Thursday, June 28, 2012

THRIFTY THURSDAY

"I have three precious things
which I hold fast and prize.
The first is gentleness; the
 second is frugality; the third
 is humility, which keeps me
from putting myself before others.
 Be gentle and you can be bold;
 be frugal and you can be liberal;
 avoid putting yourself before
others and you can become a
 leader among men.

~Lao Tzu

While I have no desire to
be a leader amoung men,
I do strive toward humility
and frugality, two traits
I deeply admire in others.
For as long as I can remember
I have kept a button jar. If
an item of clothing wears out,
I cut it up to be used as rags,
but before that I always make
sure to cut any buttons off
to add to my jar. Since I don't
sew very few buttons leave the
collection, but many of them
have been used to teach
colors and how to count. Some
buttons really are little pieces
of art and are just fun to look
upon or sort into containers to
be used as doll food.  I thought
it would be a fun idea to make
my own buttons so now I am
spending a little time each day
hand polishing some cedar
buttons I decided to make.
This has not been a quick project,
in fact it is teaching me to
slow down, to breathe and just
enjoy the whole process. Really,
that is how I want to live
every aspect of my life so
it's good practice.
Joining the week with Jenn
who so kindly took over
Thrifty Thursday.

26 comments:

  1. I have always kept a button jar, as my mother and grandmother before me, and as my daughters now do. I have some very old buttons from years ago that are also pretty to look at. Love those wooden buttons.

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  2. My boys love my button jar. Endless hours of searching, sorting, and playing :) Glad to find out who took over Thrifty Thursdays. I'll join y'all next week :)

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  3. A button jar! What a wonderful idea! I am forever finding buttons that have fallen off of clothing about the house, and tend to just throw them in a box with my thread, but a jar seems a lot more manageable...and then maybe I would actually sew the buttons back on said clothing :-) And I like the idea of letting the kids sort them!

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  4. My gram had a button tin and I wish I knew what happened to it, I used to spend hours looking through it :) Love your collection!!

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  5. I used to love playing with my mother's button jar when I was a little girl, and now my own . . . I bet the Wee One loves to play with yours as well!

    Your handmade buttons are so pretty - you need to knit yourself something to go along with them!

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  6. Your wood buttons are fantastic! They would be perfect on a knit sweater!

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  7. I hear you about enjoying the process....so many times I rush thru just get things done...when it's actually just being in the moment.
    You buttons are beautiful- I hope you adorn one of your lovely knits with them.

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  8. I have a canister of buttons. My kids love it - I really don't like cleaning it up. But.. I have it anyway. (:

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  9. I keep a button jar too and have inherited many vintage buttons from the button jar my grandma kept and that I coveted as a child. As a little girl, I remember being almost as excited to dump out my Tutu's button jar as I was to explore her jewelry box!

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  10. Very cute buttons. I have a button jar I keep out for scrapbooking. I love looking at all the different colors and shapes.

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  11. Sad to say, lost Mother's button box years ago.
    My collection is small, however, I do have a precious yellow button from one of my dresses from many years ago.
    Love your wood buttons, they're just lovely, Tracey.
    hugs

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  12. What a lovely project and nice to take time and enjoy the process.

    I've still got my mums button box in the cupboard in my little study...it's interesting to see that so many others have too...I love the bottle top on your collection...

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  13. I love how you think!
    There is somehting about old buttons that really make me giddy.
    The other day I found one lying on a windowsill in our house. It had just been sitting there for so long. It looked special so I did some research and found out that it was from a coat from WWI
    XO

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  14. I need to start a button jar, Tracey! I am always in need of a button at the exact time I dont have one! Your cedar buttons are gorgeous... Great work!

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  15. I'm a button hoarder. I admit it. Love them, can't get enough of them, and if I see a jar full at a yard sale or flea market it comes home with me. Your cedar buttons are lovely...you might just have to knit something and add them to it. :)

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  16. Count us among your 'button jar friends' also! Your cedar buttons are turning out beautifully!

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  17. Beautiful cedar buttons Tracey. I love dumping out my jar of buttons every now and again to browse through. They are precious, addictive little things!

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  18. lovely buttons. I had jars like that as a child. I keep meaning to start one for the kids....we only have beads right now.

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  19. Oh I love your jar of buttons! And the cedar buttons you are making!

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  20. I love your jar of buttons, we have one too!! Reece loves it and is always taking them out sorting them and then putting them back.

    Your cedar buttons are lovely, and I can appreciate the time you have put into them. Enjoy!

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  21. Oh, Tracey! Your hand made/hand polished buttons are magnificent! Are you dreaming of a special cardi for them?

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  22. I am so glad my parents taught me to use everything multiple times. Nothing was really wasted. I too have a button jar which has few buttons leave, but I am glad I have it when I need to replace one lost. It has seen many of the same uses. Thanks for the smile.

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    1. ANd your handmade buttons are beautiful. Trying to pick the right button is always a challenge for me. I am trying to decide which to pick for my card now. Decisions!

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  23. I think the button jar is a southern tradition. Both my grandmothers had one. My mom has one. I have one and I do believe my sister does as well....though I think hers is actually a tin. I love your cedar buttons!

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  24. Those buttons are beautiful Tracey!

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  25. Your handmade buttons are gorgeous! I have inherited a button jar and it is fun to see how much variety there is in there.

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