A couple of years ago I made this glorious vintage button ball.
She’s a favorite of mine and has appeared as a prop in many photos.
Mostly, she just spent time hanging about my studio looking pretty.
I thought this was a lovely way to display my large collection of vintage buttons.
Most of them had been pre-loved, so showed signs of use and aging.
Just the way I like them.
I can’t help but wonder who used them?
How old are they?
And… where did they come from?
Back when I made my button ball I thought to myself (as I often do)… “this will be a quick and easy project”.
Hmm… gluing each button on with a glue gun was a long and laborious undertaking.
Not to mention the numerous burns…. it seems that glue guns and I are not a good combination.
Do you do that too… underestimate just how long a creative project will take?
Well, I can honestly say I loved my button ball, so the effort was worth it.
Soooo….
What’s the whole point of this post you ask?
I have misplaced my button ball. I’m not even sure she came with us to the new house.
Selling a house and packing up and moving in the space of three weeks was a little crazy at the time. My studio was packed up and put in storage, many things were sold, given away or donated.
I’ve searched everywhere…. [sigh].
I suspect my button ball lives elsewhere now. I hope she is making someone else as happy as she made me.
Guess I had better start collecting vintage buttons again.
…I’ve got a vintage button ball to make!
What would you do with a vintage button collection?
I’m sharing my vintage button ball with these friends this week:
The Scoop, Project Inspired , French Country Cottage,
Sundays at Home, The Inspiration Gallery
I’d be delighted if you’d like to connect with me at the following places. . .
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Your missing but fondly remembered button ball is beautiful! I love seeing all the different vintage buttons mixed together… it’s like they are having a family reunion! I hope you make another one… after seeing this post I certainly am going to give it a try myself! So pretty.
I’m so sorry you lost your vintage button ball!!! I have a small collection and think I’ll start a ball. I love the idea and what a stunning backdrop to photos. Sharing on facebook.
Such a sweet little button ball! You will have to make another!
What a shame you’ve lost this!! I still keep an old tobacco can with all the buttons from my mother’s sewing box. Never thought about using them – till now!!
What a gorgeous use of buttons! I have a jar of these floating around somewhere. I might underestimate some project time myself, now.
That would make the prettiest orb in the world. Absolutely beautiful!
Kerryanne….I am so sorry you can’t locate your button ball! I am hoping it turns up. Coincidentally I have been planning on making one with all my buttons. I figured it would take awhile!
xx
Oh no! Good way to look at it though! She is making someone else happy, or maybe she still is packed away somewhere?
Darling!! I just love this. Thanks for sharing. Linda
Oh hon, I’m so sad you’ve lost the original. Such a lot of work would have gone in to it…but I know version 2 will be just as gorgeous, or maybe even prettier if that’s possible. x
it’s such a pretty way to show off beautiful old buttons-sorry it’s hiding, kerryanne:) my poor buttons sit in mason jars–not nearly as pretty as your sweet button ball.
What a great idea. I have my Moms button collection from the 1920’s forward. Its something I may make with them now. Thank you
Eeeek, you lost it? I’m so sad for you! I put my buttons in a beautiful mason jar… but I love what you did with yours. xo
I am sure it is being loved somewhere. I underestimate how long or how hard a project is going to be all the time. If I have a button collection, I would hand paint each one then make a painting out of them.
So sorry to hear you have lost this lovely treasure. At least you have the pictures and hopefully your button ball is bringing someone else lots of pleasure.
Toni xx
I love vintage buttons. Your pictures certainly do yours justice. I have a ‘button box’ of buttons that were my Grandma’s and I remember playing with them when I was a little girl. I recently pulled out this box to show my youngest son and tell him stories about the buttons. Some were from my Grandpa’s uniform (he was a police officer) and there was one from one of my favorite coats when I was 7 years old. Buttons can bring back a flood of memories and are one of my favorite collectibles. Thank you so much for sharing this beauty at Project Inspire{d}. Pining 🙂
Glad to know someone else “wonders” about old buttons! My curiosity began at about age 6 when staying one summer with my Grandmother Ruth. She lived in New London, MO, a town of about 1000, ten miles south of Hannibal. She visited several elderly widows regularly and I always went along. One lady, in her nineties, was Miss Baby Nell. She was the youngest of many siblings and the story went that her mother had run out of ideas and let her name herself. They called her Baby until she was old enough to add the Nell to her name. Back to buttons…. Miss Baby Nell had hundreds of buttons carefully sewn on to thin, white paper plates in unique designs and often based upon like colors. The plates covered the walls of her parlor! I was never interested in the conversation because I couldn’t take my eyes off the buttons! Miss Baby Nell would take several plates down for me to examine carefully. She couldn’t see and I wasn’t distracted by the dust and little cobwebs that accompanied the button plates. She passed away in about 1960. I have often wondered who the lucky one was that ended up with those button plates. I hope they didn’t dust them! Thank you to Miss Baby Nell for sharing her creative idea with me. Until we meet again…