Do you/ have you collected anything ?

I forgot, I also collected little glass animals when I was a child. They had a habit of getting broken as I recall. Woollies was a wonderful hunting ground for such treasures.

Over the years I have collected allsorts, but I think the only collection I still maintain is 1st edition green board Just William books. Still enjoy having a read of them (carefully).

Oh I've just remembered, I collected crime magazines.
The kind where you buy the first one and a folder, then build up the collection each week (or month?)

They were extremely graphic for that time (pre internet) but I persevered and got the lot.

That reminds me, my Mum collected the Golden Hands magazines years ago and there were folders to keep them in. She made my son’s christening robe (and matching bonnet in case he was a she) and a beautiful fine shawl for him from patterns in them.

Aah, I'm feeling very nostalgic about mums, lately.
I can imagine your mum following the pattern: a real labour of love.

Yes it was MissA. She’d given up hoping for a grandchild, not that any hints were ever dropped. The apple of her eye, and Dad’s. I have the gown, bonnet and shawl still but sadly they are not likely to be used again.

That's lovely, and a little sad.
I think of my mum making curtains and bits and bobs for me, too.
And knitting little cardigans for my girl (the apple of her eye, too)

?

She used to go into the wool shop and buy buttons with ducks or flowers or things on them, to match each cardigan.

Oh yes, I remember all those pretty little buttons Mum bought. Her dream was one day to own a wool shop!

When I was little, I was sometimes allowed to sort through mums button box.
What a treat!

My mum used to collect the golden hands magazines and keep them in folders, my dad collected practical motorist mags also in binders, and I collected different design teapots, and the mice ornaments in hats houses etc

I finally got rid of the wondrous button tin when we downsized. It contained lots of memories. Things weren’t thrown out without buttons and zips being removed first.

They were always cut off old stuff at my mums, too.
She was always particularly pleased if she could replace a zip.
That was quite tricky I think.

I think so. I’m hopeless at needlework, unlike Mum. Used to be able to knit though.

I never learned to knit. I'm "like a cow with a pitchfork" apparently.

I collect pop up books and miniature toy theatres. I find them quite magical and usually have one out with a string of lights on it.
I find snow globes hard to resist too, but it’s not often I see one that isn’t tacky (than heavens?)

MissAdventure

She used to go into the wool shop and buy buttons with ducks or flowers or things on them, to match each cardigan.

I did that, still have some with teddies and pandas on them!

I used to collect WADE pieces. It started when I would buy them for the children's stockings

I used to collect Wade Whimsies, starting when I was a child. They were in boxes so I divided them into separate lots and gave them to the DGC but I don't think they're interested.

MissAdventure

I collected animal ornaments when I was a child, and had almost all of the 'Whimsies'.

It sounds like an unpleasant condition now.

"I've got the whimsies"
"You can buy cream to put on that".

???

One of "my ladies" at work (well, her 96 year old mum, actually, but I counted them both as mine) was always sending me to the wool shop here to buy 2 yards of knicker elastic

I was probably born to collect!

As a child I collected a variety of things: flashy jewellery with big bright stones, little china whimsy figures and dolls house furniture.

As a young woman in the 1960s I became interested in antiques in a serious way and began to collect Victorian jewellery, particularly earrings. As a librarian I had access to all the latest books on the subject!

I began dealing in the late 1970s when my grandmother left me the entire contents of her house. She was a horder par excellence and had travelled very widely so her house was stuffed with anglo Indian furniture and ornaments. I stood at local antiques fairs in the area.

Dealing and collecting went onto the back burner during the 1980s/90s when I returned to education and did a series of degrees. I began dealing again as a side hustle in the late 1990s when I was working in the USA and discovered Ebay shops. I retired from the university in 2004 and becamse full time self employed.

I specialise in a very niche area of antiques and have written and published quite widely on this subject. Items from my shops have appeared in many well known films and TV series such as Downton Abby, Victoria and Poldark.

Oh, you're a dark horse!
Are you still enthralled with your collections?

biglouis I am green with envy. ? I adore antique jewellery!
When the 1970s setting my engagement ring eventually became unrepairable, I had it remodelled in an Art Deco style.
I burst into tears when I saw the end result. The jeweller was quite bemused.

I trawl ebay and the internet, looking at Edwardian rings, but I could never afford them!

For some reason, I didn't inherit the 'collector gene' from both my parents, but my DD did.

However, my eyes lit up at the mention of 'heart-shaped' pebbles!

I too have a basket of small heart-shaped glacial rocks, and yes, it took about 30 years also to find them all.

Heart-shaped are not so easy to find, that's for sure.

That is the extent of my collection

We also used to collect pebbles, shells and sea glass from various holiday destinations. My daughter-in-law made some lovely pendants and earrings from the sea glass we collected from the beach at Sidney on Vancouver Island where my sister-in-law lived until three years ago. I have a set and so do my sister-in-law and her daughter, it reminds us of lovely times together in Canada. We also have a few pieces of Lladro and we have a lot of postcards from various holidays over the years.