Monday, May 2, 2016

"C" is for....

Collecting....

I never really collected anything (that I remember anyway) - until I was in my 30's...   And that first item - was teddy bears. I think I was using them as a way to comfort myself because I was so far from my family after I moved to Virginia from Ohio. Once people found out I collected them, of course, I got them constantly for gifts!  Which was fine with me. But eventually I had to tell people to stop!!  I actually had names for all my bears too. Don't ask me to tell you now what they are - because all of these years later, my memory would fail me big time.

After that, I started going to antique stores and my collections veered off into silver baby cups with names and dates on them.  Two I found have my Mom's middle name "Jean" and my middle name "Sue" on them. That was fun!  I also loved collecting Avon bottles that were in the shape of women.  Their heads are what you turn to open the bottle!  I eventually, over time, found an entire bridal set (well minus the groom) - but still - all the flower girls and then the bride...  I have collected primitive santas and snowmen - little glass jars with silver tops - that women used to keep their rouge and powder in.  One has the letter "L" in the top.  That was the first one I bought. I saw some lady looking at it and I coveted it so much I could barely stand it. I tried really hard to act uninterested - while saying in my head - don't buy it - don't buy it! When she walked away - I ran over - and said - I want it!! And that was the beginning of that collection!  And little perfume bottles have also been another favorite of mine to collect. My first one came from a guy I used to work with at General Electric back in Ohio.  He had brought it back from France and gave it to me!!  And that began that collection!

 All of the antique places I used to go to around here are gone now...  Which saddens me as I so enjoyed going to them to see what gems I could discover.

Oh, I also have a collection of different editions of "Little Women".

Nowadays, my collections run more towards the useful - coffee mugs and umbrellas.  I have tons of both!  Doesn't matter to me though - if I see one of either that I love, I get it!  I just keep saying - but hey, I can use this and it doesn't collect dust!

What about you? What do you collect?

4 comments:

Paula said...

Goodness you are true collector!! I have a pretty good size collection of dolls. I started out with boy dolls and then I got into baby dolls. And then like your teddy bears everyone was getting me a doll of some sort. It kind of burned me out of all dolls when that happened. Richard collected miniature trains and construction/farm equipment!! I still have all of these collections, wondering what in the heck will I do with this stuff. None of my kids or grandkids are interested in any of it!

kathy b said...

Cats or so it seems!!!

I used to collect brides and grooms cake toppers. THey kept falling off my shelf and splitting up!

Janet said...

I collected pigs. When I got engaged I was teaching middle school. The kids found out I was marrying a policeman so they all gave me pigs of some sort. The collection stuck. I am trying to get rid of all the pigs now. LOL

Love the ABC's of Linda!

karen said...

I collect yarn! I love notebooks and pens, I have many tiny trinket boxes, a minor rooster theme, boyd bears. But really I don't add to those collections anymore, but they are displayed.