The Button Box Part 2.

7.24.2007

I have my own button box, well, button jar. I pick up buttons at garage sales and the thrift store and toss them in. These are the buttons I use when I sew and when I need a few minutes to myself....



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This time I sat with Maddie as she sorted and as she put the blue buttons together she said "Mama, there's lots of different blues, right?" "Yes Maddie, my favorite is the blue of your eyes."



I wonder if the girls will remember my button "box"?

39 comments:

Rachael said...

I'm 21 and I remember both my mom's and grandma's button boxes. I spent hours sifting through those boxes when I was little, trying to find matching sets, or sorting them by color/shape/size/type(flat vs shank, etc), counting with them, doing math with them... In kindergarten, for the 100th day of school, we each had to bring in 100 things, and I brought 100 different buttons. One year when my dad was out of work, for Father's Day we raided the button box and made a pillow with "#1 Dad" spelled out in buttons. He still has it. There are a few things I've asked for (my grandparents made us ask for what we wanted when they pass on), but the top of my list is the button box.

Anonymous said...

She will. My Grandma's button box and my mom's growing up are two of my favorite memories.

In her own Voice said...

Very sweet, Mary, and thanks for stopping by my blog...

The energy of your site is so soothing--lots of mother/grandmother comfort here. A nice place to come for laying down your armor for a while and feeling very safe.

Buttons--yes I remember buttons and how they fascinated me when I was a child. Yours look as if I could reach into my monitor and actually pick them up and hold them in my hand. I can "feel" their texture and their roundness in my mouth-- :-)!

Unknown said...

I would have to say that they probably will remember the button box. I remember a similar story - my uncle had all these different little plastic compartments for screws. He would always joke to me and my older sister, even today, that he has a bunch of bolts and screws lined up for us to sort out!

Axlsval said...

I love this blog! I am 36 years young and was just telling my co-worker YESTERDAY about my grandmothers tin box of beautiful buttons. I told her that wehn I was in grade school my Nana (grandmother) had this box that I just loved, I decided one day that I wanted my own button tin. I went home and took off ALL the buttons from my parents clothing:) I got in big trouble! I still get excited when I come across old buttons.

Thanks, for sharing with us. Now I know I am not alone.

gnomesque said...

I never had a handed-down button box. My mother has really only started to accumulate buttons in the past few years. She always gave us the scraps of fabric from whatever she was sewing, though. My brother and I would fight over them to get the best ones, and then make pictures and stories with them.

I had a button collection of my very own when I was younger, though. I got buttons of my worn out clothes, and sometimes when we went to the used clothing store I would get some from the button bin. Unfortunately, I sold my collection a few years ago - somehow, at fourteen, I lost interest in such silly things as buttons. I regret that now, and plan to keep a button box as I grow older.

CaptainCraft said...

My mom use to have a button box. I can remember saving buttons off old shirts to fill it. When a button would pop off a new shirt, I would be told to go to the button box, which was exactly a tin box, and pick out a button that matched button I had lost. I always ended up with a button that did not match the other buttons.

Ivan said...

I think they will remmeber because that was very cute and sweet

Spinning Girl said...

I always loved my grandmother's button box, and when my parents cleaned out her house this spring, it was given to me.

Clever Rabbit said...

In her own voice is right, you have wonderful energy here. I like it. And I will be back I am sure.

The button thing... yes, my grandparents had buttons, and many other collections. It brings back fond memories.

For myself, I have no button collection, nor have I ever considered having one. But after reading this, it seems as though a button box would bring much warmth and satisfaction into my life.

Thanks marytree.

MJ said...

I have inherited some of my grandmother's buttons & some of my husband's aunt's buttons too! It is so hard to use the "new" unopened packages of vintage buttons on any item! I am a vintage button hoarder!

I too love the colours of summer...

Jenny Wagner said...

Yes they'll remember! I'm 35 and have happy memories of my Grandma's. I could spend hours sifting thru them.
jasyjensthoughts.blogspot.com

ifax said...

Rachael, when I was in kindergarten, I had an experience kind of like yours. On the 100th day of school, there was a big 100 day celebration. The big event was the button estimation contest. Every kid in kindergarten got to estimate on how many buttons were in the jar. If you estimated the exact or closest to the exact number of buttons in the jar, you won 100 pieces of candy.

ifax said...

Rachael, I had a similar experience to yours when I was in kindergarten. On the 100th day of school, there was a big 100 day celebration. The biggest event at the celebration was the button estimation contest. Every kid in kindergarten estimated on how many buttons were in the jar. Whoever guessed closest to the real number of buttons in the jar won 100 pieces of candy.

