Bonkers About Buttons

Lansing Button Salesman's Promotional Card

2014-06-28T09:30:00.000+01:00

I came across this 1958 Lansing Button promo card selling on eBay recently and it's just so lovely - with it's fabulous 1950s illustration on the cover and pretty buttons on the inside - you'll definitely be centre stage if you wear these little beauties! I wonder how modern day Button companies now market & sell their buttons - do they still produce cards like this? Has anyone seen any? How do they compare to this vintage beauty I wonder...?

Don't you love the description of this 'striking fancy' button?

Antique Raspberry Glass Swirlback Button

2014-06-04T11:58:00.002+01:00

This gorgeous antique glass Swirlback Button sold on ebay recently - and sadly, I forgot to add a bid. I love the colour, shape and texture - it almost looks like a juicy raspberry, ripe for the picking!

Conscience is a man's compass...

2014-06-01T10:09:00.001+01:00

"Conscience is a man's compass"

Vincent Van Gogh

I came across this beautiful button for sale on ebay recently, and as much as I would love to buy it, it's way outta my price range - so in the spirit of the quote - my 'conscience' won - in not buying something I can't afford or don't really 'need'...

Floral Friday

2014-05-30T11:31:00.001+01:00

She may be a little harsh looking but she's a beauty all the same!

Silver Lustred Black Glass Buttons

2014-05-27T16:15:00.001+01:00

I bought these black silvered glass buttons from a fabulous vintage emporium, '2nd Time Around' in Port Elizabeth, South Africa over the Christmas holidays.

Sadly, I had not taken my camera with me but if you do want to get some idea of how huge it is and all the wonderful stuff they have, head over to Luck Pony's blog here, as she has posted some wonderful photos - it's a veritable treasure trove full of goodies and even though I spent well over an hour looking at everything, I could have easily spent much longer! But the blistering heat, and two stroppy children put paid to any more browsing...

The back of the card is just as lovely as the front - I wonder what the numbers mean? I sold these over on my facebook page here and as of today, the buttons are now winging their way to Australia - so they are certainly well-travelled - made in the UK, at some point they have travelled to South Africa, back to England with me and now to Australia - I bet they could tell some tales...

Record Store Day

2014-04-19T10:30:00.000+01:00

Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose is to celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store. The day brings together fans, artists, and thousands of independent record stores across the world.

The Rolling Stones - Between The Buttons (1967)


The Rough Balloon - Missing Buttons EP (2008) Listen here

DJ Halo - More Than Pressing Buttons EP (2008) Listen here

fm - Buttons EP (2012) Listen here

Pussycat Dolls - Buttons EP (2006) Listen here

Happy St. Andrew's Day

2013-11-30T11:35:00.002+00:00

Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and St. Andrew's Day is Scotland's official national day.

Open All Hours

2013-11-14T21:40:00.000+00:00

I recently sold some vintage overall buttons via eBay here, and I was really pleased when the buyer, Tudor George, a costume designer got in touch. He is about to start filming the BBC Christmas special of the infamous British sitcom, "Open All Hours" and he is using these buttons in the show!

It's a minor detail, I know - but I was still quite pleased to find out and will be keeping my peepers peeled for when the show airs!

Remembrance Day 2013

2013-11-10T10:46:00.001+00:00

On the 11th Hour, of the 11th Day, of the 11th Month,
We Will Remember Them.

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

2013-11-05T10:00:00.000+00:00

Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords. Celebrating the fact that King James I had survived the attempt on his life, people lit bonfires around London, and months later the introduction of the Observance of 5th November Act enforced an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot's failure.

Untitled

2013-10-17T11:50:00.002+01:00

he felt sad today so i asked what i could do
he said just love me even if i'm ugly, sick and blue
and i said oh my darling
don't you know
all my poetry and hums are about you

via hello Poetry here

Wordless Wednesday

2013-10-09T10:00:00.000+01:00

via eBay

Button Art

2013-10-08T15:04:00.001+01:00

I'm always trawling eBay for yet more buttons and I love it when sellers get inventive with their photos...

White Stuff Buttons

2013-09-14T14:55:00.003+01:00

I popped into my local White Stuff branch recently and treated myself to a dress in their sale. Not only do they have some lovely clothes, their labels are a really nice touch too - and... they have huge wooden buttons dotted around the walls of the store.

Pete the Cat & His Four Groovy Buttons!

2013-09-10T18:45:00.002+01:00

I love 'Pete the Cat & His Four Groovy Buttons' by Eric Titwin and James Dean - as it's such a fun counting book to read & rhyme with young children.

