Tag Archives: Lawrence Library

Two talks for National Button Week

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bridge 2014-04-24 23.07.38

For Women’s History Month — and for National Button Week – here is a button that covers both. It is of the Brooklyn Bridge. This article credits its construction to Emily Roebling who took her father-in-law’s drawings and advice from her bedridden husband to direct the workers.

To honor National Button Week and also the 75th anniversary of the New Jersey State Button Society, I will give a talk on how buttons can illuminate local history. This button will be on prominent display — in fact it is in the case at the Lawrence Branch of the Mercer County Library now. Set for Saturday, March 19, at 2 p.m. at the library, the free talk will focus on Theresa Doelger Kuser, doyenne of Kuser Farm Mansion, and I will be joined by Sally Lane, her great granddaughter.

Perhaps I’ll see you there — or at the Women’s College Club of Princeton on Monday, March 21, at 1 p.m. at All Saint’s Church. Guests are welcome, and it will be a different subject, “Every Button has a Story: What story do your buttons tell?” The 133-year-old Brooklyn Bridge is billed as “the most well built bridge in the city” and surely it has stories to tell.

Or perhaps I’ll inspire you to come to the NJSBS Show and Sale on Saturday, May 7 in Titusville. 

Small Treasures and Where to Find Them

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BUTTON_MAY14(2)

Have talk, will travel. Current fave topic:  the world’s smallest antique, buttons.

Carol Meszaros and I will  talk about button collecting at the Lawrence Library on Thursday, May 8, at 7 p.m.  Everybody will have a “hands-on experience” and get to take some buttons home.

Another chance to learn about, and acquire button treasures, is at the New Jersey State Button Society show and sale to be held this Saturday, May 10, 9 to 4. It is at the Union Fire Company on River Road in Titusville, admission $2.

Carol, on2014 4 26 carol NancyBriggsMoss Alice Cruser the left in this picture, is looking through the button jars of Nancy Briggs Moser and Alice Cruser, who attended a talk we  gave at Kuser Farm Mansion last month.

For the Thursday talk, the headquarters branch of the Mercer County Library system is just off Business Route 1 on Darrah Lane. You can also get there from Princeton Pike.

If you have always wondered about your grandmother’s button jar, join us!

Small Treasures

Around Town, Dance and the other arts, , ,

barbara at MACQG

You may know of my passion for collectible buttons, and that I give talks about them for the New Jersey State Button Society about the beauty and history of buttons and how to start a collection of your own.

enamel fop

If you have your mother’s button jar, or if you are a quilter, or a sewer, and have more than a passing interest in the “world’s smallest antique,” you have three opportunities in the next month to learn more and perhaps pick up a few treasures.

 Saturday, April 26, at 1 p.m. at Kuser Farm Mansion, 390 Newkirk Avenue, Hamilton NJ 08610.  Carol Meszaros and I present a free talk and workshop, “World’s Smallest Antique: Each Button Has a Story.” This talk will feature buttons that could have been worn by Teresa Kuser.  RSVP to Kim Daly (Kdaly14@aol.com) or to me.

Thursday, May 8, 7 to 9 p.m. at Lawrence Library, we present “Small Treasures.’ Refreshments will be served, registration encouraged at 609-989-6920 or email lawprogs@mcl.org. The NJSBS has a display in the library through May.

button workshopThis photo taken at Hickory Corner Library shows how, after the talk, you get to choose and mount buttons, and take home a card of “small treasures.”

Saturday, May 10, 9 to 4 p.m., in Titusville, is the New Jersey State Button Society Spring Show. Here is where you get to ogle all kinds of buttons. Dealers set up tables and you can look for buttons for your sweater, or buttons about cats, or buttons to make into pins or use for crafts.

Do let me know if you expect to come to any of these button opportunities  or want to be on the list (or off the list!) for the future.