Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Bird house collection

I've never really collected anything in my life before. I know some people have collections like dolls, stamps, cows, etc., but I never did. I used to think maybe I was a wine collector - but I was always emptying it out (no - I wasn't DRINKING it all) by giving them away as gifts, bringing a couple bottles to parties, etc. so it never grew substantially. I have a good friend that collects Coca Cola items - so she was so easy to buy for. My mom likes tea pots and tea cups. My husband likes watches. Me - I like to buy canned cat food for my cat because it makes him purr!

Anyways, in looking at the space above our cupboards at the log cabin, I thought a birdhouse and some greenery would like nice up there. Then I had to get a couple more because just one of them up there didn't look right. Then POOF! I now have 10 birdhouses - so I guess I have finally become a collector of something!! How about you - what do you collect?

37 comments:

A Friendly Reader Only said...

I collect teapots - But I have them all packed away right now. I have boxes and containers and desks and drawers full of pictures though. So I guess my answer would be I collect pictures!! I enjoy the memories that they can bring whenever everyone looks through them. :)

Caroline said...

Thank you for following my blog. It is heartwarming to know that we are in the thoughts & prayers of people of other countries as a nation we deal with such a tragedy

Cassie said...

Your bird house collection is so pretty. I don't remember seeing a picture of that before. I have alot of snowmen, though I have slacked off on collecting them the past few years...I have too many. When I was a kid I collected stamps.I have several Airedale thingys too. Now my only real collection that I take seriously is SHOES!! I won't tell you how many pair I own.

Gypsy aka Tam said...

I love your birdhouse collection and I'm a collector of many things. See, I figure if you have more then three of a like item you have the start to a collection *grin* But seriously I collect dishes, birdnests, candleholders, teapots and more. Storage has become an issue.
Have a wonderful Wednesday,
Tam

•♦•©The Olde Weeping Cedar •♦• said...

Hi Shelley-
Love your bird house "collection" :) Looks nice up there!
I collect angels...
Have a great day!
hugs-Kath

Constance said...

My collections collect dust!

Seriously though, I have numerous collections. I am the kind of person that shuts it down, regardless of how cute something is. We have a shelf in here over the window in the computer room. It holds 8 lighted houses. There are a lot of cute ones out there, but the shelf is full. Where would I put any more?

I have a cute barn shaped shelf that has "Merry Moo's" cow figurines. The shelf is full so I haven't gotten any new ones in *8 years.

I collect glassware and dishware from antique stores. It has to be functional because I hate to dust.

The major collectible though for us that really has no end in sight, is dairy memorabilia. Specifically, Colorado dairies. Years ago, milk was delivered in bottles and they had advertising for the dairies on them. We have milk boxes, cream cans, ash trays, pie servers and so on. My favorites are the bottles that have WW2 Victory slogans on them. It's a cool hobby but sometimes the sheer volume of it all, gets to me. We are close friends with the premier Colorado dairy collector who lives in Denver. We are probably #3 or 4!

Dave talks about downsizing at retirement but I don't know how we'd do that with all of our dairy stuff? Ideally, I would love to have a "Milk Shed" to keep all of our "go-withs" in!
Connie

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Your birdhouses are wonderful! I really don't collect anyone thing. I do have alot of small groups of things...like I have 3 dough bowls, 3 roosters, 3 glass cloches, 4 aprons....but I am all over the place :-)
Penny

reliv4life said...

I love these!! they are wonderful. I don't guess I collect anything, maybe PJs as everyone know I love them! the problem is I love them so much that even when they are wholy I still wear them!

Cedar ... said...

That looks so nice on top of your cabinets. But with that log cabin anything would look nice there! so beautiful. I collect antique/vintage kitchen bowls, pitchers, baskets etc. The top of my cabinets are getting full, I need to re-cycle some back to ebay! That might become a blog post someday,... the variety and history of some of my cabinet "toppers"...

Dawn Marie said...

Hey I love those! I LOVE that owl peeking out in there to. I want him.
I dont collect anything. I thought i did until i've seen collections on blogs and I realize I just have a couple things lol

Melissa said...

Your birdhouses look great :) I have a birdhouse here waiting for me to finish painting. :) I have the base on it atleast. :)

April said...

