Confessions, 3, 4 and 5!

I had been working really hard and not had a button fix for ages, I read marianedwardsdreamweaver blog and really had to get out of my shop and hunt down some buttons. She found the most fantastic button shop in NYC (unfortunatly), I cannot spare the time to go on holiday at the mo so i think I should hurry up and make my shop look like that!

Confession No 3

Tony and I escaped on Friday morning for a coffee at Shaftesbury, so I just had to pop into one of the second hand shops and found this cute basket full of sewing bits..no buttons though.  It was very strange for me and Tony to be out on our own..we were nearly skipping down the street!  George ran the shop while we were out, he has some very handy free lessons on Friday mornings, next Friday (need to save up first) I am going to visit The dairy House on My own...very very dangerous for a button addict!!! mmm I may need an escort...just to help me load the van ha!
Confession No 4.  We did a car boot on Sunday to get rid of a lot of Arthurs old clothes and Toys..that was the idea and probably the only way I could get Tony there he he!  I went for a little wander when I had set up our bits (half an hour before the publics allowed in) it was huge, I only went two stands away before I found this lovely tin of pearl buttons, I had to open the tin to find them. Rule no 1 of hunting for buttons at car boots..always look in the tins!!

This was an expensive tin of buttons from someone who does vintage fairs, but still quite a bargain I think. Pearl has been used for centuries and  I know in this tin there are some carved pearl buttons from the late eighteenth century to early nineteenth century so well over a 150 years old. I can't wait to go through this tin of buttons and clean and sort them.  I know I have a stash ready for my next fix when needed.

Confession (and its a big one!) No 5
I went back to our stand and made a nice cup of tea..for Tony, Arthur was having fun collecting cars, and then went off again two boots the other way.  I spotted this box  and opened one side of it, my jaw dropped open and my heart started to pound, then I opened the other side and pulled it right open..then I dared to ask the price while biting my lip to make myself look in pain and not too excited :)

The price was far more than i usually would buy things for at a carboot, but I had taken more cash with me with the idea of getting stock for the shop (how lucky am i that I can use that excuse to feed my addiction.) any way I stupidly said ok without even bargaining because it was well worth the price, but I really must bite my lip a bit more and learn to haggle! mmm need a few more lessons I think.

Today I opened it up properly and looked at the stash inside, I love the cotton reels and the vintage knitting and crochet patterns.

How fab are these? If you click on the baby knitting book you will see it describes different forms of underwear..I want know what Pilch Knickers are????
I have just lost some pictures somewhere, of some lovely mens crocheted ties..which I am definetly going to make!

Ok so heres the biggy! having already purchased the above on the same stall I spotted these buttons and asked how much they were, 'oh no dear they come with the whole box' then I noticed the box (always look in the box!) and I really really wanted the buttons, lip biting again (totally raw on one side now!) I asked how much taking into consideration I was about to buy the other Box.
They did the both of them for a figure I just happened to have in my pocket, whoops!!  Tony nearly choked on his tea when he saw me walking back with the boxes (man followed me with second box) we were supposed to be clearing the junk, he said his normal 'she's gone mad' and then I showed him inside the boxes and he totally understood..Bless. Arthur was to busy playing with his cars to notice. 
How gorgeous are these buttons, some from the 50's and 60's and the mop in the front actually looks 20's but not sure.
I have had my button and vintage fix for a while.  I tryed to stay put at the carboot after that, well I did find some vintage needles and some bangles to cover with ribbons.
I think if we added up what we had made against what I spent we would have made a loss!

We had such a fun day though, Tony begrudgingly (but with a smile) had to admit he had had great fun, he did manage to go walkabout to, but not sure he bought a lot, I was to busy peeping into the back of the van at my stash to notice ;)