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Ilze's post about her darling ducky collection got me thinking that we haven't posted about our collections in a while. With so many new members there might be lots of eye candy to see! Thanks to Ilze for jump-starting the idea in me.
Show us!!
I'll start with my two biggest collections (other than pets, that is): birdhouses and bears. The birdhouses sit atop the furniture in my dining/entry room, and the bears are showcased in spots around my office.
I also have a small collection of my own bears and one by Sue Ann that my cat, Sealy, loves and sleeps by all day, every day... but you've seen that one already, and I can't find it to repost in this thread.
TinyBearWaw
What a great collection of bears. 
Lovely bird houses too.
Tina, I'm glad you like my stuff; thanks so saying so! Those collections were many years in the making and they bring me a lot of joy.
I found the picture of my own Sue Ann Holcomb PAST TIME BEAR, KAKI, that my cats -- especially Sealy, the huge, not-purebred, ragdoll-looking black and white guy covered in fluff -- really adore. Sealy sleeps next to KAKI all day, every day... I kid you not. That's JINX, our newest addition, standing to the right.
Great collection, Shelli!
I only collect teddy bears! And lots of them. I can never have enough! I'm embarrassed to say that since we moved into our house last December, most of my collection is still boxed up and in various rooms and closets in the house. DH is supposed to build some shelves for me this summer. So no pictures yet. 
Storytime Bears
Back Road BearsBears... Baskets... Dishes... and more bears!
No pics to share at the moment... who wants to see DISHES any way? I have dishes with daisies on them, dishes with stripes, plaid borders, you name it. They are full 8 settings... then there's my mother-in-laws, mother's, and both sets of grandparent's complete dish sets. The kicker is.... it's just Henry and I and we rarely entertain! So WHY do I have all these dishes? :crackup:
Oh, I guess you could say I collect fabric too.... mohair and quilt fabric!
'Bear' Bottoms OriginalsDoes dust count? 
Kimberly W.
Waggle BearsDaphne, I love, love, love dishes...I never thought about them being a collection; I always thought they were necessary. I also love glassware...crystal glasses, glass glasses, fancy glasses, plain glasses...
Let's see, I have my original wedding china, Christmas dishes, Franciscan Desert Rose, which I love, and my everyday Fiestaware in all colors, and lots of glasses.
I have a few bears, lots of Scottie stuff, but it's scattered around the house, yards and yards of quilting fabric, probably no more than 8 or 9 yards of mohair, beads, beads, beads, books, books, books, books, books.
All of which I consider necessities of life...
Wild Thyme Originals
OOOO... beautiful stuff ladies!!!!
Jodi, looks like your house would be FUN to visit!
I have an enormous Alice collection, which I've talked about before, but STILL don't have any decent pictures of. Ther's just SO much!
Here's one that I DO happen to have a funny little pic of. My entire family is collection crazy, and my parents started me out early with the collector's mindset. Here are my first few Raggedy Anns from what has now become about a 20 piece collection. And yes, that's me, circa 1973, becoming "one" with my collection! 
Kim Basta
Apple Dumpling DesignsOMG...Kim...that is the cutest picture EVER!!!
I'll be back later with a picture of two of my collectibles 
Waggle BearsWhat an adorable picture. You were a little cutie.
Newelley.BearsI collect manufactured bears from companies like Steiff, Deans, Grisly, Deb Canham, TY, Boyd's Bears (Plush, Mohair, Bearstones, Dollstones, Folkstones, Villages, etc); Russ; Puffy Lane; Gund; Effanbee's Artist Designed Bear Essentials Line and Ganz Cottage Collectables. Most of the manufactured bears I collect are Canadian exclusives, or small limited editions, but I have a SEVERELY HUGE Beanie Baby collection from about 10 years ago as well. I also collect artist bears...One of my biggest artist bear collections (12 of them) being from Cheryl Ross of Cherbears. She was the artist who inspired me to venture out into the world of teddy bear making. Sally Winey, who originally designed bears for TY Inc., is also another one of my favourite teddy artists and I have 4 of her bears from the 1990's in my collection as well. I also currently have some GORGEOUS bears in my collection from Sue Ann Holcomb, Anja McGowan, Donna Lee Wilson, Susan Redstreake Geary, Georgia Fox Yeager, Susan Lauhon and Deborah Stewart. My collection is still growing at an exponential rate and before I know it, I am gonna have to move just to have more room for the collection....LoL
Jodi, I love your vintage goodies!
Chrissie -- That's what IKEA is for -- cheap, sturdy, easy to transport home, shelving. <hint, hint to your hubby. PS Do you have IKEA in Florida?>
Kim, that photo of you is DARLING! What mischief I see in your eyes.
Jeremy -- Love your use of the phrase "severely huge." You sound like... a bear collector. What a shocker (not!) i'd love to see your collection.
Marlys, Daphne -- Lucky girls! Please post photos of your dishes. I don't have any (yet -- ha!) but I love Fiesta ware, milk glass, and interesting drinking glasses (especially those that are handmade) so I'd love to see your wares, myself. Don't be shy!
I forgot to mention (but someone else did) that I, too, collect books. They're EVERYWHERE in my house, especially coffee table books and how-to, crafting books. I keep every issue of TB&F, TBR, and any other teddy, dollmaking, crafting (like Cloth, Paper, Scissors and Quilting Arts) or Stampington publication (Somerset Studio, Somerset Home, Legacy, Belle Armoire, etc.) I ever buy. There's always a reason to get a new book and I read them over and over again. You can see just a tiny sampling in my birdhouse photo of my coffee table book collection, and there's a snippet of "Metal Discovery Workshop" and "1000 Trading Cards" showing in one of my bear photos; those are in my studio.
