DIY Planner Clips from Recycled Craft Pins, Buttons, and Jewelry

Do you have a collection of old promo or band button pins from back in the day or from the last event you went to that you are not likely to wear but still make you smile? Well, why not make some planner clips for your new favorite planner?

In addition to fun slogan pins, I have a stash of clothing buttons and single earrings that I thought would also be fun to make planner clips with.

These couldn’t be easier to make.

All you need is your stash of buttons, charms, earrings, etc.

-a bunch of paper clips

-some sheet foam, I used silver glitter

-hot glue

The foam is used to build up the space on the back of the pin.

Simply cut pieces to fill in all the space or half of it as the paper clip only goes up half way.

Once you have the back filled in enough so that the paper clip will extend straight out from behind the pin, hot glue it in place, making sure if there is an image or type it is upright.

Next, cut another piece of the glitter foam just smaller than the pin to cover the paper clip.

Repeat this second step after you glue a paper clip to the buttons, earrings, or other jewelry pieces to give them a nice finished look and for added strength and durability.

If your earrings still have backs on them, clip off the extra hardware with wire cutters or I have found that if you bend them back and forth they generally will pop right off.

If you want to use a button with a shank and it is not easily concealed between the paper clip, the shank can be easily clipped off as well with a button shank cutter.

I’m also thinking about using some of my promo buttons as a base to decoupage fabric over or paint tiny paintings. They make a great tiny surface.

Stefanie Girard is a crafter with a re-purpose. She has been cutting stuff up since she was old enough to hold a pair of scissors in her tiny hands. She earned her degree in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and move to Los Angeles to work in the entertainment industry first as a Set Decorator and Prop Master then onto TV Producer specializing in How-To TV shows for HGTV and the DIY Networks. After writing 5 craft books for the Quarto Publishing Group she now spreads the crafty word online through book reviews and original projects with a focus on recycled elements at SweaterSurgery.blogspot.com.