This belly button brush is as cute as a button, and almost as small as one! It is the easiest, and cutest craft project I have ever made! And quickest, too, taking all of two minutes to make one!
It is sure to add a chuckle to a gift bag, a gift-in-a-can, or a Jar of Pampering! Or tuck one inside a card – it's perfect for a birthday, graduation, get well, wedding, or encouragement! I have made several types to fit any of these occasions...
They are quick ‘n’ easy to make and sell at a bazaar! That’s actually where I bought my first one! All they had on the little plastic bag was a label saying “BELLY BUTTON BRUSH.” In fact, this is it:
These are also fun and NOT MESSY to make with your kids or grandkids.
They are guaranteed to single-brushedly bring warm-fuzzies and smiles! Everyone, young, old, and in between, gets a kick out of them!
It would pass as a "gag gift," (tiniest one ever, I’m sure!), but it's actually totally usable! So I'd rather call it a "giggle gift"!
It cost 75 cents, which I had NO problem paying – and I even got a bunch of them!
I personally think that a topper – rather than just a label – gives it more "substance" and makes it a more official, “real” gift, so I created one! Three of them for three "occasions," actually!
This first topper has a generic poem for any occasion:
I changed up the poem just a bit to customize it for a grad:
And these last two two toppers are for a bride and groom... This first one is for just one belly button brush, but the poem is for a couple:
And this poem is for two belly button brushes – a white one for the bride and and a black one for the groom:
Either of the above could be included in a Wedding Gift-in-a-Can, which I show you how to make here!
If you get a variety pack of pipe cleaners, you could make your brush in the school colors of the grad! (Be sure to notice which colors are included in your pack of assorted pipe cleaners to be sure the school colors you're wanting are in there... cuz colors vary)
Here are three more I made in blue, green and purple:
As you can see, they look cute and "believable" in any color!
One of my recipients told me that she uses her brush to clean between the keys on her keyboard! – which means that "buttons" beyond just belly buttons can be cleaned with these! (Hmmm, maybe these should be called "Belly Buttons & Beyond Brushes"?😄)
SUPPLIES
Here are all the supplies you need to make one of these little cuties. For just the belly button brush itself, you will need only TWO items:
3-inch piece of pipe cleaner - What color(s)? White works, but, if they actually use their brush for its intended purpose, white will show belly button lint more than a color will. I enjoy having a pack of assorted colors as it gives me more options. (And my grandkids find plenty of uses for the rest of the pipe cleaners!) A pack of all black pipe cleaners works too!
beads for the handle - You just need beads that would look good as little handles! (So round beads would not work.)
IF ADDING A TOPPER:
If you want to package it in a little bag with a topper, you’ll also need:
2" X 3" mini zip-top bag or a 1.5" X 2" bag (I prefer the 2" X 3" bags as I find lots of other uses for them!)
printed topper (free printable comin’ right up!)
stapler (A plain ol' black one works just as well as my flowered one!)
maybe glue
So here’s most of the above – all together:
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cut a 2-3/4-inch piece of pipe cleaner. Cut just one piece at this length; try it and see if you like it for the size bead you have; if not, adjust the size.
2. Bend it in half with the two ends together, and “softly” form the brush tip, rounding it a bit. In other words, don’t make a sharp crease in the tip as you want it to look a bit rounded, like a larger, real brush is. Wrapping the very tip around the pointy-top of a pen/pencil is a good way to round it:
...Or you can just bend and round it with your fingers. Either way you do it, this is how it should look:
3. Holding the the two ends of the pipe cleaner tightly together, insert them into the hole in the bead...
...and push it in a little deeper... But obviously not so far that the ends poke through to the other end of the bead!
[OPTIONAL: If you want it to be super secure, you can put a little dab of glue just inside the opening of the bead before you insert the pipe cleaner. However, it's so snug, I have not found this to be necessary. One has never come out! – at least not that anyone has ever told me! It is possible that the diameters of the bead holes vary, so you may find it necessary. In this case, add glue to your list of supplies.]
IF PACKAGING IT IN A BAG WITH A TOPPER:
4. Print out the topper of your choice from the Free Printable, accessible below. Be sure to read the tips on the first page to save yourself some time and hassle!
Free Printable:
BELLY BUTTON BRUSH
Word (editable but not stable)
PDF (stable, but not editable)
5. Insert the belly button brush into the little bag and press it closed.
6. Place the inside fold of the topper along the top of the baggie, carefully lining them up evenly on the left and right sides as shown here...
...and then fold it down over the top of the baggie:
Depending on how you cut yours, it may extend a bit further on each side, which I like the looks of.
7. Staple one staple right in the middle, beneath the bottom line of the poem.
And there you have it!
(In case you noticed that in some of the pictures I have nail polish on, but not in others... Some pics from one photo-taking session turned out, but not others, and then vice versa for the other photo session. And I just couldn't bring myself to do a third session. So let's just say I didn't want you to get bored with my nails just being one way.)
Let me know
in a comment if you
make one of these!
