Friday, March 05, 2010

found collections


Thanks so much for a great update the other day! All packages are in the mail and off to their new homes. I hope to update the shop more frequently this spring. I appreciate your support so very much!

Today I wanted to share a few collections that I have that were found as a grouping and bought simply because they were appealing together. Case in point, these china paints. I don't intend to use them (don't even know how!) but I thought they were facinating as a visual collection. I love the names of the colors and the writing on some of the labels. It can be fun to buy several of something just for the fact that it's in a collection.


So for now, they sit in a shadow box, simply to enjoy their tiny vials of color and intrigue.
Today I found this darling collection of vintage hair barrettes. They are so sweet and whimsical I could not pass them up. The woman that sold them to me said she remembers wearing the little
red doggie in her hair when she was a young girl.

Later, I overheard a mother looking at a pocketknife with her young son. He simply thought the old pocket knife was pretty cool. The sales woman said, "do you collect pocket knives" and the boy replied, "no, not really". Then the woman asked, "want to start a collection?" It can start that innocently, can't it?!


What do you collect and more importantly why?

23 comments:

Kimberly June said...

Old pill boxes. My family of antique shoppers insisted I choose a collection so they knew what to buy me for birthdays and holidays so I chose pill boxes.

SewSweetStitches said...

Those paints- Eek! And those barettes!
I collect Fiestaware, b/c of the colors, they're so inspiring! I have all of them, including the vintage colors, and I love rearranging them in my china cabinet and coming up with new looks. Ever since I was a little girl I've wanted Fiesta, I saw it in my mom's Betty Crocker catalogs.
Oh and also vintage hankies! I want to collect enough to stitch together to make a curtain or wall hanging

SewSweetStitches said...

PS. Have you seen this blog? A Collection A Day, it's really neat! http://collectionaday2010.blogspot.com/

Ashley Schott said...

I unfortunately live in a teeny tiny apartment so I don't have room to collect much, but I definitely have an abundance of coffee mugs! Every time I see a cute one I just have to buy it... Weird, I know.
I love your collections of paints! You should learn how to use them!! Such a cool collection. And, I love the barrettes! Very cool!

Donna@soakinginmustard.com said...

Old tin canisters, such variety of products. Like crackers, cocoa, tea, coffee and lets not forget sucrets lozenges. My brother and I collect them and often give them as gifts to each other. It is fun and fairly inexpensive too!

Mary-Catherine said...

I collect milk glass and other forms of old glass ware...I simply like using as decorative pieces in my home...I have an addiction, really. I simply CANNOT get enough glassware :)

I collect vintage handkerchiefs...(I have a box of about a dozen)

I collect vintage Pyrex (recently scored a beautiful teal 4 piece set at my local Goodwill!)

I collect vintage sewing patterns...

I also collect vintage cameras...again...on display gathering dust in my home :-P

Oh man...I'm only 23 and I already have so many collections...I dread what my house will look like in another 20 years lol!

Jocelyn said...

Oh my goodness, my mother in love is a china painter, and I recognize those paints vials. What a great find! I collect dishes and teacups mostly. And fabric for quilting ;-)

Jocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

Kateyed said...

Those barettes are wonderful...as are the china sticks.

I love my sewing box, Kari. We were running out the door. Jud is doing a retreat in Collegeville (yup we are here being monks) and it came. I said, "It's heavy." Could have cried at the things inside. I will collect spools!

Many thanks and a huge hug,
Suz

Traci Johnson said...

Love those paints and the barrettes! My favorite collection is buttons...new and vintage. I probably have 10,000-15,000, all sorted by color in square glass canister jars. I use the jars as bookends. I also have some buttons lying around in baskets and little dishes. I love running my fingers through them and looking at all the detail.

I collect kaleidoscopes, which I absolutely love but they can be quite expensive. I have most of them on display but not all of them since we don't have THAT much room.

Another collection (hopefully retired) is blown glass perfume bottles. Stunning and gorgeous but again, very expensive.

Vintage handkerchiefs are also on the list. I have several of my grandmother's in addition to my mother-in-law's. I just love them and can't bear to use them in any artwork, although they would be beautiful.

