I love buttons. Its a bit of a fetish if I'm honest. Old buttons are most favoured and count as the best possible "find" for me at a car boot fair - a jar of old buttons with just glimpses of little treasures inside, and the prospect of coming home and sitting with a cup of tea and a tray, sorting through them all....
Some of my fondest childhood memories are being occupied whilst a bit poorly with my mum's button box - sorting through them, tying them into little bundles. She had buttons in that box from her mother and grandmother. And now I have them in my collection. Plus... um.... a few more ...
I do have a rather ridiculous amount of buttons. The 3 pictures here are just the medium sized buttons, medium-small, and buttons on cards. I have other receptacles of small/tiny buttons, large and extra large buttons, mother of pearl buttons, glass buttons, wooden buttons, metal ....
But I can't stop myself.
I am willing to share - I've done a couple of button swaps with other bloggers, now thats good fun and great to discovered kindred souls and be reassured that I'm not just weird. Or, if I am, that I'm not alone in my weirdness.
There are people who are button-phobic. My sister-in-law has a mild form of this. She does wear clothes with buttons and thats not a problem for her, but she would NEVER voluntarily put her hand into a box full of buttons, it freaks her out.
So whats weirder, having way more buttons than I could ever use, or finding buttons freaky?
I'd have enjoyed taking more photos of my buttons, particularly of individual and favourite buttons (I have faith that some (few?) of you will understand...) but I'm afraid I ran out of time, plus I have a lovely niece sleeping in the spare room where the buttons live... Maybe another time.
Some of my button collection are now finding a further vocation as I'm making and finishing projects for made4aid - in fact, before I knew that this was today's theme, I had some buttons out selecting fastenings for bags - so, here are previews - and they'll be on auction at made4aid later in the summer/autumn....
28 comments:
Oh ho wonderful. I used to cut all the buttons off my childrens clothes and when I eventually got an old biscuit barrel to hold them in I felt we had become a family as I remember playing with my grandmother's biscuit tin full of buttons. Yours look lovely.
Nice collection, lettuce. And I've never heard of a fear of buttons! Strange, that...
Wow, that produce looks great, especially compared to what we get in our neighborhood.
BTW, what are those squarish looking (beads?) in the right of the 2nd photo?
Cheers 2 U!
A good read. It's nice to know that button boxes still exist.
I have a thing for buttons, too, and keep mine in a tackle box. I put my faves in the top two shelf cubicles, sorted by color. Some of the older ones are still on the cards, like yours.
Oh Lettuce, that's a serious addiction! You could make a Pearly King's outfit with that lot!
WOW - that is A LOT of buttons!!! But hey, we all have our likes, right? Enjoy them!
Wow, you have some serious button baskets. They remind me of my grandmothers and were the inspiration for my fictional story for this week's theme. Nice!
Oh my...you have quite a collection there! You should check the Guiness Book of Records and see if you have a winner! :)
My goodness, what a gorgeous collection. I inherited my grandmother's button collection.
nice collection...omg. nice prop for m4a as well. how is that going? glad to see your buttons have reached a greater purpose.
My goodness! You aren't kidding, are you?(not really a question)
This may become my new craze. I go to thrift stores all the time and now I'm going to be seeking out those jars/packets to find the treasures within (then I'll redonate the unglies).
Loved these photos, Lettuce!
Kat
koumpounophobia! Yikes! -Jayne
Have you gone to see the Neil Gaiman Movie "Coraline"?? That has a rather spooky button connection....
:-)
What an array!
I so want your buttons.
Wow, that's one serious amount of buttons! I need to get myself a button tin!
wow. that's a whole lot of buttons!
Oh...I love all your buttons! So many and so beautiful!!!
I oftentimes will pick up a jar of buttons at an estate sale or tag sale just for the pure enjoyment of sorting through their diversity!!!!
Nothing wrong with having a zillion buttons... being afraid to dip your hands in them is a whole other thing. Remember the scene in Amelie where she dips he hand in a sack of beans or lentils --just for the cool feel... I've been saving up buttons for you.
How many buttons is too many buttons?
I always cut the buttons off a garment before I discard it to the ragbag, but I never get the chance to reuse them, so consequently I have a button box too.... but mine aren't very fancy, mostly shirt buttons. Love those pictures. They remind me of simpler days.
love buttons in all their forms. Would love to trade or just send you some. Great post.
love buttons in all their forms. Would love to trade or just send you some. Great post.
I love buttons! I am so upset that my Mom must have tossed hers years ago. I can remember going through all the fascinating buttons when I was a child. Lucky you!
CM, I couldn't make out which buttons you were asking about.... they are all buttons rather than beads.
ArtSparker i'd love to run my fingers through them
Poetikat - go for it!!
and J Hartnett-Hargrove thankyou for the long word. Now did you know that, or did you google?
Wordwitch, I've not seen the film yet - I have the book. As you know, I love Neil Gaimans work. But can't identify with buttons being spooky...
Kris, I don't understand your question. "too many" does not compute.
Dreamhaven - would LOVE to trade some with you. Will get in contact after my hols.
wow!! I love learning new things about my friends!! never knew you were a button-fanatic! fantastic!!
Very effective material, thanks so much for this post.
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