I have a geocoin collection, although I have not added to it for quite some time. It was an extension of geocaching. Some were designed by geocachers I have met or have found their caches; others by cachers known for their beautiful, interesting or funny coin designs. Many were purchased with the intention of being released to move from cache to cache around the world, but with the phone apps and less serious cachers entering the hobby, the thefts went way up and I cut back on the releases of geocoins in favor of the less expensive trackables. (Geocoins generally cost $5-15 each vs. $3 sale price for trackable tags).

Glass vases and other glass do-dads. I just love the way light bounces off of sparkling clean glass in all colors. Mine needs a good cleaning right now.

I have a miniature tea set collection but I haven't added to it in a long time. The really unique, old ones got too hard to find and I ran out of space for them too without adding another cabinet which I didn't want to do. Too much of a good thing you know. My collection started with 2 that were given to me as a child. Both were given to me by a favorite aunt. One had been hers as a child and is the old, original Mickey Mouse (think Steamboat Willie) design. It would have been new in the mid-to-late 30's. When I started adding a few pieces to the collection, I found some in England.

Pears. I have a few that stay out year around and are really pretty, a botanical print in my kitchen. Marble, wood, porcelain and one that is murano that a friend brought to me from her trip to Italy. The bulk of my collection is holiday pear ornaments though and the last many years I've decorated tree and mantle with pears and a few partridges. That tree takes hours to decorate, and what's worse, equally as long to take it apart and pack all the little treasures collected over a couple of decades ;0)

Plants. That's how I came to Garden Web in the first place.

What unique collections! I'm especially interested in yours, Lisa..... Where do you get the most expensive, hard to obtain dust? LOL!

Fabric (I'm a quilter)!!

I was going to say cat hair and dust. I see I'm not the only dust-collector!

LOL, Marcy!

I have teapots. Lots of them. My collection began with one blue cat that my brother gave me back in the mid-80's.

After getting the blue cat, I just started noticing teapots and found a lot of neat ones along the way. Also it became "the thing" to give me for Christmas. I have a lot now. Here are some of them, but not all. I do love them and I love looking at them and thinking about the various people who have given them to me over the years.

Cute teapots! Do you use any of them to make tea?

I used to collect bells. A co-worker got me a shellacked open book with the saying in it
A bell is no bell til you ring it
A song is no song til you sing it
And love in your heart wasn't put there to stay
Love isn't love til you give it away.People started giving me bells after that.

I have a few things I collect, but for my daughter..I haven't added to them for a long time. Brass Key Porcelain Disney Princess dolls.

Miniture tea sets

Tea cups and saucers ( from England)

Pink depression glass

For myself I collect vintage 100% cotton made in the USA white bed sheets.

Grandchildren!!

I'm currently raising 2 grandsons...these arnt the first, but will be the last....I should answer my phone

Hello the Smith orphanage, you have em, I take em...LOL

A bell is no bell til you ring it A song is no song til you sing it And love in your heart wasn't put there to stay Love isn't love til you give it away.

I like that saying!!

I'm with those who collect dust regularly, but I also have a small collection of building-shaped paperweights made by Royal Crown Derby. My mother gave me the first one as she knows how much I love miniature buildings. I add to the collection if I happen to find one at a reasonable price on eBay.

Cow figures, creamers, glass, in a china cabinet. Haven't gotten any new ones for a few years

Marcy, I have one that I keep some teabags in, but I haven't used them to make tea. Just a month ago, I got a new one that I can use loose tea in and I will make a pot soon. I just got some loose teas from a friend and I bought some from Twining online.

I'm not really a collector. I'm a slow learner, but I've learned the hard way that I don't like to clean. Collecting means more stuff to take care of and organize. Now I work on doing stuff that is manageable. I like to work on my genealogy. I'm collecting family stories. We have some wild ones.

Stuff to put on walls that we found during our travels. Also some glass items from a couple in Kansas.

I have a lot of things I have collected, a big horse figurine collection, fabric and sewing things, lots of books, American pottery, St. Clair Glass and cook books. I know I have a lot of other things like old salt and pepper shakers, Blue Ridge pottery.