Pete the Cat is wearing his favorite shirt - the one with the four totally groovy buttons. But when one falls off, does Pete cry? Goodness, no! He just keeps on singing his song—after all, what could be groovier than three groovy buttons? Count down with Pete in this rocking new story from the creators of the bestselling Pete the Cat books. You can also go online to the Pete the Cat website and download the audio of the book.

There is a fantastic blog post here, by Deborah Stewart of Teach Preschool, which shows how to incorporate the book with teaching pre-schoolers - be prepared for a whole lotta glue!

Ship Ahoy!

2013-09-10T12:25:00.003+01:00

This pretty painted picture button under glass, of a Greek galleon, 'Ariane' recently sold on eBay for £181.00! You can pick yourself up off the floor now!

One Two, Button Your Shoe...

2013-09-06T21:15:00.003+01:00

Whilst walking around town today, I thought I had a stone in my shoe... till I tipped it out... I had to laugh... those pesky buttons get everywhere!

Wordless Wednesday

2013-08-14T10:00:00.000+01:00

via eBay

Wordless Wednesday

2013-08-07T10:00:00.000+01:00

Button Hippo

2013-08-04T10:00:00.000+01:00

Whilst trawling a charity shop a few weeks ago with my 5 year old daughter, she spotted this 'Buttons Hippo' looking for a new home.

I've long been a fan of charity shops but have always drawn a line at buying the 2nd-hand soft toys; mostly because I'm not a soft toy fan to start with but more importantly - you just don't know where they have been and they are not always the cleanest of toys.

I have good reason for feeling like this about soft toys - especially if my two children are anything to go by..

Yip - they may well be five years apart, but both went through a stage of stuffing every available soft toy they owned, down their pj's! Now it may well be only my children who have chosen to do this particular little delight but this is the exact reason why I don't buy used soft toys from charity shops, so after much moaning by the 5yr old, we finally managed to leave the shop, sans Buttons Hippo thankfully! A little search later and it seems there are a whole range of Button Animals available here.

I've always loved hippos but having grown up in Southern Africa, we were made well aware of the dangers of them - they're kinda cute looking when floating in a lake - but they're big, very fast on their feet and generally pretty moody creatures - so steer well clear.

You don't need to steer clear of these lovely examples though. I love this little tactile childrens book, called the 'Quiet Book' found via 'Blessed Beyond Measure' here.

This is a piece that I have been hankering after for the longest time. Actually, I've been hankering after ALL their products for the longest time! Made by the fabulous duo that is Greca - all their button products are made from recycled buttons. Not only that - their studio is based in a button factory - the lucky lucky so & so's!

Here's another sweet crafted hippo using toilet paper rolls, duct tape, buttons and push pins.

Polished...

2013-08-03T10:00:00.000+01:00

Have you polished your buttons lately..? Well have you?

via Etsy here

The one thing missing of course is a button stick - any man in uniform, worth his salt, would never dare get polish on his uniform - so button sticks were always used, to protect the fabric while you brought the shine out on your buttons!

via here

The Button Box And Other Essays - Alison Uttley

2013-08-02T22:30:00.001+01:00

I have only recently discovered the work of writer, Alison Uttley. Best known for her children's series about Little Grey Rabbit and Sam Pig, Ms Uttley was a prolific British writer of over 100 books. Alice began writing to support herself and her son financially after she was widowed and by all accounts, she had a pretty sharp tongue - describing her contemporary, Enid Blyton, as a "boastful, vulgar and curled woman"!

One of her books that I would love to get my hands on, is 'The Button Box And Other Essays'. Published in 1968, it was illustrated by renowned naturalistic painter, Charles Tunnicliffe, with whom Alice had a 30 year working relationship with - even though they never met in all that time! Both the book and the illustrations look utterly charming.

images via eBay here

Found

2013-06-24T10:00:00.000+01:00

via eBay here

Hannelore Kreinfeld

2013-06-23T10:30:00.000+01:00

I have never met Hannelore Kreinfeld, nor do i speak German
but I reckon she is definitely part of the Bonkers family!

I did have a giggle at the reporter suggesting that Hannelore had an unusual hobby -
if only that reporter knew that Hannelore is not alone - there are many many others out there!

I Dropped The Button Box Quilt

2013-06-22T23:15:00.003+01:00

Australian quilter, Sharon Boggon, created a wonderful Y2K crazy quilt titled "I dropped the button box". As a YSK quilt, it had to have 2001 different bits in it - with Sharons' definition of 'bits' being either a different fabric, lace, braid, charm, button or ribbon. 2001 different 'bits' was much harder to have on hand than she realised - till her button collection saved the day!

Sharon has many photos of the 6" blocks and finished quilt online - I have chosen just a few of my favourite - click here, to see more of the photos.