...bitten by buttons.

BUTTONS.  BUTTONS. BUTTONS.

I don't think that there is a person out there that can HONESTLY say that they haven't gone through an old button tin at some point in time in their lives without the slightest bit of enjoyment - or at least amazement.

There is 'just something' about them.   I've always enjoyed digging through my Mom and Grandmother's button tins since I was a little girl, but I had done miraculously well to escape their powers.  I can sew, but I DON'T ENJOY IT, and in my minds eye,

BUTTONS = SEWING PROJECTS = NO THANK YOU!  Soooo... the 'collecting' allure had alluded me... 

If you know me, you know my weaknesses - you can truly appreciate this!

All good things must come to an end.

 

 

Over the past couple of weeks I have had the job of sorting SEVERAL LARGE tins of VERY early buttons (for work - honest!).  Yes, I was enjoying it.  I was appreciating the beauty of the rhinestones, the unusual designs in the metals, marveling over the swirls in the glass... BUT that was it.  That was as far as it went.

 No passion.

No flame.





SWEATER CLIP 2013 #2 .80¢

Then IT happened!  I was minding my own business, sifting through the jewelry at one of my usuals stops one afternoon in search of sweater clips and such when I spotted this KRAMER 3-strand, silver charm-like bracelet...

 

...and it made me think about THIS little beauty that I had seen Somebody PIN (thanks alot Miss Heidi!!),where they simply used buttons as 'charms' on a bracelet ~ simple. ingenious. 'no-sew'. GREAT way to show them off!

and a Final kiss of fate...

While I was doing some 'Button Research' on those several tins of buttons that I was sorting, I learned that the town we currently live in used to have a Large Button Works! The building which housed this factory was right across the street from where J works (and I used to work) !! 

AUBURN BUTTON WORKS
There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE these buttons were made right.here.in.this.very town!  Maybe even by some of the people who used to live in our house?!  It almost seems like I MUST make a bracelet out of some of these OLD buttons!





Now, to decide on a style for the bracelet! ...Rhinestones and glittery?!  ...Metals and Fine Details?!  ...Just Plain Fun?! 

I'm thinking that I will be looking for a few more chain bracelets!

 

It's still Cold & Snowy in the NE, so not much to 'Show-n-Tell'

 

I did drop a couple of bags off at the thrift the other day, did a a quik scan... NOTHING... then on the way out I did a quik dig in the quarter box of 'junk' - where they toss the 'true junk' that they don't think is worth pricing, but 'somebody' may take...

 

Can you ever have too much HOT GLUE?
~and~

I'm sure all of YOU know what this little gem is, but the Thrift ladies thought it was a disgusting, beat-up , rusty paperweight they should have tossed!

After a little elbow grease, I found the name I knew should be there, I just wish I still had some of the tall Skinny tapers to show it off for the photos 8-) !

I'm glad they didn't toss it.