Collecting something can give you new purpose, what do you collect.

Jondalar7

Jondalar7

Member
Location
Reno, NV
I read once that collecting something keeps the mind active and maybe the body too. As for me I know that the people who collect something are easier to buy gift for. I have many collections but the one that was most fun was my bellybutton lint collection. It is now in two small glass bottles.

I did most of my collecting in the 80s but started in the seventies. I found that girls on Venice beach did not have much lint just sand and oil. Harry bikers with beer bellys and skulls on their t-shirts seemed to have the most belly button lint but you have to be real carful how you ask. I even have famous bellybutton lint.

A late night DJ named Wolfman Jack had a toenail collection and I sent him a toenail that I grew especially for him that was a half inch long. I asked for bellybutton lint in return and I now have it wrapped in waxed paper in my collection. When those electric screwdrivers came out, I made a little twisty auger thing that fit in the end of it and would whir and turn round and round, perfect for belly button lint retrieval. Did I mention that I am an inventor too!

What do you collect?
 

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My daughters mother just bought a mobile home that has been the residence of the same guy and two wives for 27 years. It seems each wife collected something different and he kept them all. He is moving to assisted living and taking only his suitcase. There are hundreds of twenty year old silk and plastic flowers everywhere, thirty bird houses, dozens of cute plaques with sayings on them. 20 Broken little horses set on the fence and much more. Inside is a salt and pepper shaker collection covering the dinning room table, fifty bud vases in the book case and every kind of nic nac you can imagine on any surface or wall space in the house.
I was laughing and thinking that my kids will be just as overwhelmed when they see in my work shops.
 
I used to have collections of carousel horses, Wizard of Oz figurines, china dogs of all sizes, cranberry glass, pottery from Australia, fine china cups/saucers .. and more.

A few years ago, I donated it all to a local hospital for their fund-raiser bazaar.

The only thing I can't seem to break myself of, is pierced earring purchases. Especially when I tend to wear only a handful of favourites :ROFLMAO:

edited to add: I'm collecting books by a personal friend and author. Up to #4 now. I proof-read for her.
 
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I mainly collect music I like, but I don't usually collect specialty music items like colored vinyl or boxed sets. All the music I collect is for my listening pleasure and most of it is in the form of computer files.

I also have a collection of books by Harlan Ellison. It isn't complete but it has most of his books and a couple of specialty items such as a Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction issue dedicated to him and his fiction.
 
I don't collect anything now, but I used to collect Postcards. I have several large books full from all over the world that friends would send or bring back for me.... and I also used to collect Fans... this type...

Bamboo-Fold-Hand-Fans-Wedding-Chinese-Japanese-Fan-Children-China-Antique-Folding-Fan-Gift-eventail-a.jpg
I had so many colours and patterns. At one point I had them up all over one wall in a bedroom.... then I changed that to hats.. but now I don't collect anything
 
katlupe said:
I collect ceramic cats in a curio cabinet and translucent vases that I display with fairie lights on top of my kitchen cupboards. I think I collect music CDs too.
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Oh no, a competitor. :) I have been collecting cat figurines since I was very young. They are harder and harder to find in thrift stores. Probably go quickly also.

Love deer items. Also hard to find.

I try to edit what I buy but I like knickknacks and do seasonal decorating. Spring/summer for 6 months and fall/winter for 6 months. Picked up some bunny items recently.
 
Music, stamps in a way...I don't have them in a special book or anything and clip on earrings (costume jewelry). I also used to collect the folding fans @hollydolly. I'd get the pretty glittery ones, sometimes at dollar stores.
 
Might not count as a collection, but I have been all excited this past year when a new species of bird shows up, I guess I am collecting "sightings".
I read a small book a few years ago that a guy collected a Tardigrade from every county in his state and observed them and wrote the book about them. I thought that was really a cool project.
 
Chet said:
I suppose collecting is fine if that's what floats your boat but not myself. Jack Palance the actor, collected art from around the world, and after he passed there was a big sale of his stash. Seems he couldn't take it with him.
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I find it is not about the having but the searching, hunting, the bargain and sharing the adventure of my finds with anyone who will listen. I once shared my collection with the patrons at an open mike night and when I turned on my bellybutton lint collector machine a woman in front fell out of her chair. It's the sharing that counts!
 
I've suddenly become a collector of road reflectors aka pavement markers.

These things....

pavemarrk.jpg

Why?

Because for the past few months I've been making it a point to go out for a daily afternoon walk.

My daily walk takes me alongside some heavily traveled local thoroughfares upon which these markers are used and which apparently are prone to coming loose and being flung onto the side of the road, etc.

I come along, find them laying there in the grass and for some unfathomable reason, cannot resist picking them up and taking them home with me.

I currently have four of them.

Nowhere near as clean looking as the one in the picture, though.

Mine are all dirty and have a thick coating of some kind of tar adhesive on the back.

I might decide to devote some time and energy to cleaning them up a bit.

Maybe even try to sell them back to the local highway dept for a buck apiece after I collect a couple of dozen or so.

Oh Lord..... I hope I don't amass a couple of dozen of these things!!!!! 😫

I've got too much useless junk collecting dust around here as it is!!!!! 🙄
 
Jondalar7 said:
I find it is not about the having but the searching, hunting, the bargain and sharing the adventure of my finds with anyone who will listen. I once shared my collection with the patrons at an open mike night and when I turned on my bellybutton lint collector machine a woman in front fell out of her chair. It's the sharing that counts!
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I get the searching, hunting, the bargain thing. That's why I like yard and estate sales but for nothing in particular.
 
hollydolly said:
I don't collect anything now, but I used to collect Postcards. I have several large books full from all over the world that friends would send or bring back for me.... and I also used to collect Fans... this type...

Bamboo-Fold-Hand-Fans-Wedding-Chinese-Japanese-Fan-Children-China-Antique-Folding-Fan-Gift-eventail-a.jpg
I had so many colours and patterns. At one point I had them up all over one wall in a bedroom.... then I changed that to hats.. but now I don't collect anything
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Those are beautiful. I have a small collection of masks but they have since been stored away. All the dusting is just too much. I put almost all my knickknacks in storage.
 
I've collected books my whole life but I started downsizing a couple years ago. I'm down to a couple hundred now and most of them are in storage bins in a shed in my back yard. I still look through books at the thrift store and occasionally buy a few.
 


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