Christmas Buttons and a Fab Friday Find

Did everyone have a fabulous Christmas?  I've been quite spoiled, with lots and lots of gifts, all of which were fantastic and one being particularly spectacular.  If you haven't yet figured it out, it's the item showcased above.  How awesome?  Very. 

The killer gift from Nigel this year was an antique box set of buttons, buckle and hatpins, purchased through my favourite antique dealer, Frank - who found this through an estate sale and kept it especially for Nigel to purchase for me for Christmas.  Thanks to both of you! 

Frank's opinion was that the set was from the late 1800's, but I initially thought 1920's - my notion was based solely on the bright azure/turquoise of the enamel on the buckle.

Having studied it a little longer, I'm inclined to think it's Edwardian, as belts were very popular.  Remember the cinched waist of the time? 

The mother-of-pearl buttons are quite fine and delicate and come with their own "keepers", small rings to attach the buttons to clothes without having to sew them on.   At the time buttons would have been removed from a fine garment before it was laundered - these buttons, being small and removable were probably intended for a blouse.

The two hatpins are also mother-of-pearl.  The tops are attached to the pins in an articulated manner, allowing movement when the wearer turned her head.

The entire set is quite perfect and I feel very privileged to be its "keeper" for the next generation of button collectors.

Nigel wasn't the only person to gift me with buttons this season, my friend Betsy sent a parcel with much loveliness, including many celluloid buttons on tiny cards, this Glow Bubble Celluloid made me laugh:

the seller tagged it as a Glow Buble.  Funny.

And what of the :::Fab Friday Find::: mentioned in my post title?

Well, deary, deary!  I really didn't need another thing after receiving so many goodies at Christmas, but I was out and about today and stopped in at Things on Corydon Avenue and this necklace caught my eye:

I knew it was Victorian cut steel when I cast my eye upon it, and on flipping it over, could see that it was one half of a huge,old cloak clasp.  Someone had strung a sterling chain through it and called it a necklace.

It will take its place of honour in the button collection.

I was going to link to a Michael Buble video, but I didn't like any of them.  Someone needs to tell that man to sing about celluloid buttons.

TinselTown

'Tis the season - I managed to miss Hallowe'en here in blogland, but I'll try to make up for it with more than one December post.  Ambitious words, I know.

The small tinsel tree has been set up on the upstairs landing.  I love this wee tree, it stands just over four feet tall and is bedecked with loads of vintage glass ornaments.  I think it's charming, however, if I remember correctly, Nigel described it as "looking like it belonged at a junk store".  He's almost as charming as the tree.  Perhaps he feels it's simply not good enough to be hanging out with his autographed Star Wars snaps.  Speaking of autographed snaps, we have a small stack of Star Trek ones I've yet to frame - the wall will eventually be quite crowded.

Back in the first week of November Nigel and I went to ComicCon and stood in line to get Patrick Stewart's autograph - he was very nice (chattier than William Shatner in a previous year).  Nigel also stood in line for Marina Sirtis and Billy Dee Williams, possibly also Nichelle Nichols (though I can't remember now, and the photos aren't on the wall yet).  Nigel tried to be charming to Marina Sirtis, telling her she "looked great", and also remarked that she was "aging much better than Jonathan Frakes".  Apparently the first line went over better than the second.

Off the needles in the recent past:

A pair of mittens in the Horatio and Oren pattern from Barbara Gregory in the Fall 2012 issue of Twist Collective.  The pattern is very sweet, with an option to make snowy owls (worked as a pale owl on a darker background, and with a rounded top), or as horned owls (dark owls on light, with tiny points worked off each side of the top).  How sweet are they?  I gifted them to Elly.

They even have tail feathers!  Adorable!  I neglected to make a note of which yarn I used, but I think it may have been Sublime Extra Fine Merino , and made in the adult small size.  It's not like me to not make a note of the yarn I've used, but it's really not been the best Autumn.

Also finished is the Slanted and Enchanted scarf from this post, back in June.  I didn't care for it for myself when I finished it, so gifted it to Yolande in the back garden.  Doesn't she look festive?

 
Lastly, off the needles (a fair ways back) is Wilhelmina Witch, from two posts ago.  After much sewing and wrapping and gluing, she was finished by the beginning of October and resides on a bench in the kitchen with Bill the Pirate and the Octopuss.

 The light wasn't the best when I took this picture, but her face is sweet and funny with a huge nose.

In my next post I'll show you all the new things on the needles.