What do you collect?

[Starlee]

I bought a whack of inks and paint, but I never use them! So I'm giving myself some tough love, and not allowing myself to buy any more until I start using the ones I have.

In the kitchen...I cannot have enough whisks. I love all the different whisks out there, and the silly thing is, is that I actually use them all regularly.

From a silly frivolous perspective, coins and decorative eggs. To be fair, my mom started both of those when I was young. I've since dropped the egg collection...although I still love pysanka (Ukrainian eggs) and I would never say no to a Faberge! The coins I still collect. I collect the coins of the countries I have traveled to as mementos.

The other thing I have started to collect is sand. This began when I first started dating my fiance. He got a kick out of my microscope images and asked how many microscopes I could use to take images of sand. Turns out could take 8 different types of microscopy images that ranged from a low power dissecting scopes to a high resolution scanning electron microscope. I thought I would share some of those pics. The low power images made me appreciate how varied sand can be and I have become fascinated with sand from different locations. Hawaii apparently has sand somewhere the shape of stars. Definitely want a sample of that sand! The high magnification images made me laugh because I found that a single grain of sand has even smaller grains of sand on it.

[patweecia]

this thread is like an off-shoot of the calligrapher confessions thread

i don't really know if i can consider myself a collector, but i love keeping colorful/designed postcards, those event brochure thingies and just anything that i see in magazines.  i cut them out for gift tags sometimes, or to decor boxes and just anything, really.  if they are big enough, i turn them to envelopes

other than that, and the usual calligraphy stuff, i kinda have quite a number of tote bags.  although i sometimes love those leather, designer-looking handbags, i'm a totes-girl.  i just like dumping all of my stuff inside

[Milonguera]

I saw Lyndsay's post right after it went up and didn't reply because I'm at the point in my life of getting RID of as much excess baggage as I can, so right now, I'm not collecting anything except possibly dust bunnies--and I do them in at last once every 10 days or so.  My motto is 'if I don't use it, get rid of it' even though it's a lot easier said than done.   Sarah said that it's usually just after you get rid of something that you discover a use for it.  So true!!! But there's always a new or better version of what was gotten rid of to come along.  My dumping stuff' philosophy came about after discovering that my mom was a hoarder--and I'm talking about the Reality TV Show variety of hoarding.  It's a story!   

What I've kept over the years after many moves, relationships, and different phases of life, are family photos and art--some that I've done and some that's been acquired at art shows. I don't think of myself as a sentimental sort of person but perhaps this defies that notion.  The art I've created and kept has been one off and inspired in the moment.  A lot of art has come and gone but the art I've collected or kept over many years has mostly made me laugh or feel some twinge of sadness, when I first saw it. 

[JohnNealBooks]

Calligraphy:  I am lucky to have access to more tools than I could ever use.  My collection lives at the office but I bring home some favorites (walnut ink, Spectralite metallics, tachikawa G, Century oblique, lightpad, canson pro marker, noodlers ink, Finetec watercolor).  Not really a collection I suppose...

My real collection is elephants.  I started collecting them when I moved out at 18.  Still love them but had to tell family to stop buying years ago - I was getting 10+ per year!  My favorite is a handmade journal bound with elephant (printed) cover given as a gift in 2004.  I still have not written in the journal. 

Cheers, Michael

[Roseann]

For me, "Less is more is Best"!
I'm not a collector, but I do have a few special pen holders and a few pretty ink wells that I hold dear to my heart.

[Chandra]

For me, as a kid, i collect all kinds of Power Rangers' toys.
I will get a new one and aim to complete what i didn't have everytime my father come back from overseas.

But when i reach my teenage age, i stop doing it, and now i just collect books that i like ("Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" series by Richard Carlson") , comics (Bakuman - comic about a comic maker), and other design books, and i also have a couple of One Piece figures which to me each of them means some message to me.


For instance the big one is name "Bartholomew Kuma", which in the manga, his characters message to me is as a person, be benevolent, and do something we believe in.

As for the old guy "Silver Rayleigh", i see his character as when i grow old, i want to be like him, no one knows him, but the one who knew, respect him, and he got that charisma and also strong presence.

As for the little guy "Tony Tony Chopper" , first of all, i really like the character designs of this reindeer, so cute ! And as for the message to me, is his character is always kind, loving, playful, the kind that i like and want to be ! 


I guess i read too much into manga, but well that's the story of my current collections. 

[Erica McPhee]

P.S. my mom needs to know that I no longer, nay, never, have collected precious moments dolls or anything with precious moments on them (like cross-stitched samplers, for example). I'm not sure where she got that nefarious idea, but I can't break it to her that they actually kind of creep me out. (no offence if someone on here collects them for reals.)

