Weekend Junk Finds: Beautiful Buttons

Hello, friends! This weekend I visited one of the markets where I will be a vendor in just over a month (gulp). It was my first time to that particular market but it was really fun! The venue is pretty because rather than being in a parking lot like several of the other craft/vintage markets around here, instead it's on a large open grassy space like a park. There was live music and several food trucks showed up (including the famous Denver Cupcake Truck) and there were many families out enjoying the beautiful morning and shopping.

Being at the bustling market made me excited to be a vendor there, but it also made me just that much more nervous! I've been freaking out a little bit in the past few days about the prospect of getting it all done and having enough stuff made/found to have two nice full booths, not to mention constructing the booth itself. Maren started school a week ago and I thought for sure that with the return to a structured schedule that I'd have so much more time to work, but instead it's been the opposite. I am starting to feel panicked and frustrated that I can't get more done in a day, and I've got to get a handle on my stress and ratchet up the productivity levels or I'm going to be in the hurt locker in about three weeks.

After I went to the market and had my freak out about inventory and my lack thereof, I decided to hit the thrifts. I found a few things that are fun and I'll show those next week when I get them all photographed. In the meantime, I have a fun find to share with you from last weekend. I mentioned last week that I was pleasantly surprised by the state of my local Goodwill store. One of the items I picked up was a bag of carded buttons. It was packaged up tightly and therefore difficult to see exactly what was inside, but I thought I saw a few vintage buttons so I decided to risk the $3.99.

When I got home and opened the bag, I couldn't believe how many full cards of buttons were actually inside. As I started looking at them, I realized that many of the buttons that I had thought were plastic were actually molded glass! The cards are marked West Germany.

There are many duplicates of each design and they are just beautiful! I have found some vintage glass buttons but nothing like this. There are around 40 full cards, and several more partial cards along with a large handful of loose buttons. I believe some of the loose buttons can be put on the partial cards to make a few more complete sets.

In addition to the glass buttons, there was a large pile of regular plastic buttons--some vintage, some newer.

Also in the bag was this ruffler foot for a sewing machine. I frankly cannot even tell which direction is up or if it is complete or how I would even attach it to my sewing machine. But if it is complete and compatible with my machine, I think it's worth about $20.

And mixed in with the loose buttons at the bottom were several thimbles. Most of the plain cheap silver metal variety, but there was this one plastic thimble advertising a tractor and farm implement company, and a sweet little sterling silver thimble as well! I'd say that bag was well worth the $4 splurge!

Even though I am an avowed button-hoarder, I know that I can't possibly use all of those beautiful glass buttons so I plan to bring most of them (I've gotta keep a few of those pretties!) to my booths. I'd love your suggestions on what you think a fair price would be for me to charge for them.

I'm linking up with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Tuesday!