I love collections in my home. Things displayed in multiples seems to speak to my decorating soul in a powerful way. I have made some mistakes along the way….think 1990 Longenberger basket obsession…when I realized I was collecting what I thought I should be collecting rather than what I really wanted to collect. Expensive lesson for me. I am a wiser collector now. Let me share some life lessons I have learned on my collection journey…and show off a few of my most favorites at the same time
1. Display collected items together…they lose their impact if they are separated . Think of Grandma’s home with her ceramic cats scattered throughout the house on every surface….don’t do that! I like how my vintage rolling pins look in this giant egg basket…suddenly simple objects are seen as an elevated art display!
2. Collect what you love and what resounds with your soul…Be honest when you no longer feel the love and gift or donate. Also, don’t serve as a storage facility for family member’s “treasures” out of guilt or obligation . If you don’t love Aunt Lulu’s souvenir thimble collection , find someone who will delight in them…Aunt Lulu would approve! Many of the chickens on display on my dining room hutch come from a friend who inherited them from a relative. After 20 years of storage I was excited to give them an honored spot in my home.
3. Don’t collect with your child’s college fund in mind…unless you collect early Picasso abstracts. We all know someone with tubs of Beanie Babies in their basement just waiting for the magical buyer to show up and pave the way to Harvard. The price of my beloved Lusticru omelet pans (French flea market finds) on eBay tempts me to enlist my friends to send me every piece they can find…but then the memory of finding these beauties would be forgotten in the crush of enamelware.
4.Master the art of rotation. Seasonal collections are a great way to freshen decor with little effort. For example, I display seasonal vintage postcards on a 24 pane window in my kitchen. They make me smile. In May and June I display vintage French seed labels.
5. The best collections are aquired over time and experience. It is so tempting to see a beautiful collection on a blog and jump on the EBay express to immediately duplicate it. Most likely that blogger has been collecting for years and that collection represents her/his life and experiences. Let your collections represent you! This collection of antique kokeshi dolls is unique to me and my life experiences in Japan. I have never seen a collection like it and love the unique and unexpected element it adds to my home.
Someday I hope the Princess will share my love of collecting…beyond collecting compliments.
Let’s Party!
The Art of Homemaking Let’s Talk Vintage Inspire Me Wednesday
Show and Share. Wow Us Wednesday Work it Wednesday
BTTCG at Bernadeen’s Talk of the Town Home and Garden Thursday
No Place Like Home Elizabeth and Co. Share Your Cup
Tuesday at our Home. Share It Share Your Style
Tweak it Tuesday Thursday Favorites Thursday Inspiration
Inspire me Monday Suburban Simplicity Moonlight and Mason Jars
Inspire meTuesday Wonderful Wednesday Home Sweet Home
The Scoop Thoughts of Home. Feather Nest Friday
Titus 2 Tuesday. Rooted in Time. Friday Favorites
Thrifty and Vintage Finds. No Rules Weekend. Your Inspired Designs
Make it Pretty Monday. Vintage Charm Party Shabbilious Friday
Monday of Many Blessings. Making Broken Beautiful. 5 Star Fru Fru
Morning Cup of Joe. Home Matters Sweet Inspiration
Friday Favorites. Love Peace and Link. Best of the Weekend
Share it One More Time. Sundays at Home Inspiration Monday
Busy Monday. Amaze me Monday. Dishing it and Digging it
Little Homes Link. Silver Pennies. Make your Heart Sing
Tuesday With a Twist. Tada Thursday. Brag About it
Not every sampler in my collection is old, or even vintage, but they do commemorate life changing events in my life…becoming a wife and becoming a Mama…they were completed by my own mother and will be cherished and loved for many generations. I hang these works in love.
A Day of Small Things... 