Monday, 1 February 2010

Sitting on the floor surrounded by buttons! ;-)

When I was very young, I had a fascination with my grandma's button box.
It intrigued me and I would sit for hours playing with the buttons, wondering about their adventures in life...they were all old buttons with a history!

From that day, I have always loved buttons! I started my own button box years ago . I never throw away any buttons.
The funny thing is that my grandma's surname actually was ... Mrs Button!

Last year, I bought two of those CK boxes with compartments and sorted all my buttons into colours. It took me an age but I was very satisfied when the job was done!
Last week, I was having a bit of a tidy up... and knocked over both boxes on to the floor.
Great!
So there I was sitting on the floor surrounded by buttons (picture the scene and do laugh out loud!), calling myself all the names under the sun, until I started to paw over the buttons and the memories of my grandma's button box came flooding back.

My crafting, on Friday afternoon, was spent making some little button bags with a touch of vintage....my lovely feedsack fabric.



I'm going to sell these with some buttons included...but...


As it's my birthday at the end of the week, I'm also making a surprise one for a birthday giveaway...with some buttons included!

I'll announce the winner on Friday ;-)



It'll include a touch of vintage feedsack fabric and some lovely calico cotton fabric.


All you need to do is make a comment on this post, mentioning buttons in some way!
And if you fancy learning a bit more about the history of buttons...here's a link...

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42 comments:

  1. Jen Walshaw1 February 2010 at 12:28

    Oh I am number one, which never gets picked, but nevermind. I love the little pouches. I have just been given my mums buttons and I love them, although she was far roo organised for me they are all in screw trays colour co-ordinated. They used to be in an old tin, but the lid refushed to go on anymore.

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  2. Floss1 February 2010 at 12:35

    Buttons, buttons, buttons! Oh, I love your story and your buttons, Sal! And I would love the chance to win some of them - thanks!

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  3. KC'sCourt!1 February 2010 at 12:37

    Can I come to play next time you have your button box out......?

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  4. LissyLou1 February 2010 at 12:59

    oh me too, i loved playing with my mums and nans buttons!!

    Those little bags are adorable.

    Thank you lovely Sal, your lovely red hearts for BHF package arrived today!!

    xxxxx

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  5. Anonymous1 February 2010 at 13:01

    Hi, I just found your blog via Smiffy's blog...the title caught my eye as I LOVE buttons. I'm intrigued by the plastic bags of buttons that I can just see in the background of one of your photos...can you tell me where you buy those please?

    thanks, Abby x

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  6. Carole1 February 2010 at 13:17

    Your buttons look great. I love buttons they are like Smarties but unlike Smarties they don't help me tp put on wieght !!

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  7. Sew Scrumptious1 February 2010 at 13:38

    I LOVE your litle button bags! They are so pretty. I too have inherited some buttons from my nan with a little wooden sewing box that I keep in my sewing room. You can never have too many buttons!!

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  8. menopausalmusing1 February 2010 at 13:46

    Buttons just never fail to bring out the inner child..... I followed the link to find out more..... Great! :O)))

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  9. Andi's English Attic1 February 2010 at 14:13

    How did I guess that you would knock the box over? My little heart skipped when I saw all those buttons in the box. Oh I loved my Nan's button tin. Kept me quiet for a long time. When she died I got the buttons. I've decorated plain cotton shopping bags with them. xx

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  10. Emma1 February 2010 at 14:24

    I'm just starting my button collection, so this would be great.
    Emma
    :-)

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  11. Funkymonkey1 February 2010 at 14:26

    I love buttons and make necklaces from them. I love your button box - very organised and the little bags are so sweet.

    Tracey

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  12. Susie's country cottage1 February 2010 at 14:43

    I love buttons too and have just started a collection...I don't know if I'll ever have as many as you though! I love the CK boxes you store them in and the little bags you've made are gorgeous.

