You can take the GRITS out of Florida, but you can't take Florida out of the GRITS!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Fun Monday~ What Do You Collect?


The fun loving Mariposa is this week's Fun Monday hostess. She wants to know what we collect and why we do it.

In her own words: "Collections... We all have them...and if you don't, you do....you just may not realize it. For some reason or another we all collect something and we collect it for reasons that will definitely make for good reading. So on Monday, I want to see your collection. If you don't have or don't want or CAN'T (wink) show us a picture, then tell us what the collection is in 10 words or less. Then tell us why you started collecting it."


I have collected so many different things throughout the years. I think I started out with pandas. All things panda I had to have! This went on for years until I finally said "Enough!". I still have all my pandas, but most are boxed up.

Piggy Banks. I inherited an old one from my great-grandmother and have beens lowly gathering more ever since. I've finally quit buying them myself, but my SILs give me new ones every now and then. They come in handy with my current collecting addiction...just keep reading...

The black on on the left was the one I got from my great-grandmother. I have no idea how old it really is, but know that it's at least older then me...and that's OLD!

Next came lighthouses. I've met SO many people who collect them, that it kind of turned me off. I don't like following crowds (except here on Mondays!). I still have alot of lighthouse things strewn about the house. I like them, just not actively collecting them anymore.



Books. Books on or about Florida. I love them. I want them. I need them. As well as my current collecting addiction...ticky, tacky alligator stuff. You know, like OLD tacky tourist crap. I've gotten a couple old things off eBay and my Mom found me an old alligator nut cracker in an antique store. Fun things...though I'm not really hunting for more at the moment because of my number one. top priority interest in collecting....MONEY!

Not all are on Florida, but you can get the idea that I LIKE BOOKS!

A few of my alligator things.


Yes, I love to collect money. Sometimes I'll trade with people, even strangers, but when I do, I tend to get less in return. So I am trying to stop the swapping and just hold on to what I have and accumulate more. Used to be the paper money was only a yucky green color, but since I've been really into collecting it, they have added purty colors. Nice to look at and hold and smell even... oh, and I collect the coins, too. I'm an equal opportunity collector.

So there you have it. The things I collect. I have no reasons why...just one day, something caught my eye and I thought I needed more of it! Especially the money ;)

P.S. Dangit! Reading about everyone else's collections has reminded me that I collected Beanie Babies, too...and still collect shot glasses! In fact, they are practially sitting right in front of my face! How did I miss them earlier? D'uh...

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shot glasses are an awesome thing to collect....and to use!

Sayre said...

I like kitchy tourist crap. And Florida has some of the best!!!! Especially the old stuff. Do you have the cocina shell statues too?

My son went through a lighthouse phase (the St. Marks Lighthouse was a big fixture in his early childhood). I have his bed quilt up on one of my walls because I couldn't bear to get rid of it.

Jenny, the Bloggess said...

Love shotglasses.

SwampAngel65 said...

Sayre, no statue, but I do have a cocnut husk seminole doll...I bet you have one of those, too.

Cruise Mom said...

I have a shot glass collection in a closet in my basement, and beanie babies too.

I love the Florida tourist stuff too!

Jo Beaufoix said...

Lovely collections. My cousin used to collect pigs, there's just something adorable about them isn't there?

IamwhoIam said...

So how is the money collecting thing going. One of the brothers is working on a degree in numismatics - but he has almost no luck at all collecting the stuff.
The Black Pig is great.
Happy collecting.

Anonymous said...

Like your pig and aligator collection. Another friend of mine does the lighthouse thingie. She is originally from CT.

And like me your collections come and go. Only you hang on to them.

ChrisB said...

I really loved your collections especially the piggy banks. Most of the collections we have are packed away. It seems a shame but one eventually runs out of space!

Hula Girl at Heart said...

I like tacky Florida stuff, too. I don't have alligators. I have flamingos...all over my office. My coworkers don't really understand.

Meg said...

Shot glasses are great, small, packable gifts for younger sons when I'm out of town for work.

Love the colors of your site!

Anonymous said...

I didn't participate because I don't collect anything - and then after reading this, realized we have been collecting the State Quarters and have quite a collection!

My sister used to collect pigs - and she has some really cute banks!

Anonymous said...

I am generally anti-collecting because I don't need more crap in my house, but collections happen. I do try to keep it to a minimum and only buy really cool things because I just don't have room for an obsession.

I have two minor collecting habits: Flamingos and Geckos, so I've got a kind of Florida kitsch thing going as well. My geckos are kind of spread out in the living room hiding on walls and in corners like real ones do when they get in the house. The Flamingos are really just a small number of framed works of art featuring them.

karisma said...

Looks like collecting things is a bit habit forming for you! LOL

Faye said...

I went through a bear collection phase too--stuffed, ceramic, Christmas ornaments. The great and dangerous thing about collections is that it only takes one. . .

Your collecting money reminds me a of a little friend I had many years ago. He saw some change laying on the table and asked if he could have it. Said he collected money!

Alison said...

Money..why didn't I think of that...I must start collecting money...would you mind starting my collection for me???

Pamela said...

RATGUTS... I forgot about my plates. You have lighthouses, I have old barns and barnyard plates. Never even thought of them.


I like yours -- that certainly would have been my 2nd choice to collect.

Sai Hijara - Ferraris said...

Sorry for the late comment. Very nice collection. Love the shot glasses. Thanks for joining. Have a fun week ahead! :-)

Unknown said...

Your gators are cute and I always love piggies. :0) I never got into the beanie baby fad. I'm like you, I like to do something others aren't. That's why my favorite animal is the skunk. :)

storyteller said...

I’m doing a little catch up with Google Reader and came across your Fun Monday post just now. I love the illustrated list … reminding me I have collections of pigs and mice myself that I forgot to include in my post … love the ‘gators’ … and how did I forget MONEY??? It’s been fun seeing what everyone gathers and holds onto this week.
Hugs and blessings,