Category Archives: Collections

Finding My Inner Nerd

100_3605100_3606100_3607100_3608100_3609100_3611100_3612There is a running joke in our house that we are a family of nerds. If collecting things makes one a nerd then we definitely fit the description. It makes life interesting because each of us collects different or unusual items.  My husband enjoys reading and has a big library of books. He also collects Viewmaster reels for their spectacular images in 3-D. My daughter is a musician and music lover.  She plays the piano, flute and guitar. She owns an organ that she bought from a former teacher and a cherongo drum that she brought home from South America. I think that she would make room for even more instruments because she enjoys playing them and having them around her. My son is a sports fan.  He began collecting baseball cards when he was a little boy.

I have always enjoyed being outside and like to learn about plants.  I am in my element now since I am taking a master gardener class. Part of my studies have focused on identifying plants by their leaves. Plant identification becomes easier once you are familiar with different leaf shapes, margins, arrangement on stems, and coloration. Some plants are so similar that it takes a well-trained eye to distinguish the leaves of one plant from those of another in the same variety.

A lot of my home decor  is adorned with nature or botanical images. I have a renewed appreciation for this collection now as I understand more about the uniqueness of each plant specimen and its contribution to God’s beautiful creation.

Like the plants, we each are “…..fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:14.

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My Family Tree Photo Collection

042There is a stairway in my house leading upstairs into the office from the back door.  On the wall I have artistically displayed black and white photos of my family.  There are pictures of me when I was a baby, when I was growing up, and when I was a bride.  There are pictures of me with my husband and children, and pictures of my parents.  There are also pictures of my grandparents.  There are not many pictures of them because it was expensive to have a professional portrait made back then. I treasure these pictures and am comforted by their memory each time I look at them.  Of my many possessions, these are perhaps the most cherished because they link me to the past.  The smiles on the faces of my family are a constant reminder to me that I have loved ones that have passed on that are among the great crowd of witnesses that are interceding for us in heaven.

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Therapy in Hobbies

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Here are some pressed butterflies I found while perusing the aisles of a Habitat for Humanity store.

Here are a few of my pitchers. I began with a collection I inherited from a great aunt. I am intrigued by the different designs and styles from different countries of the world.

Here are a few of my pitchers. I began with a collection I inherited from a great aunt. I am intrigued by the different designs and styles from different countries of the world.

Here is some of my cottage ware. I began with one little house-shaped pitcher. I added a sugar, a creamer, then a salt and pepper shaker. My collection has grown so much now that I change them out  when I want a new display.

Here is some of my cottage ware. I began with one little house-shaped pitcher. I added a sugar, a creamer, then a salt and pepper shaker. My collection has grown so much now that I change them out when I want a new display.

My hobbies have always been therapeutic for me.  When I was a little girl, I found that writing stories or drawing pictures helped me to express myself.  It gave me enjoyment to collect things to artistically display in my room. If I was ever upset, the best therapy was to lose myself in a creative session of some sort or shop for old treasures.  I still love the thrill of hunting for things to add to my many collections. Some of the things I have collected over the years include pitchers, souvenir spoons, music boxes, children’s books and cottage ware.  Recently, I have also begun collecting clocks and pressed butterflies.  Here are a few of my collections.

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Staying Creative

 Here are some of my teddy bears.

Here are some of my teddy bears.

As we get older, it is not uncommon to revert back to childhood pursuits through leisure activities. For example, one might pursue collections of different types such as dolls, stamps, coins, souvenirs or other memorabilia.  Creative crafts such as sewing, painting, writing or scrapbooking are also popular.  After children are grown, there is more time to develop hobbies or skills.  We might even discover new interests or talents in our free time.  We are all guilty of spending too much time on computers and not enough time on creative pursuits. We must keep challenging ourselves to pick up a pencil, paintbrush, pair of scissors or other tool of craft to keep creating and not grow dull in mind or body.  Here are some activities that I have found to keep me going.

 

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