Buttons!

We buy and sell 1000's of button every year and they're one of my favourite things, I love rummaging through a button box, it calms me! A bit bit odd, but, there you go!

My husbands gran once said to me 'you'll never be poor if you've got a button box'. I'm not sure about the scientific or financial accuracy of her statement, but, the sentiment and thought is quite heart warming, especially in the current tricky financial climate.

Then I got to thinking about making do and mending (very now) and that buttons are great for making gifts, decorating bags, making jewellery and other cute bits and bobs. I also thought what a lovely gift in its own right a button box or even a sewing box is too!

So if you fancy buttoning up a perfect gift, here's an idea or two:

Recipe for a great gift:

1 x Vintage tin
+1x Mixed lot of 100 pretty vintage buttons
=
A really wonderful gift

A (very) brief tour of toast racks....

Toast racks are a staple of the vintage breakfast table or tray and have been around for centuries, with the earliest known examples dating to the 1770's.
A toast rack is a small rack, usually in metal, but, they can be found in pottery, plastic and glass. It often has feet and handles, with bars to keep the toast upright and separated, and is designed to hold multiple pieces of toast.
The main aim of a toast rack is to hold the toast and keep it separated, so the steam can escape, and this means you don’t get soggy toast – handy! Although it does result in the toast getting cold quicker - not so handy...
Like most household items toast racks are influenced by fashion, and have mirrored changing styles, which means there are wonderful antique and vintage toast racks to be found.
Toast racks are great for adding vintage style to your home, breakfast table or tray and whilst most of us might only have time to actually use them for breakfast at the weekend, they are also perfect for keeping your post organised. A nifty little storage solution, if you only feel like tackling the bills once in a Blue Moon....
So if you want a toast rack or two, the choice is vast, ornate twirly Victorian examples, stylish Art Deco pieces, sleek 1960's and 1970's stainless steel numbers and quirky 1950's Atomic designs.
Unusual design features, such as shaped handles and feet, unusual materials and colours, like Celluloid, Pottery, Glass and Bakelite and known designers and producers, I’m thinking Old Hall, or if you have the budget, Christopher Dresser, are all points to consider when looking for a good toast rack...
The main point though is: do you like it?
Quick Tip:
An antique or vintage toast rack makes a great wedding present.... it evokes ideas of domestic bliss, doesn’t have to break the bank and is unusual and stylish enough to please even the most discerning of couples!