Saturday 3 January 2009

Liberty buttons RIP

Recently I have been thinking about buttons. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you will know that I love buttoned sofas, in particular this Finn Juhl Poeten sofa.


However, this time my thoughts have been preoccupied with different buttons, specifically six of the most beautiful, sparkly buttons you have ever seen, which I bought at Liberty, and with which I was going to change the buttons of this bland and boring Uniqlo cardigan to increase its latent style potential.

I bought them about six weeks ago, but it's only now that I have finally accepted the sad realisation that they are lost, never to be seen again. I last saw them on my kitchen table, and I have searched everywhere, but I have not seen them since. It is one of my great sadnesses of 2008, especially as they cost more than the cardigan I was going to sew them on.

My next reawakening of button consciousness was when I saw a girl on the street wearing a tweed hat, customised with lots of different-coloured buttons. Had my inner Sartorialist kicked in, I would have run outside and photographed her, but my creativity was sadly compromised by the fact it was too cold outside, and I was quite comfortable where I was with my mulled wine.

Still, I was inspired enough to steal the idea for myself, even though the hat-wearer I saw was much cooler than me, and much better at pulling off the overall look.

Take one Accessorise hat.
Sew on a random selection of buttons from your mother's button box. I would like buttons which are more shiny and sparkly, and I also would like to have more buttons than this, but I lost momentum (perhaps it's the post-traumatic stress from losing my Liberty buttons kicking in.)
There are lots of cheap buttons for sale on Etsy, ripe for action, like these bargain vintage buttons.
I also love vintage buttons on their original card, like these ones. I would like to buy a few sets and group them together as a cheap artwork option in a box frame.
I also like the idea of these vintage button bouquets.
In fact, about six months ago, I showed an aunt of mine a photo of a similar button bouquet on Etsy, and she made me these for Christmas, albeit with old clip-on earrings from (in her words) 'flashy American broads.'

At the minute I have arranged them in an old milk bottle, but they also would look great arranged in old pepper shakers.

In fact, for Christmas my mum received a solitary pepper shaker from her sister, without its fellow salt shaker, which we thought was a bit strange. It is only in the last few days that I found the photo of the original button bouquet I showed my aunt, which was arranged in an identical glass shaker to the one she sent. So we have concluded that there must have been a mix-up in the Christmas present wrapping.

Finn Juhl photos via Flickr here and here. Photo of milk glass salt and pepper shakers from here.

9 comments:

Char said...

I hate when I do that - lose something I buy. Currently I'm trying to find the can of corn and the can of black beans I got at the grocery. *sigh* What cute ideas with the buttons. I love them.

Brittany | the Home Ground said...

I'm sorry you lost your buttons. It's the worst when you lose something you were really excited about. I like your hat and other buttons, though!

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

awful feeling...RIP!
Adorable vintage buttons!

Anonymous said...

love love love this post! the buttons are all so cheery and versatile. the possibilities are endless!

in NYC on 6th ave. around 36th street there are countless button and sewing notions stores...i never went into one but would always walk past them longingly. now i can browse ebay buttons to my heart's content. thanks for this brilliant post lynne!

and also, that sofa? to DIE for! do you have plans to get one?

karlene said...

my two cents. first of all, my condolences on losing the Liberty buttons, I am sure they were Fabulous!! secondly, you are wrong, you are the perfect hat wearer. Thirdly, I think that you need more hats, and fourthly, the buttons your aunt made you, you should make fabric flowers and use them for the center. Okay, maybe that is four cents. :-) I don't know what to do about the pepper shaker. Maybe salsa dance lessons are coming soon? wink.

Lynne said...

Citysage - alas, not much chance of getting that sofa - it is £3,500 - although it is the nicest one I have seen.

Karlene - We did just that, at Christmas - my mum took apart some white flowers from a Christmas arrangement and we put these in the middle - they looked great. And, I'm getting into hats - it's too cold here not to.

Lynne said...

PS It just started to snow - I am definitely not going outside without a hat!

Tina { Luphia Loves... } said...

sorry you lost your what must be gorgeous liberty buttons, i've walked pass there so a few times but never went in, was always in a rush to get the train back or something. Would love to go there one day.

and your new recreated hat looks fab! it looks even more fab on you ;)

Jen of MadeByGirl said...

I just bought a hat similar in style to that one...the buttons are such a cute and INTERESTING idea to spice it up! Love it!

Jen Ramos

'Cards & Prints You'll Love...'
www.madebygirl.com
madebygirl.blogspot.com