What do you collect?

**The Muse** · 03-25-2011, 05:11 AM

Experiences.

**momof42003** · 03-25-2011, 04:36 PM

Masks, bells, trinket boxes, harlequin dolls, Americana stuff (livingroom), anything with cherrys (kitchen), and I did have a large collection of wheat pennies my dad and I had collected over the years until my kid spent them all on candy.... UGGGHH!!!!! starting over on that one. At least I still have my buffalo nickel.

**imagine** · 03-26-2011, 12:11 PM

I collect recipes

I don't like cookbooks for much but I love recipes.

**Droppedonmyhead** · 03-26-2011, 12:27 PM

I collect Santas. Not the modern version of Santa, but Old World and Funky Santas. They only come out at Christmas time so I never get tired of them. My collection has grown to over 150 Santas and amazingly, I remember who gave me each one of them.

**valerian** · 03-26-2011, 01:02 PM

...teapots and I use most of them...
...Ronald Reagan memorabilia...

**madhen** · 03-26-2011, 01:37 PM

Um...dust?

I do have about 50 coffee mugs. Whenever I visit a new city (outside of commuting area), I try to grab a keepsake mug, so I have a record of where I've been. Eventually, I'll take them in to work, since most of my travels are work-related.

**cuteoldlady** · 03-26-2011, 03:04 PM

I collect sand and water

Anytime I go somewhere, or a friend/family member does (there is almost always a river/lake/ocean nearby) I get or ask for a bottle of water with the sand in it. Cancun, Jamaica, Bahamas, Hawaii, Guam, Scotland are some of the more interesting ones. It makes it easy for friends or family to "bring back a souvenir" for me.

In fact youngest daughter went to the TX coast with her boyfriend (she is 18 - and it was chaperoned!) for spring break and they brought me back a bottle of water and sand.

I also collect trains, teapots/cups, and antique sewing notions. For some reason I love the wooden thread spools, go figure

**leighcat** · 03-27-2011, 06:10 AM

I don't collect things and I don't decorate. My mom is constantly making comments about putting something up on my walls. I have plaster walls that are a pain in the butt to hang stuff on. My walls need to be painted also. I don't collect things because my tastes change too quickly.

**frugalfranny** · 03-27-2011, 04:05 PM

Butterflies.......and it started out as ones to hang on a wall but ---like a previous poster said........got out of control and has grown to anything butterfly. (not my original plan!) Some are just 'dust collectors' and could do without them.....but can't part with them.

Also collected 'place patches' when I was traveling....a patch from places I had been to put on my travel backpack. UUMMMM....have the patches.......they just haven't made it to the backpack yet!!

**SueAnne** · 03-31-2011, 12:51 PM

Oh this is a dangerous thread.....so soul-baring! I collect way too much!

Inactive collections: Teddy bears (had to stop)
Doilys (they just started to take over)

Active: Pretty dishes in old patterns
Baskets
Quilts or quilt pieces
Anything old/antique

The last item is the problem, it encompasses too many things!!!!

**peanut** · 03-31-2011, 04:25 PM

Thanks for my daily laughs guys and gals!

For a person who doesn't purposely collect anything I have a LOT of stuff!

I used to collect yarn, but then I decided to spin. I bought the wheel and figured I'd collect fibre. But then people gave me some...way too much. Now I have far more fibre than time to spin. And yes, there's still the yarn from before spinning. So I'm selling some of the handspun yarn and giving away the yarn.

Then I was collecting fabric for quilting. But it was a good deal. I'd buy it at discount fabric outlets when we went on vacation for $1.50-2.50 a meter. But then I never quite had enough to make a quilt and always ended up having to buy more when I got home. So I quit "collecting" quilting fabric, and now I have friends helping me sew it into items to sell for charity.

I did try to collect my china pattern. I do use it a fair bit. Christmas, Easter, birthdays, and whenever I can squeeze in a nice romantic meal with just DH and I. Still, it's discontinued now and I'm not likely to find more at a price I'm willing to pay. So I'd say that collection is on its way out.

There was the silverware. But I finished off that collection one year at a garage sale, when I picked up a full 8 place setting of my mother's pattern for $10, including the silverware chest it came in. I use silverware now instead of regular stainless steel flatware because it's cheaper. The flatware I want runs $80 a place setting! (WHHHAAAT???!!!). I have arthritis and need big handles or I have difficulty holding onto cutlery.

So current collections...hmmm...would have to be books. Though I'm not adding to that collection this year. I put a moratorium on spending money on books until I actually finish reading or using some of the ones I already own. I would love to have a private library though. Already do. Just need to organize it a bit. Guess that's my collection.

**Momto5RN** · 03-31-2011, 07:01 PM

hmm having deja vue lol i guess i commented on an older like thread a while back - i dont see a post from me that is recent.

i collect but i dont let it clutter .

i collect angels - something my Nana ( who was 96 on the 29th did and i also have done since i was young before it was a fad in the 80s to 90s to collect angels )

i have a strong believe that real ( although invisable to us ) angels surround us so i like to have them around me in the form we as humans make them to be .

I have pretty ones i have odd looking ones and vintage ones- i have one that is from Rome that looks more like a cupid than an angel to me - They are all housed inside a glass front corner cabinet that was a made by my grandfather for his and my nanas house many moons ago that i got when she moved out and also have some of her collection in it that she gave to me .

i have a shelf in there that has those dreamsicles stone cherub collectibles that were big in the 80s and 90s i really dont collect them anymore and honestly dont like them much as far as i would pick more up if seen at a yardsale etc but they represent milestones of my older kids birth and things they did etc so i keep them.

I have a few teapots that are pretty or neat shapes etc that go on a buffet area between the kitchen and DR - usually 2 at a time and i swap them out for seasons etc - my kitchen wallpapered area ( 1 wall) has teapots on it - i am drawn to them for some reason i am not a fan of tea though LOL the tea pots seem to be a casuality item around here they sometimes get knocked over by someone carrying something and turning without watching etc

I collect currently and actively willow tree angels figurines - i think they are interesting because they have no faces so all expression is done by the posturing of the body - but are serene looking and have different themes - hope- healing - friendship - welcome - etc - there are 6 on 2 small shelves in my bedroom- 3 on a end table in my livingroom and 2 that are kitchen themed ( 0ne with apples one with a teapot ) are on kitchen window sill.

i usually get 1-2 a year for christmas or mothers day .

i also have a little thing for tinkerbell- i guess because she is small - blonde and cranky at times like me LOL

i love disney world - and the whimsicalness of fairies - it just makes me smile -
my dresser has a tinkerbell and garden themed cookie jar i use to hold candy i am hiding from the kids- reciepts until i have time to sort/. file them- other misc stuff i need a place for temporarily until i use it or file it properly - a tinkerbell mug and 2 tinkerbell bowls ( all ceramic ) that hold change or other misc items - my coffe mug ( used for hot cocoa mainly ) is tinkerbell.
all bought at very deap clearance i could never pay FP for it all.
it is all neatly organized on the dresser and used to heporganize things not cluttered at least not what i call cluttered

Down by my puter i have a tinkerbell placemat i use as a mousepad. i dunno for some reason she makes me smile lol