At first glance, this grass-hued tabletop may upholster, or in some other way repurpose. look like a mosaic of delicate sea glass, but on closer Her button table project took only one week inspection it becomes clear that these shimmery from start to finish. The process included sanding, round tiles are actually plastic buttons. The table painting with semi-gloss spray paint, gluing on the owes its whimsical beauty to Marianne Kirby, 31, buttons, and then applying a few coats of resin. who found the nightstand — pre-paint, pre-buttons The most amazing part of this project was how — at a yard sale for 5 bucks. Her first thought: “It was accurately Kirby estimated the amount of buttons dingy and plain and boring, when it really wanted to she would need. For the tabletop’s surface of two be something fabulous.” square feet, she bought a total of 1,600 buttons,
Although Kirby, who’s lived in Orlando, Fla., for which she found on eBay. the last ten years, had never tiled with buttons “It got kind of scary as I neared the end of gluing before, she’s familiar with round plastic pieces. “I’ve the buttons on, because I was afraid I was going to made several cigar box purses that have been totally run out with just a little bit of space left,” she says. covered in googly eyes, and I love the way tons of But as it turned out, she ended up with about 150 little round things look in quantity,” she says. leftover buttons.
A professional writer and editor, Kirby spends her Her button table now sits in the living room with free time making jewelry, building baroque miniature all of her other recycled pieces. When people see shrines, dabbling in bookmaking projects, sewing and the table, they immediately touch the top, she altering clothes, and cruising around on trash night says. “People really seem to love it! It’s really to look for “stellar curb finds” that she can paint, tile, gratifying.” —Carla Sinclair
References:
Archives