my not-so-secret obsession…
- posted by: Legends
- posted in: Crafts
- on: July 31, 2006
It used to be I didn’t want anything to do with them. They were for people into country style, people with blue checkered curtains, people like my grandma… and then something changed.
Last Christmas she thought I was starting to have interest in buttons, so my mother gave me a jar of buttons. Not JUST buttons, but ones I remember from playing with them during my childhood. Great grandma’s buttons. That was the beginning of my love… then at CHA (craft & hobby tradeshow) this last January I noticed these bags of buttons hanging in the Autumn Leaves booth. So pretty that I wanted to rip them off the wall! (I didn’t. I restrained myself) but I could hardly wait for these magical foof-a-la buttons to begin showing up in local stores.
They never did.
Well… I am starting to see them on occasion, but they are like a rare jewel. Store owners I’ve talked to that have them say they fly out the door as soon as the new shipments come in. It’s made me a bit mad (as in insane) trying to find them. In the last few months I was able to get 3 bags (of the 7 total available) Good… but not good enough. Finally, three weeks ago I snapped. I HAD TO HAVE THE REST. I am tired of hoping I’ll find them, only to be let down. So with the help of google I searched over 50 on-line stores hoping to find a store that had all 4 of the bags I needed.
I finally did. A lovely store in Canada called Pick of the Patch.
Now last week when I was in Chicago I was outed as a button-oholic. I couldn’t contain my excitement when I saw that Foof-a-la had 2 new collections (complete with buttons!) AND that there were vases full of buttons in the booth (see photo). It was heavenly. Of course after my display of affection towards them, and the admission of the amount of buttons I’d just purchased a few dear friends were making fun of me for my obsession. They naturally wanted to know if I’m a ”button floozy” or if I’m picky. Well I just don’t like any button- I’m totally picky. Foof-a-La (#1!!!), Heidi Grace (clear) and Melissa Frances are my favorite kinds. (sigh) So then hours later I was helping out at the designer reception at CHA when a woman recognized my name. She was the store owner from Canada who shipped me 6 different containers of buttons. Needless to say my friends thought it was hilarious that I ordered enough buttons from her to be remembered. (small world, huh?)
I don’t really think this rambling post has a point- except to say “hi, my name is May and I love my buttons a little too much.”
PS- no “official” challenge this week since the contest is on- but I’d love to see your button encrusted creations!!!
erin yamabe says:
August 1st, 2006 at 1:02 amyou are too funny, seriously…i thought i was addicted to buttons! i have these them in rows and rows, assorted by colors, well, until my dd got into them last week! oh, can’t wait to see the ones you saw at cha!
melissa says:
August 1st, 2006 at 2:07 amlol-too funny
I love button too,but so far don’t have much of a collection. now ribbon and prima flowers are a different story…
Penny says:
August 1st, 2006 at 9:11 amDid you see the button flowers that Emily Falconbridge has on her blog? They are really cute and easy to make, you should check them out!
I’m with ya on the buttons. My mom used to manage a ‘rag shop’. One of the wiper materials they sold was t-shirt, so they got these huge bales of old shirts in to cut into rags. They had to cut the buttons off, so my mom always brought them home. She has JARS upon JARS of every kind of button you can think of. And she has them all seperated by color. It was even cooler when I started scrapping, because I knew I’d never have to buy a button!
Jacinta says:
August 1st, 2006 at 9:42 amHi May,
I have posted LOs on the Fiskars site. Funny someone told me to put the pages in the window when I take the pics of them. They did not come out so good. So the pics of the LOs of the bad pics were bad pics. Go figure. I also posted them under my profile.
Jacinta says:
August 1st, 2006 at 9:43 amYou know I’ve never done any designs with buttons. I’ll have to give it a go.
kelly edgerton says:
August 1st, 2006 at 9:47 amI had no idea that the button lady from Canada was at the reception. If I had met her, I would have thanked her for making you so happy, and then I would have teased her for being an enabler. How fun that you were able to meet your “dealer”.
I think your button obsession is hilarious. And I think it is even more funny that you are a Button SNOB, in additon to being a Button Glutton!
Smooches, my friend.
stephenie says:
August 1st, 2006 at 10:42 amMay - my foof-a-la obsessed friend - ROFL - you know we all have our obsessions - yours is buttons, mine is ribbon. There is nothing wrong with admitting your problem. I think that it is good to get these things off your chest and to deal with them the best way you can… scrap your heart with all those buttons!!!!
You know I love ya! Hope you have fun with your buttons… make something pretty for us all to see!
Lisa M. Pace says:
August 1st, 2006 at 11:28 amI totally understand this obsession. I too love the foof-a-la and Melissa Frances buttons but must admit I have not seen the Heidi Grace clear buttons. I’m gonna have to see those.
Donna says:
August 1st, 2006 at 6:15 pmOk-must admit-I have no idea what a foof-a-la is. Does this mean I’m out of the club or just need to get more involved? Anyway, the first step to dealing with an addiction is admitting you have one. This one seems harmless enough so have fun with it.