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  13. The Weaver of Grass1 February 2010 at 15:06

    There is a shop in York called Duttons for Buttons Ssl - it makes for compulsive buying. I looked at your picture of buttons and read that you sorted them into colours but did not read that you had knocked them over! I couldn't believe it when I saw the fantastic multi coloured buttons, thought you must be colour blind for a minute. (there, I have mentioned buttons twice - no three times if I count the last "buttons" - gosh that makes four!) I could go on but I won't.

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  14. galant1 February 2010 at 15:08

    Ooh, buttons ... I have some which are very, very old which I found in my late mother's collection of antique lace. I think they are early 19th century and still on a card, but they are satin with little 'pearls' on them - must take a piccy of them for you. But please include me in the draw for this giveaway!
    Margaret P

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  15. Country Cottage Chic1 February 2010 at 16:35

    well, as it's my birthday this week too i think i need some more buttons for my button box!

    jayne

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  16. Jewels1 February 2010 at 17:31

    Well if your willing to send it over the pond I would LOVE to get a bag with buttons - what a nice giveaway. I visit your blog often...
    Jewels
    http://www.justtickety-boo.blogspot.com/

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  17. LoloDesigns1 February 2010 at 18:00

    Button love is something I've had for a loooong time:o) Used to have to get them out of a tin for my nan when I was younger as funnily enough she couldn't bare to put her hands in the tin, made her go all funny. Thankfully I didn't inherit that trait!

    What a delightful giveaway, right up my street, you are so generous. xx

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  18. mitmot1 February 2010 at 18:47

    like you i havw spent many a happy hour sorting out my buttons into seperate colours, i love to add old buttons to the things i make as it makes each piece unique

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  19. Anonymous1 February 2010 at 18:55

    I know how you felt when you knocked over your button boxes - I recently knocked over a container of beads, all the lids popped open and there were beads everywhere - we have laminate flooring so they rolled under the furniture!!

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  20. Dawn1 February 2010 at 19:24

    Ah, happy days of rummaging in my mums button tin - which had been her mums - one day I hope it will be mine!(Except I have to fight 2 big sisters for it!)

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  21. Twiggy1 February 2010 at 20:00

    Blimey there are a lot of us Aquarians knocking around blogland, I think it's time we took over the world :)
    twiggy x
    PS nice buttons !!!

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  22. Shabby Chick1 February 2010 at 20:11

    I love buttons too, I have two mini jars with mother of pearl ones and one big jar not full enough with coloured ones! Love your collection, I am v jealous!

    Mel xxx

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  23. Kelly1 February 2010 at 20:50

    I love buttons! I have been working on a few buttony projects lately!

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  24. VintageVicki1 February 2010 at 21:03

    I'll happily help you sort your buttons back out - something very special about a button tin.

    I've started my own and keep a look out in charity shops & at bootsales for others to add to my collection.

    Vicki xx

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  25. Anonymous1 February 2010 at 21:16

    Lovely buttons. I remember when I was little, about 8, I used to have a much loved mother of pearl button that I carried around everywhere with me.

    I've always adored buttons, but I did have a friend who had a button phobia.

    Shirl x

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  26. Kathy1 February 2010 at 21:57

    My grandma had a lovely button box ... I played with it for hours too. Sadly I have no idea what happened to it when she died. I started my button collection for scrapbooking and I love to add buttons to a layout.
    My button jar is only half full, and sometimes I can't bear to use the prettiest ones. Is that normal?
    I'd love to win some more!
    Kathy xxx

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  27. Victoria - Florence and Mary1 February 2010 at 23:33

    I love buttons too and also inherited my nan's button box... I can't wait till I'm in the flat and can properly look at all the lovely sewing paraphernalia in addition to the buttons I've got now.

    Victoria xx

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  28. Unknown2 February 2010 at 02:16

    Oooh I love buttons ! Thanks for the chance to win some .