Sue

Also a teapot collector..........I always say I will not get any more, but see some that I can't pass up!

I collect crafting supplies and probably have enough to open my own craft store. LOL I've collected stuffed bears for many years. Love my bears, but I am done collecting them now.

I love collecting Swarovski crystals which I hang in my windows for the beautiful colors when the sun hits them. I have some very old Irish Belleek pieces, must be 60 years old. Also blown glass figurines, which started at fairs where they did it in front of you.

I collect magnets from places I travel. My home's front door is steel, and I place the magnets on the door (on the inside), and keep appointment cards on the door. That way I can't ever forget an appointment, because the card is facing me when I open the door.

I can't even remember what I started to collect first. After two auctions before moving here I still have plenty of period furniture etc. and things that are collectible. But speaking of dust, a while back I and my daughter, grand daughter and great grandson were looking at all the small collectibles on the shelves and table tops, in my back room, when I said I sure don't need any more dust catchers. The ten year old asked what are dust catchers? I told him to just look around!

I have small collections of several things. I have about 25 small Hummels, lighthouses, old metal boxes, and nested dolls.

Cast iron cook ware. Most things "pig"... from kitchen towels to socks.

I have a collection of yellow Depression glass made my Lancaster Glass in the pattern of Jubilee. My mom gave us a partial set when we got married, and I've pretty much completed it.

It's hard to get a good photo, but it's really pretty. (not my photo)

I also collect chickens or roosters. I've pretty much stopped because I have way too much stuff!!!

Now I'm into blue flow plates & platters. OH my latest obsession!!

and super heavy!!!

Love my Fiesta Ware!

Add me to the dust collectors....it's cheap and easily attainable!

Years ago, I was a collector. Started when I married into a family of formerly wealthy families (moreso than mine, at least). OhMy, how quickly I fell in love with the glass and china, dolls and artwork, pottery and fabric. I began by inheriting many of those things and learning their history and more. I actually do have a few glass pieces that are signed and valuable. My children grew up with those treasures, but are not in love with them....so they are slowly finding new homes and, hopefully exciting a newer generation of folks that see the craftsmanship that our ancestors discovered and paved the way for exquisite art glass and art that I greatly admire....but do not collect anymore. BTW, the "chase" or search for special items, is far more exciting than the "having" of it".......uhhhm maybe.

Nanny, I do love the thrill of the hunt!

My collecting involves anything animal, bird or bug in the form of figurines, wall décor and pins.

A few of several dozen animals

And a few birds

Country antiques and folk art collected from going to auctions and shows every week for 40 years. Now I want to get rid of 1/2.

Interesting question. Does one DECIDE one day "hey I think I will collect______"? I have collections, (seasonal decor, Norma Rockwell plates and statues, angels, tulips, humming birds, a children book series, Disney movies, tiny beanies, TY bears) nothing expensive. Nothing notable. Most began pretty subtly. I liked an item. I found another and a collection was ignited. I work a lot of church "garage" sales. We see at least three 'collections gone mad' donated each sale. No doubt offspring of some collector cleaning out a home after a death. The most obnoxious collection I have is nativity sets. I am a bit of a zealot about CHRISTmas and that seemed to have led me to a home full of JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON proving decor at holiday time. I sort of think it is a grown up version of playing dolls..which I didn't do a lot of. My most recent addition is going to break the fine balance of OVER THE TOP even in my opinion (I reached it MANY sets ago as far as my kids are concerned). Time is short and I still haven't figured out how I am going to integrate it. The hunt is probably a huge reason. The 'hobby' part is for sure THE HUNTING. I have also found gifts that feed my collections while nice are not often ones I would choose if I had come across it myself. More proof it is the hunt, I suppose.

Paperweights. Before I retired, they were a great conversation starter, as so many clients admired them on my desk and credenza. Now that I am home, I've taken my favorites to display together in a tray and I have some on the windowsill of the eating area. I haven't added to the collection recently. I am looking for ways to pare down in general, but it is hard to let go of my paperweights.

