Old Buttons and Enamelware

This jar sits on a shelf in my kitchen. It is filled with my mother and grandma's buttons from years gone by. Both of my grandmas and my mother spent many hours sitting at the sewing machine, producing the clothing for their big families. My mother's sewing machine has not been touched for the last few years, and the old buttons that at one time were her treasures, are now my treasures.

I found this old white enamelware tray at the flea market, last summer. I do not know why I purchased it, although maybe it was because it reminded me of the one my grandma had, years ago. It already had two sets of double holes drilled in the top of it. I decided to make it into a magnet board for a gift. I cut the thread loops off of the back of the old buttons and the brads off of the colored buttons(a product of K&Company) from Michaels, and hot glued the two different sizes of magnets to the back of each one. You can purchase many different sizes and shapes of magnets at any craft store. With a hot glue gun, decorative magnets are so easily created.

I looped ribbon through the top two holes and tied them in bows. I glued old blue heart buttons over the other two holes and one on the bottom.

I chose a few decorative papers to use as an illustration, although one can use this for whatever(photos, chore lists, important dates...) A quick, easy, inexpensive gift for someone in your life who enjoys the memories of days gone by.