Bloggers who collect - vintage rings

I'm starting a new blogging week with a late, but very much welcome addition to the former bloggers who collect series. To today I'm welcoming Hazel and her lovely collection of vintage rings - all with a gorgeous story behind them;

Hi, I’m Hazel from Tales of alittle Hazzelnut and I’m going to share my collection of vintage rings with you today. At the minute I have about thirteen in my possession, so it is rather small but is growing rapidly. As soon as Rachael mentioned her Collection posts I knew I had to get involved; firstly I’m nosey and love to know what other people collect, and secondly, I thought it would be nice to share my collection and to find out if anyone does the same.

So onto the collection…

I’ve never without a ring, and I seem to rotate between all the rings in my vintage collection. I started collecting vintage jewellery (necklaces, bracelets, rings) when I was sixteen and currently have a rather large collection. However, I’m only going to show you my collection of rings.

My love of vintage rings started quite early. From about the age of five every Friday my Nana would come over for the afternoon and every time without fail I would insist she let me wear this ring;

It’s a 1920s cameo ring which my Papa bought her while on holiday in Dublin, and after she passed it was left to me in her will. It is probably my one of my favourites. However, I don’t wear it often for two reasons; one, I’m terrified of something happening to it, and secondly, it doesn’t fit on any of my fingers, apart from the little one! 

Here is my other ring from the 1920s. Surprisingly this is the only silver ring in my vintage collection, and it is probably the most worn. I obtained it for £3 (bargain!) at the vintage fair I attended last summer. 

Similarly, this is probably my most worn gold vintage ring (1940s). I just find it absolutely stunning and it goes which basically everything I own. 

The final ring I’m going to share with you has quite a sweet story behind it. During the second world war my Papa was stationed with the RAF in India and because my Nana loved to shop but was restricted by rationing he would send over jewellery and clothes he commissioned to be made for her, this is one of those pieces;

I absolutely adore it and the story behind it.

I personally find the best places to find vintage rings are in antiques shops and at vintage fairs, sometimes they can be quite pricey but I usually attempt to haggle it down. 

So that’s my collection, hope you liked it. Does anyone else collect vintage rings? Or even vintage accessories?

Collectors Club: Transformers

Now this collector is an addict and because it was his birthday yesterday I thought he more then deserved the last slot in this collecting series. I call him an addict frequently but it's allowed because I'm married to him. So I admit Joe isn't a blogger, but I felt my guys collection was worthy of being included because I share my life with it. Plus it lets us have an insight into a man's collection!

Close up of Cheetor from the Beast Wars line

In 1996 an 11 year old boy got hooked into a new cartoon called Transformers: Beast Wars which was based on robots which transform into animals on an Earth far into the future. Divided into two factions - the maximals [goodies] and the predicons [badies] they are the descendants of the Transformers we see in the films, from which countless toy lines were manufactured. At one point his mum threw out a garbage bag, little did she know she was throwing out his entire Transformers collection. 15 years later that boy is recollecting and still obsessed with the show.

When I first started dating Joe I knew of his love for Transformers but I was amazed at how many he actually owned. Currently the total stands at 109 [I think, excluding the ones awaiting being put on eBay] and predominately they are from the Beast Wars, Beast Machines [both old cartons from the 1990s] and the Transformers Prime [film and the contemporary cartoon] lines. Yet it involves more then collecting toys, it involves cartoons, films, searching eBay, membership to the official club, getting member only toys and trips around countless stores to try and grab them. Even I could name your Optimus from your Cheetor to Soundwave to your Snapper. Date a guy with a collection like this and you get interested too. 

Comic within the official Transformers members magazine and Optimus Prime from the film line.

Joe's was always one step ahead of me when it came to collecting, he can part with, and sell them on eBay if he's buying in a lot and there's some he doesn't want or he already has. We don't make lots of money but we hope they go to a decent home. It always come down to condition just like compacts. Paint and chrome-ware all come into account, missing parts and missiles all affect the price. We never keep them in their original boxes [unless selling them], they are toys and they are meant to be played with so that's what we do. But it's why we need an extra bedroom, just so I can contain them into one room. It always surprises me how many grown men are buying Transformers in stores and bid on them on eBay, there's many more Transformers widows out there. The things you do for love!

