Customizing Ugly Buttons: 3 Easy Methods!

[@affyre]

For the rusted buttons, you can sand the rust off and prime with a rust blocking primer! I believe Krylon has a few! I used to work for a paint company and had paint that would cover rusted hand rails

[@viewbuster1979]

Soaking rusted materials in vinegar for 24 hours can really help too.

[@nataliegray8019]

Wire brushes work well too if you can't find sandpaper.

[@bullesweet]

If you have a bit of cola you can also use that to remove rust , works wonders

[@CosmicGardener]

Yeah I kept thinking "would rustolium be too thick?"

[@jessicalewoof1180]

Any oil based primer will block out rust

[@hope7317]

i hope it’s not weird, but it makes me really happy to see such a successful person with a family and child still dress in sub cultural fashion like the bright colorful rainbow clothes you wear! i feel like there’s always an expectation that we’ll “grow out of it” or that it’s not adult-like or professional to wear alternative clothes (goth, fairy kei, lolita, scene, etc), so seeing you just live your life wearing that kind of fashion makes me really happy!

[@tsundor1]

i don't think it's weird at all, totally agree with you!

[@Izzy_04]

i decorated an old button using air dry clay! i scratched up the button using a nail file before sculpting and waited a day or two before sanding the surface. it’s still a bit bumpy in some places and it’s a little too heavy to use but it’s cute clutter to have in my room (it’s shaped like giorno giovanna’s ladybug pins for anyone wondering 😁)

[@katherine_rosalita]

Nice Garu pfp

[@leticiamoreira5539]

oooh! i was thinking ab doing giorno's ladybus too :D

[@_MimiTsuki_]

Ahhh that’s such a great idea to make his ladybugs! If I ever decide to cosplay him I’m totally doing this!!

[@brutalbunny]

"cute clutter" is how ill describe my decoration forever ty

[@notdiowo]

i need to see this!

[@Flareontoast]

Additionally to painting and paper, you can also use stickers! They can help cover up spots, too. Sealing afterwards is still important to help it last longer. Maybe you can paint over the edge of the Musharna one, the way people paint over Pokémon cards to expand the picture?

[@crazcatladeestudios9956]

Something that makes me really happy is that babylightful will so often be surrounded by beautiful colours. There are too many people trying to make their home beige and monochrome when they have children, even though they need colour in their life to develop properly. It's good to see the opposite, and know that this child will be surrounded by rainbows (and probably be given the cutest toys) as they grow up

[@candyzombiee]

weird! i was actually talking about the negative psychological effects and philosophical implications of minimalism and “millennial grey” with others just last night!

[@jaidyn259]

THIS!!!!

[@noc7511]

For my people out there who want a cheaper alternative: I've done a lot of just doing a traditional drawing and sticking it in there, just covering it up with boxing tape! They last and are easy to make! And re-use since you can just strip the paper and tape off

[@dinstraction]

yay!! I know you probably get a lot less views on these shorter, other-craft videos, but I really enjoy them! I love seeing what you get up to inbetween bigger projects, and particularly your videos where you sit down to paint or sketch really inspire me a lot!

[@DollyAnna]

I honestly would watch anything Dollightful posts haha

[@nomoretwitterhandles]

I totally agree! Of course we all love the doll repaint videos, but her small (and often educational!) videos are also really fun to watch.

[@DollyAnna]

@@nomoretwitterhandles Totally!

[@kreepykittycreations]

Totally agree 😊 sometimes it's nice to see something a little different 😊❤

[@maskzdartist13]

Same I totally agree ! 💗

[@Sandra-zu4ff]

I feel like using an old nail polish sparkle topper would be a great addition to this process!

[@nickbeilschmidt411]

I love this idea. I have a few glitter polishes I never get around to using on my nails lol

[@venus5355]

yess i always do this! also doubles as a varnish if yr on a budget!!

[@AshAtropos]

I think nail polish does have a tendency to yellow although I am not sure if that's mainly on resin

[@CinnamonRosswell]

@@nickbeilschmidt411make sure its top coat and not regular nail polish

[@nickbeilschmidt411]

@@CinnamonRosswell it can be any kind of nail polish as long as you put some kind of sealant over it after.

[@kannahvivien7525]

For the button at the end with 3d elements; if you don't have access to colored hot glue, you can use regular hot glue and use paint / varnish on top of it too!

[@r.coachman3499]

Oh sweet, thank you for the tip~!

