Button Envy

Like so many things...my button obsession collection started with my grandmother. While she mended the family's clothing I would sit at her feet, poking through the button box and listening to the hum of her treadle machine. I would carefully match and thread buttons onto lengths of string and choose the buttons that would become eyes for the countless teddy bears she sewed.

When I was a teen, Gram presented me with a large tin filled with every kind of button imaginable. I was, pardon the pun, hooked. 

In the years since, I have amassed quite a collection of buttons, fasteners and clasps of all kinds. Enough to make Granny proud. Still...there are times when I find myself the victim of button envy.

For instance, when reading the blog of fellow button aficionados who refer to themselves as the 'Button Floosies'... And although not officially a member, I am certainly a button floosie at heart. Case in point:

 On Monday, an old friend stopped by to bring me these...
(left click for a closer look)

 Her mother was an antiques dealer and had these beauties in storage for years. The original prices are still visible on the cards from her shop.

 Of course they'll need a good cleaning...any recommendations would be very much appreciated.

 These rectangular glass beauties are some of my favorites. I wonder what they were used for?

There are glass, metal, shell, and even buttons made out of walnut halves.  Each button has a history. Each button once adorned a precious article of clothing.

Any assistance in identifying button types would be lovely.

These pastels are made of glass. They look like candies to me.

If you happen to be a collector...I'd love to talk buttons sometime. Maybe you can recommend your favorite website?

Just a few of the rhinestone pretties.

Wouldn't these medallions look lovely worn as a necklace?

Back in Black

Button sets.

I love these little brown glass buttons on the right, with the painted posies.

Should I tell you that this is a fraction of what she brought me? 

After she left, I had to take a nap from all the excitement.

This is one floosie who will never have button envy again.

Until next time...