Natalie, the Chickenblogger said...

I love buttons. Where is my button box? Garage. Garage is the answer to all our "where is" questions.
BTW congratulations on being Blog of Note. You have a nice site and I look forward to returning.

beverly8 said...

they will. and fondly :)

Michael Lockridge said...

I remember my grandmother's button box. I liked to sift my hands through them. I liked the sound, and the feel.

This memory is over fifty years old. I guess button boxes are magical.

Who knew?

Anonymous said...

Aw, this makes me want a button box. Congrats on Blogs of Note, well deserved. I'm really glad to have found this blog. Thanks for it. :)

Brittany Strummer said...

Aww, that is so sweet. I wish I had a cool hobby like that.

Jane said...

My Gran always had a button box it was a round tin with two puppies on and when i was home ill from school she'd always get the button box out and we'd look through and she'd tell me which outfits they come from. When Gran died my Mum kept the button box and eventually gave it to me. What fun i had going through the box meeting all my old friends sharing them with my daughter. Recently we wrote down some of the garments the buttons came from e.g. wedding dress, communion dress, etc. If i use any buttons on clothes i make then i always make sure i rescue them when the garment is worn out.

Jennifer Louise said...

i think they will. those buttons are great!

Anne said...

I'm sure they will. I have very fond memories of my mom's button box (or bag, really).

yours truly said...

I so love your blog... my first visit. Yes, they will remember the button box! Absolutely!

DeLi said...

wow, beautiful colors! im sure tehy end up in beautiful designs

Poetrywithmeaning.com said...

Thats a ton of buttons!

P.L. Frederick said...

Me too. Love buttons. There's this extra cool shop in Massachusetts called Whittemore-Durgin Glass Co. that, if you ever get the chance to visit in person, you might enjoy it. Wonderfully odd shop where you can peruse antique buttons, glassware, and odds and ends. Whittemore-Durgin educated me on how button collecting was a popular hobby in Victorian Times. Who knew? If you're interested, their website is at www.whittemoredurgin.com.

Happy to discover your blog from Blogger's Blogs of Note.

P.L. Frederick
Small and Big

Andy said...

I have NO doubt she'll fondly remember the button box.

Your post reminded me of my grandmother's button box. It was something I was always fascinated with. There were seemingly thousands of buttons... each one unique, each one telling it's own story. I'd while away the hours looking through it.

I haven't thought about that in YEARS. Thanks for bringing back a little part of a very happy childhood!

ifax said...

I don't think your girls will remember the button box to well when they get older unless they help collect some of the buttons. I've noticed that kids don't remember experiences as much unless they were part of them. I, for instance, can barely remember my first grade friend's stamp collection. But, I can remember my stub people hobby vividly.

Unknown said...

hey i was just browsing and i fell upon your site and i have to say i like it a lot. you remind me of a martha stewert..that didnt go to jail muahaha. well whoever has you as a mother is very lucky!!

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ThreeGreenApples said...

Buttons are great! I share this passion for collecting them as well, I especially adore the 50 - 60 - 70's ones :)

In her own Voice said...

marytree, I took the liberty of following through with your permissions statement and gave your blog a link on mine under MotherSource -- nurture for moms, caregivers, & others of creative spirit.

I've been doing a lot of construction and writing since we first connected the other day. Trying to write each day -- keep my mind agile and my knuckles well oiled. Nice to come by here for a while though, to rest and finger the buttons for a while--let my mind go a little daydreamy...

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on being Featured! This is an amazing blog, and I hope you continue to be led as you have been.

Avantika said...

Your words have simplicity and soothing effect i just loved them.Yes the button box,my mother still maintains one,and in my childhood it was one of my fav.timepass material.

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Anonymous said...

Congratulations on being featured! You have a great blog, keep it up!

Anonymous said...

I remember my granma's button jar very well. I still love buttons today, especially mother-of-pearl and big, plastic vintage ones from the 60s.

I am drooling over all of your buttons :)

Nabeel said...

very colorful. Wish the picture was brighter.

onlyinnewyork said...

Well, although it wasn't a box of buttons, I remember always going through my mom's box of earrings. She had a ridiculous amount (most of them horrifically large as it was the 80's) but I will never forget sitting with her all those times sorting through them. I'm sure your girls will always remember too :)
PS I've only read a few posts so far but I'm loving your blog!