[@kannahvivien7525]

@@r.coachman3499 No problem! Always happy to help out my fellow crafters :3

[@entr3_nou5]

I also saw a guy who "paints" with crayons using a low-heat glue gun, I bet that would work too! Keep in mind tho you need a gun that will ONLY be used with crayons, just like how a dye pot can't be used for cooking

[@Murdermello206]

Im at college, so im always getting pins from clubs and political partys. I usually just plop a sticker on top but your fabric idea is so cool!

[@godismetons]

I have buttons from a fandom where the creator turned out to be a terrible person. So I'm covering these buttons and I love these ideas! Totally gonna use them 😁

[@Velociiraptor]

What fandom?

[@MushroomMayhem]

As much as I love the full, LONG doll videos, I really enjoy these small bites of creativity!! Really gets me thinking about what I can do with my stash. ❤

[@Nightfire613]

You can also go the stickers and modpodge route, sorta like Ruby’s skateboard! I’ve made several custom buttons this way, and its a great way to use cute, but low quality stickers that tend to be thinner and less sticky over time than good stickers. My dad and I love these little Japanese rice candies that come with a sticker in the pack, and I love using those stickers to make buttons because just about perfectly sized, they’re really cute, and they’re something special shared between me and my dad.

[@dishbug]

I LITERALLY HAVE LIKE A WHOLE BAG OF AN AUSTRIAN POLITICAL PARTY PINS I GOT FROM A THRIFT STORE AND THIS WILL BE PERFECT!! AGHRJ been trying to figure out how to customize them and this is LITERALLY WHAT I NEEDED!!! THANK YOU!!!

[@destybuggs9879]

Anywho. Dollightful is always so creative and i respect her so so much. Inspiring 🥺💛💫

[@Batwingx]

🥺

[@sigmamale.39]

I make all of my pins from scratch with shrinky dinks/shrink plastic! ive found that colored pencils work the best for coloring them. You get so much freedom!

[@haruhwa]

i am in a pretty harsh depressive state and dont even have energy to go to a doctor get diagnosed with anything. watching you helps! i realized that during any video of yours i'm forgetting much of the world's stupid occurrences and I am feeling a sense of safety. i'll go get professional help in my due time, but i just wanted you to know that one video at a time you are making me feel better and better.

[@littlekittyblack]

This is such a great idea for a simple craft. So fun so personal so custom so perfect 🥰

[@bradstreet222]

I am not a very smiley person, at least not on my own time, but every time I watch a dollightfuls video I catch myself just grinning. Her energy is so contagious!

[@Cookie.Dough_Goat-2350]

Same! ^^

[@kadajsnightqueen]

I’ve been curious to learn how to do this for years! A lot of my fandoms are pretty niche and/or don’t have a lot of buttons available on this side of the world, and I’d love to make pins to show off my love for them. Thank you so much!!!

[@kadajsnightqueen]

@@paristheninjanerd9699 Hozuki’s Coolheadedness, Hakuoki, Sengoku Basara, Hell Girl, Mononoke, Twisted Wonderland, Baldur’s Gate, and Diabolik Lovers. Getting merch of any sort for these, even just buttons, is SOOO expensive 😭😭😭

[@eekabee]

Doing a base later with something like Rust-Oleum would help the rusted ones last longer.

[@LittleParade_]

THE MUSHARNA BUTTON AAAA I gotta try using a Pokemon card with a button, that's such a cute idea!! 😭💖💖

[@Swoulegard69]

If you plan on making one, just print one off of the internet I beg of you

[@LittleParade_]

@@Swoulegard69 LOL I have hundreds of thousands of junk cards just waiting to become buttons 🤪 I promise you nobody will miss the one common XY-Flashfire Shinx card that is on the chopping block

[@TheDragonMaster-TDM]

@@Swoulegard69 i agree, either print it or use obvious fakes, her tearing the cards made me crumple into an autistic heap

[@goingghost8297]

This is great for punks and alt folks that wanna customize!

[@cloudy_cat11811]

I like the primary colors on the Eevee button because they happen to be the main 3 evolutions! Red for Flareon, yellow for Jolteon, and blue for Vaporeon ✨

[@JackalopecideR]

THANK YOU! I just got a butt load of buttons from a garage sale and I’m ready to give them a makeover

[@marieking2031]

Oh my days that ota-q button just gave me ptsd (owner stole a bunch of money, including mine) so happy to see what you did these, your such a creative soul.

[@inuxxianbread6556]

remembering how i practically watched the channel grow and her vids always keep me entertained

[@TheHolyGemstone]

Oh my gosh, buttons, buttons ,BUTTONS! they all look so cute!

