Playing around with buttons

Who remembers playing with the button box as a kid?  I do.  My mum had an old biscuit tin full of buttons that I think must have come from my grandma's house, and it was always the biggest treat to be allowed to sort through them.   And nowadays, buttons are cool and crafty, and I've been using them to make pictures as birthday gifts:

There is method in this madness

Happy BD Lesley!

I've been using a combination of new ones, vintage ones from the op shop, and also adding beads and other elements to create texture and interest.  I'm pretty happy with the results so far!

crochet  +

Catie's birthday tulips in progress

Almost finished tulips - just needs some bling.  Catie loves it!

S & P Chicken are here

Oh hello little chickies, how nice to welcome you to my home!  Do come into the kitchen, I'll find you a special place to sit in no time at all. 

Gorgeous, huh?  I walked into 'Littlest Vintage' in Prospect last night (the whole street was going bonkers for the 'Tourrific Prospect' Tour Downunder Street Party, which was AWESOME) and there were these darling chooks, just waiting for me to take them home.  I really like how the pepper is a Wyandotte type (one of my favourite breeds) and the salt looks just like my Hetty - awwwwwww.

Check out Littlest Vintage here for cool vintage and retro if you are in Adelaide.  They've got clothes, homewares, furniture and an old-fashioned RIDE ON ELEPHANT in the kids' section - how many stores can you say that about?

(Also admire my cunning use of a Tupperware lunchbox and my toaster as an impromptu photo backdrop - not bad, huh?!  Yes, in addition to my other skills, I'm also a Tupper-tragic)

A new hen for my brood

Today I bought a chicken for 20 cents (Australian), my cheapest (cheepest?) one ever. She's a vintage, red wire hen egg-basket, with gorgeous flapping wings. She came from a local op shop (charity shop if you're in the UK, thrift store if you're in the States), and I saw an identical one on Etsy this evening for $15 US. I reckon I got a bargain!