Monday, December 31, 2012

The Button Jar

When I was around 7 years old, my great grandmother gave me a jar full of old buttons.  I remember dumping them out on the floor and sorting them by sizes, shapes, and colors.  Some of my favorites were a couple of smaller black buttons with rhinestone centers.  I guess I was drawn to the shimmer.  Or perhaps I imagined them to be diamonds.  I know I always wondered about the outfits they came from, and the women who had worn them.

I don't know what happened to that old jar of buttons.  But when I was talking to my grandmother recently about the jar Granny Besse had given me so many years ago, she sent me a jar filled with buttons, via my mom.  She and my grandfather bought them at an auction some years ago. 


I was kind of curious what was originally in this Kraft bear jar.  Thanks to google, I was happy to discover it originally housed jelly.  It's sleeting outside today and the boys and I aren't headed anywhere.  So it seems to me.....it's the perfect time to sit by the woodstove and play with buttons and marbles, and perhaps do a little daydreaming of where these buttons have been.
Readers, did you ever have a collection of buttons as a kid?  Wishing you all a Happy New Year's, with a 2013 full of happy memories. 

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a nice post, Lisa. Grandmother loved to sew and as a child I loved to play with her buttons, spools of thread etc. Thanks for the sweet memories. Wishing you all a happy new year.

Eat To Live said...

When I was younger, my Mom had a button box. It was a round tin filled with buttons. I used to love to go through it and find little treasures.

What a Great post Lisa!! Happy New Year to you and yours!!

Melanie said...

I have a jar just like that!! My buttons are in an old mason jar, but now I will transfer them to this jar. I loved buttons too, and enjoyed dreaming about where they had come from, and of course I made up stories about them. Had not thought about this until I saw this post today, thanks for sharing and remindimg me of happy memories!!

Heather said...

What a great story! And I am sure your kids will love daydreaming as much as you! I never had buttons growing up, but I had the most amazing collection of beads - tiny little beads that I found in little shops around town and when my family traveled. I still have a lot of them today. Maybe I need to have a jewelry making party with my kiddos :-)

Nancy said...

I love old buttons. What a fabulous gift. :)

Anonymous said...

My grandmother has a ring of buttons that she had placed on an old coat hanger. JDaniel has a bag of buttons. He loves exploring it.

Jill said...

I love buttons too! I have quite a stash. Looks like the perfect activity for you and the boys. Doesn't get much better than daydreaming with family.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh Lisa I love this post both my Grandmothers had started me on my obsession with buttons, I love them for that. I have many many jars, tins and baskets full of buttons now and think of the outfits and people who had been using or playing with them many years ago. Great time with your boys.
Happy New Year Lisa. Hug B

Liz Mays said...

Yes! My mom had a button box I just loved to sort through! I have one too!

An Apel a Day said...

My mom had a tin of buttons! I used to sort them as well. I loved playing with those buttons.

Tanya Breese said...

my grandma sewed a lot and had tons of buttons. i inherited her sewing machine and buttons. i occasionally will look through them when i come across the box in the basement. since i don't sew, the sewing machine just sits there. it probably needs a ton of work anyway since it hasn't been used in at least 20 years.
it's not sleeting here. we're supposed to get that weather tomorrow. happy new year to you and your family!

Michelle said...

I didn't collect button, but they are great for counting, sorting, etc..

Sharon Wagner said...

Yes, I have my Mom's jar. Which may have been added to my Grandma's collection. And I've added to it too over the years. I just used a button from the jar. A small black one on a purse I made. Origin unknown...

Happy New Year!

TexWisGirl said...

i loved playing in my mom's button drawer in her old pedal singer sewing machine cabinet.

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

I love buttons, too. My mother sewed a lot when I was growing up, and she had quite a stash of buttons that she bought and never used or saved from old clothing, hoping to use them again.

Happy New Year to you and your family!

Our Neck of the Woods said...

Aww I love this! It is so cute. I was always drawn to buttons too when I was younger. My great aunt actually made me a bracelet covered in buttons and I loved it :)

Gail Dixon said...

How fun! No, I never had a button collection, but would have probably been mesmerized like you if I had. Best wishes for the coming year, Lisa!

Jori said...

How sweet! I'm so happy you were able to get more buttons. My grandma always let me make crafts out of her old buttons. Happy New Year!!

Grandma Bonnie said...

My mother had a button jar that I love to sort and I do remember some of the unique buttons it held. I think I should start a button jar for my grandchildren.
I bet your boys will enjoy sorting those buttons. Happy New Years!

Sally said...

You always think of the most fun things to do with the boys. I do have an old round tin full of buttons that originated a long, long time ago. That was so thoughtful of your grandmother to send these to you.

I wish you and all your family a very blessed, and happy 2013.

xoxo

Betsy Banks Adams said...

I didn't have a jar of buttons --but my mother did (since she was a seamstress)... I had a jar of pennies instead... Wonder what ever happened to them??????

Hope you have a blessed 2013, Lisa--you and your precious family.
Hugs,
Betsy

Ginny Hartzler said...

The jar itself is really pretty, I guess they don't sell the jelly that way anymore. I would buy the jelly just for the jar, really. I like the container you put them in for playing, what is it actually used for? YES, I loved to look through a beloved button tin, all kinds of wonders in there. There were little glass domed buttons with men under the glass, I wish I knew what became of it all. I have saved every button when I get rid of clothes and now have a big button box myself. But none are the old fashioned special kind. We use them to make button spiders with the girls, I will send you a picture if you want, the boys would love making them and they are easy.

Ginny Hartzler said...

I sent you a few pictures. All else you need are pipe cleaners and googly eyes

Chatty Crone said...

That brings back memories!
To a wonderful new year - 2013! sandie♥

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

My mom has a button tin- but she hasn't sewn in ages. I wonder where it got off to? Happy New Year!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

I have a button collection and now you gave me a wonderful idea!...:)JP

Tweedles -- that's me said...

Oh yes, and we still have buttons- but they are in an old beautiful indian basket,
Happy New Years
love
tweedles

BlueShell said...

Lovely entry.
Happy New Year, full of joy, health and God’s Blessings!
BShell

Barbara said...

I think I collected everything but buttons! But I have a friend who collects them now and would go crazy over this bear full of them. Happy 2013 to you!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Love your buttons. I did not have a jar of buttons as a kid but I do have a small collection of buttons now. Guess I need to get them in a jar!

Lin said...

I STILL have a button jar! I sew and quilt, so I save all the buttons that come through this place--all the extras and ones that fall off things. I try to use them on projects because it just seems a waste to just save them.

Valerie Boersma said...

My grandmas had jars of buttons that I loved playing with, and when Amy was little, she learned to sort using a jar of old buttons I'd collected. She never grew tired of looking at them. I think it's wonderful your boys get to do the same.

Now I have hundreds of old buttons to play with and I never get tired of sorting and reorganizing them-wondering what they came off of, and who owned them, and what kind of bag I should make using them. It's one of my favorite ways to play as a grown up:)