[@pinkolizabeth]

Nice! also a Button collector, this is a good solution other than just throwing them away and them going to waste.

[@Ashar0820]

it’s honestly so amazing to see how creative you can be with products that some people would just throw away, like the rusty buttons! truly an inspiration to the art community *^*

[@emmajumet7367]

Can't believe I never thought "I can customize buttons and make them something appealing" until this video literally told me I can.

[@kasanenakatsukasa213]

I have customized my buttons many times! A few years ago, I didn't do this in the best way, I didn't have the right tools, so I just chose stickers with a pretty design, disassembled the button into two parts and replaced the old paper with a sticker, and then assembled the button back. It looked a little rough and bulky, but I was happy with the result and proudly wore buttons with my favorite anime characters! But several years have passed, I now have a large arsenal for customization, acrylic paints, rhinestones, charms, high-quality glue and varnishes. And just recently I again customized several buttons to attach them to my brand new backpack, I am very proud that one of the buttons turned out with a space pattern and stars, and it is indistinguishable from the factory one! So yeah, thanks for the inspiration and the power of art! 💖

[@FizzyMoonBeam]

Used this on those company pins that you get at pride parades and stuff, really helped! I made a bunch of cute pins of fandoms that you really wouldn't see being sold :)

[@froggymonsta917]

I really love that last heart pin a lot!!! 💙💙💙

[@jiji3730]

I’ve been watching this channel for a while, and after wanting to for ages I finally customized my own doll! So thankful to these videos for inspiring my creativity.

[@wispyspirits2158]

Ahhh!! as a button collector, this is soooo helpful!!! I have this reallllly ugly button I somehow ended up with, and I've been considering just throwing it away, but redesigning it is a WAY better option and more eco-friendly! Thanks, Dollightful!!

[@nomoretwitterhandles]

As much as I LOVE your doll repaint videos, I'm also really enjoying these short and crafty ones! I'd never considered 3D buttons before! (And your other short videos like the neck-peg fixes and the studio tour were really great!)

[@introvertgoblin]

This is such a good idea! I have some tired looking pins that have rusted from the rain so I will try to give them a new face :) It's worth noting that after a while, nail polish will start to chip off so don't use that as your sealer, use a spray sealer for spray paint or something similar :))

[@pipipipurple]

I really like these smaller videos about things besides a doll custom!! Always great to see a video from you, regardless of subject!

[@Rootyshine-enthusiast]

I've missed your videos some much man, I'm glad your still going at it even after all these years!!

[@zanthiablue5254]

customising buttons seems like a great idea for a craft day with friends or with a group. The ability to use scraps and stuff that would otherwise be thrown away makes it affordable, and most of these dont take to long other than the varnish drying

[@umbreonhyperdream]

Green Magikarp brings me joy I'm excited to see wear she goes with the buttons The fabric buttons are my favorite, I really like the electric button and the decorated fabric one

[@Kanji_star]

CUTE PINS AND BUTTONS✨

[@sky_odin]

Omg omg omg DOLLIGHTFUL BUTTONS😍😍😍😍

[@meiiimeiiii]

I never thought about upcycling rusted and old buttons so thank you for making a video about it. The fabric and 3D button reminds me of the button I recently brought at a con that is basically a round plush attached to the button. I think they're called minky button or something.

[@mmmordecai]

Ooh, I'm gonna be on the lookout for cool pics for my boring buttons now

[@PumpkinWitch31]

I love the little jack-o-lantern pin that was in the pin pile. It's so cute!

[@lesahodgkins1674]

Well I know what I am doing with my unloved buttons. I have a habit of saving 99% of thing I can diy and I am glad I know know what I can do with them. Thank you for the great ideas. Your awesome. Oh and FYI. I also t these short clips just as much as the big projects. It is nice to see what kind of little crafts you have going on as well. ❤😊

[@princessSawa]

I'm so happy you didn't erase the eevee, it's so cute!! the new background fits it so well

[@gwencrable7286]

These are so cute and such a great idea to make over not so great buttons. My daughter made buttons of her artwork for an art show she did, but some of them didn't print completely. This is a great way to repurpose them.

[@13thdreamstudio20]

Golly your creativity and love for life and color are so awe-inspiring! I have to confess that your videos are sort of my medication, I am myself an artist and struggle with depression and diagnosed OCD. My thoughts are always taking me to a dark abyss where I take comfort in not producing nor creating anything, as my thought process always convinces me of the futility of even trying, but then, I watch one of your videos and your amazing creations, I am then reminded to create for fun, love and myself. So thank you, for everything truly. You are a beacon in my life.

