collections - but it is informative:

You have go to be organized with your designs or they are useless. I have lots of duplo files, but it works for me. I almost never have to look for anything for over a couple of minutes. Takes me longer to plug in the external HD and get it on than to find the design. And I've started printing out the template thing in Embird for them as I do them since this second machine doesn't have a color display. So going to have to do some filing soon.

I quit collecting other things years ago. Friend of our's said she was tired of dusting junk. I figured out she was so right.

With all my embroidery designs, I print out the colour chart and picture, and then file them under the appopriate category. Actual pes designs are kept on an external harddrive in the same way so once I have found the paper design in my file I can go straight to it for sewing. I wish I could be so organised with other things

Thank you Shirlene - interesting article. Sarah.

This is great, I collect many designs, but specialy designs w cows, chickens, farm and country things, but I know I dream of my grandfathers beautiful ranch in Cuba...also ache for it. Antiques is my other "thing" and that is from missing my mother's family...Thanks.

Thankyou, Shirlene. As an article written by a specialist in a particular field, this was interesting.

I have no issues with stabilising our lives by keeping mementos of the past or having the pleasure of fulfilling something lacking in childhood. Our history is as much a part of our makeup as the future will be and, if material items help to heal, they will also help us move on into new areas with courage.

For instance, from dolls and teddy bears, pencils and books I have 'matured' and moved onto new interests and now I have embraced the wonderful craft of machine embroidery - it took a lot of courage to begin. No-one, except me, knows the extent of my ME designs collection and its dozens of sub-collections, but here I am at a fairly senior age tackling with relish this computer-age hobby. I don't have issues, either, with spending long happy hours hunting down designs and filling my mind with beauty..... at least the clutter in my mind remains unseen but I have, on occasion, recognised the enjoyment I get in filing the designs later as something I've always loved doing.

Thanks for giving me something to think about today.

AlmaG.

This lady is NOT the last word on this....don't be offended as it is only her words..
As for me...I would not feel comfortable in a home that is so pristine and clean that I would be afraid to move or touch or in a house that had nothing in it at all to add any type of character to the house or the room and there are places like this....I would get out fast. I like a home to be comfortable, pleasant, fun, interesting, shows character and all.
I collect fabric, state quarters, angels, manger scenes (the smaller the better), thimbles from all over, and cute Santas....now.
I have given up many collections from childhood and have started new ones as the old ones are gone, but I still have my stamp collection from about the 3rd grade until I had my 2nd child...now in book shelf.

My mom was a hoarder and 'sewfrenzie' is correct she kept everything and I do mean everything from the paper cups, plates, straws from a fast food place to boxes upon boxes of cereals to books to clothes and anything anyone was giving away, she had to have it....it was not pretty and it was a tragedy waiting to happen but my mom is now in a nursing home with Alzheimer's and it is a whole different story, but I think she had some mental problems back years ago, but nobody noticed....

We (her children) celebrated her 90th birthday in Dec. and when we last saw her on Thursday she seemed happy but she hasn't known me for about 8 years...

I see nothing wrong with collecting as long as it is keep in control but anything can get out of hand...just as it did this past week in our small town when a lady collected the stray dogs that came to her house and was trying to breed some along the way....she got sick and wound up having all her dogs removed from her house (over 150 dogs).

So if you collect designs like I do...just keep them in the machine or on the computer and all will be well....lol

1 comment

by airyfairy 03 Apr 2011

I was so sorry to hear about your mother. My dear aunt was in a nursing home with dementia. When I used to visit she had no idea who I was and it broke my heart. She is now in a better place. Hugs to you and your mum. Sarah.

I thought it was a great article, somewhat insightfull. Thanks for sharing
PS.There is no such thing as too many designs LOL

1 comment

by leamcl 03 Apr 2011

As long as they keep creating bigger drives and we can store them then there is no such thing as too many!!!

Ok I am imbalanced. I have 6 dolls but don't collect them and an unfinished dollhouse in my garage. I have a craft room (I collect things to do with crafts) that most of my children dread to have to clean out once I am gone, but it is a HOME, my home. I have been in places where everything is so neat, no momentos, no family pictures on the wall etc. Makes me be afraid to sit down. I am collecting designs and they are savely tucked away in my computer. No one will trip on them. Ha, ha

The lady is a Fung Shui consultant. That means simplicity. Collections aren't simple. I have collections and with a few exceptions each of my collectibles has a story that goes with them. Maybe there is a deep seted reason we all collect but the best reason we collect is love. We love what we collect. I have 3 or more objects that were given or passed down to me but I don't collect them. They were gifts. I occasionally display them and rotate them with the collectibles I have. My grandchildren love to hear the stories behind them. It is a part of them, their history. It only becomes hoarding when it overtakes our lives and home. My ex-mother-in-law used to tell me, " everything in its place and a place for everything". And as long as we can have a place for our collection there is no reason to fear we are a hoarder! And if the clutter is more than can be tolerated then as she would say, unclutter. But if we love what we collect then there is no harm.

