Buttons & Watches

I went downtown yesterday and hit a couple of the few antique/junque shops in town.  I was on the prowl for buttons.  I wanted some to make molds and some for closures.  The lady at Backward Glance who specializes in vintage clothing was finally open and her daughter was up from Miami and helping to unpack boxes.  It turns out her husband, who is usually in the shop with her, has been extremely ill and her shop has been closed because she is taking care of him.  She told me she has a visiting nurse who comes everyday, but that it is not enough time for her to keep the shop open. She was very excited to be working and helped me find some good buttons.  I'm going to keep checking back to try to catch her when to doors are open so that I can find more little jewels to use.  Some of the best finds are glass and crystal buttons which I have yet to photograph and some gold trimmed porcelain deco buttons with neat rows of tiny black dots.

I also found some watch parts that I absolutely love.  The watch on the right still has its crystal, but seems to be missing its hands.  ¿How did that happen?  The piece on the left has its hands, but no crystal.  The most beautiful part is the sapphire-colored stem tip.  The photo makes it appear dark and muddy colored, but it is a perfect sapphire blue.  These will make some fantastic necklaces.