That
Muscatine, Iowa is the pearl button capital of the world?!
My friend, Dawn, and I trekked to Iowa this last weekend to visit Sharon at
Sweet Repose and to our surprise, we discovered that
Muscatine has a rich history in button making. I couldn't wait to share it with the Floozies!
This quaint little town sits right on the Mississippi on the Illinois border. Love this great little boat.
Here's a pic of the paddle complete with pics of buttons!
And lots of the shops and restaurants carried the button theme.
I loved this great gate.
And I had to bring Sharon a picture frame packed with lots of buttons, including some of pearl. How was I to know when constructing this that these buttons may have been making a great big circle back home (got em from my mother-in-law in Alabama).
Sharon and her business partner call their company White and they are the two white girls, lovers of buttons and all things with rich pasts to tell. The next time you're around Iowa City, take a detour down to Muscatine, a cool little town with a great vibe and some awesome people. Thanks again, Sharon!
That Muscatine, Iowa is the pearl button capital of the world?!
My friend, Dawn, and I trekked to Iowa this last weekend to visit Sharon at Sweet Repose and to our surprise, we discovered that Muscatine has a rich history in button making. I couldn't wait to share it with the Floozies!
This quaint little town sits right on the Mississippi on the Illinois border. Love this great little boat.
Here's a pic of the paddle complete with pics of buttons!
And lots of the shops and restaurants carried the button theme.
I loved this great gate.
And I had to bring Sharon a picture frame packed with lots of buttons, including some of pearl. How was I to know when constructing this that these buttons may have been making a great big circle back home (got em from my mother-in-law in Alabama).
Sharon and her business partner call their company White and they are the two white girls, lovers of buttons and all things with rich pasts to tell. The next time you're around Iowa City, take a detour down to Muscatine, a cool little town with a great vibe and some awesome people. Thanks again, Sharon!
Comments
My paternal grandmother worked for years in the button factories, making little more than pennies a day sorting buttons. I had huge pickle jars of them to play in at Granny's house...the real pearl necklaces!
I remember seeing the clam boats drift up and down the river, hauling in their great hooks that would grab the clams off the bottom. There is a season now for the harvesting, as several species have been harvested to near extinction.
Yes a rich history in this ol' burg, our pearl button museum chronicles it, very interesting...
Thanks again Kelly for the kudos...see ya in the summer!
Sharon
That frame is absolutely gorgeous. And Two White Girls is the most hilariously clever business name, like, ever. ;-)
macs
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Work From Home
My grandmother worked in several button factories in Muscatine. There is actually a lovely button tour and the chamber of commerce has a section on the history of button making in Iowa. At one time they produced over 35 percent of the world's mother of pearl buttons.
Cool huh.