Button sorting sorted

I love buttons. I have a lot of them. Lots and lots. Tins, containers. boxes and jars full of buttons. Hundreds and hundreds of them. The buttons are mostly vintage. Some are new. Some are still on their original cards. However the majority are loose and all mixed together. The problem is I am always digging through them, or tipping them out, looking for the perfect button for a project.

I have been thinking of ways to sort the buttons with no real answer. In an inspired moment I decided to tie the buttons together on a piece of string and tie them in a bow. A simple solution for sure, and I'm surely not the first to hit upon it. But this way when I tip them out I can see what I have immediately. I can add or subtract buttons easily. And then I can sort them into jars by colour. My sister then suggested using floral wire, which is a great solution, though I didn't have any on hand.

I began today by picking out my favourite little tin of vintage buttons and starting with them. Cohen sat on the bed with me while the baby slept. He sorted the buttons into little piles, while I threaded them on some thick cotton, then he popped them in the tin. It's a project that is going to take quite a few nap times to accomplish. But in the meantime all those funny little things that end up on the button jar will get sorted too - marbles, single cufflinks, nails, buckles - and the numerous plastic business shirt buttons and broken buttons can be weeded out of the collection while I'm at it.

How do you store or sort your buttons?

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Things that make lovely collections...

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I love glimpsing other people's collections whether ordered or chaotic, of great expense or thrifted, new or old. You can imagine a great deal about a person by what they choose to collect.

To me, somethings that make for lovely collections are:

large preserving jars filled with vintage buttons
shelves covered in pretty tea cups and saucers
a handmade bowl full of seashells, found over many holidays
a wall of eclectic plates hanging randomly
a box of antique cigarette cards
vintage sewing baskets housing an array of wooden spools, carded buttons and fabric tape measures

What other things that make lovely collections would you add to the list? Leave a comment or link to your post each Saturday if you feel inclined to share. Or perhaps join in next Saturday with 'things that you love about the season'.

An Early Flea Market Finds...

When I was a little girl I used to follow my parents around antique shops with my hands behind my back, knowing I mustn't touch anything.

I learnt about the antiques - this is silky oak, that is a writing bureau, this is a Toby mug, these are left over from a war, that heavy iron they used to sit on the fireplace.

As a child one of the things that really caught my eye were the brooches.

The seemed like small art works.

I supposed they seemed like a very grown up thing too, as children didn't wear brooches.

Some of my brooches are resting on coats or have been lent to my sister, here is an eclectic selection from my jewellery box. Some are gifts from family, some brought off ebay or etsy or while thrifting, some given to me or brought from bloggers, one was found in a little shop in a romantic village, one brought at a concert, all loved and worn and waiting for more friends to be added to the collection.

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Do you have a collection of vintage brooches? Is there something you are always on the look out to collect? Sophie likes to collect antique ink bottles and flea market finds.

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I hope tomorrow's celebration of love makes you feel special and reminds you how many people love you.