[@harveysinclair8986]

This is genius. I have so many buttons that I don't wear anymore for various reasons and it never occurred to me that I could customize them and put them back in rotation! Thanks for the guide!

[@mizzuzie3338]

I have a whole bag of boring buttons that I had planned to revamp. Thank you for the push to dig it out and get crafting!

[@Tunanunaa]

Some other ideas to add on: 1. You could print out Pokémon card art to get the design on a paper with the proper thickness. Magazine paper would also work great for paper buttons. 2. Glitter and rhinestones could be used to cover textured areas, or just as fun accents. 3. UV resin over the top could also help you get a smoother finish on top, and protect the surface. 4. Stickers!

[@chibithekat5688]

I feel the new colors for the eevee button kinda represent the first few eeveelutions (Flareon, Vaporeon and Jolteon). Btw, good video!! I will definitely use it on one of my old buttons ^^

[@daniwright7478]

I just lost alot of my friends, I'm in tears right now, but Dollightful's post man... I'm so fucking happy to see them

[@j9_shine]

For just painting over the design I sand the top first just to give it more grip then paint or glue or both! I make tiny button collages, do can do so much with tiny scraps of cute stuff!

[@kaylafultz6082]

I've made 3-D buttons in school by layering colored paper in different colors. You glue them together, and once dry you sand the edges at a 45° angle to slowly show off the colored layers, then hot glue or super glue the pin backing to the back of your pin! Make sure you coat the whole thing in a few layers of arnish of decoupage. You can do any shape, and add a sticker to the top if you want!

[@blackroseknight77]

very cute and creative ideas! I modge podged stickers onto an old button I had laying around. as a creative person dollightfull is always inspiring !

[@jitterbuggs]

i'd love be as bright and colorful as you!! you just look like you leave a trail of sunshine and rainbows wherever you go and that's something i really aspire to do as well!

[@NgtvPlus910]

I like to cover up my pins/buttons with cardstock paper! I like to draw on the designs beforehand, then color in the sides/back with the outline color! I havent tried it yet but i think covering it with clear tape will help the design not bleed when it rains (learned that the hard way..)! Then you just glue it to the pin/button itself, really great results with cheap materials! Love the ideas in this video tho, def will try them out sometime!! 💜

[@TheSmallOne66]

I've decorated so many of my old buttons, I usually put my own design on thin paper like a sticky note. I personally prefer my own design because its something you won't find anywhere else

[@aleymaurizio518]

Gotta love when I catch a video in the first hour

[@Izzy-cp8yt]

These are so cute! Nail polish is one of my favorite things to use as paint, since it dries so quickly and can give such beautiful effects.

[@Bonnie_Mairead]

This is PERFECT, because I just found some old buttons with terrible designs and I didn't know what to do with them!!! ♡♡♡

[@LunaMikkelsenBJD]

Thank you so much for sharing these methods. I can not wait to try that on my own old buttons. The cotton fabric method is my favourite method.

[@Somedude20282]

This is such perfect timing!! I have so many buttons I would never wear outside of the event I got them at (Pride sponsors, career fairs, etc).

[@Wargames50]

These are such cute and fun ideas!! There's definitely a few buttons I have that were well meaning gifts or have just acquired too much rust to use. These are excellent ways to breathe new life into them! Thanks so much!! 😊

[@DollyAnna]

I CANNOT tell you how often I've looked at buttons I dislike and thought "Hmm, I wish there was a way to change them". Why didn't I try? Haha. I especially love the look of the fabric ones. Such a neat idea, thank you! PS: Recently got one of your buttons on Zazzle and I love it

[@avaaasimar4730]

What great timing! You posted this just as i realised the humidity messed up a button i got at a con last year and destroyed the art. I love the paper idea! Def gonna try it as soon as i get home!

[@samusai]

Oh I did this with washi tape, stickers and clear nail polish!

[@MrsSonic91]

I have done some of those too. One idea is to use pretty napkins. I used one with cupcake design and it became adorable! It's easy! Just little bit of glue, peel the napkin, using only one layer where the print is, fold the napkin on the button (carefully, the one napkin layer is very think and can tear) and when it dries, varnish on and you are done! :D

[@thatoneperson2604]

I hadn't thought of this, but this is just a creative idea!!!

[@togerkun1336]

the little clips of you posing at the end!! you are too cute!!! so thrilled to see what creative endeavor finds you next!!

