These first ones are viking scenes on metal buttons that I bought online. I snipped off the button shank with wire cutters and then used E6000 glue to seal them to pre-bought cuff link findings (blank cuff link backs) which I bought on ebay. To dry them, I placed the buttons image side down on a board, dabbed them with glue, and then set the cuff link backs on top of them, holding them in place until I was certain that they would not move and could dry centered.
For these gear cuff links (which are so expensive to buy!), I found gear findings at Michaels on sale and then layered the various gears on top of one another, carefully using the E6000 glue to hold them in place. Once the gears were dried in their patterns, I used the same technique as I did above in order to attach the cuff link backs.
I placed them in this box I arranged for him. I covered foam strips with crushed velvet and then laid them tightly side by side to imitate a man's jewelry box. Those are tie clips on the left. The one with the gears is made with a simple alligator clip.
It was fun to make something special for him. He certainly deserves it.
And what birthday wouldn't be more fun without a load of balloons tumbling down on you as you leave your bedroom in the morning? ;)
Dessert was a "healthy key lime pie." Not half bad.
I hope he had a special day and that he knows how much he means to me. :)
