Easy Button Monogram Art

This past weekend I was out of town for my cousin's wedding in Chattanooga (read about that here and here).  I decided to make her a personal gift featuring a button monogram with her new last name. What new bride doesn't love to display something with their new last name?  And who doesn't love buttons?!  The perfect combination!

First, I decided on which scrapbook paper and button combination I wanted to use.  I went with an antique floral-looking paper.  I decided to use different shades of white buttons.  I think that this look works best if you choose 1 color family for the buttons.

(Excuse the pictures in this post.  I had to use my phone.  The hubby took our camera on his trip out west).

Next, I found the right font and size for her initial, which happens to be "F."  (I went with Vivaldi size 438 to be exact).  I made the font color a grayish-white because you can see through some of the buttons and a black font stands out too much.  Then, I cut out the letter "F."

Then I placed all of the buttons on the letter to get an idea of how many to use and approximately where I wanted them to go. 

Then I removed all of the buttons and glued the letter to the scrapbook paper. 

One by one, I hot glued each button to the letter.  Once I was finished, I went back and layered the buttons on top of each other for a more textured look.

Then I popped it into a frame and done! There is not room for the glass once it's in the frame, but I liked the 3-D look without it.   Easy, right?

My little sister loved it so much she wanted to make one for a friend's upcoming wedding and one for her and her roommate for their dorm. 

I think hers is my favorite!  I LOVE the combination of the blue stripes with the orange buttons.  So cute!

So there you have it!  This would make a great gift for a newlywed, college graduate, a friend, or just to have in your own home. Which monogram is your favorite?