tas unique: Confessions of a Collectaholic

Via Better Homes & Gardens

If you are a collector, let other people share your pride and joy. Don't sprinkle your collection out of sight in a meaningless jumble. Notice how groups of small objects when they are well arranged, become important and effective... Collect what you will, but see to it that you arrange your hobby to its best advantage.
-Dorothy Draper

Via G-a-r-g-y on Flickr

Aunty Voon was my nanny from the time I was old enough to speak till I was about seven. From the time I knew them, there were always piles and piles of yellowed, hardened newspapers everywhere: hallways, front porch, corners of rooms, courtyards. I remember them already yellowed and this was the late 70s! Uncle Voon collected every daily paper since he was old enough to read (or something).

Via JasonTromm on Flickr

My sister's friend in Philadelphia hoards bicycles. We were stopped at the front door of his large shed by about what must be 500 broken, run-down, rusted out bicycles - I forgot to take photographs in my stunned condition!

My grandfather liked collecting old day-planners... never used. And torchlights, all with functioning batteries. And huge nail-clippers.

These were the type of people I use to label "hoarders".

I've come to realise now... that we are all, hoarders... collectors, gatherers. At the very least, like bower birds, dragging bits and bobs that catch our eye into our little nests.

Via maureen_g on Flickr

(Aren't these nests spectacular??? These nests are built by the male birds, who steal bits of bright blue from houses, courtyards, restaurants etc to attract their female counterparts. And they ONLY ever steal BLUE! Not pink or green or yellow! When my blue pegs from the line would go missing we'd know that there was a bower bird nest somewhere near.)

But collectors, hoarders, bower birds, always have different reasons for their inclination. Uncle Voon thought he could sell a newspaper of significant meaning one day. John repaired those bicycles to give away to kids who couldn't afford them. Bower birds drag in these shiny (and often blue!) items to make a beautiful home, to lure a mate and well... prolong their species.

And so do we (no, not build a home just to prolong our species). We interior-home-decorating nuts, we book-lovers, we baking-and-cooking-loving people... don't we like collecting what attracts and inspires us?

I collect, I confess. And I don't think I"m alone by a long shot. Celebrity interior designer, Nate Berkus collects a piece of rock or shell from every vacation as momentos. Martha Stewart collects.. well.. everything... but her jadeite fireking collection is second to none.

I thought I'd end this musing with a guilt-free show of a few of my collections:

Books

Nicola by Loui Shabner now graces the creative home of Kim from Desire to Inspire!

Vintage ribbon

Art glass

50s brooches

Little girls' frocks

Paper napkins

Children's books

Stationery

Art

China

(Incidentally, don't you just love what must be a treasured collection of antique 1880's Coalport Indian Tree china against the watermelon of the walls in the first photo?)

Bags