If I had to say my third obsessions after fabric and ceramic tiles, its buttons. I have many boxes from brocantes and what seems a jumbled lot of buttons that have little to love about now, once sorted a few gems appear. Some buttons are damned ugly and have to go, but others are a little more unusual.

You can read more about my love of buttons here.

In most brocantes they will give you the button box for a song, a token few euros or even free as they likely took in the button tin as part of a job lot or house clearance. From childhood I adored button boxes. I was an only child and in the late 60’s before coloured TV a lot of hours I would be left to amuse myself. My mothers button box was a source of interest for a few hours. I loved the shapes, colours and a little sadly I suppose, sorting them into groups. Maybe the result, the rainbow of colours in some sort of continuity sparked the designing and art dreams. Who knows, but I still get excited when I spot a button tin on a brocante table.

I like that they have a very datable design following fashion or simply due to their material or complexity. Sorting by colour also makes the more interesting buttons jump out. Sometimes I find a set, ideally four or more and these I reserve to update a coat or jacket. Sometimes there can be a few buttons that are oversized and screaming to make a dress a little eccentric and bohemian. I find a lot of military metal buttons and a few that I will just keep aside as a collection because I simply love them…maybe it’s the colour, texture, structure or shape.

With the French obstinacy to lockdown for two hours every day, I cannot sit and be idle killing time, so sorting buttons for future projects it is, till the dinner bell goes off and we can get on with work. Here are today’s selection. And I really dont mind having odd buttons on my clothes either. It’s good to challenge convention and muddle things up a little.

Enjoy button hunting and finding projects for them, maybe updating garments, adding to craft projects or homeware articles. Or maybe that toy dragon actually needs a strategic button somewhere? You always knew he needed a belly button!