LOL Sarah ... someone gave my aunt a lady bug decoration and she put it out on her counter so then everyone thought she loved lady bugs and so five years later she is still getting lady bug gifts! (Her house is spotless and she is definitely not a collector!) 

[artcyva]

Nice collection Chandra!

I don't have any collection yet but someday I want to collect oblique holders of course, and probably Studio Ghibli stuff because I'm a big fan of all movies by Ghibli. 

My sister though collects stamps, coins, salt and pepper shakers, and teacups. I attached the photo of the teacups. Don't you just want to use them all as inkwells? Lol

[Lori M]

Most of my collections aren't official -- they just seem to "happen'. By far the biggest is books, followed by scrapbooking and paper supplies. And I've kinda sorta started collecting grand tour intaglios, little cameo-like souvenirs of people's trips to Europe in the 1800s. I love them framed and they're small -- a big plus.

I don't have any collection yet but someday I want to collect oblique holders of course, and probably Studio Ghibli stuff because I'm a big fan of all movies by Ghibli. 

My sister though collects stamps, coins, salt and pepper shakers, and teacups. I attached the photo of the teacups. Don't you just want to use them all as inkwells? Lol

I love teacups (and pots)! And my daughter collects manga/anime stuff, including Studio Ghibli.

[Andrew H]

complete Doyald Young set (including Art of the Letter and The Ligature on Ligatures)

Jealous!? Moi!? Okay fine, I'm so green with envy I look like the Incredible Hulk's malnourished little brother.

I collect some comic strip books; currently Calvin & Hobbes, Krazy Kat, Peanuts and I just got the first two hardback Pogo books. I also have a number of design books, but I'm not sure I'd call that a collection. Other than that, I'm not really much of a collector.

[Blotbot]

I don't intend to, but I seem to be collecting vintage fountain pens.  I buy them to fix up and use, but I must confess that I now have way more than a really can use.  To make matters worse, my calligraphy hobby has me way behind on the repairs.  My favorite is always the one in the mail, which now is this one, a 1930's Majestic with a gold nib.

[Inked botanicals]

Awesome!!! Can some of you post your collection? Would love to see it!

This is part of my parfum collection 😊 and my grandfather's big silver coin from 1870. That is real silver! But it is sooo old and used.

[JanisTX]

I collect books (calligraphy & fiction) & Murano glass!  I adore Murano, especially pairs of doves, Angels, & vases!  I also love dishes & have several sets of china!

Janis

[silverswirlstudios]

First of all - I absolutely adore this thread! I feel as if I have found so many kindred spirits LOL.

I have always been a collector, and an arranger of those collections. As a kid, I collected rocks and so always wanted to find a geode! I never found one, when I was rockhounding, but did purchase a small one years later. I also collected stamps! Pretty interesting, considering I became someone so closely affiliated with snail mail.

The funny thing is, in 6th grade - our teacher gave us an assignment/project on collections. He said that people who collected things were far more interesting and intelligent. Haha, I don't know about that, but I was so excited because I already had two to show and tell about!

In later years, I collected dragons. I still use my dragon pen rest, but I don't really display any of them anymore. As a designer, I have lots of design books and also toys in my office. I have a collection of Wonder Woman things (my alter ego, lol) in my office also, as well as lots of typography related items. I also have the entire Calvin & Hobbes series.

I went through the scrapbooking phase, where I pretty much collected every possible tool, paper and book on scrapbooking. I even went to many scrapbooking conventions and had a few of my pages published.

Hmm, let's see - around the house of course I have a ton of calligraphy supplies, books and artwork. Any artwork I buy done by a Master Penman is framed and in my studio area. I am hoping to round out my collection this year of those things.

My studio is called Silver Swirl Studios, so I have a good many items that are silver and swirly. Imagine that! I guess you could just say I have a collector's personality.

I have a collection of crosses. One on my wall, and one that are jewelry. I usually wear one every day. I also have a collection of Brighton things, which crossover into the silver/swirly category. I also love bags! Any kind of bags. I especially love recycled totes.

I tried collecting snowmen once, that didn't really pan out. Plus, we don't have long enough winters here to have them out for any length of time.

So - there you have it. I tend to gravitate towards collecting things when I find things I really like. Like, even when I find a really great T-shirt, I will buy it in many colors!



OK - I just reread this whole post and I sound like a weirdo. Oh well, going to post anyway!

[Andrew H]

I also have the entire Calvin & Hobbes series.

High five!