Collections, what makes us do this?

IMG_2211IMG_2215Collecting things has been something in my blood. From the shells that I constantly filled my pockets as a child, to the buttons, stamps and swap cards. There’s an endless list. Today I’m going to share with you my blue bottle collection.

Each bottle has a story, history, if you like: who gave it to me? where it was purchased? which town or country? and the associated memories. This is the trouble when you get old, the memories accumulate. What do we do with them? Some live inside these bottles! Perhaps a short story lies within?

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Some chillies and herbs from the garden. The little teapot, with ‘I love Mother’ came from a wall cavity, when my son was renovating their flat in Sydney!

I would love it if you would share some of your collections. Then I might be brave enough to show you some more….

Perhaps my failing now is for plants; such temptations lie at the local nursery. What tempts you?

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20 thoughts on “Collections, what makes us do this?

  1. bkpyett Post author

    I’m not as methodical as you Maggie, but I do love the stories that I remember!
    The further back the better I remember…. You must be very disciplined to keep all of those records.

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  2. Maggie Wilson

    Wow, that blue is stunning! Gorgeous photography. My hubby and I collect mineral specimens. In order for a collection to have any “merit” to the scientific community, you need to be meticulous with cataloging and labeling the specimen – what species, where it was found, the dimensions, from whom it was purchased if you did not find it yourself and on and on. So, like your bottles, the stories must stay attached to each and every piece in the collection.

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  3. xoxosanaz90210

    These bottles are so beautiful. I collect things, but every few years, I trash or recycle or donate them, with a heavy heart. Just last year, I donated one of my favourite black pants that I had kept around for 4/5 years (I think).

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    1. bkpyett Post author

      I’m glad that you liked the blue bottles. Moving from house to house encourages disposing of things.
      Fortunately I’m happily settled, six years so far, so that’s a plus!! Most of my clothes are at least twice as old as your black pants!!!
      Thank you for your ‘follow.’ I look forward to checking yours out.

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      1. xoxosanaz90210

        That’s true, lucky you. I have moved around a lot. Haha yeah I know what you mean. I had a pencil case since kindergarten but had to trash it when we moved overseas 😦

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  4. bkpyett Post author

    Thank you Dixie for your positive comments. Your butterfly collections sounds interesting.
    Does that mean you lost a child? Clutter is a constant in our house too!

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  5. Dixie Minor

    Those are beautiful! I love the way you use photography on your blog. And I love that deep blue. Your son’s gift. . . how sweet. I cherish anything my boys have given me. People have given me many, many butterfly-type things, so I have a collection of those now. The butterfly is a symbol used by Compassionate Friends (bereaved parents). I have a pretty good CD collection too, but beyond that, I must confess that I tend more toward clutter than collecting! 🙂 (I am working on that, though. . . trying to organize some things!)

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    1. bkpyett Post author

      Carl, what a wonderful collection of President Franklin Roosevelt’s clocks and lamps on your blog! I hadn’t seen anything like them before! So unique. Yours is a proper collection!!
      Thanks for sharing with me! Bxx

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  6. Paula

    Barbara, I included a link to your post in my Thursday’s Special 🙂 I like it. You shared something that matters to you, and it is important. Your photos aren’t bad!

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  7. Harliqueen

    What a lovely collection. I collect mugs and teapots 😀 I love tea, and it just kind of happened, now I have more than I can store. But they are all lovely and have a story behind them, it’s hard to get rid of things like that.

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  8. bkpyett Post author

    I tossed a basket of sea shells in the garden today! How old is your daughter? She will be collecting next! I still treasure my swap cards from the 1950s.

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  9. Sarah

    I collected shells and stamps too, and rocks, and coins, and even the stickers off fruit! I’ve tried to resist the collecting compulsion but I still collected decorative boxes until very recently. I have too much stuff now and I’m trying to get rid of it. 🙂

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      1. Sarah

        Yes, it’s very hard. Even the things that don’t really have too many memories attached. I still have my stamp albums, and the rocks are in a pot in the garden. My daughter keeps adding more!

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