Neat Button Find

I recently purchased this large stash of buttons at Goodwill for about three dollars. Unlike my last find, this one did not disappoint. I pulled out a few of the most interesting pieces (click on photos to enlarge):



A large shell and a few clear glass buttons, plus some interesting metal (pewter?) buttons. It's always nice to find a set like the three gold twinkle buttons, on the right. I love the large rhinestone button, pictured in the bottom row. It has a white metal backing and all the stones are intact. I have no idea what the oval, brown tortoiseshell-like piece is.



Button hunting can be a precarious hobby. With so many pins, nails and other sharp items, I'm surprised I didn't stab myself while carrying this bag of goodies to the cashier. I believe the metal tool, in the centre of the photo, is called a bodkin, used for making holes in cloth. I also found three tiny teeth -- I'm not sure if they were human or the remains of a beloved pet. Interesting (and a bit gross) that they'd been tossed into the button tin.

Bakelite Buttons, Bangles and Buckles

Apparently, using Simichrome is the most reliable method of verifying whether or not something is made of Bakelite. Unfortunately, the product isn't available in Canada. I was about to order it online, when I remembered that a friend often travelled to the U.S. on business, and he agreed to buy some on his next trip. I was so excited when I started testing -- it was a bit like a treasure hunt, looking for the tell-tale spot of yellow on the end of the Q-Tip.



I was sure I'd discover loads of vintage Bakelite buttons, but this is all I've found in my collection. I remember the bracelets from my childhood, but it's the red and apple juice-coloured buckle, from my mom's button box, that's my favourite.

The search continues ...

You Win Some, You Lose Some

I'm always hopeful when I find a bag of buttons at a thrift store, and have seldom been disappointed. But a recent purchase, at Value Village, landed me with an assortment of perfectly new buttons.



There may be a few gems in there, but for now, I've tossed them into a jar with the other dull, but potentially useful, buttons:

Button Tin Treasures

A few years ago, my mom gave me her wonderful stash of old buttons -- the same buttons I would endlessly sort through when I was young. These are a handful of some of the glass, china and other pretties from her tins, as well as a couple of second hand store finds (click on photo to enlarge).