Has Anyone Posted this Article?

This article is from Piecework Magazine and I thought you might enjoy reading it if you have not already seen it.

gratuitous button shots

I wrote a post on my blog yesterday

well i say that but really i just posted

a whole bunch of gratuitous button shots!

like this one

want to see more ;)

click the link

http://maximumrabbitdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/02/gratuitous-button-shots.html

kind regards

x vInTaGe VioLeT x

Grandma's Button Tin

I remember as a child I loved to play with the contents of my Grandma's button tin, I loved the shapes and textures. My favourites were the mother of pearl buttons that would glisten in the sunlight. The glass ones were invariable chipped or shattered and I often wondered why she kept the broken cracked ones. I still have my Grandma's mother of pearl buttons, but my mother's button tin is full of bland modern plastic types and my daughter isn't remotely interested in my mother's buttons. She is a product of the throw away society we have become today unlike yester-year when all the buttons were routinely cut off old clothes and put in the rusty old family button tin, clothes are neatly folded and placed in one of the many charity bags that are put through our letterboxes seeming every other week!

Now if your Grandma had a very large button tin like mine did there would be other treasures and many odd things to be found in there. You would get the usual things such as pins, needles, thimbles, old sewing machine parts and the lovely colourful Bakelite buckles. Grandma's silver sixpence still with silver foil attached was in there, a momento of Xmas past, but my favourite item in the tin was a silver marcasite ring which after her death was given to me, and which I have treasured ever since.

I have collected vintage sewing items for many years and mother of pearl buttons in particular are my favourite item possibly a throwback to my youth! You find some very strange items in button tins and I often wonder why people would put such items in their button tins. Items such as badges, cuff links, beads, screw drivers, pen nibs, dog tags, keys, wax, bone & metal curtain rings, marbles, meccano, and loose matches all probably put there because it was convenient to do so. The oddest and potentionally dangerous thing I have found in a tin were loose pain-killers!, which believe it or not are quite a common thing to find in an old button tins, the mind boggles!

Start you button collection today - visit my store Henrietta's buttons store   I cater for the collector, design student, vintage clothes restorer, and crafts people so come along and browse through my buttons section you never know what you might find.

On the Button,The Significance of An Ordinary Item

British author Nina Edwards has written a book I know you will want to get: On the Button, the Significance of an Ordinary Item.

In it, Edwards explores the humble button and its cultural history, from its place in fashion to its use in the arts.  She also looks at us -- button lovers -- and why we enjoy and collect them.

With photos, button history, and descriptions, the book celebrates everything we enjoy about our favorite little fasteners!

Best of all, in my book, is the mention this blog gets in the introduction!  A must-have for Floozies, for sure!

Button Floozies in the news

My Colorado Springs Button Club made the news, from yesterday's meeting!  Button collecting is serious business for this club.

Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette

(That's me, at 2 o'clock, dark hair, black sweater!)

Happy Valentine's Day... Belated

Happy Belated Valentine's Day to you!

I mounted a few common heart buttons as a 

Valentine's Day display...

 I am always looking for heart buttons with "I LOVE YOU" on them, any language including Rebus.  I only have seven "I LOVE YOU" buttons, so please contact me if you come across different styles... Thanks!

(Tami Hacker, vintageconnections.blogspot.com)

Could these be old button covers?

Calling all floozies!  I was wondering if you could look at these treasures I found and see if  the first picture might be button covers.  I am also including some cool buttons I found in a jar at the flea market for 10.00.  Yay I made a good purchase I am thinking!  If anyone could help me id the others I would be so happy! Thank you.

Vintage Button Card ATC

This buton card was the perfect size for an ATC.  I added all the things I love to collect and many things that remind me of my mom's sewing room.  This was swapped all the way to London!

It's funny...

When you're looking through pinterest, and find one of your handmade originals in someone's folder!I've been making and selling these for years, but I kept this particular one for myself!

Happy Valentine's Day!

The buttoned heart ornament above was among the beauties from the Valentine Swap I hostessed on my blog.  Click here and here to see all 20 of the valentine beauties by my talented crafty friends in Blogland!

Happy Valentine's Day, Button Floozies!

Bluebird of Happiness & Button Painting Tutorial

Spring is coming soon and I've been busy painting bluebirds (and birds of all colors) on my antique MOP buttons which I sell on my etsy shop...  Also I want to remind everyone I have a detailed tutorial on my blog on button painting.  It covers every step from the preparation to the finishing spray... and also covers supplies needed. If you are interested in painting on buttons check it out...  It's great fun...
http://olderrose.blogspot.com/p/button-painting-tutorial.html

Gerry Krueger
http://olderrose.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/olderrose

Here's My Heart...

I know you're all getting your Valentines together to share with your own sweethearts, but in the event you need one more gift idea, I'd like to share mine with you.

