When my middle son Stéphane was in elementary school, he made me a heart-shaped brooch which was adorned with buttons. For years every single time I wore that brooch, people stopped me and commented on how pretty it was. That brooch was one of my most cherished possessions. Then I lost it. Heartbreaking. What’s a mom to do? Well try to recreate it of course!
The brooch was constructed on a stock wooden heart form, readily available from any craft store, with buttons glued on top. I have made dozens of these for gift giving over the years. I paint the unfinished wooden heart black so the buttons stand out more. I use a small diameter hot glue gun to adhere the buttons on top and to secure a brooch fastener, also from the craft store, on the back. You could use regular wood glue as well if working with young children on this project.
Decide on your design in advance so you can work quickly while gluing. You can incorporate loose pearls or other gems with the buttons. Select buttons of different sizes and heights. Overlap them so you can create an interesting design. The possibilities are endless! Glue the buttons on the front first and when the front is dry, add the fastener to the back last, so your pin lays flat as you work.
For this blog post, I created an all white and gold brooch incorporating a dangling pearl earring that had lost its match as an adornment with the buttons.

The wooden heart form, painted black with acrylic paint. It can be left unfinished or painted any other color. The brooch fastener is to the left and will be glued to the back of the brooch. A variety of buttons, loose pearls and a single earring are all ready to be used in designing a new brooch.

My button box full of buttons passed on from my children’s great great German grandmother, a gifted seamstress. Strewn in there are various broken jewelery odds and ends.

My latest creation with the pearl earring on the tip of the heart. Buttons, a hat pin clock face and loose pearls all make for a unique design. This brooch ends up having some real gems among the buttons, a good way to recycle old jewelery into new designs!
Although I have worn my own heart-shaped button brooch creations many times, I only occasionally receive a compliment on them. Somehow I think it was the love of a small child for his mom that captured the eye and heart of admirers of that first brooch. That love continues to live in my heart, if not in the brooch itself. Do you have a favorite keepsake created with love for you?

That little boy, now a college Junior, at his recent 21st birthday, still capturing his maman’s heart.
This is so nice! Love the photo of the two of you! He looks like a sweetie!
He is a sweetie Natascha! Thank you.💕
😙😙😙👍👍👍
Aww, what a sweet post Johanne, love it! The picture of you and your son says it all, how very appropriate, just in time for V-Day too! He’s a good looking lad, your son 🙂
Aww Loretta, you are melting my heart although not the snow! We are still not plowed out! Our street just got cleaned late last night. Hope you are enjoying your special storm provisions! 🍷💕😱❄️
I Johanne, you always have such nice stories to tell and your projects are always very inspiring.
Today, I might have a tip for you, not to loos a beloved brooch easily: Take a wider seized rubber band and cut a little piece out (maybe about 5 mm). Then place your brooch where you want it, stick the needle through the fabric and through the rubber band. Then close it like you normally would do. This way even when the needle opens, the brooch will not fall down since the rubber prevents the needle from slipping through the fabric.
Hope you will be “freed” soon and can enjoy the beauty of the snow.
Thank you for that tip Helga! Love it and will try it. I wear a lot of brooches!
I just love this idea! And I think we’re going to do this as a family craft on Friday. It will be part of celebrating my daughter’s birthday. She just turned four and LOVES hearts!
So exciting to know this! Send me some pictures of the finished products! Happy 4th birthday to your daughter!🎂 💕❤️💕
Johanne Lamarche
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Will do. 🙂
Hey, you made one of those for me and it is in the chest by front door. I love the pretty all white broach with the dangling pearl. And those wonderful photos too! Will Stephane get feedback from his FB friends???
Sent from my iPhone
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Not sure if Stephane’s friends will see it as they are not my FB friends and wouldn’t know about the post unless he told them. Hope you still like your pin! I upped my game to make the pearl one for print! 💝
Johanne Lamarche
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What a sweet story. …And very pretty jewelry.. -Liz
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Thank you Liz! You probably have one of these pins from your boys too. We ffinally got plowed…24 hours after you and only one half of the driveway. Said he had 40 more houses to get to and just got enough cleared so we could get the cars out. Crazy!
I have a faux tennis bracelet that she picked out for me. She thought it was real diamonds when she was abut 5. I still wear it. So sad you lost your original brooch. I love the wones that you made, especially the one with the pearl earring.
That is a heartwarming story Julie! Special memories.
What a lovely post! I also have a junior in college!
Thank you! We are dating ourselves aren’t we?
Love those photos of your and your son, they’re lovely xx
Aww thanks Elaine. We shall see if he thinks so too!! Doesn’t read me but I did forward this one.
Good luck x
How sweet!! Love the button brooch! And don’t they grow up too fast?! Love the photos of you with your son 🙂 🙂
Thanks Linda! It’s not often I sneak one of my kids in the blog but I couldn’t resist! Have a good week! ❄️