Friends, surely you know by now that I have few qualms about reclaiming others' trash -- provided it looks and smells clean of course!
This morning, as I was leaving my apartment building (through the back where the dumpsters are), I noticed that someone had discarded what looked like a child's art project -- an aluminum foil and tinsel-covered butterfly -- atop one of the recycling bins. Naturally, I'm drawn to shiny objects and I noticed upon closer inspection that this butterfly was decorated with a great many buttons -- including some very nice buttons.
DING DING DING!!!
I grabbed the butterfly, stuffed it in my messenger bag and went on my merry way.
Well, I just harvested my butterfly and I'm very happy with my yield.
Twelve plastic turquoise buttons in two different sizes:
Eight cornflower blue buttons:
A single satin frog closure:
Two beaded buttons embellished with pearls and rhinestones:
Six large plastic imitation mother of pearl buttons -- I like these the best!
And that's Friday's treasure -- so far!
Any good trash finds in your neck of the dump?
Have a great day, everybody!
I luuuv that satin frog closure. What an excellent find!
ReplyDeleteLove the cornflower and black and white vintage buttons.
ReplyDeleteWhat's that phrase about one man's trash...? ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe daisies and the cornflower blues look vintage. Score!
ReplyDeleteGreat find!
ReplyDeleteOh I love when things like that just fall in my lap. That is one advantage of living in a high density area - much more stuff, stuff just everywhere you look.
ReplyDeletethe daisies are lovely, lucky find
ReplyDeleteGreat score! Love them.
ReplyDeleteSomebody found Grandma's button box!
ReplyDeleteYum!
ReplyDeleteWhat a find! You really hit the jackpot there, what a lot of buttons on one piece.
ReplyDeleteThose buttons are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThis week, I hauled a mostly-wood dollhouse out of the alley trash. The walls were thin particle board, but the frame was real wood. A friend was going to use it for her craft fair display of tiny adorable ceramic animals, but it was too big.
So, I pawned it off on another friend who has an unnatural obsession with the band One Direction, mainly Louis. Her Louis doll is going to live in this house. She is 45. I can't believe I've enabled this.
Any tips for urban dumpster diving and finding good stuff? Places to look? Do you find one type of neighbourhood is more productive than others?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't rule out any possibility!
DeleteThose daisy buttons remind me of the awesome Marc Jacobs fabric you had. Score!
ReplyDeleteGeez, what a score! I love the imitation mother of pearl buttons too. I can think of a great many number of projects those would look perfect on!
ReplyDeleteWoo Hoo! What a haul!
ReplyDeleteI can't think of any time I have ever scored some fantastic trash. However, my best friend has worked intermittently at a quick stop for about ten years and has gleaned about $500 over the years in discarded scratch off lottery tickets. People don't look at all of the numbers and pitch them not realizing they are winners! Over the years, it has added up. Talk about found money!
I don't think those are "imitation" mother-of -pearl; I think that's the REAL THING. That's an awfully authentic looking pearly gleam, even through the camera. Take it from someone who collects MOP buttons!
ReplyDeleteAw, that poor kid who had their art project thrown out! But what an amazing find too... I'd have stuffed that in my handbag as well!
ReplyDeleteYes, this is what I like to see. It's a sin to let good buttons go to waste!
ReplyDeletep.s. my surname is also Lappin! It's not often I stubble across another Lappin here in Ireland never mind half way across the world :)
Across the road last week I found one of those Japanese-type screens for changing behind. Just dumped out with some other stuff. The rain would have ruined it if I hadn't saved it.
ReplyDeleteMy best find ever this year was a Singer 128 in its case.
Wow, great find!
ReplyDeleteI think the best thing I've ever found in the garbage was an upholstered, 4 legged hardwood swivel chair. I think it's from the 50's. It's a really cool design, unlike any other chair that I've seen. It was pretty disgusting when I found it, but I re-finished and re-upholstered it and it's very nice and comfortable now.
I can't think of any other great garbage finds though. I live in a small city so there is nowhere near as much interesting stuff being thrown out here.
Oh, I dunno about THAT: I find the "big city" has more trash and FEWER treasures...I have found some of my best "scores" always in the thrift stores of towns as opposed to cities. And, check out GARAGE sales; there you will find things that people don't want anymore and can't be bothered to go to great lengths over untill all resources have been exhausted!
ReplyDeleteGreat find, but it sucks that someone threw out a kids art project. Those type of projects/gifts are priceless to me.
ReplyDelete