What Do You Collect?

[Vintage PurseLover]

Me I love vintage anything.But I mainly collect vintage handbags.I had to sacrifice some of my handbags when I moved.It broke my heart to have to do this,but there was no room....***sigh****.My favorite purse so far is an off white Whiting and Davis small mesh purse.It doesn''t have the original box,but it does have the label inside.I have checked the date,and it comes from the 1930''s.I am very thrilled at such a treasure.
Dianne

[Scott]

Mid-20th century modern dinnerware. Fine art. Modernist furniture. Anything Russel Wright. Studio and production pottery by folks who graduated from or taught in the Alfred university ceramics program in the 40''s and 50''s (Gordon Martz, Glidden Parker, Stanley Ballard, and David Gil in particular). And anything else that catches my eye.

I can sympathize with having to downsize for a move. Three months ago I moved from Minneapolis to a small town in central Illinois, and got rid of a lot of my collections. As I look back I regret many of the items I sold. Live and learn, I suppose.

Happy thrifting!

[jessie_philly]

vintage clothing, especially vintage dresses and skirts.  vintage nightgowns/bathrobes.  vintage purses (yay to whiting davis!  i have two, and i got one at a yard sale for 25 cents!)  mid-century mod furniture.  vintage cannisters and kitchen appliances/tools.  vintage jewelry, esp plastic -- bakelite, celluloid, lucite.  vintage rhinestones. 

i hear ya about downsizing--i'll be moving in the next year, probably to a smaller place....we already have a u haul storage space filled to the gills....we are obsessed crazy thrifters!

this thread is making me want to thrift!  in fact, i'm going to go thrifting this afternoon (luckily i'm on vacation from work for two week so i can indulge in daily thrifting trips)!

thrift on,
jessie

[Big Daddy Audio]

I don't know if I'm a collector or an accumulator.  There are things that I like to collect - records, tapes and cd's; Jean Shepherd radio broadcasts; Archie comic books (the digests, mainly); rotary telephones (I have only one right now, but I use it on my business line); Mille Bornes games (with older graphics - not the new stuff); high quality tennis racquets; certain brands of bicycles; and of course, stereo gear.

There are things that I always look for in thrift shops, mainly because they have been proven to be marketable (I'm not mercenary, but I have to support my music and stereo habit).  These are some Betty Crocker cookbooks, pretty much any silver-faced stereo component (I'll often buy to re-sell, if what I'm buying is not a step-up from what I currently have), and some vintage auto repair manuals (Bought a VW Vanagon repair manual for $1.00 in Tucson - sold it on eBay for $46.00).

I've also hooked up friends with stuff that they've been looking for.  Many of my friends know that I thrift quite a bit, and they'll ask me to look for certain things.  I'm usually successful within a week.  Got one friend a 32" TV for $6.00.

I love thrifting - what can I say?

That is all. 

[Rainbow]

I seem to be collecting cook books. The library book sale this week had so many wonderful ones I didn't have. I'm thinking of taking one with unusual photos and decopaging a tray with the photos.

I think this all started when I was first  married and cook books were all so expensive, I only had Betty Crocker. So whenever I found some I latched onto them.

[MrsGoodwill]

I don't actually collect anything, but I too am an accumulator. If I see something that's vintage -- no matter what it is! -- and it's obvious that it's a good quality, well-made item, I buy it!

I do tend to gravitate toward "strange" or ugly items though. I just like odd things!

[Magpie18]

Vintage costume jewelry ( also sterling).  I love the retro moderne gold wash sterling circa WWII.  Thermoset (esp confetti) plastics of the 50s & 60s.  Grovy flower power pins & articulated pendent necklaces.  Touristy jewelry -- coin bracelets, spanish damascene style, siam niello, italian murano/millefiori.  I also have some pre-ban ivory & coral pieces.

Sometimes old buttons catch my eye.

I also buy books to read  & clothes to wear.

[Mattie]

I swear I answered this question in another thread here...somewhere...deja vu...