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  29. Josie-Mary2 February 2010 at 07:22

    Silly you for knocking them over!! What a great surname!!! I never use any of my old buttons, just look at them! I think button boxes can be a bit sad :(
    Sorry I couldn't speak on saturday, busy weekend. When's the big day?
    X

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  30. Booklinks2 February 2010 at 08:50

    Hi, I'm so glad I found your blog,
    it's beautiful!I also have buttons from my mom and grandmother. They have not such nice collors, most of them are brown.Like the button bags and CK box -lovely-
    Have nice day,Suzanne

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  31. Just Original2 February 2010 at 09:19

    I always used to check out my mum's button stash, it always had a funny smell to it which I can recall at any given time. My sister now has a button phobia from it though. She is due to give birth at the end of March and she has had to buy baby clothes with no buttons on.

    Thanks for the comment on my daughters rabbit, thank god he likes to be cuddled as he gets lots from my daughter!

    Vanessa x

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  32. Rosie2 February 2010 at 09:23

    I can just imagine you with all those buttons all over the floor:) I too used to play with grandma's button tin and also the contents of the drawers of her treadle sewing machine - I loved the buttons and ribbons and cottons and threads. I remember sitting on the floor in front of her range and sorting through them - kept me quiet for ages:)

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  33. landcuckoo2 February 2010 at 13:22

    Ooooo buttons! Buttons buttons buttons, that is heaven isn't it? I was ogling my friends button box yesterday when we were having a sewing afternoon, they are quite addictive aren't they?
    I have mine all lined up now in little jars all sorted into their colours! Hubby thinks I'm quite mad, I tell him it is normal to be like that.
    Great little button bags Sal
    Take care
    Sarah x

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  34. Guenievre2 February 2010 at 14:25

    Charmants boutons !
    I collect buttons too, last week-end I was very happy because I found a box with a lot of "old buttons" in my mother in law home. Je dois maintenant les trier par couleurs and try not to knock over them on the floor, lol.
    Your button bags are lovely.
    Bonne journée à toi !

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  35. julie2 February 2010 at 14:45

    what a lovely story - so nice to be able to have these memories of our dear ones. My daughter has just reached the age where she is starting to enjoy threading buttons (with a large blunt needle I should add), so we are having lots of fun going through my buttons and making necklaces - I love buttons and could spend all day playing with them!

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  36. Karen2 February 2010 at 18:51

    Oooh I just love buttons!!!

    I always remember my Mum having lots of old clean biscuit tins which were always full of odd buttons that she collected :)

    I love the little button bags you have made, they are really gorgeous :)

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  37. Ellouise882 February 2010 at 23:43

    My Mum had a button bottle, which I still have and I too have fond memories of tipping them all out and playing games with them. Don't remember putting them away much though!!!!

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  38. Cowboys and Custard Mercantile3 February 2010 at 07:02

    There is something totally irresistible about buttons and I too remember a large collection of buttons belonging to my mother in a huge (or so it seemed) Huntley & Palmer biscuit tin. Every old button does tell a story and I can still remember sorting through the buttons which included leather cardigan buttons and beautiful dainty glass buttons with flowers encased in them. I wonder where they are today.

    Michele x

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  39. Annie3 February 2010 at 07:33

    I remember my grandma's button box too. I used to love sorting them in to piles of different colours and sizes. She was a seamstress by training and loved sewing. She had a whole cupboard at the top of the stairs that was full of bags of fabric scraps. I used to spend ages rummaging through looking at all the lovely scraps of fabric and then having a go at making something with her help. How I would love the chance to go back now and look through that cupboard ! Your little button bags are very sweet , the pink and green ginghams ones are my favourites, they look so fresh and pretty.
    Ann x

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  40. Gill3 February 2010 at 15:11

    i love buttons! as i child i loved sorting them and as an adult i still do - you can never have too many buttons!!!!

    gill

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  41. Sophie - Chez Sophie3 February 2010 at 18:46

    Buttons are the best arn't they.
    I have an old button box too.
    I even cut them off old clothes!
    Please can I join you giveaway.
    Luv Sophie xxxx

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  42. karenshopes4 February 2010 at 10:00

    I wish I was sitting on the floor surrounded by buttons,instead I'm sitting at my desk surrounded by work.... Oh and having a sneaky blog lol..........
    Karen

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Thank you for taking the time to comment! ;-)

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