Well, I have quite a collection of music boxes and a fair number of Emmett Kelly figurines. I, also, inherited my mom's hummingbird collection when she passed away. Love all your pretty birdhouses!

Unknown said...

That is so cute, don't have a whole lot of any one thing, I dapple around with various things. Had some collections before my house burned, now I try not to get too attached.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

What a great collection, Shelley--and so appropriate. You have a wonderful place to display them.. JUST perfect.

I tagged you.. Check my blog.
Hugs,
Betsy

Anonymous said...

What a nice thing to collect! I collect windsocks & windspinners :)

Cliff said...

Only thing of significance I have collected is baseball cards from the early seventies.

Anonymous said...

I have small collections of many different things. I have five birdhouses and just love them. Your collection looks great. I also collect little birds. I have eight of those. You will usually find them around my bird houses :>)
I like the way you have placed your houses together on the shelf. Very pretty.

Anonymous said...

I have several "mini" collections from different times in my life. I'm not one to collect or collect the same item over the years. In high school I had a small collection of owls but I don't remember why.

I have a mini Barbie Doll collection with about 6 dolls. I purchased a replica of the first Barbie I had when I was six and then a few more. I have a mini Lighthouse Collection with about 6 of them. I love coffee mugs and have my favorite ones planted throughout the house so they're ready for me and my coffee carafe. My late sister collected Nativities and had over 100 plus in her collection. Now that's a collection!

I have a few birdhouse items in my house but not a collection. I love yours!

George said...

I like your birdhouses up there. I'm a stamp collector when I can find the time to work on them!

Anonymous said...

Loving the birdhouses girl! Everything looks cozy perfect!

Judy said...

Your birdhouses are adorable. I love the way you have them displayed. I collect shoes. Not the kind you wear but little ceramic shoes. I inherited my Grandmothers "Boot collection" as she called it and have added lots and lots of different styles of shoes mostly from antique stores and flea markets.

John Poole said...

Let's see...I collect a lot of dragon-fly objects: A number of pieces of stoneware (Todd Piker stuff made in Litchfield, CT), a dragon-fly napkin holder, napkin rings, and a trivet. But no dragnon fly tiffany lamps just yet.

Recently started collecting reproduction pewter serving stuff, especially pitchers (it's lead free so safe to use), and small antique bottles for decorating window sills.

And antique tools (planes, axes, froes, hand drills/braces, chisels, measuring and marking tools, etc.)

That's about it, these days.

Sandy@American Way Farm said...

Your bird house collection looks great on top of your cabinets. I have a lighted winter village above mine, which I suppose is kind of a Christmas village, but I leave it up all year because I like it. And it provides a nice night light for the kitchen area. You can see some of it in the picture I had posted on my blog about building our house. After re-looking at that picture I suppose I also collect signs. Hadn't realized that before, but they are all over the place. -Sandy

Mo said...

I've had to limit my garage sale appearances to avoid adding to any of my many collections... Tools are my primary weakness... A look in my shop might indicate I hate throwing even a scrap of wood away... Does that count as a collection?

Carol said...

Your birdhouses look great displayed on your cabinets!

Joy ~ Doodlebug ~ said...

Hi,

I collect dolls. I too, have always wondered what I collected. At one time I wanted to collect antique furniture. But then I walked into my room and looked at all the dolls I had in there (and that doesn't count the ones upstairs) I thought, Ohhhhh.....ok, I get it now.....I collect dolls!!!!

Love, Joy =D

Heather said...

That's a great collection of birdhouses, Shelley - so cute and quaint! I guess you could say I collect books. I'm a reference book-a-holic. I have lots of cookbooks, and lots of guidebooks (like trees, birds, flowers etc).
You birdhouse collection fits nicely with a photo that I took about a month ago. I'll post it on my blog in a few days - you'll love it.

Shelley said...

MindyLew - I love collecting pictures too!

Caroline - So glad you stopped by and to now have an Australian friend!

Cassie - I think you'll need to post a pic of your shoe collection - I need to inspect it! ha,ha!! should we call you Imelda Marcos? :)

Tam - I'm glad you mentioned the number three. I was trying to figure out - how many things do you have to have of something to consider it a collection? LOL!

