What do you collect? and why, if you know!

[PrincessFiona]

This seems like a fun get-to-know you topic!

I collect anything with frogs/toads on it....I have stuffed, ceramic...you name it! I've collected since I was in the 4th grade. We lived across the street from a lake full of frogs and I used to have a 'frog patrol'...I'd help the frogs cross the street so that they wouldn't get hit I actually still swerve to avoid them when I'm driving .


kris

[houseelf]

When I was a little girl I collected Madame Alexander 8 inch dolls.

In college, I collected quotes. I've sort of stopped that recently. Maybe this is some sort of sickness, but with all the moves, I've become anti-clutter and collecting seems antithetical to that. (boring)

Kelly

[mommax3]

I collect old children's books with illustrations by Eloise Wilkin (she did a lot of Golden Books) and also old cookbooks/homemaking books/baby care books/school books.

I also have a lot of cat stuff (and three cats) -- but the cats have to look like real cats, not cartoonish in any way.

Why? I don't know....the children's books because it takes me back to my childhood. The other books because I think it is so interesting to read the little hints and "rules" that women were expected to live up to in years past.....it makes me grateful when I realize how hard women used to have to work. The baby care books are interesting for the same reasons.
The cat stuff -- I guess because I am completely nuts about cats and have never met one that I wouldn't own. It's a sickness, and I have to stay far away from anything that might tempt me, like the new batch of kittens two doors down at my neighbor's......

Neat thread!

[DCJenn]

Well- like Kelly, my moving has drastically cut down on the items that I collect. But- I have a few flying pigs that I used to hang from my office ceiling- but now they are waiting for the kitchen to be finished. I also have some really fun hats from the '40's and '50s but they are fur and felt and the like and really there's no need here in South Texas!! I collect them because they fit- mostly hats today are too big for me.

I have a huge doll collection but it's still at my parent's house. I collect dolls from different countries- and even now of my parents go anywhere I ask them to bring me a doll.

Jenn

[SueC]

My husband and I have a small collection of Gargoyles. I always secrectly liked them, but never told anyone until I was dating Frank and he mentioned he liked them. We are working on putting one very discreetly in every room in our house. We don't want anyone to know we are collecting them because then people will start buying them for us for Christmas, or whatever other occasion. And we are pretty selective about which ones we will buy--we don't like the ones that look evil!

I also collected Madame Alexander dolls growing up but I think they are taller than eight inches. Hmmm.... can't remember. They are still in Oregon at my parent's home. I used to get one from my grandmother every Christmas and birthday for quite a few years.

I started to collect anything with pigs. My kids have ruined some of these, so I don't have much anymore. I love pigs but I really don't care for the color pink! Most of my pigs are pink but I prefer the real pigs... Hampshire (the black ones with a white stripe) I guess it brings back memories of growing up on a farm. I grew so attached to our pigs. My first pigs were Duke and Dutchess all the way to Tiffy and Fireball and then there was Sunset, who we ended up eating and I cried every morning at breakfast when we had bacon!!!!!

Now I have pigs on my windowsill, pig pajamas and little pig gadgets like an icecream scoop that oinks! Not to mention my stuffed pig wearing a kimono that I bought in Japan. Japan has the best pig things. You could even buy pig shaped twinkies!! I kept the wrapper for proof!

Robin

My collections come and go with my moods. I have collected stuufed giraffes and used to haunt ebay until my collection was over 100 then I got bored with them. I then switched to dolls, 18" vinyl, Zapf, Goetz, Just Pretend, stardust Classics, then My Twinn 23". Got bored with the 23" and sold them on ebay. I need a less expensive hobby, so now I am collecting coupons to actually make me money, LOL!

[Meenah]

I love gargoyles and penguins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luanne

I collect anything that has to do with elephants. They have always been my favorite! Whenever someone in my family is at a loss for what to get me....they always get me a little elephant statue. My mother recently went to France and brought me back the most beautiful glass elephant! I have been collecting them since I was a child so needless to say.........quite a few of my elephants have lost an ear in a move.


Rachel

I collect sea shells and sand from every beach my dh and I have been to. I collect them because when I reflect back it always makes me feel like I am still in that moment when I collected them.

I collect "shot glasses"/post cards from my vacations/travel assignments.
I collect the shot glasses because they are easy to display and it is easy to see the different places I have been to at a glance.
I collect the postcards because I can display them in the scrapbook and it helps if I didn't get a chance to take a picture of a particular sightseeing moment.(At least it is on the postcard).

[Rapunzel]

Does clothing count? I definitely collect THAT!

My husband and I have a shared hobby of collecting cool kitchen appliances/tools. We're Calphalon aniodized snobs among other things. We actually count going to Williams-Sonoma or the Great Indoors as a really fun date! :P 8O

I'll count clothing if you count dust. I collect dust. I've got dust bunnies, dust buffaloes just about under every bed, end table and couch. The good thing though is of course, I don't have to worry about having to dust them!

We collect junk mail, and pediatric medical journals, does that count? We have a year and a half worth of peds journals next to my DW favorite chair. My son calls them the big books of everything.
We unwillingly collect credit card solicitations, many with variations of our names...Matto Black, Matt O'Black, Matt Lack, Gretche Black, Gretchen Blake...it is pretty humourous, thank god for the shredder!

[Meenah]

LOL
Matt, that is so funny. Can I add Pulmonary and Critical Care Journals to my list?
Luanne

Books. Close to 1,000 at last count.