Artist In Residence

Last weekend, following our family trip to the Bosworth Battlefield, we decided to take a trip into nearby Market Bosworth to do some window-shopping. I rarely purchase anything in MB, as all the shops are rather over-priced – but at least the parking is free!

But the heavens opened and instead of a leisurely stroll, we dived out of the rain into a couple of gift shops before hastening home.

In one of the shops they had some cute enamel buttons with Union Flags on them. These were £1.50 each.

It occurred to me that one of these would look good on the cardi I’ve been knitting.

After all, in Jubilee Year why not have such a patriotic fastening? It will help me remember when I knitted the garment too. But £1.50?

A quick consultation in the shop with Bob and Steph, and when we got home, out came Bob’s tin of enamel paints [bought for Airfix Models] I’d forgotten the French word for enamel was email! 

Steph sat at the kitchen table with an encyclopaedia and a selection of buttons.

She painted four buttons, in differing sizes – three with holes, one with a shank on the back.

Then the next day, after she’d returned to London, I gave three of them a coat of clear varnish.

I stopped after three, because I realised that

the ‘clear’ varnish was actually slightly tinted.

My buttons are now ‘antiqued’! But they still looked extremely good.

Now to get the jumper finished!

Thanks Steph- you are much neater with a paintbrush than I am!