of Gifts & Ornaments - Fancy Push Pins 006

4. Immediately press the push pin into the hot glue.  You may want to use pliers for this step...I burnt my finger tips more than once during this step!

25 Days of Gifts & Ornaments - Fancy Push Pins 007

5. Let the glue cool completely ~ if you try to pick it up too soon it will fall out and usually make a stringy mess ;)

25 Days of Gifts & Ornaments - Fancy Push Pins 008

After they have cooled they are ready to use!!!!

25 Days of Gifts & Ornaments - Fancy Push Pins 009

Now how freakin' cool is that?
Fun huh?

If you would like to win an assortment of these pins (not nec. the ones shown in the photo...I have LOTS made) simply post a comment to be entered to win :)

You have until 11-24 to post to be entered to win!

Good Luck Friends!!

44 comments:

  1. Very cool idea Roni! Love the vintage look of these and bet they would look fantastic on a (my) bulletin board, lol!! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great week!

    Hugs,
    Robin

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  2. What a clever idea...LOVE it!

    Bridgette

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  3. What an awesome idea Roni! I've been saving things that I find in the street for years. You know, little things that catch your eye, one earring, small gears, I even have a small pewter wolf. These things would be perfect for this technique. Thank you so much for another super project!

    Elaine Allen

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  4. Those are so cool! What a great idea.

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  5. What a great project. I have lot of little "bits" I could use like this. Thanks for sharing - I am really looking forward to the rest of your "25 Days of Hand Crafted Gifts and Ornaments".

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  6. Way cool. I'm always drawn to vintage jewelry when at antique shops or flea markets.

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  7. awww fantastic, love this idea....

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  8. Thank you for showing these, such a brilliant idea. Annette x

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  9. Gosh what an awesome idea, thanks so much for sharing. I would love to own some of these to make my bulletin board at work pretty!!!

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  10. How cute are those -I have so much vintage/costume jewelry taht I can use for these

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  11. What a clever idea! I really like the idea of using Scrabble tiles...hmm...have a bag upstairs...gotta go!!

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  12. Love them, I make push pins with polymer clay and molds so I have a supply of pins handy. This I hafta do. Thanks.

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  13. Very clever and what a way to dress up a bulletin board! They are awesome.

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  14. Really beautiful idea. I can't wait to try some!

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  15. Cool idea Roni and really you could make the corkboard yourself too for a totally homemade gift. Or you give just the pins to an office mate to enjoy at his/her desk!

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  16. Those are beautiful pushpins! I collect vintage pins and give a little shine and wear them proudly!

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  17. LOVE Them! Thanks so much for the idea... can't wait to raid that box of jewelry I've been collecting just for something like this.Now if you can just help me find an extra few hours.....

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  18. Awesome idea Roni! Love the vintage look! I must get myself to some garage sales.

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  19. This is really a nice idea Roni! So easy to make too! Love it!!

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  20. Omigosh, I am going to make MYSELF some of these for Christmas!! You are brilliant! I have such a pile of pretties i've been too lazy to do anything with, and aside from the inevitable finger burns, these look easy peasy! :OD

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  21. What an extremely FUN and easy idea! I have lots of little trinkets lying around that could be used in this project. Thanks for the inspiration and the giveaway, Roni!

    --Mina

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  22. Nice! thanks for the idea of reusing old earrings.

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  23. Fabulous idea - easy to make (by the sounds of it) and they look fab! TFS

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  24. What a super cool idea. I dont wear brooches but I like this idea of another way to use something pretty!!

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  25. Wow, these Vintage Charm Push Pins are such great beauty! Love its Vintagey look!

    And thanks for sharing such great tips!

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  26. Thanks for the great idea and tutorial.

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  27. Awesome!
    Before using hot glue put a little lotion on your hands. It stops the hot glue from sticking/burning you!
    Crystal

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  28. I love these push pins using vintage jewelry. Very clever!!

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  29. I just finished 20 similar right before i read your blog - used large old buttons and put cool vintage smaller buttons on top and then glued a magnet on the back for fridge magnets. Your idea of push pins is neat too - will have to find some more old buttons.

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  30. What an awesome idea Roni!! I love the idea of using game pieces for masculine ones! Wow, I need to rummage through all my goodies to see what I can use to make some!

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  31. I love the simplicity of this project. Your generous giveaway makes it even sweeter.

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  32. I love this idea. Very simple yet pretty.

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  33. Wow, these are gorgeous, such a great idea to bring out these bits and bobs and enjoy them! I just love all things vintage. :)

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  34. Brilliant, great 'modern' usage on vintage items that nobody wears these days

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  35. Hello Roni, First, THANK YOU so much for your time and talents invested in giving us these 25 days of awesome ideas for Christmas gifts! These items are great, easy to do, and make awesome gifts. I love the old jewelry idea for push pins. Looking at your stash of old jewelry pieces reminds me of my childhood looking into my mom's dresser where she kept all of her precious jewelry pieces in little boxes. And the 'trouble' I would get into for playing dress up with them sometimes! LOL WIsh I had her collection now- making those pins would be even more special. But she has long ago passed on and her things were sold in a big auction while I was off at college. Oh well....

    Anyway - I would love to win some of these fun items to turn into push pins. And, I just learned how to make fabric roses and flowers and am thinking you could also use some of these for the flower centers... or perhaps use hot glue and a big brad - to fix them to a special card? Have you tried that one?

    I have to say I love your blog and of all the ones I follow - only yours is at the top of my Google home page. Cause I never want to miss your entires. I have learned so much from you over the past year!

    Thank you so much for sharing! I am/was a quilter and fiber artist but in the past two years, have greatly expanded my interests to include card art stamping and now mix-media stuff... I just love it all. And so much i have learned from you.

    I have tried many times to leave comments but I can never get the word verification correct! Even tonight, this is my 12th attempt and it keeps telling me I have entered the wrong characters - or they didn't match the word verification. After a while I just give up! This is my LAST TRY - (13th)!

    Blessings for sharing your talents with all of us!

    Mary
    p.s. and by the way, SCS has no idea what they are missing - in giving you such a hard time. But we followers are just all the more blessed for your continuation of your blog! Thanks!!!

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  36. OMG! You my friend, are a freakin' GENIUS! This is so cool! I can't wait to surprise my friends with some of these! ( Just as soons I find some yummy jewels)

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  37. OMG Roni, I looove your project. I wish I would have seen this before. A few weeks ago I gave all my mother's old brooches to a shelter, I didn't know what to do with them...I think I'll cry... Thanks for the opportunity to win this great blog candy!

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  38. I love those vintage pins. You have such great ideas!! I'm always on the lookout for little bits and peices. I walk around looking down at the pavement just in case I find something I can use :)

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  39. Judith congrats on winning the push pins!

    Roni you have given me the best idea for a Christmas stocking stuffer! My son is a huge Scrabble player & I have some old Scrabble tiles that I've saved & used to personalize picture frames. I'm going to use some of the ones I have left to make push pins (using your instructions)for his office! Thanks for a great project that doesn't even require me to buy a thing! Can't beat that!

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  40. Love, my new grandbaby is named London, I am going to make a her a board and make it Paris style these push pins would look great on it. thanks. hope I win.

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Thanks for your thoughts and comments!