Saturday, August 28, 2010

Enforced button-sorting

Tragically (sigh) I had to have a good go through my buttons after finding new purposes for the tins they'd been stored in. It really was rather wonderful to give them new homes - mainly in my small collection of vintage fabric-covered boxes. Above are the flowery buttons - a lot of them came from my mother and grandmother, and are hand-painted.
These are just the ordinary, everyday buttons, but they do look good in the fabric box, don't they?
Rather more interesting miscellaneous buttons have ended up in this incredible purple silk-lined box. I wonder what catches your eye in there?
Ah, swoon, my Mother of Pearl collection.
And below them in the box from a Paris department store are glass (and plastic) buttons on one side and sweet little cloth ones on the other. Do you ever find 'mangled' cloth ones on old clothes? They must have been particularly vulnerable to the mangle.
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I remember my grandpa with the mangle...
I think this box has become a real treasure chest.
I suspect I will just open the drawers and lid when I go past, to have a peep at my treasures.

16 comments:

Jane and Chris said...

I LOVE buttons. I cannot throw a button away (even the modern plasticky ones). I love the feel of them as they flow through my hands, I love the clinkety clink sound they make as I move them around.There is nothing about buttons I do not like. Perhaps the fondness comes from childhood; a visit to Nanna or Grandma was not complete unless I had looked through their button stash.
As I was typing this, I looked at a button on the clothes I am wearing and thought "mmm, one day you will be in my stash".
Jane

Anonymous said...

Oh my, now I knew you liked buttons Floss but had no idea you had so many!

Lola Nova said...

Oh my heavens! Look at all those gorgeous buttons. I have button envy, yes I do. They look lovely in your fabric boxes!

Sherri B. said...

That is such a good idea to put the buttons in pretty boxes..it shows them both off so well. Your collection is fun "eye candy".

Serenata said...

Very prettily displayed Floss. I can imagine opening those drawers for a peak every time you go past. What with glittery ones, MOP and those delightful painted buttons...what more could a lady want?!

BadPenny said...

Oh I could spend hours sorting through these ! Lovely.

Robin Ennis Willson said...

What beautiful treasure you have!

Lalabibaby @ Dreaming of The Simple Life said...

Fantastic collection Floss ... they look like little jewels x

Jen Walshaw said...

Wow treasure indeed

silverpebble said...

Oh my goodness - I am swooning over your button collection Floss. Wonderful!

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

I haven't seen anything that wonderful in a long time. You are so fortunate to have such a fabulous collection of buttons! Those glass ones are amazing. Enjoy sifting through them.

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

A little button therapy is always a good thing! Love your storage containers too!
Hope you have enjoyed the summer...
Take care, Laura

Beck said...

Thanks for the peek into your amazing button collection! Unbelievable! Have fun, I bet you could while away a few hours sorting them out xo

Princess and the Pea said...

I love buttons! My Nan (in law) used to work in a button factory but unfortunately she never kept any! x

A garden just outside Venice said...

Why do you keep those flowery buttons hidden in a box?! You should use them for your pretty displays!

JuanitaTortilla said...

That is a WHOLE LOT of button treasures, Floss. And I most particularly remember those blue mother of pearl ones :)

Now I wish I had a collection like that, so that I can fill empty jars with the pretty ones. But alas, space is quite a constraint... (And what will I do when I next move house / continent, again?!?!)