First, grab some card board. Now it doesn't have to be fancy card board, just reasonably thick. You could even go to your pantry and rip up the box from the cookies you've been dying to polish off!
One side of your card you might want blank, (the inside if your using that cookie box!) Now if you've got card that's waxy on one side you'll want to use that side for this next bit.
Second, grab some little things like beads or small, I mean tiny, shells or semi-precious gems.
You may have some lying around from previous craft projects, if not, get creative, go into the garden and find some pebbles from the soil or even raid the kitchen drawer and ball up bits of foil, don't worry about the healthy grilled chicken you had planned for tonight, it'll wait!
Third, and now for the fun part! Get some glue like Aquadhere (this is only available in Australia, but any clear drying glue will work) something that will set clear, and squeeze a dollop on the side of card you want as the seen side of your brooch. The dollop should be the size and shape you want your brooch to be. Sprinkle randomly or arrange with painstaking precision the little things you found before so they are set in the glue. (It's really up to you!)
Fourth, waiting, and waiting and waiting. If you used Aquadhere you might have to wait a couple of days for the glue to dry, depending on the thickness of it, and the temperature of where you are. When the glue has set cut around the edge of the glue and there will be the main body of your brooch.
Fifth, use clear nail polish to varnish the back of the brooch. Alternately you could use the glue you used, but then you you will have more drying time, or you could even use, say, varnish! For those who reckon it's a good idea why not try egg white?!
Sixth, and the last bit really! Put a bit more glue on the back of the brooch and attach either a safety pin or a brooch back you can buy from most places that sell craft supplies. Depending on what you used in your brooch you may want to varnish the front as well.
For a fun addition to the process, colouring the card with pencils and metallic pens can be really quite eye catching.
Please, above all, enjoy!
By Banshee from Tasmania, Australia
Whether for yourself or as a gift for a friend that sews, this project is sure to create a conversation piece. This is a page about how to make a tape measure flower brooch.
This is a page about how to make a recycled jewelry brooch. These recycled jewelry brooches are the perfect way to repurpose your broken necklaces, single earrings, or even jewelry that you just don't wear anymore.
This is a page about making a vintage lace brooch. This lacy vintage style brooch will go great with just about any outfit.
This is a page about making a ribbon brooch. Use a pretty piece of ribbon and decorative button to make yourself a unique brooch.
You don't need expensive materials to make new jewelry. To make this beautiful brooch, I used a piece of old jeans, a piece of a plastic shampoo bottle, a few beads and crystals.
Don't throw away your empty egg cartons. You can make beautiful roses out of them, then glue them onto an old pin. When painted, the cartons make a beautiful almost canvas-like material. This is one gorgeous upcycled brooch that I think you should try!
Don't throw away your old jeans. Fold a few denim circles, add beads and you will have this original brooch. I like very much the contrast between the raw edge of the denim and the pearlescent color of the beads.
This brooch is easier to make than it looks. Choose your favorite colors in felt and learn how to make this pin using the tutorial on this page. You may already have most of the supplies at home leftover from other projects.
Some scraps of ribbon, cloth, and embellishments are the main supplies needed to make this cute ballet dress brooch. It is sure to please!
Pretty leftover fabric can be upcycled into one of these pretty floral brooches. Just make a yoyo and add a decorative button in the center.
By combining pretty ribbon and cording you can make this no sew brooch. This is a page about how to make a ribbon and cord brooch.
This is a page about making a button brooch. You can make pretty brooches using old recycled buttons or new ones purchased for the project.
This is a page about making an ice lolly badge (brooch). These adorable popsicle brooches are fun to create and would make great gifts.
This is a page about making a zipper flower pin. If you are looking for a fun, creative jewelry project, look into making these pretty zipper pins.
Origami is the art of paper folding. I made this brooch by folding denim from old jeans instead of paper. I used the origami scheme for folding a dove.
You don't need expensive materials for craft projects. I used fish scales to make this brooch. Since I could not decide on the color, I made it multi-colored.
Never discard double-sided fabric scraps, even if they are very small. You can use them to make a great rose brooch.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
What type of backing would I use to make homemade broaches and pins?
By Joy L.
I have seen them made on plain, large round buttons. I think that would be the easiest, with nothing to cut, trim, or shape. Then you glue or attach whatever you make the brooch from, and attach the fastener to the back of the button base.
I hope when you get a couple made, that you will be able to post a pic here.
Bet they will come out great! Best of luck to you!
Thanks for the idea, also I was wondering if using clear plastic (such as from placemats) might work?
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I didn't think about using the plastic LOL! You would have to use another type of glue, or JB Weld type of mixture. That sounds like a super idea. You could probably even use the plastic canvas stuff if you have any leftovers.
I think those are going to be super!
I make a lot of pins, and back them with felt. It depends on what you make the fronts from. Some things are heavier and would not work. The buttons sound like a wonderful solution, as well as round or metal wooden disks, and mirror circles. Good luck, and yes, please post. We love to know that our suggestions are used! PBP
Oops...that was suppose to be round metal "or" wooden disks. My bad.
Sounds like you need a pin back? I use the 3/4 to 1 and 1/2 inch pinbacks with closures you can get about anywhere. I use hot glue if it is cloth, paper or felt. Heavy materials may require heavy duty glue.
Look on ebay and You'll find loads of pin backs.
Found an idea for pins that used belt buckles for the basic structure of the pin and added a pin back to the back of it. Glue that can be used on metal is needed however. But it is a good way to use belts you have outgrown or no longer love.
