What Do You Collect?

I'm back ... or MAYBE I'm back!!!  It's been almost a year since I last made a blog post.  I felt like I was just starting to roll with my blog, really just getting the hang of it, when I was hit with a very upsetting and life-changing moment in my life ... I lost my job.  I plan to post more about this past year in upcoming posts ... but for now here's what got me excited about posting today ...

From the Flea Market Style Magazine Blog: 

What do you love to collect?

What makes your heart go pitter-pat when you spot it at a flea market? How many items are in your biggest collection? We're working on an article for an upcoming issue of Flea Market Style magazine, and we'd love to know what's on your "I -have-to-buy-that-for-my-collection-list!"  We may use your answer in our magazine, so let us hear from you!

My Response:

SCHILLING! Schilling Coffee Tins, Tea Tins, and Spice Tins. Schilling Baking Powder Tins, Schilling Glass Coffee Jars, and Schilling Cookbooks. Schilling Extract Bottles, and various Schilling advertising items including "paper dolls". I have items from the late 1800's through the 1970's ... but the bulk of my items are from the 1920's, 30's & 40's. I would estimate I have at least 400 items in my collection ... been collecting for around 30 years and have most of it displayed. Not a lot of "I-have-to-buy-that-for-my-collection-list!" items ... but am ALWAYS on the lookout for something I've never seen, or something that is in better condition that what I already have. I love my SCHILLING!

I wonder if I have a chance of being chosen??  I thought it would at least be fun to try!



Ready For Spring

Aren't these pretty?  So fresh, and springlike.  So whimsical.  I love them!

I saw this in Google Images the other day when (once again) I was actually looking for something completely different.  Don’t you just love how you can type something into Google, thinking it’s the MOST OBVIOUS word or phrase to get you where you want to go, only to have a plethora of things pop-up that have nothing to do with what you were really looking for?  But I guess that’s another blog!

Anyway, I’ve been feeling a little “discontent” with some of my home décor.  Nothing MAJOR – just the feeling of wanting to do a few different things here and here.  Change some things up, freshen things up … you know what I’m saying.  When I saw this picture I was immediately gripped with an “I WANT THAT”, gotta have it, my OCD “I will search until I find these dishes” mentality.  Does that ever happen to anyone else? 

I doubt I’ll ever get these dishes – but I still want to freshen some things up.  I ordered some new shelves off of eBay that I want to put in my bathroom.

I think these are going to look FABULOUS with all of my vintage pharmaceutical bottles and tins on them.  Once they come, and I make the change I’ll post pictures so you can see how it turned out.

Also ordered this mirror (YES, this seller had things that made me go a little CRAZY!) – I think I’m going to put it over my fireplace.  But I’m going to have to see if that’s really it’s spot once it gets here.

I suspect I’m starting to come down with some Spring Fever – it’s usually this time of year when I start thinking that things in my house need to be changed around in one way or another!  Won’t be long now until we have LOTS of flowers blooming.  Remember to move your clocks ahead tonight.

All Things Old

I’ve never quite been able to figure out my crazy obsession with “all things old” (vintage, antique).  It completely goes against my want/need for CONVENIENCE!  I can’t even begin to imagine my life without my washer and dryer … or my microwave.  And how does one clean their house without their DYSON?  It’s unthinkable to think about getting hot water from anywhere except the hot water heater!  And heating the house with wood?  Or not having an air-conditioner in the summer?  I don’t think so!  So to say that I LOVE modern conveniences would be an understatement … yet I can spend hours in an antique store or daydreaming through the zillions of antique and vintage items offered on eBay.

The older furniture pieces were so beautiful.  Kitchen utensils were so sturdy.  Items from the 1920’s, 1930’s, 1940’s … they look like pieces of art to me.  While others see the beauty in a Rembrandt painting, I see the beauty in a framed vintage piece of advertising.  Nothing catches my eye quicker than a 1930’s Baking Powder Tin, or a huge wooden bobbin.  I love old windows and doorknobs.  Old and distressed china is more beautiful to me than anything brand new.  Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong era … well, except for the fact of the many NECESSARY modern conveniences that I also enjoy!

Thinking about it though, I guess I was born in the right era … this way I can have the best of both worlds.  I can enjoy all of my modern conveniences, and can also enjoy the vintage and antique items that threaten to crowd me out of my own house!

(soon I will try to post some pictures of my Schilling Tin collection … and my wooden bobbin collection … and my vintage kitchen utensil collection … and …… uuuuuggggghhhhhhhhh).