Sunday, March 28

Buttons Shared with a Friend... Family...


I am so thankful for people I meet along the way.
I met a kind woman when I was in college.
She was an antique dealer who dealt in lace,
paper, ephemera, buttons... well~ you know!
ALL those things we love so much!


My dear friend, now twenty years later...
Is having to downsize.


My sweet daughter and I are helping her organize,
clean, move, toss... restore... save.
It must be so difficult for her to know she can
only keep a smidgen of what she owns.

In a long, round about way, we have discovered
that this wonderful woman is related to my husband...
Therefore, our daughter.
It was amazing when she and this woman first met.
They liked the same things, laughed at the same jokes...
Who would have thought? One day, while we were busy
working away, my daughter picked up a photo
album from the mid, to late 1800's~ A family book...
She saw her great, great grandfathers name!
We travel to her home every now and then~
They connect for an hour or so...
Then we get to work!


Yesterday was buttons!
We have so many buttons I will NEVER in my
lifetime be able to use them...
But I can share!
We purchased a huge lot of more common ones.
I'll be adding them with my fabric illustration sales.


My friend shared, when money was tight, that women
would sew these buttons to muslin or scrap fabrics
to try to sell. Much like the chipboard, card stock pages.


She unearthed a small collection of mother of pearl...
They are my favorites!
Natural, remind me of watercolor washes~


I tried to capture the details to share with you...


Just fussing with these makes the day sweeter.
Thinking of the times these were used...
Who tucked them inside a button hole~
Where were they off to?
Some place in time~


Hope your day is relaxing~

More fabric originals coming soon!
Chickadees, acorns, ladybirds and Hummingbirds!

17 comments:

Lady Farmer said...

Michelle~
I have absolutely fallen in love with your work! It is utterly charming!
Thank you for visiting my humble little blog. Try as I may, my crazy dial-up connection for some reason won't let me visit my followers unless they comment first. Hence ~ I am able to be here today!
What a marvelous gift you have. I am so glad to be able to share in the beauty you have created!
Have a Blessed Sunday!

NMK said...

What a special friend ! Your new collection of buttons are just beautiful ! To think of all the outfits they were on...how special !

Margaret said...

What a wonderful story! It's sad that your friend/relative has to downsize, but it's great that you and your daughter are helping out and connecting too. I love all the mother of pearl buttons -- so beautiful! What is it about them that makes them so special? You can't find buttons like those anymore. Thanks for sharing!

Karen said...

Michelle,
Fabulous buttons! You are so lucky to get to share in her time of downsizing and to think she is related! How sweet is that?

Janet Ghio said...

Beautiful buttons-I love the mother of pearl ones too; and what a great story--synchronicity!! Love it!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

I love to buy and play with buttons. I'm always hopeful that a jar of buttons will have a treasure or two.
What a great story about your friend although I'm sure it's sad for her to downsize. I love being surrounded by the things I love and would hate to give them up.

Vicki Boster said...

Michelle - Your buttons are just beautiful! I love buttons - just looking at them, holding them, just owning them is such a pleasure for me. i inherited a huge assortment from my mother after she passed away - they are precious to me.

Your blog is beautiful and your artwork is delisghtful - I recently purchased 2 of the little bird sketchings. (I want to own more!!!)

Thank you for sharing what you do with all the rest of us who enjoy your talents so much.

I am a knitter - and have no talent at all for sketching - could not even do a respectable stick figure - so I have the greatest admiration for you!

I enjoy my visits every time that I am here~~~

Vicki

FILIGREE MOON said...

Love this post! Buttons, lace, ephemera...swoon! Mother of pearl have always been my favorites. And I adore the story you shared here about the serendiptous friendship that revealed a true familial bond! Amazing... ~ Angela

Michele's Treasures, Teacups, and Tumbling Rose Cottage said...

How wonderful! These are little beauties--treasures indeed. ; )
~Michele

Tami said...

What wonderful treasures and to come from a very special friend!

Janet Metzger, Artist said...

Love, love, love the buttons!!!

Jane said...

I loved seeing all of the beautiful buttons. I have always loved old sewing notions. I remember organizing all of my mom's buttons when I was a kid. I still love to go to her house and go through all of her sewing stuff.
Jane

Katta said...

Lovely buttons! I really like old buttons especially mother of pearl-buttons. Nice history about this woman you know to. Have a nice week, Katta

Anonymous said...

Michelle, what an amazing turn of events for you after all these years of friendship with this woman! You're related through your husband!
Such a small, small world!
Blessings to you on Monday....and
thanks for the special sketch you did just for me of the baby robin!
Check in the mail to you today, sweet friend!
Diane

Bird on Wire Studio said...

Those mother of pearl buttons are just gorgeous!

Tina said...

What a lovely story - Love your button collection - I just love old buttons too.
~ Tina

Gloria Freshley Art and Design said...

Michelle, the buttons are lovely and the lighting in the photos of the mother of pearl buttons is especially beautiful. The family connection makes them all the more special. I've been enjoying all of your recent sketches on fabric. Gloria