Extra Mother-of- pearl (MOP)) buttons

Button update:

     I have accumulated quite a few of vintage MOP/mother-of-pearl buttons. I love the cool silky feel of the buttons and wanted to make a necklace, but couldn't figure out a different way to use the buttons. I then saw a picture of a necklace made from MOP buttons on pinterest and gave it a try. I started on this project two days ago and began  thinking I'd bitten off more than I could handle...really frustrating.. But in the end it turned out nice and I found a way to repurpose all the MOP vintage buttons accumulating in my button coffers.

     I started by stringing the buttons on silk cord, but the 

cord wouldn't hold up the buttons. I tried wired ribbon..didn't 

work. Next I tried wire....this started me down the right path. I

 put on a button, twisted the button on the wire, moved down

 a bit twisted on another button. This gave me the 

scaffolding for the rest of the buttons. Then I strung and tied 

the buttons on silk string with slip knots and wound the

 silk/button string around the wired buttons. I filled in with

pearls and more buttons until I got to the end of the wired 

string. I then tied the two strings together with wired ribbon and

 wound the wire ribbon around 

the center strings and between the buttons. It gave the necklace 

even more support and covered up the wire and knots. I covered 

up the end of the lines (wire,ribbon,string) by making a

series of slip knots to finish the necklace. Whew...complicated!!! 

But silky smooth and I've had many compliments every time

 I wear it.

Button find of the week

As I was working on yet another necklace, I ran across a few beautiful buttons in my button stash and wanted to share their beauty...

The little flower button in the center seems innocent enough...but it is polished almost to a glass finish...so shiny for such a small button.
 
The bottom middle button is glass, but has a gold Masonic? imprint.

Middle right button is carved glass..again lots of detail for such a tiny button...

The "cat's eye" green button simply wowed  me with color.

The top left is a small mother- of- pearl, hand carved, self shanking button..very old.

The other buttons, well just gorgeous. (MOP) mother-of pearl-buttons always grab my attention.