Being Pushy

Okay so I admit it. Sometimes I can be a little bit pushy. Can’t we all? And while yes, I can be pushy as in making sure things get done, sometimes I need to be pushy in other ways. What am I talking about, you ask? Well, I know we’ve all got various forms of bulletin boards or message boards or even those cute little French ribbon numbers. But why not create (okay, or buy for those of you who mistakenly think you aren’t crafty) some snazzy decorative push pins? Talk about being pushy!

I know we’ve all seen some really cute pushpins around. And the great things about this little project is that you can literally use anything you want to create them. Buttons, mismatched earrings, Foreign coins, mini seashells that you can pick up at your craft store, marbles, or heck, if you fancy yourself the next Amelda Marcos, then run to Target and pick up some Barbie shoes!

You Will Need
-12 aluminum pushpins (or substitute clear plastic ones)
-12 small coordinating toppers
-Wire cutters or heavy-duty scissors
-Sand paper
-Glue (such as E6000)
-Small box
-Paint
-Plastic foam
-Decorative paper

Instructions
1. Select 12 small coordinating toppers that are slightly larger than the head of an aluminum pushpin. If aluminum pushpins are not available, use clear plastic ones.

2. For buttons, cut the shanks from the back using wire cutters or heavy-duty scissors. If needed, sand the back to make it perfectly smooth.

3. Glue the embellishments to the tops of the pushpins using industrial-strength glue such as E6000. Let the glue dry overnight or longer.

4. Paint or wrap a small box to match the pushpins. Add ribbons, strips of paper, or other decorations to the box tops. Cut a piece of plastic foam to fit snugly inside the box and glue it in place. Make sure it is shallow enough to accommodate the pushpins when the lid is in place.

5. Cover the top of the plastic foam with matching decorative paper and glue it in place. Stick the pushpins into the plastic foam.

These instructions came to my by way of BHG (a great resource if you can overlook the gazillion annoying pop-ups) and as you can see, they recommend decorating a pretty box and giving these pins as a little gift. And why not? These would make a great little gift for perhaps a teacher or a friend who is starting a new job. I love the idea of making a knot in some pretty grosgrain ribbon, and using that as a cute colorful topper for your pushpins. Just be creative and try a few different ideas to see what you like best.

Now, I know there are plenty of you out there who are under the false impression that you aren’t crafty. I promise you are craftier than you think! But if you don’t want to tackle this project but still want some cute little pushpins of your own, then you really must run over to Ballard Designs and check out their great selection. Over at See Jane Work, they’ve also got some cheeky little “Take a Number” pushpins that are also really cute. Still looking for more? Then I stumbled onto Jim Clift Designs and he’s got a nice selection of pewter pushpins that are definitely a must see.

So now I’m off. The mini monograms are at pre-school and I’ve got to hunt down my book club selection for this month, run and get my car detailed, drop off a couple things at my monogrammers, and take care of a few other things as well. Good luck with your pushpins and by all other accounts, try not to be too pushy today! ;-)