I received a special card last birthday, and it has been making it's way around my house ever since. First it was on my kitchen windowsill, then it was on our desk, and finally with my earrings in the closet. It's always made me smile and, after having one of those days last week where smiles felt a little harder to come by, I decided it needed a more permanent place of honor. And some buttons.

I created a frame by first tracing the card onto cereal box cardboard. I added a half an inch border around the outside of the card tracing, then I measured and drew a fourth of an inch border on the inside of the card tracing. Next, using the outside border line as a guide, I cut the frame from the cardboard. Using the cut-out piece as a template, I cut a second piece from the cardboard to use a backing for the piece.

These are all three of my pieces- the card, the front piece, and the back piece. I cut out the inside portion of my frame next, making sure not to cut beyond my inner border lines. I then got out my glue gun and glued my card inside of the front piece. Finally, I glued the front piece to the back piece, including a loop for hanging on the top inside edge.

 

 

Then we got to play with hot glue and buttons! Well, Mama played with the hot glue and Isia played with the buttons (wink). We began with big buttons, and Isia was a big help picking them out then handing them to Mama to glue on. It was a great time to practice identifying sizes- little, big- as well as all of the colors. When we finally had all our layers just right....

  

it was time to take one last picture before hanging it over my closet mirror. It's been a great comfort to see it throughout my day, especially during my inevitable clothing changes due to nursing, diaper explosions, and potty training. Sometimes, especially when faced with frustration, my heart can start to feel small, and it's wonderful to be reminded that it's not. Especially when the reminder is framed in buttons!