March 2012

Someone forwarded me an email on Bob Hope.  Many of you are probably too young to remember him.  He was an actor and comedian who could keep an audience laughing for hours and never be obscene or use foul language or gestures.  He entertained troops in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War.  He had one wife (Dolores) and was happily married to her for 69 years.  He was still telling jokes at age 100:  “I don’t feel old.  In fact, I don’t feel anything until noon.  Then it’s time for my nap.”

On giving up his early career as a boxer:  “I ruined my hands in the ring.  The referee kept stepping on them.”

On never winning an Oscar:  “Welcome to the Academy Awards or, as it’s called at my home, ‘Passover’.”

On Presidents:  “I have performed for 12 presidents and entertained only 6 of them.”

On receiving the Congressional Gold Medal:  “I feel very humble, but I think I have the strength...

A few weeks ago, I did a blog on collections.  I mentioned a friend who had a button collection passed down to her by her mother.  When I think of buttons, I think of the colorful plastic buttons, metal or glass buttons like the ones my mother collected in a fishing box.  I never dreamed of the kinds of buttons my friend had stitched to display cards.  Some were hundreds of years old and all were works of art.  Carved, enamel, brass, silver, bejeweled, Victorian black glass, mother of pearl, each is an amazing and unique piece of art. 

But what do you do with cardboard sheets of buttons that fill a box when you’re down-sizing?  She had been to button faires and met other collectors. But she wanted to do something special with them.  They’re gorgeous enough to be jewelry.  But how do you find someone who would use them for that purpose?  Curious, I went on line.  Most of the button jewelry I found was the kind a child...