Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Grandma's Button Box



Last fall my grandmother gave me her antique button box! I think I remember mentioning to her that I used buttons on my journals and books. When I arrived for my visit she had the button box waiting for me! It's not really a box, per se, but rather a button tin. It's oval with two little handles. The designs on the sides and top are detailed with gold and turquoise flowers. It's a treasure! She took me through the box, pulling out buttons and telling me the stories that went with them. "This was a wooden button off of your great-grandmothers wool coat!" "These buttons came from your grandpa's jacket!" She had an antique wooden spool from some sewing project in there as well along with scores of random, mismatched, well loved buttons of all shapes and sizes. I loved watching her face as she touched each button, piling the pearl buttons together and moving the strings of pink and orange plastic buttons to the side, each was a tiny little memory! I have a hard time using these buttons for my projects, simply because they're all so special! But, every once in a while, I'll pull one out and sew it onto the front of a book. My Country Rose journal boast such a button!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I loved this story. What a special gift from your grandma. I think the buttons add so much to your journals. It's nice to know that many have a story behind them!

Art Kitten said...

Oh this is wonderful, Julia! You are very lucky to be able to have shared that with your grandmother.

Waterrose said...

oh yea...I would never be able to part with those buttons...We had a button box too and my mom knew where all the buttons were from.

Suzanne : : S.HOPtalk said...

Wonderful treasures indeed...you must feel so fortunate for the opportunity to share that time with your grandmother. Thanks for sharing your beautiful story.

marsha said...

Hi Julia!!! How have you been?
I absolutely love that tee! It's fab!!! *rushes off to check out tee store!!!* :D