Most people collect at least one thing, often subconsciously. I don't know anyone who lives minimalistically with zero clutter and empty cupboards. People collect what they enjoy like collections of music, postcards, shoes, etc.
Then there are those mad mad collectors. I visited one of my Mum's friends years ago who collected stuffed animals and her house was like a still life zoo. She was a bit extreme. My piano teacher's wife collected antique plates. They were all over the house. I wonder what happened when little hyper children visited their home. I've seen numerous sites of collectors who collect absolute anything from teapots, letters, McDonald happy meal toys, and even- this is just gross- naval fluff! And I found this blog of someone who just collects everything.
There are no shortage of collectors in my family. My mum has a huge owl collection. If you've ever visited my house, you'll see them everywhere. My aunt collects spoons and miniature tea sets. My grandmother has a collection of airlines cutlery (before they started giving out plastic ones). We have a few of her extras in our kitchen. There are others with key chains, bookmarks, pens, pencils, coins, stamps, art, etc. My other grandmother is a huge collector. She has stones, shells, feathers, stamps, bizarre newspaper cutouts, and probably other collections that I don't know of.
Then there's me. I don't want to be a collector. I don't want to end up with 100 owls in my house or too much of anything, so when I was about 8 and my parents said its a nice hobby to collect something, I chose to collect pins/badges. It was easy and affordable. Most of the souvenir shops in the places we visited sold pins. And they are small and easy to keep. I also like cats. At one point, I liked cats more than I do now, so people gave me a lot of cat things. But thankfully no one does anymore. So, I don't count that as a collection.
This collection is packed away in a shoe box but today I opened and counted them. I have 62. About 15 were given to me, so that's about 48 that I have collected. The first one I got in 1998 and the last one I think was in 2002. Don't think there were any more added after that.
So, I sort of categorized them based on where I got the from.
1. In London. The one on the farthest left is the most expensive one I have. It's from the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. It lights up along the time line. No longer works.
2. Around England. The one that says 'Sheep race' is the first badge in my collection. We went for this silly sheep race, where you could vote for which sheep you thought would win. I voted for number 6. She didn't win. It was a pretty slow race. They don't run very fast. :) The small round pretty one is probably the second most expensive one I have- from Caithness Glass factory. Smallest one- the little puffin from Wales.
3. France. Eiffel, Disneyland and the Rainforest Cafe.
4. Italy. My favourite- the Venice mask. :)
5. America. nothing too special about these ones. The whale and the Hollywood star is the best of the lot.
Then there are those mad mad collectors. I visited one of my Mum's friends years ago who collected stuffed animals and her house was like a still life zoo. She was a bit extreme. My piano teacher's wife collected antique plates. They were all over the house. I wonder what happened when little hyper children visited their home. I've seen numerous sites of collectors who collect absolute anything from teapots, letters, McDonald happy meal toys, and even- this is just gross- naval fluff! And I found this blog of someone who just collects everything.
There are no shortage of collectors in my family. My mum has a huge owl collection. If you've ever visited my house, you'll see them everywhere. My aunt collects spoons and miniature tea sets. My grandmother has a collection of airlines cutlery (before they started giving out plastic ones). We have a few of her extras in our kitchen. There are others with key chains, bookmarks, pens, pencils, coins, stamps, art, etc. My other grandmother is a huge collector. She has stones, shells, feathers, stamps, bizarre newspaper cutouts, and probably other collections that I don't know of.
Then there's me. I don't want to be a collector. I don't want to end up with 100 owls in my house or too much of anything, so when I was about 8 and my parents said its a nice hobby to collect something, I chose to collect pins/badges. It was easy and affordable. Most of the souvenir shops in the places we visited sold pins. And they are small and easy to keep. I also like cats. At one point, I liked cats more than I do now, so people gave me a lot of cat things. But thankfully no one does anymore. So, I don't count that as a collection.
This collection is packed away in a shoe box but today I opened and counted them. I have 62. About 15 were given to me, so that's about 48 that I have collected. The first one I got in 1998 and the last one I think was in 2002. Don't think there were any more added after that.
So, I sort of categorized them based on where I got the from.
4. Italy. My favourite- the Venice mask. :)
6. Canada. Butchart Garders,Niagara and Toronto
7. School. Ok, these were post 2002. Not really collectors items, but quite special nonetheless.
7. These ones are not ones that I bought. Were given to me. Part of my collection, but they don't really belong with the others.
8. My non-collection pins. The big sparkly one was given to my grandmother from my grandfather as a gift. Quite a special one to keep.
So, that's the collection. If there is more travel in the future, I may have more pins to add.
I read this quote today and laughed.
"Writing and travel broaden your ass if not your mind and I like to write standing up." ~Ernest Hemingway
Enough writing for today. :)
1 comment:
Lucky you for visiting Butchart Gardens! Nice pin too.
Love your grandma's big sparkly pin.
And the "Class Leader"/school pins bring back memories. he he he.
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