I think I was born to collect. I’m not a packrat or a hoarder but simply like to collect objects that are of interest to me.
When I was a child I collected all sorts of things, like matchbook covers, interesting rocks, and cards of birds, animals and dinosaurs that came in boxes of tea, trading with friends to get rid of my “doubles” and to acquire ones I didn’t have. I collected marbles, which I either bought at Woolworth’s with my allowance, traded with friends or won in schoolyard games.
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I even collected bottle caps, organized by colour in Mason jars. My “doubles” were given to friends as unique pieces of jewelry. First the circle of cork had to be carefully removed from inside the cap. Then this could be applied to clothing by holding the cap on the outside of the garment, and reinserting the cork on the inside of the fabric.
Once bitten by the collecting bug there is no cure. I started collecting blue and white china, which began when I inherited a small collection started by my mother and brother, including a pitcher and bowl set that had been my maternal grandmother’s. I set out to expand the collection to include a tea set, which I thought might be useful, but it has since grown to a dinner service for eight and then some! A few of the pieces are costly, but most are gathered from flea markets and second-hand stores.
When I was a child, my aunt had a chalkware string dispenser that I loved. It was in the shape of a kitten, so now, many years later, I set out to find the exact kitten – yellow with a green bow and a red ball of wool. I found several others before I found the “exact” one in perfect condition, and so now I have a kitten string dispenser collection.
There’s a lot of fun in the “thrill of the hunt.” Collecting promotes friendship too, and through the years my friend Pam and I continue to spend hours together exploring flea markets, antique shops, collectible fairs and consignment shops. Another friend taught me how to use eBay to add to my stamp collection and I’ve received mail from places like Sweden, China and New Zealand, all with lovely horsethemed stamps inside.
One friend, a model railroad collector, joined the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club, where he was able to meet other enthusiasts and expand his social circle. Another person I heard about collects snippets of barbed wire. The possibilities really are endless!
So what catches your eye? You just may have a collection in the making. – Candy Irwin writes from
Lake Audy, Manitoba
