My Button BoxWhen I was little, my mother had a button box. She depended on it. Where we lived, there were no nearby stores that sold cards of buttons in every shape and color. If we lost a button, we had nowhere to go but to the button box. We would not have thought of throwing out an old piece of clothing without first cutting off all the buttons to put back in that precious box.
I can remember playing with those buttons -- big ones and little ones, round and oval and square, plain plastic and wood and mother of pearl. Some even had a fancy little diamond inset on the top, and others were covered with fabric to match the long-discarded dress. Oh, what a treasure trove of imaginations was in that old button box!
I haven't been able to find a box just like my mothers' yet, but I've started my own button box. Just like we did many years ago, I always carefully cut the buttons off any clothes that are ready for the rag bag or the cat bed or the trash can. Whenever I find old buttons anywhere, I gather them up and add them to my box, and it is beginning to be just as interesting as the one in my memory!
We are sort of like the buttons in my box--all different shapes and sizes and colors, some of us fancy and others casual, some of us dressed up and showy, others of us plain and quiet. Put us all together, and we are so interesting! I love our button box! Let's enjoy it!
(Do you recognize the doily? It is the one I made for my mother years ago!)
9 comments:
Buttons are fascinating things. I save them too, but they're in jars in my sewing area in the basement. I think I'll find a nice box and keep them out as you do. They each tell a story and refresh our memories. Bless you.
Thanks, Louise! You are exactly right - they each tell a story. I hope you enjoy your button box!
The button box tradition continues in our house too! We had our own little collection even before you gave Kinza her special box! She said the other day that when she has kids, her "button box" will be a bucket of barley. That's what I gave her to play with but I had no idea it had made such an impression! She had her own bucket filled with two full bags worth of uncooked barley along with several different sizes of scoops. Hours of happy play for a little girl and so easy to clean up the "mess"!
I remember Mom's button box -- it seemed magical. Methinks we had too much social isolation in the jungle!
Good post, JJ!
P.S.
I really like your header!
Thanks, Carol-Ann! I looked out the window on October 25 and saw the most beautiful blue sky behind the trees in the back yard, so out I rushed like a good little blogger and snapped a pic hoping it would be half as good as it looked! This one will only do for a little while, as we are heading quickly for winter. The back range that I can see from our house is already totally snow-covered.
I love the barley box! Much safer for little girls than buttons, that is for sure! It will be a great tradition for Kinza to hand down when the day comes!
Oh, I love your button box, and I love hearing about its value! I'll bet that was fun for a little girl to play with.
I have a button box! But it is not really a treasure. Just something I pull out on the rare occasion I decide to sew something! Perhaps I should get it out . . .
I love your new picture Jeanette. Beautiful! Your button box story is lovely and reminds me that each and every button has a story and history of life before the button box. Lovely post ! I so enjoy your picture of the day posts.
The button box my mother had was made of cedar and had little legs on it. It was lined inside with old yellow fabric, and it had a mirror in the lid. I have seen some in the antique stores, but nothing in good condition or just like hers. So while I am still searching for that, I got my own box, and maybe someday having one like hers won't seem too important.
Thanks for your comments, Renae and Nancy! It is always nice to have you visit. And I'm so glad you enjoy my picture of the day posts, Nancy! I have gotten busier the last few months, and so it is more like twice-a-week pictures now, sad to say! Maybe over the winter I'll be able to make it every day again.
PS: I'm glad you like my new header picture, too, Nancy!
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