I collect:
* dog license tags, rabies tags and nametags
* antique photos, old photo albums, snapshots, cabinet cards, cartes de visite and tintypes
* postcards
* View-Master reels, packets and viewers
* antique stereocards (I have three viewers and don't need more of those)
* small examples of vintage packaging
* old dog care booklets and dog care items (tins of flea powder, etc.)
* antique bottles

I would like to collect records, if I could only find the type I like!  I'm always looking for:
* anything on the Starday label (or its subsidiary, Nashville)
* country music on 78s (rare, rare, RARE)
* LPs of engine noises, particularly motorcycle races and drag races (The only one I've found is the 1964 Pomona Winternationals drag races.  I dream of finding an old recording of the TT motorcycle races on the Isle of Man.)

[secondhandnation]

I've noticed my collections change if I look at all the different places I've lived.  Apartment days found me collecting more milk glass - I entertained more as a swinging singleton - and in the last house I lived in, the age of the house didn't seem to mesh with the things I liked (it was over 100 years old.)

In my new house, I'm all about cobalt glass and Mexican tiles.  I found a boatload of handpainted Mexican tiles at a yard sale for 4 bucks.  !!!  Thrilling! 

I also gravitate towards ugly, shlocky things, like naked people salt and pepper shakers and what I guess is called Hawaiiana -- coconut ashtrays and birdfeeders, lava sculptures, etc. 

Generally I like to collect things I use - lamps, quilts, kitchenwares - I don't like to have a wall of fame of thimbles or anything like that.  I also am a sucker for bad oil paintings, especially portraits. 

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Bad portrait paintings are a lot harder to find than they used to be. I think everybody's looking for good bad-art these days. It gets competitive. :-)

[ChrisMiss]

I've always loved pewter.  I love the patina it gets as it gets older and I love the look of it when it's new too.  I usually can't resist buying pewter.  I don't find much of it in thrift stores though, can't figure out why.  I really don't like the fairies or dragons in pewter though, I see so much of that around when I do spot something in pewter. 

I used to have quite a few pewter picture frames, I gave them all to my daughters though.  Can't carry those around in a RV.  I did put my pewter collection in storage though.  I have several small pewter objects that I just couldn't part with.  I have picked up some really nice pewter ornaments from various places.  I bought one recently in FL of a manatee, it's just so cute.  Right now it's still in a bag.  I haven't decided yet if I want to buy a small frame and display the ornament on fabric or if I want to try and hang it up.  Decisions decisions.       

[Big Daddy Audio]

I swear I answered this question in another thread here...somewhere...deja vu...

I collect:
* dog license tags, rabies tags and nametags
* antique photos, old photo albums, snapshots, cabinet cards, cartes de visite and tintypes
* postcards
* View-Master reels, packets and viewers
* antique stereocards (I have three viewers and don't need more of those)
* small examples of vintage packaging
* old dog care booklets and dog care items (tins of flea powder, etc.)
* antique bottles

I would like to collect records, if I could only find the type I like!  I'm always looking for:
* anything on the Starday label (or its subsidiary, Nashville)
* country music on 78s (rare, rare, RARE)
* LPs of engine noises, particularly motorcycle races and drag races (The only one I've found is the 1964 Pomona Winternationals drag races.  I dream of finding an old recording of the TT motorcycle races on the Isle of Man.)

I don't know if this would interest you, but I have a record of WW1 airplane engine sounds (Fokkers, Sopwith Camels, etc.).  I also have a steam engine record, as it makes it's last trip from LA to Salt Lake City or someplace (I'd have to go back and look at the liner notes again).  The actual engine that they recorded is now on display in Kingman, AZ, and I've gone and photographed it!  That really put a "human" face on it for me, and "closed the loop" so to speak.

The record that I want is "Sounds of Sebring" or "Sounds of Watkins Glen." 

I sometimes  go out to a local drag strip with a buddy of mine, and we could, theoretically I guess, record those "highway sounds from hell."

Another place where you can get great engine sounds is at (don't laugh) a tractor pull.  The huge multi-engine open class diesels just have a sound that has to heard to be believed.

FWIW

That is all.   

[alexandra]

Chrismiss, We are headed out to camp tomorrow -- and I have tons of goodies for the trailer, which I've got to share with you!!!

