Part Three Buttons and Jars

Back to sorting the buttons by color, who knew it would take this long. This is not fun anymore and I have to get these buttons off my coffee table soon. Using different size boxes, bowls to sort with I realize this is not how I want to store or display them. What to use?! 

   

 [take a break and browse Pinterest] Didn’t take too long to see all those button jars!

Yes I am losing my mind, because it really did take me a couple of days to remember I had boxes of JARS in the basement!! Now I can put the buttons in the jar by color and have a rainbow of color button jars ...

 

 

Sorting

Things in button containers besides buttons:

Lapel pins, baby pins, paper clips, needles, tacks, coins, beads, earrings, stamps, thimbles, hooks and eyes, buckles, snaps, nasty corroded things, paper origami, cuff links, lots of broken bits and pieces, drapery clips and a cloth felt cat needle holder!

 

Did I mention this taking a long time - finally I just finish sorting the first batch of buttons, brag to my friends that I now have buttons, take pictures of the jars that I now have to put them away because I have to decorate for Christmas.

“Are you sure you don’t want more buttons?!” Well I am sure but I am also getting hooked so more buttons arrive and now I have to clean and make a space in the basement!

 

Once I get over the shock of the quantity that I am now dealing with, it is time to get serious and learn about the types of materials that buttons are made with. I am finding some interesting buttons that just by feel, I am certain are older than 1930 so the collector in me says Keep!

 

In the quest for more knowledge…

[take a break and browse the internet] Wow look at those old buttons I might just a have a few.

My fingers are getting dirty so I think, now I have to clean the darn things.

[take a break and browse the internet] How do I clean the natural buttons – wood, shell, glass, horn, nut, fabric? How to clean old and new plastic types?

 had to clean the jars first...

 washing what I know will be okay

 

 there were some really yucky ones



 

Time to access the serious button collector groups and their experience.

[take a break and browse the internet] Many button groups, they sure know their stuff. There is a button collecting group here, so I should probably just contact them someday.

So much to learn - type, age, cleaning, displaying….

SLIDING DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE