Many years ago my sister made the mistake of telling a couple of people that she liked owls. It wasn't long before she was overwhelmed with them. Every item in her house had an owl motif. She then admitted to me that she had never really liked them all that much, but people assumed that she collected them and kept contributing to the collection. After a few years she quietly got rid of all of them, save a couple of her favourites.

I had an interesting blow-up cow for years. It was kind of cute and sat up on a top shelf. A couple of years ago someone gave me a cow ornament. Well then it began for me, people assumed that I was a collector. I guess that happens if you have more than one. I got rid of them all.

Anyway, last week I was smugly telling a friend that I don't collect things, that I don't want "stuff" around. She then asked "What about all your musical instruments?" This made me a little defensive, I mean we do have a lot and some get used more than others (except for the smashed to smithereens cello). I didn't really see this as collecting, but maybe she's right.

So what I'm wondering is what do some of you collect and why. What pleasure or use do you get out of what you collect?

I collect movies. I have hundreds and hundreds of movies. Old cheesy ones, new ones, serial films, box sets, bootlegs, and, God help me, I've started in on TV series'. Somebody save me from myself!

I have a smallish (about a dozen) collection of angels.

I bought two very ornate miniature shoes for my curio cabinet. My MIL saw them and now gives me one every year, either for Christmas or my B-day, and they are UGLY shoes! FUGLY shoes! Shoes I wouldn't want in my closet in a box, much less in my curio cabinet!!!! Ahhhhhhh.

I collect Halloween stuff like crazy! I'm a costumer and it started with just costumes, but now it's accessories and props - I have a pinch toed coffin (padded and lined with, ruched, red satin) leaning against my dining room wall because after my husband built it for Halloween 2 years ago (!) we realized we didn't have any place to store it! What were we thinking? This year we're building an 'iron' fence to put around our 'graveyard'! OMG, I'm the crazy Halloween lady!

Eh. Oh well. LOL

I collect Christmas ornaments of all kinds - Radko and 'old fashioned' natural material ornaments especially. I think I may have to break down and buy another tree this year or decide which ones to use and which ones to leave off - there's only SO much space on a tree! Even hanging ornaments 'deep' in the tree I'm out of room. Have been for a couple of years, but that hasn't stopped me from buying new ones almost every year!

Royal Albert tea cup/saucer sets. I have a dozen in different patterns and I've stopped looking at them. Eventually I'd like to purchase a full set (with accessories) of the 'Lady Carlisle' pattern.

Fabric! OMG, it's a total obsession. I can't go to Wal-Mart without going to look at what they've got on the cheap table. If it looks like something I could make a great costume with - I buy it! I haven't made a costume in about a year, but I keep buying fabric! What is wrong with me? Don't anyone dare answer that! (Obsessive/Compulsive).

*sigh*

"Hi, my name is Donna and I'm a pack rat."

(Said in unison) "Hi Donna."

I collect hats. I love hats. I have about 80 hats and don't know what to do with them, but I love them. It's too bad that we no longer wear hats.

This has been my question of the week for everyone I've seen in my office. One fellow, who happened to be wearing nothing but shorts was scoffing (worse than me before I was put in my place) about people who collect things. However, this guy was COVERED in tattoos, I mean they were everywhere. He told me that he had accumulated them over the last 6 years and intends to get more but he absolutely doesn't see it as "collecting". Go figure.

DonnaB - we sound like twins. I am the world's worst (or best) Pack Rat.

My family throws a party on the RARE occassion that I clean out a closet or shelf.

I collect angels

I love dragons,,only have a few,, and they mostly came from my kids for gifts,,,and of course there are the pounds,, I have collected 370 of them over the years:eek: but I'll be getting my date soon,, so I can dump them off:biggrin1: !!

Keep in mind, I live in a rural area...Above the cabinets in my kitchen and down one entire wall, I have tractor seats! Not the new padded kind, the old ventilated metal saddle seats. I love them, they are all different, and unique. Now from that many have assumed I want tons of John Deere "stuff". That is not the actual case!

I have antique saws on one wall of our family room, and antique hand tools on another wall. Most of our pictures have a barn theme, one is actually painted on old barn wood, and another is painted on an old windmill blade.

So while I don't collect one particular item, the old farm thing is it in general...old milk cans, crocks, washboards etc. Most of them have found other uses in my house. My milk cans house plants, and the crocks hold everything from towels to trash!

It all feels pretty cozy, and can take a beating with kids & grandkids!!!

Kat

I collect Swarvoski Crystal.

What are precious moments? A number of you collect them and I have no idea what they are.

I have never set about to collect anything but I have ended up with a lot of things. In particular I have a lot of books and I have some folk art, carvings of animals and some masks. Both give me a lot of pleasure and both have started their own collections. They collect dust!

I know this is an old thread but it's a good topic. I personally collect comics and action figures. Mostly Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle related. I'm a nerd and proud of it. LOL

I enjoy shooting sports.

Lately I've been more into various handguns.

Nothing real elaborate, a few Glocks, Colts and a Les Baer.

I collect shot glasses and mugs from various festivals and vacations everyone in my family knows to bring me a shot glass from where they travel

I collect glass perfume atomizers

I collect lighthouses. It's a reminder of my mother and her guidance. Her name meant light so when she passed away I started collecting them. I love the ocean also so it just makes me happy.