I used to think that I wasn't a collector, but I truly am. I have a wall of sun faces, some are pottery, painted ceramic, glazed and not, metal work, carved wood, basketry, brass, cast stone, even papier mache. It's not a cutsy collection, though quite colorful. That collection is in the big family room.

In the dining room, I have a collection of clay ware teapots and a few glazed pottery pieces.

In one of the spare bedrooms, which is my 'blue and orange' room, I have a small group of blue and white porcelain pieces including a plate, vases, bowls, planters, a pitcher, and a cat figurine. They live on the book shelves and tucked here and there throughout the room.

I also have a thriving collection of vessels for my flower arranging hobby. Some are super cheap, some vintage, and others are special; other than the several employed at any given time around the house, they live on a top shelf in my laundry room as well as in a dedicated cupboard.

And dust.

I used to collect chickens until I found out my DH's ex collects them. I got rid of almost all of them. I still keep one carnival glass hen on a nest I bought at a flea market back in the late 70's for a quarter. Someone walking behind me offered me $20 for it, but I told him if he's offering me $20 it must be worth more, so I'm keeping it. LOL. Now I have a collection of different things in my display cabinet. I tell me oldest granddaughter that's her college money. If she's smart she could sell some of those items for a good price.

I started collecting Fiestaware (the original stuff) years ago and managed to amass a pretty substantial collection. When I moved and downsized, I sold the complete collection to friends that are dealers in American pottery (and who helped me acquire a bunch of it as well). I also collect blue and white Chinese porcelain, some old original Chinese pieces I inherited from my mom (who lived in Shanghai for years before the war) but a lot more are current reproductions :-)

And bees :-) I am a big fan of bees and while I can't raise them myself, I can collect them in various forms - pillows, door mats, magnets, Tshirts, wall art, dishes and glasses, etc. Just received a beautiful oil painting of a bee in flight for my birthday!!

-Christmas ornaments (especially ones from my travels).
-Christmas books, even children's books (and I have no kids)
-Portmeirion botanic garden dishes. Mostly serving platters, bowls, etc. Although I do have the tea set and a few mugs. I don't have plates.
-Willow Tree angels (sort of, most were gifts, but I do display them and I have several ornaments and the entire nativity scene)

Miniature art. It's all hand painted, watercolor, acrylic or oil. Most came from the MA show in Florida but a few were commissioned right from the artists. Here are 2 favorites. The cat in the one on the left is our cat, Tess

Pyrex, although I am not actively collecting any longer. I originally started the collection because I wanted the mixing bowl set. Growing up my Mom didn't have any colourful Pyrex bowls but my Grandmother did. I loved the coloured bowls and she had a lime green oval casserole dish she always used to make her lime jello and cream cheese with pineapple and celery salad which we all loved. When my Grandmother died my sister took the casserole dish and continued to use it for family gathering to serve the lime jello salad. My sister and I would have a fun banter between us and I would tell her I was going to sneak that casserole dish out of her house when she wasn't looking one day and that went on for years. We had lots of laugh over that dish. My brother started actively collecting Matchbox and Dinky toy cars so I would go with him to thrift and resale shops and there I found some colourful bowls. My first Pyrex purchase was a partial set of mixing bowls, then the collection just grew from there. Sets of refrigerator boxes, Cinderella bowls, casserole sets, I loved anything that was colourful. Then my brother started to bring me clear pieces that were marked Pyrex such as coffee carafes, roasters, tea pots, Flameware, very old vacuum coffee makers, cookie and cracker barrels. You name it I most likely have a piece of it. Mugs, salt and pepper shakers. I have some red pieces displayed in my kitchen, I use the snowflake pattern casserole dishes at Christmas and other various pieces. The rest of it is in the attic taking up too much space and one day I will resell the pieces I don't really like. One year my brother made up a huge Easter basket for me filled with all kinds of yellow Pyrex pieces.

I do collect Christmas tree ornaments and if I find something special or meaningful I will buy it but my cousin loves decorations too and every year for my birthday and just before Christmas she will send me a few decorations she has found. My Aunt loved Christmas tree ornaments too and over the years she gave me beautiful decorations from the Bombay Company or some purchased from Frankenmeuth. Then a few years ago my tree fell and I lost most of those. Very heartbreaking/ I also used to collect bone china that had pink roses on it. I have a vast collection of pins and broaches, many vintage but don't add to it now.

