Rummy Box

When I was a little girl my mom had a round tin box that she kept extra buttons in. The box said Butter Rum on the top; I am not sure what was originally in the box, but for as long as I can remember, that box held salvaged buttons, zippers, snaps and thimbles.
That  box made a magical sound when Mom picked it up; we were never allowed to touch it, but if we were around when Mom had it open, she would let us look insid., We could use our fingers to move the buttons around and see how many different kinds there were. Mom could tell you where each and every button or snap came from. There were buckles from dress belts, zippers rolled up and secured with straight pin, little bows cut from dresses we had outgrown, seam bindings, bits of lace,cards of new buttons for a project that she was working on, and thimbles, treasures all.  Each of us remember that box, we remember Mom searching for just the right button to replace a lost one..she always seemed to find what she needed in that box.

My sister, Kathy, has that box now. I am not certain when she got it, I believe Mom gave it to her and rightly so as sister Kathy is an accomplished seamstress and quilter. Recently I sent her some tops and asked her to  a very different kind of treasure. Mom's industry and thriftiness live on in all the things inside That my sister used something from the box to make an apron for me is quite special. A piece of Mom lives on in all her daughters, most especially "sew" in my seamstress sister Kathy.