I started by stamping the button card image (using Ranger Jet Black Archival ink) onto a neutral-ish piece of paper from Kaiser's Kaleidoscope collection. I folded it and tore it a bit and inked it up with Distress Ink (Walnut Stain and Black Soot). I also stamped on some background text using 100 Proof Press's Profit and Loss stamp. I smudged on some Peacock Feathers Distress ink because I seem to be humanly incapable of NOT smudging that gorgeous ink on everything!
Next I gathered up some paper scraps and stamped the buttons onto them.
I punched out the buttons using a circle punch from Recollections (available at Michaels) that was the perfect size: 5/8".
To make the buttons look more button-y (totally not a word), I covered each one with a drop or two of Glossy Accents and let them dry overnight.
All that was left to do was to figure out a background for my button card. I grabbed my Tim Holtz/Sizzix Framelits Tag die set and some patterned paper from My Mind's Eye and cut out a tag with my Big Shot. I glued fabric scraps to the background, added my button card and a piece of vintage tape measure to the bottom.
I finished it off by adding some stick pins (Maya Road and Darice) and the sentiment. I used alphabet stamps for the "feeling" word and the "Brilliant" stamp is another great one from 100 Proof Press. I tore up some fabric strips for the tag's ties at the top and it was done! I quite enjoyed this project and felt just a bit brilliant myself when my husband said (and I quote) that it was "cool."