Although we haven’t been too diligent about getting projects done this summer, we have managed to do a little treasure shopping.
We spent some time this summer in Door County Wisconsin, and in a small fun shop in Sturgeon Bay (Door County Traders), found a cool treasure – cards and cards of old buttons. The owner of the store said a local woman collected buttons all her long life. She meticulously sewed them onto white 7″ x 7″ cards – she had boxes and boxes of these cards as well as little containers of all sorts of buttons. She passed away about 20 years ago and her son kept them until now and then brought them into this antique store.
I thought it was so amazing that she took the time to find, sort, and categorize all these buttons! What patience.
It was really hard to decide which ones to buy (and to stop myself from buying the whole stack), but I ended up getting about 8 cards.
To show off my new button collection, I decided to frame a few. Found a shadow box frame at Ikea with a frosted glass mat – the cards fit perfectly. Somewhere up there, I hope the button lady is looking down and admiring her lasting artwork.
That’s amazing — both the cards and the framing idea! Now I wish I had my mom’s ancient button box. It was filled with all types of buttons, and I loved playing with and sorting them when I was a kid.
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Thanks! I know, I love buttons too. I’m sorry you don’t have your mom’s button collection. My mom had buttons too – in an old tobacco can. We used to play fabric store in her sewing room, pretend to purchase fabric, measure it and pick out matching thread and accessories. We’d say in a grown-up voice “Do you need thread or a zipper today?”. That was so fun!
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I think you’ve really found a gem of a collection. I bet she is charmed by your display, where ever she is.
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This is so cool! Another example of art in the everyday object.
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What a great idea. I love it! Thank you for sharing.
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I am sure sure she is smiling at what you have done… looks amazing
as I always say anything can be art, it’s just thinking out side the box…
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