Button it!

Last week I was contacted by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Buttons) when they saw that Lesley over at Printed Material was about to take some buttons to THE TIP. Those of us in the society know that TIP and BUTTON shouldn't be used in the same sentence. Aware there was no time to waste I contacted Lesley on a mission to save these souls and she very graciously relented. She'd found a use for the white amongst the pack but let me have the rest. I've never removed my whites so was delighted when the buttons arrived and poured both coffee and buttons. The sorting of buttons is a serious business requiring full attention. The resulting collection of buttons was a joy to sort through - the whites dilute the colour of the rest! (I'm easily pleased!)



I found lots of buttons that I could add to my various categories assisted by my trusty baking tin.



I have collections of 50s and 30s, floral, leather and mother of pearl to name a few.



Buttons on cards can be found in little corners around the house



Also jars of specific colours a particular favourite being green.



Lots of the buttons I find that have been discarded are these very simple but colourful Jasons buttons. I keep these in a jelly mould ready to run my fingers through as I walk past. Again - simple pleasures!




I like the cards the buttons are mounted on just as much with the manufacturere desperate to convince the buyer to by his buttons. Fashionable buttons. Exclusive buttons



and on this one - The EGO brand! Love it.



I spent a happy hour sorting through before going on to examine some of my other recent finds. (Funny isn't it how "Happy hour" means different things to different generations!)



I never tire of looking at old packaging and advertising - be it paper, card or tin. How can I use this binding without damaging the wrapper? I might just have to leave it as is...



Might leave the Water Closet paper package intact too!

I found a scruffy little book in the bottom of a box and was delighted to find it full of colour plates of birds. The book is falling apart with a lot of marking but well worth 20p!





The paper bag below was holding some 60s fabric and I don't think had been opened since then - a 60s dress had been cut out and is ready to stitch up. Far too small for me though! The shop disppeared over 40 years ago to become Debenhams.



Also managed to find some more of the chemist labels I found a couple of years ago.



and some wonderful Weldons Shilling Guides once all bound together (at some point but now just a heap of paper which I needed to sort into some sort of order). These guides are instructions to the hobbyist in a variety of areas. These are just some of the great illustrations...



Crinkled paper shades for your piano candles!!!



Lovely woolly (scratchy) drawers for babies!



And the knitted knee cap. How on earth have we managed without these? Let me know if you need the pattern!

Thrifty Thursday

I've been getting way behind with everything lately and not keeping up with my blog my pictures and my finds so I thought I'd share with you some of my latest finds as those thrifting gods have been looking after me very nicely recently!



Had to include this picture - lovely tea set and Sanderson curtains with a fabulous wedding photo - not sure whether its hand tinted but I really liked the pinky contrasts!



Found the lovely suitcase at a charity shop (I can see this charity shop making a lot of money out of me as they are going to concentrate on vintage items!)
Very tempted to become a volunteer!

Also had to buy the red polka dot eiderdown with its little floral nosegays...



For the sugar glass lovers amongst you this is the best piece of sugar glass I've found so far - very large and heavy and definitely a keeper - for now!



And finally a little Lloyd Loom covered seat with original paint and fabric. It still has its label and the date stamp showing it was produced in 1955. The fabric is gorgeous and typical of the period. Love it!



I've been picking up Lloyd Loom pieces for years but try to find those with their original paint jobs. I did repaint one but they are easily ruined with globules of paint sitting in all the recesses of the weave so I learnt my lesson. I suppose they could be one of my collections! I can feel another post coming on!

Face the front please!

Foot tapping,
Eye rubbing,
Nervous coughing,
Boy yawning,
Window gazing,
Birds tweeting,
Mowers mowing,
Hair twiddling,
Pen scratching,
Water slurping,
Girl crying,
Inspiration hitting - it must must be exam time!

and I'm invigilating at the university and at a school. And as I pace up and down the sports hall I struggle to keeep myself from chuckling as I reach the back of the room and recall these sketches from Armstrong and Miller.




And if that made you smile try this one...



No talking until I've collected your papers in.

With apologies to those in whom I have stirred terrible memories...

Hope you have a stress free week!

SMILE ...Julie Arkell and others

Last weekend I got to see the SMILE exhibition at the Harley Gallery in Welbeck, North Notts. The exhibition comprises work by 13 artists linked by the word SMILE. Simple, quirky, fun, delightful.


The pieces explore the Britsh love of humour and hark back to earlier times, long ago holidays and the humour of everyday life.
I took lots of pictures and thought I'd share some of my favourites with you in a bid to make you smile

Jo Lawrence's glove puppets










Lucy Casson - great use of found objects and wonderfully ill proportioned mini installations



Great use of an old chair leg and a jelly mould - I may never throw anything away again!





Janet Bolton - Embroidery and collage now inspiring her 3 dimensional pieces of work





Oop - having checked the catalogue the polar bear should be standing...

Julie Arkell - her work this time being of individuals or "family groups" ready to "smile" for the camera.













Love the little gallery and promptly used the inspiration to come home and frame up some of my bits and pieces in long forsaken frames which Ipick up at car boots - I knew they'd come in useful.



Abbott and Ellwood - some of you may already be familiar with their enamelled steel brooches often of figues, animals and birds. Using similar techniques tehy are now incorporating found objects into their larger pieces.





Finally one of my faves - "Lost Adults"



The exhibition closes on 5th June. Hope you enjoyed this little skip around.

Did you have a favourite?

Wend

PS In a bid to avoid revision Niobe has been playing about with my Blogger settings.
As the optician would say - better this way, or that way?