I am taking the two burlap bags -- I've made a third bag, which is a larger granny square on the front, and the back is a piece of an old linen napkin (the square had a bad edge, so I stitched a piece of thrifted rick-rack over it and then used the excess length to fashion a handle).  I spray painted four shower hooks white, and will be hanging these off a shower curtain rod I have suspended in the berth at the back of the bed (I hung tab tops from it so I could still make use of the rod, and use the curtains as a background/psuedo fabric headboard).  My plan is to stash my glasses in one bag, the book I am reading in the other, slippers, etc.  When you have a small trailer, finding decorative storage is not always easy!

I found a lovely embroidered tissue box cover that is camp bound too.  And I picked up four semi-sheer panels with a flower design. I am hanging a tension rod in front of the upper bunk that we keep down.  That holds our duffle bags and it's so unsightly -- it must be camoflauged.

I found a few more pieces of dried flower art which I will hang -- I'll probably have a few displayed off of the rod in back of the bed too.  One framed quilt round will hang off the screen door -- it says "Welcome Friends."  It should be narrow enough to not get in the way when the screen and outer door are joined -- and it's light enough to be hung on the bars in front of the screen.

I also found a small red quilt decoration with different hearts on it. I managed to find a heart pillow in the same color (different pattern) on the same trip!

So, I'll be decking out the trailer even more with my recent basket of finds.  I'll try to get a picture to post here. I've sewn slip covers for the dinette using thrifted curtains (a single panel is the right length for the back pads, but requires additional fabric eding to be wide enough).

It is amazing how we can transform the trailer for cheap using thrifted finds.

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com

[ChrisMiss]

Alexandra, I have your blog marked in my favorites and have been reading it for several months.  I love the covers you designed for your dinette and the curtain/headboard for your bed.  You are very creative!  I can hardly wait to see pictures of your current finds when you put them in your camper. 

I'm going to try and be more creative and not get as frustrated as I do when I'm trying to make something.  Someday, I'd like to make a storage unit to hang on my closet door.  In my mind it's fabric with various sized pockets.  Originally I wanted the pockets made of net or something else that is see through.  I started making this with some fabric that I'd picked up at the thrift store but quickly ruined the fabric by sewing it together before I'd finished designing.  I gave up and haven't tried again. 

One thing that would be cute too would be to cut the back pockets off of jeans or other pants and keep the pockets, when done cutting the pants have a hole and you have a complete ready to use pocket.  These could then be sewn onto fabric and make some really cute storage areas.  Even pockets off of children's pants could be used to store smaller items.  Someday, I'm going to make this.  I think blue jeans pockets sewn on ticking or other countryish fabric would be cute.  I may make one yet this year for the granddaughters.  I could use the cut up jeans to make the background, add pockets  and decorate with teen motifs of stars or flowers.  Even the belt loops could be used to hang it with.  Also some added to the item could be used as loops to store a brush, etc.

I enjoy reading your blog and look forward to more pictures!     

[Other People s Junk]

I'm going to try and be more creative and not get as frustrated as I do when I'm trying to make something.  Someday, I'd like to make a storage unit to hang on my closet door.  In my mind it's fabric with various sized pockets.  Originally I wanted the pockets made of net or something else that is see through.  I started making this with some fabric that I'd picked up at the thrift store but quickly ruined the fabric by sewing it together before I'd finished designing.  I gave up and haven't tried again. 

It is so easy to get frustrated when you sew something and it doesn't go how you want!  That is generally what happens when I start any sort of sewing project. 

A few weeks ago I made my sister a wall organizer like you are talking about.  She is just starting to decorate her baby's room, so I have been on the lookout for items that could work in her colors.  I had found a cute pillowcase set with some pink crocheted trim- vintage, but one had a hole in it.  I'm not sure why, but that was the first thing that came to me- make an organizer and use that as some of the pockets.  I ended up getting the rest of the fabric (for the background and other pockets) new, since our thrifts are lacking in finding anything when you actually need it.  It took me awhile to actually get to it.  I looked them up on the internet for ideas and then made a sketch of how the fabric I had would work out.  I wanted different sized pockets, and the pillowcase (with the cute edge) only went so far.  Once I had my sketch I started working on it, but only for a little while at a time.  The end result turned out pretty nice, although it had evolved some from the sketch.  My point here is to be encouraging!  It can be done, but just take it a bit at a time.  Make a rough sketch so you know what you are aiming for, but still give it leeway to change as you make it up. 

If you ever do make one, post pics!!

(Oh, and the idea with the jeans pockets would be very cute!!)