Sunday 7 September 2008

Bureaucracy rubbish

A friend of mine kindly rang me, to tell me, that a friend of hers had had a clear out of her loft and had donated her grandmother's and her mother's button boxes to a charity shop in the town where I work. GGGrrrrrrrr. If I got round to the shop quickly, perhaps they may still be there!!!!!! She suggested!!!!! Well you know me, where buttons are concerned, a bit of a button bore to say the least! Well I hot footed round to said Charity Shop with no luck, as the lady behind the counter was'nt really, how can I put this nicely........ alive. Harsh, I know, but we do have buttons at stake here. Tried again next day, different lady volunteer, who had a word with the shop manager, who was out back. To cut a long story short, she said that the Manager had not come across them yet, but she would put them aside for me if she did. Yeah right! The nice lady voluteer hissed out the side of her mouth that they had had new regulations about what they could sell and she said 'in all probability they had been binned'......yes, that's what she said.....'binned'. I must admit to blanching when she imparted this little bit of info. By all accounts the recent rules and regulations now as to what Charity Shops can sell are very strict i.e. they are not allowed to sell knitting needles or patterns and they can only sell brand new wool, still in it's original packaging. The nice lady voluteer told me that they had become like any other shop just selling clothes and books. I think it is outrageous that in these days of green issues and recycling, it seems that most of what is donated to Charity Shops goes in the skip because of the Laws that are currently enforced. Rant over........ This weekend, I have been mostly making: (I do miss the 'Fast Show') Envelope #1 I do love this picture of this Robin. It's the shape of the bird that does it I think. Anyway, sweet little envelope, lovely cream colour, collaged with bit of letter and Liberty Lawn. Peep Po....Envelope #2 and feeling quite inspired by the feedback I gratefully received about the mono printing, out came the ink and roller this morning.....I mono printed this flower onto this 1905 envelope and had a blissful quiet afternoon embroidery away. Thanks to jackie of dogdaisychains for the creative award. Very much appreciated Jackie, thank you. I have to pass this onto seven other blogs, so that's for me to think about now. So many blogs, so little time. Thanks for stopping by.x

17 comments:

Karen said...

I understand your frustration...charity shops have become so bland, hardly anything to find with a wow factor these days. Maybe the fact that we say wow at things like buttons has a lot to do with it!

Lindsey said...

Oooh I could feel my blood starting to boil just reading that... coupled with a sense of loss. How frustrating for you to have such a wonderful carrot dangled and then whipped away so cruelly.
Oh dear - sorry struck by an attack of button freakiness.
The new work is lovely. Your award is soooo deserved.

Lorie McCown said...

Wow, tossed out, what a mistake! It would be nice, if your friend had just given you the whole thing..oh well, your work is so lovely, I enjoy looking at every little detail.

mimilove forever said...

..and breathheee! :)

I've had a few run ins with charity shops n their "policies", a particularly charming one I knew used to throw out all sorts, when they realised a couple of homeless people were taking clothes/bedding etc out of the bin, they took to tipping ink and paint over it all too...that's the spirit ladies!!

Anyway...aren't Viv's stitcheries "BRILLIANT!!!"...(I miss the Fast Show n all)
x;0)

Susan Elliott said...

I love the little bits of fabric behind the broken buttons. Bravo! BTW, some buttons we're meant to have, and others we're not. They weren't your style. There are more beautiful ones around the next corner...

Gina said...

Makes your blood boil to think they might be throwing things like buttons away... and knitting needles...why?? Bureaucracy gone mad.

Love that monoprinted envelope - so beautiful. Well done on the award.

Jackie said...

They'll be banning flowers from hospital next.( :-{)

'fancypicnic' said...

I'll join in...my blood's boiling too!! I've come to learn that there are a lot of people out there who just don't 'get' this button desire thing at all (and I'm not even talking about volunteer shop assistants). For goodness' sake!!!

Gorgeous work, Viv.

Swirlyarts said...

It depends on which kind of charity shops you visit. If you go to church run ones or local hospice ones etc then they will normally have things like that and they are great to rummage through too. It's the 'proper' charity shops like Help the Aged and their ilk that enforce these rules - and boo to them too.

French Knots said...

Luckily my local one still sells knitting eedles and oddments of wool. I can't belive they just thro stuff away, have then never heard of Freecycle?!
Lovely work as always.

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

I can't understand why they could throw away buttons etc...I love them.
Some schools could do with donations like that.
Any old clothes that are falling apart I cut the buttons off and take into school eg. old shirt buttons etc...
They are always used for various projects.
I share your frustration!
Of course posh and beautiful buttons should be treasured and be used in works of art as you use them.

x vInTaGe VioLeT x said...

oh my GOD - i think i just had my first panic attack reading that post - THROWING AWAY BUTTONS?? - these people need help!

recently i could've cried when {having dropped kiddies at school} i went for a relaxing mooch about town - yippee off to my favourite charity shop to rummage in their HUGE button tin - only to find they'd sold the whole lot to one GREEDY woman - grrrr.
To be fair i have tooooo many anyhow.
by the way love LOVE love your embroideries/collages really gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

okay, rant back on:

i feel your pain.....
why would a charity shop be able to sell used clothing, but not the wool used to make some of the clothing? what brainless fool is running the shop? and if the laws really say they can't sell it, then give it away!! a big giant free pile instead of a giant landfill!!

meleen dupré

Anonymous said...

Dear Hens Teeth,

My name is Pokey Bolton and I hail from Quilting Arts Magazine and Cloth Paper Scissors. Would you be able to send me an email? I'd love to speak wiht you!

pbolton@interweave.com

Warm wishes,

Pokey Bolton

robin dudley-howes said...

Hi Viv
I stumbled upon your blog and had to comment on your embroidered old letters. I love them! They are so original and raw. Great blog name too!
robin from the USA

Unknown said...

Oh, wow. I am in love with this envelope! Simply gorgeous!

Pippa said...

BINNED?! BINNED??? ARGH! There are buttons and dress patterns being BINNED?! This is awful, just AWFUL! I will go to my local charity shops tomorrow and demand all of their dress patterns and buttons! It makes me sick.