I used to collect sets of dishes but I think I'm down to 8 now. I use all of them even tho it is just me. I like to set a nice setting for different meals just for me. Makes a person feel special. I even use candles sometime. As far as designs wellllllllll don't touch my stuff ha ha

1 comment

by meganne 03 Apr 2011

Oh me too.
I have just finished unpacking all my boxes of old crockery and setting it all up in display cabinets in the dining area at Possum lodge, now it's all where I can easily grab a vintage bowl, plate, cup and saucer or butter dish or whatever and use them whenever I want to.
It makes me feel so happy. I can't wait til we're up there permanently and I can use all my hand embroidered linen too.
I guess we're just old fashioned gals! LOL

OH DEAR, I'm in BIG trouble, I collect nearly everything she mentions in her lists, including shot glasses, decorative masks, toys, stuffed toys, bears, dolls, shoes, hats, butterflies, miniature shoes, crystal: dishes, salt & pepper shakers, swans and platters, antiques, family heirlooms, figurines, pincushions, vintage sewing items and I guess 8 machines and five digitising programs could also be called a collection.

Hey but I also have 3 cats, about 7 tv's and 5 dvd recorders and 3 computers, do they count as collections too??
Even the wild ducks have grown from 5 to 16 and there are now also 7 waterfowl who come and visit me.

I must be really, really sick!!! Help someone, what should I do?????

hahahahaha

1 comment

by ssampsel 02 Apr 2011

mom always said, one is an item, two is a set & 3 is a collection! i'd say most of us are mega collectors!

LOL-blah,blah,blah... I started reading the article but that's the way it started sounding to me. Everybody has their own definition of "hoarders" and "collectors"- just depends on what side of the fence you are sitting on. It's the same thing as any kind of "addiction"-to some people you are an alcholic, drug addict, the above mentioned, and any number of addictive behaviors. To the individual being "labeled"-they don't have a problem. It's kind of a circle-never ending opinion/debate. Ok-there I'm done-now I am sure I will get smacked but that's ok-I can take it! LOL-Have a great Saturday everyone-it's looking and feeling like Spring out there today!!!!

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i've always told my girls when they were growing up, if you pay the bills you name the rules! i have soo many collections of totally different stuff..plus we try to reduce, reuse & recycle. hubby has his own collective interests that also take up space and needs dusting. personally i'm not that concerned about it. our house is ours & i hope you can enjoy it if you visit. oh by the way..just move all the collections off the couch so you can sit down! ********

1 comment

by almag 02 Apr 2011

Now, yours is the sort of place I'd love to visit. Can I look at your collections? If you have interesting things on the couch can I sit among them and enjoy them too? If you have collections on the wall can I get up and have a closer look? If you have wooden articles around can I pick them up and feel the wood in my fingers? If you have dolls can I hold one, please? If you have books can I have a good look at the titles?
Don't worry about the dust - every one has dust. Some people just work harder to pretend their home doesn't get dusty. Some people collect dust.

I love it when people enjoy my collections. Most things have a story behind them and my visitors enjoy the stories as much as seeing and holding the items.

AlmaG.

I think this is interesting. I love designs. I enjoy collecting them and using them. But to be quite honest, if it came down to my designs or my husband...by by designs. And I would not look back.

I think this article incorrecting compared collections and hoarding together in the same group. They are not, I have cleaned out homes that where re-possed and the occupant was a hoarder. Hoarders rarely collect to a theme of any type. They generally collect everything and anything. What they are lacking in their lives can not be satisfied by anything they feel is in their control so they try to fill it will stuff, any kind of stuff. Alot of times useless, worthless junk, but stuff none the less. Collectors on the other hand collect things that bring pleasure into their lives, but are not trying to fill an emotional hole. Collectors usually have a room or area dedicated to their collection and sometimes even sell their collections for a varity of reasons. Such as tastes have changed, and they found something more interesting to collect. Hoarders can not let go of anything, period! Collectors can and will. If you can't move throw your house because of your collection, you may want to see a councelor and get some insite into what you are missing in life. The lady who had her basement walls neatly organized with fabircs by color, design, type, etc. would not be a hoarder in my book. She is way to organized. Hoarders are very unorganized, you can't walk through their homes without steping on their belonging which are piled to the ceiling and are fire hazzards. So ladies I feel the author was voicing her opinion, nothing more. Collect on! :)

it's an opinion. If the author wants to live in her house with a few "tastefully placed items", more power to her. One can collect things without having childhood issues. People like this annoy me because they are basically telling others there is e something wrong in something they enjoy doing because of the amount of items. Sheesh. I don't collect fabric because I went naked when I was a child, I don't collect frogs because I want to be green. I collect what I like to see and touch, and it's my life so no one should look down their nose at me for it. Can you tell that this annoys me? LOL

Shirlene. Not sure if I agree with this. Some things I collect because they sentimental, others because I want them for a later date. Lyn

here it is, too: