Two for Tuesday, Part Two! Except now it is Thursday!

Today's giveaway find is especially exciting for me! Since I was about 5, I have had a special place in my heart for buttons. I grew up on a small farm in rural Southern New Jersey and one of the really big deals was to be able to climb up into the haymow! And if you were lucky, you got to swing out over the hay and drop in front of the 2nd story door where the hay was thrown out for use on the farm. I think I have especially fond memories of these times because we normally only did this when my cousins were over (everyone knows that as a kid, you only got to do things you normally wouldn't have been able to do when you are with your cousins) or when one of the farm cats was missing because she had kittens!

In addition to storing hay for the horses, our barn had an upper level to the 2nd story for storing farm items and for a brief period in time, we also stored some old family chests that belonged to my PopPop's mother. It was the early 1960's and she was in a rest home and her trunks had been put up there until room was made in the attic in the house. It was during one of those special "cousin" visits that I came across Granny's sewing trunk and it was that find that helped to shape my love of sewing!


And not so much sewing, because I was a Tom Boy and I hated all things domestic, but my love of all those rare vintage goodies that were lovingly stored away into that treasure trove of an old trunk. Imagine being 5 and coming across a large round tin full of vintage buttons! These buttons were antiques, so you can only imagine how beautiful they were. To me, they were every bit as precious as Pirate's Gold! Unfortunately, I don't have that tin and I don't know who does. I think it may have been sold at auction when my family moved when I was in High School - lots of things that were no longer deemed important to my parents were let go that day. I still remember feeling the sorrow of loss watching other people bid on the very possessions that filled my childhood days; but I also remember those beautiful buttons. Gold ones, silver ones, bone, shell, Mother of Pearl, and glass. Oh, the glass buttons were my favorite. They were all like little gems to me!

I still possess some of the small things from that trunk and I even used some of Granny's old antique snaps on a custom sweater pattern I made for my first grandchild 4 years ago! Granny's family Bible had also been stored in that old trunk and I gave that to my oldest son and his wife several years ago when they reaffirmed their dedication to Christ. Somehow, through all the years, and all the moves and all of life's changes, and although I was very young at the time, I was able to recognize the importance of these gifts and was able to hold on to some of them, although they are few.
  

If you are still with me, I think it is time to share this week's favorite giveaway. Had you already guessed that it might be related to buttons? Well, Amy Barickman of Indygo Junction is having a fabulous giveaway, but you need to enter by Dec. 6! The reward for your time? How about a copy of her new Buttonware book, TWO of her Buttonware Kits and a full pound of JHB buttons. Oh, be still my heart!

Click here to enter!