What I am actively collecting though is Royal Albert's Poinsettia bone china because I want to make up a breakfast set. I have tea cups and saucers, salt and pepper shaker set, creamer and sugar bowl, bread plate, relish dish. So if I find a piece at a vintage shop or resale shop I will buy it. All I need now is the tea pot, tier tray and dinner plates. I know they can be found on ebay if I am in a rush to finish collecting.

Marcy -I'm especially interested in yours, Lisa..... Where do you get the most expensive, hard to obtain dust? LOL!

It's plentiful here! Send a SASE & I will be happy to send you some at NO cost!

LOL! I'm actually more interested in obtaining my own, fresh dust rather than, used dust....You know what I mean? ; )

Such fun collections!

Turtles and frogs. Both started by accident. We built a pool several years ago and we put 4 ceramic tile turtles at the bottom. I mostly have turtles I can hang on the walls so they don't take up much space. The frogs started because I found the cutest outdoor frogs at a store on the Outer Banks. I have tons of outdoor space so I like the fun frogs all around the yard.

I used to collect so many things....mostly vintage stuff like the things I grew up with.

I don't collect much any more. I like things I can keep in glass jars. I have probably 40 big jars of marbles, several of dice, cookie cutters, scoops, old jewelry, and odds and ends....what I call jars of junk. I went to the flea market one time and a guy there had a couple of jars with all kinds of junk in them....old toys, odd little bits of stuff. The price on one was $25 and another one was $35. I didn't buy anything that day, so I decided...what the heck...I'd buy the jar for $25. They were big jars and full of all kinds of old "stuff". So I pulled out my $25 and I was informed, no, it was $2500! The guy was selling for a friend. He had to be nuts. I was flabbergasted. So I decided to make my own jar of junk. I started with a little Steiff stuffed frog...and added all kinds of vintage things...old political pins, little dolls, etc.

I actively collect only a few things now. Old kitchen utensils with plastic or bakelite handles, pyrex, yellow ware bowls...if they are too good a deal to pass up, and I will always add a few dice, and once in awhile I will buy another marble. I like old dishes and especially old restaurant dishes, which are what I use for every day. I also collect cookbooks...probably have about 200. I try to not buy any more of those.

Things I collected in the past were waterlilies...had 200 varieties of them, and fancy goldfish. I had 16 varieties of fancy goldfish. Shawnee cookie jars and McCoy pottery. I even have a collection (four blanket chests full) of old wool, Pendleton blankets. I used to go to Goodwill every day...back when you could get lots of neat, old stuff. Everything in my house is old. Except the air conditioner and the tv, and computer. I still go to flea markets once in awhile. I am looking for a light to go in my hall that will go with the two I already have...which are kind of wrought iron. I don't expect to find a match...just one that will go with what I have.

I have a collection of old bottles I started as a teenager when I lived in Pa, digging next to old outhouses with an old boyfriend, bc who knows what you will find? That was fun. And then going to flea markets. I dry flowers and pods in them or use them as vases for fresh flowers or just line them up on window sills. I also collect too many houseplants, outdoor plants, and dry flowers and give a lot away. Potpourri and strawflowers all over the place right now, I plan to send out for holiday gifts. I have my grandmothers china and dishes with that crackling damage or whatever it's called. I'm thinking of giving away some of her bowls with the potpourri this year. I use the plates under my houseplants. And many books. I have too much stuff and love to give stuff away now, but not my antique bottles. Would love to see your glass jars full of collections marllyn c. And I love the pics the rest of you posted. Amazing collections.

I stopped collecting stuff. I've spent a mini fortune on Delft Blue and Boyds bears, tins, tea cups and saucers, bells.... scrapbook supplies ;) then realized: I have to clean all that "stuff" and it's more work than it's worth. I'm going to put a lot of stuff together and price it all and have a huge yard sale next summer, I think. I'm just tired of owning stuff.