Ok, that's it. I'm sure I have numerous items that others would consider a collection but not anything else that I specifically seek out.

I lied, I also buy and collect fun glasses...glittery, crazy, goofy, you name it. I have about 80 pair and have a lot of fun with them.

laurie -magpie ethel said...

I think the question that I need to ask myself is "what DON'T I collect"? It seems like each week I am starting another collection. My favorites are probably child's silhouttes, pottery, spun head figures, curtain tie backs...the list goes on and on. Great barrettes - I have a few of those too!

Judi D. said...

Ooooooo....love the paints in the little glass tubes! They look so lovely just gathered there. I collect too many things to mention. Really. Don't even get me started. It's a disease.

Funky Finds said...

I have a few hair clips like these that were my Moms! Love 'em.

Nicole Austin said...

i love the paint tubes and the barrettes. love love love! i don't know if i have enough of one thing to say it's a collection, but i do have a lot of old paper. oh, i have a LOT of those cute and colorful $4 latte bowls from anthropologie--some i use in the kitchen and some in the studio to sore goodies. ;)

Unknown said...

Can you just see the barrettes in a great glass jar?!! And those paints!! To die for.
I have salt cellars and used to have lots of bunnies! Now it is blue and white plates. So fun!
Lynn

Jennifer said...

I love those paints! WOW! Where do I find some? :) I collect vintage rhinestone buttons. They are beautiful and icing on any "cake."

Anonymous said...

When I was younger I had a miniature collection (one of my many collections). I would get new pieces at yard sales, thrift stores, vacations, and gifts. My mom gave me a bunch that were hers when she was little. Now that my daughter is turning 9 and has started her own miniature collection, I think it is time to continue the tradition and pass mine and my moms on to her :)

Morgen

snowbear said...

I have an unintentional collection... cookbooks. I didn't set out to collect them, it just happened! I wonder how many constitutes a collection.. I have some stemware and I have Christmas decor and Halloween decor. Oh, and many party supplies.. I guess I could add cardmaking and stamping supplies to that ever growing list as well. Wow, I have more than i realized!

Kari I too like the China paints. Great find!

I wonder how many people start their collections innocently enough!!

Unknown said...

What a wonderful find! Those paints are cool. Those little barettes..soooo 50's-60's. They remind me of Patty Duke or Sissy on Family Affair.UH...if your too young to remember them watch tvland..lol.
Collections you ask? Well, I have several to my husbands dismay, but my largests are.....
Vintage Cookbooks. Love the graphics, some of the recipes are different, mostly reminds me of my Grandmas and Great-Grandmas cooking..and Moms too.
Vintage Hand Wrought Aluminum. Rodney Kent, Continental, August Wendall, Everlast....My Gandma started me with my collection when I was teenager for my Hope Chest..lol..I now have over 70 pieces.
40's-60's mixing bowls. Again Grandma's and Mom always had some. Love the themes and colors.
Vintage tablecloths..Grandma and Mom always had the best 'dressed' tables.
Vintage dolls of the 40's and 50'S
....Mom started me with hers as little girl.
I have many more, but that's enough for this post.
Ya know there is a website that has a Vintage Alphabet Party once a month at Etsy Cottage Style
It's really fun. Each month is a different letter or letters. March will be the letter's C&D. You can check out Jan and Feb here at,
www.etsycottagestyle.blogspot.com
on past posts. COme on over and hoin the party if you can!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh...what don't I collect??? Art supplies of every kind...and rocks, and rusty things!

Rebecca Everett said...

Oh my goodness those china paint vials are the cutest I have seen in a long time. I feel another collecting obsession coming on. My Favorite thing to collect at the moment is costume jewelry. Thanks for sharing your goodies.

andrea creates said...

How fun-I think these would look so great framed up on the wall :)

kelly@the blue muse said...

Love the paints! They look lovely and inspiring. I collect beads, yarn, mercury glass, fire king jadeite, crows, books...better stop there!

karibombari likes: said...

this is the 2n time in one week i've seen these in a photo and i LOVE them. they are so pretty and delectable.