I love sorting through my vintage buttons to create a button heart for someone special. I've made quite a few of them and while they're simple to make, the effect is quite elegant.

All you need is a 5" x 7" shadow box frame, a large supply of buttons (I like to do all of my hearts in a monochromatic scheme, so I choose buttons from the same color family for each heart), and a hot glue gun. If you're all thumbs like I am, you can use a low-melt gun instead.

I take a heart-shaped template and place it on the velvet background of the frame and outline it with a light colored pencil to make the heart image that I'll use as my guide for placement of the buttons. Be sure to leave enough room around the heart so that you can put your piece back into the frame.

Then, using larger buttons as the base layer (I usually used newer buttons on the center because you won't see them anyway), begin building your heart. You'll notice that I manage to find at least one button with a point - either a triangular or square button - for the point of the heart.

I find this project always relaxes me and it's great fun to make your button heart. Have fun and Happy Valentine's Day!

You're invited to stop over and visit me from time to time at Brynwood Needleworks. I'm always creating something, and I'd love to share more ideas with you! (I'm having a 1000th Post Giveaway that ends Valentine's Day, too!)

Button Decorating idea...

Here is a fun way to use buttons in your home decor... plus storing them as well!blogged about here: Artsy Fartsy

Tape Measure Bracelet with Buttons

I have seen and admired these tape measure bracelets for a couple of years now and finally figured out a way to make one without the toggle findings.

I used black elastic cording I had laying around and tied it in a square knot, it is hidden in the fold over of the end of the tape measure. I sewed the end and measured around my wrist, left an inch or so and cut it off. then folded and sewed down the other end. I'm sure you could glue down the ends and use a small ponytail elastic band if you wanted to.

I then went to my button stash and found 3 that went together and sewed them on and added some glue too.

Sew Simple!

Button Floozie, Deb

Dorset Buttons

Here is an interesting tutorial showing how to make dorset buttons. 
Some vintage thread or dorset buttons available on Etsy

old buttons shop

Old Buttons Shop .com  is the website of Sylvia LLewelyn who is a Qualified valuer of Antiques and Art and who has been collecting and dealing in buttons for many years. Her collection of buttons has examples from 450 BC to Present day, and it has been on display to the public. Sylvia  is the author of "Old Buttons"  which can be purchased from ebay and Amazon.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Old-Buttons-Book-Sylvia-LLewelyn-Antique-and-Vintage-Button-Guide-/250980245268?pt=UK_Crafts_Buttons_EH&hash=item3a6f969f14#ht_500wt_1284

Book also available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon US now!

I have purchased this book myself, it has fabulous photos of a wide range of collectable buttons  and worth every penny!

Sylvia from her business in the King’s Road, Chelsea, London, SW3  has supplied buttons and vintage jewellery and inspiration to famous clothes desginers all over the World, Film Production Companies, Operas, Theatres and Museums.  She has also contributed to the Millers Price Guide Publications and written many articles on antiques and buttons.  She now travels the World with her collection giving lectures and talks on buttons through their history, developement and fashion.

Why not visit Sylvia's shop and browse her collection of buttons 

http://www.oldbuttonsshop.com/

http://www.oldbuttonsshop.com/?page_id=4&category=1&product_id=82

http://www.oldbuttonsshop.com/?page_id=4&category=5&product_id=80

 Sylvia's Fair dates for February 2012
11th Feb 2012 Caampden Passage, Angel, London
13th Feb 2012 Monday Covent Garden, Jubilee Market.
16th Feb 2012 Thursday SpitalfieldsMarket, London, UK
20th Feb 2012 Monday Covent Garden, Jubilee Market
22nd Feb 2012 Wednesday Campden Passage, Angel, London, UK
23rd Feb 2012 Thursday Spitalfields Market
27th Feb 2012 Monday Covent Garden, Jubilee Market

Button valentine delight!

I was surprised this afternoon with a Valentine from a dear friend, Linda Sue!

Linda Sue knows me well, so of course her Valentine is full of buttons!

Wrapped in a lovely vintage paper napkin, her handmade Valentine holds pink and red buttons!

Tiny pink carded buttons!  Chunky red carded buttons!  And loose ones -- including a gorgeous mother of pearl button...

set in a metal frame!  A vintage but new Valentine handkerchief, and coordinating antique needles in their folded paper package, also grace the pocket...

and then there is the imagery on the card itself: also button-y, and then studded with real buttons!  Such a treat!  Such a thoughtful gift for hearts and flowers (and buttons!) day!

This little birdie...

This little birdie is posing prettily with some of my recent antique store purchases: a spring, some laces and trims, and, of course...

some beautiful shell buttons, lovingly preserved on a scrap of card.  They have a beauty all their own!