I also collect craft stuff... scrapbooking, rubber stamping, fabrics, especially pens and paints, etc. I told my family that if I die unexpectedly, they should not undervalue the thousands of dollars I've spent in a lifetime on that stuff!
Two things that I collect or in other words are things that I look for when traveling or just on to look out for are:
Little Chef figurine bears ... hard to find but they decorate my kitchen
Antique tea cups.... the demitasse size with the English or French as \
favorites...
Active collections (things I am always looking for)
-Breyer Horses - Been collecting since I was five and I have about 150
-Hagen Renaker glass animals
-Cake plates
-Vintage toys of all kinds
Inactive collections (collections I haven't added to in many years)
-baseball cards from 50's
-stamps
-coins
-Archie and MAD magazines from early 70's
-dolls (I did add a porcelain Madame Alexander a couple years ago)
-Matchbox and Hot Wheels
Back Road BearsI forgot one... not sure if it's a collection or a seirious addiction issue: Greeting Cards!! :dance: Anywhere I am, for no reason at all, if I see a cute, pretty, fun, unique or interesting greeting card I buy it. I have some from London, Ireland and of course ones I've found locally. They can be blank or for a special occassion. Yes, in particular are ones with teddy bears on them or any cute animal! 
The kicker here: I STILL have them all... I love them so much I rarely part with them. So they sit in a box. When I have a card giving occassion come along I go through that box, find a couple that would be perfect but decided that no matter how much I care for the person, I can't part with the card so I go buy another one! :doh: :dance:
I think this is a mental issue I should get help for! 
Flying Fur StudiosYou're funny Daph!
So am I weird? I dont collect anything. Well, I guess I collect my own bears because I just can't seem to part with them but that's it!
Unless my mohair stash counts................. 
Swan Valley BearsI collect "floaty" or "slidy" pens. You know the ones that have water and something that slides back and forth in the water? They have them in most tourist shops. I started collecting them years ago and I have about a gazillion of them. They're great to collect when you're traveling because they're only 3 or 4 bucks and they fit in your purse. Friends buy them for me when they travel so I have them from all over the world.
Of couse I have the ginormous bear collection too. I'll take some pics and post them later.
sewing starsi collect indie crafter handmade stuffed animals:
and this is picture from over a year ago...it has grown quite a bit since then...
other than that...active collections:
50's glasses
rhode island ephemera
california ephemera
inactive collections:
sanrio quilting fabric
faux fur
japanese stationery
i am sure there is tons more...
and daphne! my friend collects dishware sets! she has like 7 different sets, all 50's-60's taylor smith taylor...i think collecting dishes is useful and fun!
Posts: 8,574
I collect supplies, but I think i am prepared for everything and anything now....i also collect kewpie piano babies.....and they sit on my piano and complain about the wrong notes, they have alot to complain about....then for Christmas time i collect angels, porcelain for everywhere, drives the hubs nuts, and everything else for the tree.....
I also collect vintage lace-----I love e-bay!
dilu
Charlotte Des Roches DesignsWow...wonderful collections everyone...but
Does dust count?
Kimberly W.
In NM that a given...so you aren't alone!!! Wanna trade some Kimberly?:crackup:
Bearz by Ilze
Storytime Bears 
:crackup: 
Bay Street Bears[/img]
I love YODA!!! Here are a few:
I think it is kinda becoming an obsession..... Wendy
Posts: 1,836COOL Thread!! Jodi, love your vintage stuff!! They'd send out missing person reports if we went antiquing together!! :crackup:
Collections...years ago I collected kitchenware...the old red handled gadgets from the 40's and 50's, enamel pots, tin signs, campy serving trays from the 50's 
, etc.
Now I've been really good about making sure my "collections" are mostly functional...little do dad's were taking over my house 
OF COURSE I have my artist bears! I'm a new collector, so my group is small, but they are a spectacular small bunch and I adore them each so much!! 
I have 7 pieces of Hoosier/enamel top furniture from around the 30's and 40's. I found some on antique hunts and some on ebay..way before they were the ebay hot ticket and super pricey out there. I love their functionality and their decorative appeal! I have 2 large Hoosier Cabinets, a kitchen table, my studio work table, 2 "night tables" and one piece that was from my great grandmothers kitchen (my favorite piece). This is my great grandmother's piece here 
I started collecting vintage children's quilts years ago...now they're almost all out of my price range too. If I'm lucky I might find one here and there...I hate it when folks catch onto your collection and make it harder for you to collect (kidding). These are the few I could get a shot of tonight.....I have more!
I love their innocence, the amazing hand work that went into each one, and the stories they probably hold. At first it made me sad to think of the family that let them go...all of that work and the memories....but I appreciate them so much that those feelings quickly faded. These quilts are hanging in various rooms throughout our home.
This here is my very first collection EVER. I can remember opening up the little circular tin and treasuring each little button as if it were pure gold. I would line them up and just marvel at the details and colors and then tuck them away. I don't know what's up with the giant fuzzy button (????) I guess it was appealing to a little kid! Details, colors, fuzzy....I guess it all played into eventually becoming a bear artist 
:hug:
~Chrissi