Kath - Angels sounds nice and a unique collection to have!

Connie - I bet your dairy collection is great! I agree - you'll need a milk shed. Build it right next to your future log cabin!

Penny - I have seen so many wonderful things you have at your place! You're like Tam above - in three's. I almost think that's best so a collection doesn't get out of control. ha,ha!

Michele - ooohhh - pjs is definitely a good thing to collect!

Cedar - I'd love to see your cabinet toppers!!

Dawnie - That owl drives my cat crazy! The owl has soft feathers that the cat wants to bite! lol!

Melissa - I think that's lovely to paint your own birdhouses!

April - sounds like you have quite a few nice collections! I bet those hummingbirds are great!

Darla - sorry to hear you had a house burn down!

Betsy - thank you! I'll be visiting!

Cam - That's a neat thing to collect too!

Wixy - any of those worth $? :)

Charli - Hmmm - I might need more birds to put around my birdhouses! You gave me a great idea!

Jylync - I've always been fascinated by lighthouses and thought if I had a lake house (instead of a log cabin) I would've used that as a theme.

George - glad to see there's at least 1 stamp collector here!

Loagan - thanks!!

Judy - how nice that you have your grandmother's collection - I think it makes it so much more meaningful!

John - you have a great variety going in your collections! I have a friend that also collects dragonfly items and I got her a beautiful silver box w/ a dragon fly imprint on it that she loved.

American Way - I'll need to check out your signs - do you have them posted in any of your blog photos?

Mo - I would count the tools and wood as a collection! :)

Carol - thank you!

Joy - I think dolls are wonderful to collect!

Heather - I might join you in the cookbook dept collection!

Powell River Books said...

I can see that your readers have lots of variety in their collections. One thing I have always like to collect is rocks. Whenever I go somewhere I am always on the lookout for pretty and unusual ones. When we recently moved from Los Angeles it didn't make sense to box up all of those rocks. I made an attractive arrangement in the back yard for the new owners. Now I start anew. - Margy

basketsnprims said...

Shelley,
You've been to my blog so you know I collect alot of different things. I love woodenware and blue and white graniteware. I love your birdhouse collection ~ it looks just right in your beautiful home.
Pam

Phill said...

What a neat thing to collect. I always have adored birdhouses, but I always tend to say, "What am I going to do with another birdhouse." Very cool! Awesome collection too.

Christy said...

When I was younger I always wanted a cool collection, now that I have my own home I have several. Birdhouses in my kitchen, angels in my living room, wildlife in my boys room and butterflies in the master bath and bedroom. I have a real outdoorsy feel to my house except the livingroom but it is open to the kitchen and flows well. Loved the cardinal on your birding blog by the way. I posted one today as well.

Jane In The Jungle said...

I collect snowglobes and started to without meaning to!
Those houses look perfect perched above the cabinets!

violetlady said...

Your cabin is looking great. Sorry I haven't stopped by for awhile. Gosh - I collect too much stuff. I especially like blue and white dishes. I have a display of blue willow diner plates (the kind that have dividers on the plate that used to be used in diners) above my cabinets. I also collected white ironstone soup tureens and have those displayed above some cabinets. I am running out of space for everything!

Catherine Holman said...

I have a lot of fairies but don't consider them a collection. If I tell someone I collect something, I find that I end up with tons. I'm not fond of dusting, so I try not to collect anything. I love to look at everyone else's collections though.
Hugs,
Cathie

Leedra said...

You have 2 collections. Birdhouses and Loons. (I have been paying attention.) When you get 3, then look out.

My largest collection are fairies, I have several series of fairies. But I also collect anything to do with birds.... birdhouses, old bird nest(yes it is legal, I checked), and actual bird figurines.

Oh, and the collection of magnets made from the different photos I have taken of butterflies. My door is getting full.

Leedra’s Photos For Fun
Leedra’s Greeting Cards
Photography By Leedra

Anonymous said...

Hi, I found your blog while researching cabin bird houses for my blog pot at Mel's Cabin blogspot. I hope you like my post and I featured your bird house collection in my post. Mel