Garden Bloggers Bloom Day: 1.15.2010

Botanical jewels

    

 

 

 

 

    

Gertrude Stein declared, "Certainly glittering is handsome and convincing," in her ground-breaking book, "Tender Buttons." These six 19th Century steel buttons, however, are anything but tender. The mere fact of their continued existence defines them as tough little treasures, showing their years in a patina of fine lines and bits of rust. Nestled at the bottom of an ancient Chinese bowl, they're January's Bloom Day offering; as beautiful to my eyes as any bulb in its glass. 

The first one pictured is the smallest, about the size of a dime; the fourth button is the largest at the size of a quarter. As always, thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens who hosts this world-wide look at what's blooming where.

Update: For all you button fans, here is the store to visit next time you are in NYC. If that's never going to happen, then there is a book that is almost as good as a visit.

Comments

[jo]

Hiya Linda,

One has to be a bit creative for GBBD this time of year.
I like buttons, especially silver ones. Well, any are better than velcro :-)

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Beautiful little treasures. Happy GBBD.

[Debbie]

What a lovely surprise for GBBD. The buttons are simply beautiful, I wish I could see the garment they originally adorned.

Happy Bloom Day!

[Les]

I love the blooms from your button bush. When my grandmother died, my wife got a hat box full of buttons that had been saved since the 30's. She has managed to repurpose them creatively. Happy GBBD to you!

[Nell Jean]

Love the buttons! Clever post.

My glass buttons with flower motifs are displayed on a card with a flower shop theme.

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Thanks for all those nice comments. It does take some extra effort to come up with a GBBD post in the winter when one does not really do houseplants. And this year, I didn't even get around to paperwhites!

[Katie]

Really neat! My grandma collects buttons and I love to sift through them when I visit.

[Jean]

They're great! You northern gardeners are so clever when it comes to this time of year! :-)

[jodi (bloomingwriter)]

What a wonderful and original post! I love the buttons, and have never seen any like these. You've given me a real delight!

[Jenny]

A very inventive January bloom day post. What gardener would not be thrilled to show her love of gardening, on her clothes, with these treasures.

[Mr. McGregor's Daughter]

Those are great! Why aren't things like this made anymore?

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

For all you button fans, there is a wonderful store in NYC called "Tender Buttons" that sells antique buttons. The women who own the store also put out a book, "Buttons," by Epstein and Safro.

[Dee/reddirtramblings]

I love old buttons, and I have a friends who makes castings of them for her jewelry line. I gave one of her bracelets with a casting that resembled your first button. Happy Bloom Day Linda.~~Dee

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Dee — What a great idea! That way you get to "pass" the buttons along while keeping the original. A friend once gave me a bracelet made out of pearl buttons.

[Gail]

They are treasures Linda! Happy Bloom Day~~gail

[Bren]

These are wonderful Bloom Day shares. I am so glad I clicked over to your delightful site!

Happy Bloom Tuesday

[Urban Gardens]

These are beautiful and such a creative angle on GBBD, which I thought was today in February though!
And I love Gertrude Stein, I used to live across the street from her salon in Paris (60 years later of course.) There is a there there.