Button Floozies

 If that box of button "chocolate" a few posts ago made your mouth water, this might just be your thing, too: buttons in a jewelry case.  I keep one of these small boxes with compartments around and as I bring home my thrift store finds or am gifted them, I store them temporarily there.  When it's full, I can move it to "permanent" button storage -- or just keep it around like I did this one.  It's fun to fun my fingers through them!  Do you keep any of your buttons out to casually enjoy?

At thrift shops near me, those button grab bags have become very expensive!  (Don't even get me started on the prices for a variety of really common buttons at an antique store sometimes...) But if they're cheap I grab them up for the thrill of the hunt.  This time, I lucked out when I found all these pretty glass buttons amongst the extra button envelopes in one of the bags.  Especially those little deer!

I found these deep, divided drawers at the Habitat for Humanity thrift shop.  They were used to store contact lenses originally.  I think they will make great button storage! My adult son was with me when I bought them.  He said, what are you going to do with those?  I looked at him and said, well, can you think of anything small and round like a contact lens that I have a lot of?  And he just got a knowing look on his face.  He LOVES  to tease me about my button collecting! If you know me well enough, you know I can't leave them as is, though.  I think I'll decoupage pretty paper on the outsides... and then spray paint the insides of the drawers.  I think that especially larger buttons will store nicely in here. Because I needed another project! (Not.)

Beautiful blues and various, vibrant greens mixed together with beads into a beautiful, woven necklace!  I love that there are a variety of ages and types of buttons...  Notice how the maker twisted the lengths for interest -- below, I have pulled them apart to demonstrate.  What a fun thrift store find!  I washed it and will enjoy wearing it! Let me see your button necklaces!

I found another bag of buttons at the thrift store and "splurged" the $2.99 on them because I could see there were lots of my favorites -- mother of pearl and shell buttons!  But, there was more than that...  Some very nice steel and metal buttons, and, the ones on the far left are glass with embellished tops!  More glass, tied together -- I just love that!  A few pretty celluloid, composition, and bone buttons, too!  All of the ones that are the same, on the left, are painted glass!  The ones in the very front are so special: one clear glass with ruffled edges, and one that is enameled!  Such a treat! As always, a few extras in the mix: a belt buckle made from what I think is apple juice Bakelite, a little pin from a service group, and some wooden beads.  You just never know what you'll find in a bag of buttons!

These moments are rare for me, but yesterday when I was thrift shopping I noticed a carded button display in the glass cabinet at the thrift shop.  I really dislike having to ask them to open the cabinets as a rule, at thrift shops or anywhere else, but I was glad I did this time! Can you see where this cardboard is creased in the middle?  That's where it was folded and put into a plastic bag.  What I saw in the cabinet was actually only half of the button display, which I didn't find out until I purchased it for $3.79. What it lacks in beauty and presentation, I think, it makes up with charm!  I was initially attracted to it only for the shell buttons...  but when I got home I noticed the enameled ones, which made me very happy... as well as the additional quantity of pretty glass ones!  There are a lot of whistles (one holed buttons), too. The one int he middle with the two diamond shapes is my favorite, and I noticed there is also a small...

I recently happened upon an estate sale and found this jar of buttons; instead of a price, there was a sticker on it that said, Make an Offer. Unfortunately, it was a cash-only sale and I found I only had $2 and some change with me, so I offered that and went home with the jar.  This morning I had the pleasure of sorting through it! I could see through the jar that it contained a whole lot of those little "extra button" envelopes, so I thought $2 was probably going to end up being a fair price for it. But then I saw a whole bunch of full cards clipped together... and eventually uncovered lots of my favorite buttons -- shell and mother-of-pearl. There were some pretty glass buttons, too, and these fabulous lucite studded with paste ones, and some that were fancy and beaded. Overall, I think it was a great haul, and a Saturday surprise.  Have you bought any button grab bags lately?

Here are some of the latest buttons that have come into my life!  A Salesman's Sample Book full of button pages -- the buttons are very common, but still lovely to see all arranged and numbered by hand! A lot of new-in-the-package, fancy buttons for embellishing! These cute "mother/daughter" buttons with an umbrella theme! Show me your newest buttons!

It's that time again: National Button Week , the week set aside to celebrate buttons and collecting them! For me, every week is button week, because I love and enjoy all of my collection.   This is the latest "grab bag" of buttons I bought at the thrift store...   and here were my favorite picks for crafting and gifting from that lot:  These were my favorite cards... and these were my favorite novelties -- how sweet are those little pink dogs and green ducks? This is my favorite creation I've made using buttons lately.  I created 10 of these hearts, 8 of which were for a swap.  Everything except the center heart fabric is vintage!  The center heart fabric is part of Andover's  Downton Abbey line, and was the inspiration for the whole thing! The little button bouquet below was a heartfelt gift from a new friend I met through our mutual love of crafting with vintage!  The buttons on the cards are actually fa...

I rescued some more buttons bags from the thrift store this weekend, and took time to sort them on a cold, dreary afternoon, which I find so relaxing . There were carded buttons, many of which were very common and unexciting:  Common  Better - complete, and would make for good crafting, as well as nice little gifts Best - pretty cards, mother of pearl, glass, and charming old plastic -- check out the pretty blue mother of pearl embedded in Lucite card in the middle There were also these sad little "sick" buttons that would've been so pretty with their pink paste jewels -- but I'm doubtful they can be saved. Tons of colorful buttons that are perfect for crafts Some lovely glass and china buttons including these old, interesting buttons that are like paperweights -- very tiny ovals, with flowers under glass older embellished "shell" buttons, and some fun sparkly gem buttons And -- always my favorite -- mother of pearl and shell; I...

We're starting off the new year with lots of button excitement for the upcoming Spring button club shows; here in Colorado, they've announced ours, Westward Button Trails , for April 6-8, 2018! I lucked upon a button find at the thrift store Friday; a package of common (but fun!) buttons on cards. The ones in the bottom row are my favorites!  As you can see, most of the cards are simply manila paper that has been cut and the buttons sewn on -- not original cards. I admire such organized sewers! One thing I found interesting was that there were two cards from different eras, both by Le Chic, of the same buttons.  One obviously older, as it was priced lower. I hope to see many of your button finds and creative uses in this new year!