[@MadddCatter]

Perfectly timed video! I just deep cleaned my room and found a bunch of old buttons that don't fit my current style, but now I don't have to throw them out!

[@BloodiestMaria]

I’m so excited for the studio era! You look so happy and I’m so incredibly happy for you

[@Apirlroge]

Always gonna be a good day when you get a Dollightful notification! ❤

[@brianahawkins8124]

Very creative Dollightful! I'm sure you can fix one of your pokemon button 5:08 maybe some paint might fix it up a bit. I remember you painted one of your pokemon cards and I'm hope to find extra one's to make a gorgeous canvas, have a great weekend.

[@liamvautier944]

I was thinking lately of decorating with paint the ones i always get when anime events gave them for free whenever i go to them, or the ones that are very old and cringey to actually use in today's society, so this video comes really in handy!! You gave me so much new ideas!! Also, as someone who does pins for a living too, you just showed me how to recycle the ones i screw up in the making process!!! Thank you!! I love recycling, and this just saved the whole "wtf am i gonna do with these" stash!! Loved the video, def gonna share it.

[@cantsalvagethis]

OMG, cant believe I've never thought of this! Sooo gotta make presents for friends w some old badges, thank you so much!

[@dreamwalker6500]

I love resin buttons! Especially if you use a sticker you like and then dome it using UV resin

[@apeculiarperson114]

Not me finding all the buttons I discarded to decorate them now- Thanks for the lovely video! It sparked my creativity again!!!

[@xx_ethereal_autumn_xx]

yesss i was just looking to see if you'd published a new video a couple minutes earlier and here a video is!

[@blue_sea404]

THANK YOU OMG! I have some old pins that are water damaged/just plain ugly and have always wondered if there was a way to fix or change them, i could never find anything of the sort but i kept holding out hope someday something would show up. and now here is this video!! finally I can fix those old pins❤

[@artycat3024]

So happy that you are posting again! I love your videos so much and I can already tell this one will be amazing 🫶 been watching you for a while now!

[@blake4544]

Fabric is so smart! Your channel always inspires me with new ideas to use old junk. I am a pack rat and always keep EVERYTHING for crafts lol! Time to actually use it…..

[@luce9988]

youre always so inspiring 💛💛 watching your videos always makes me feel like creating

[@Squirtally]

I always thought you had to sand off the previous design on the button, so I'm glad to see you can use gesso instead! Thanks for the creative ideas!

[@amandamaia8287]

I never considered customizing my old rusted buttons, so thanks for the inspiration

[@manofthesnails]

this video couldn't've been better timed for me. i just finished sorting through my button collection and found a bunch that i didn't know what to do with.

[@HALICrafts]

I love the heart button with sugary details, its very adorable 🍰🍪🎂🍨

[@jazmyncaulkins6204]

I never thought of this!! I’m DEFINITELY going to start customizing some buttons!!

[@junipereevee2153]

I could not have left that crane game without getting one of each!

[@rainbowpuppet77]

this is so useful!! and would a very cute idea if you ever wanted to try selling buttons for a little cash! especially with the painting and fabric methods! (idk about the paper though) i also like the idea of 3D buttons with any leftover charms you may have!

[@ronjalalalala]

You could also use cute design elements on napkins, just isolate the top, printed layer from the rest, cover the surface in glue and put the Motive on top. Then cover in another layer of glue. This could work great on a painter monochrome background.

[@ParttlyCrafting]

Yay a new dollightful video!!

[@fuchsfarben]

For 3D: Foam clay is great to use bc it doesn't make the button too heavy and you can carve into it with a rotary tool really easily! It is also super fun to change the shape of a button entirely: you just sculpt beyond the button, glue some thin wire to the base to make a stable armature ✨ I made a little Navi fairy for a friend's Link cosplay like that once and we even added some LEDs to make her flicker in blue light :) You can also experiment with UV resin, gluing rhinestones or lace or even marbling them in a water basin :)

[@iridescent4810]

I have two pins just lying around I don't know what to do with, this video was so timely! Thank you for the wonderful ideas!

[@gigisama8161]

Hi! I don’t comment often but I just want to say that I love all of the non-doll videos you’ve been doing lately! We have similar fashion styles and aesthetic preferences and I really love how you upcycle old things! I came across your vids a long time ago, and I love your customs but I am HERE for the other stuff!!

[@arthurzackaryabrin]

Oh my gosh my goblincore heart is loving this!! I can make so many cool buttons now!!!

[@r.coachman3499]

YES! I’m now filled with inspiration to actually use my trash horde now~!✨