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This looks to be the final post in the bloggers who collect series - although i'll gladly accept any more posts if you want to fling them my way. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone that took the time out to make this little series happen. I hope you all enjoyed it just as much as I did putting it together!

Collectors Club - Pin Badges

Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of the bloggers who collect series today hosted by Charr. This may well be the penultimate post in this little series as with all good things they must come to an end [or just when you run out of posts!]. If you still want to take part then just comment me your details.

But now it's over to Charr and her lovely pin badge collection;

It may seem a bit weird to some people but I collect pin badges. When I think about it I actually have no idea why I started collecting I just kind of did. My collection isn't massive and may look a bit weird on the display board (actually just a blank painting canvas from hobbycraft) because it's quite big compared to the amount of pins I actually have but I am planning on continuing my collection for as long as possible and filling up the board. I used to store them all in a tin but it seemed a waste so I decided to find a way of displaying them on my wall in my bedroom. I have them split into sections on the board from Disney to places I've been, Miscellaneous to charity to the car related ones from my dad I collect them from everywhere! If I go on holiday I will search the gift shops for a pin badge that says the name of the place just to add to my collection, if there is a charity around I will donate some money for a pin badge. It's become a bit of a thing now that any time we go anywhere new I get a pin badge to document it, its a nice little reminder of where I have been along the years.

I believe I began collecting when I was about 8 or 9 on the train in Paris with my parents on holiday. A homeless man was selling pin badges for money and he approached us and freaked my mum out so she gave him some money and he gave me the mickey mouse and Eiffel tower pin badge. It seemed to spiral from there like I'd pick up the odd one when I saw one I liked but eventually it got to a point where I had to pick up one, two, five when I was on holiday or went somewhere new! My favourite and most important pins are the two 'Flying shoes' as I used to call them, on the right. They were awarded to my Dad when he used to compete in athletics events as a youngster. He kept them for years then discovered them once and immediately handed them to me. I will treasure them forever because they are so meaningful to my dad and me.

Collectors Club - Polo Shirts

Another Tuesday another great addition to the bloggers who collect series. Today we have one of blogspheres great writers - Melissa who writes over at So About What I Just Said. I've been following and reading Melissa's blog ever since I started blogging myself in 2009, so I'm more then over the moon that she asked to partake. 

I'm not even sure when my obsession with polo shirts began. A few years ago, I was shopping at The Salvation Army one day. My eyes fell upon an entire rack filled with every kind of polo shirt you could imagine. I was smitten. Right there. Just like that. A mere 30 minutes later, I stood in the check-out line with a mountain of 12 polo shirts in my wheelchair basket. My little red head barely peeked out over the stack of polo goodness. It was, hands-down, one of the happiest days of my life. I can't really explain their allure or their tight hold over me. Polos just give me a certain swagger. The colors pop just like my personality, and they make me feel sort of sophisticated.

Imelda Marcos had shoes. I have polo shirts. It just works. I've learned not to question it. My polo collection stands at around 20 currently, in every color and design, from red to blue to purple to orange to stripes; I hope to find some polka dotted ones soon. There is no limit to my shame, or, I suppose, lack thereof), to just merely marvel at the artistry that went into producing such a magnificent garment. I now have enough that I can wear a new one every day of the week if I want. Sometimes, much to the chagrin of my family, I do. I display my polo pride proudly. 

But shouldn’t we all be like that? When we find a piece of clothing that suits us (no pun intended), we owe it to ourselves to revel in it. Because it’s not often that we can get so happy, so purely giddy over a piece of fabric. Clothes may make the person, but in the end, we end up putting our own spin on them. Our clothes ultimately become reflections of our personality. So tell me ... what’s your fashion passion? If I of all people was able to discover mine, I’m sure you are too. I’d love to hear about it.

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Remember if you too want to feature your own collection, old or new however large or small just leave a message in the comment box below with a way to contact you!

Collectors Club - Cameos

Firstly before I introduce you today's edition of the collectors club I want to say a HUGE HUGE thank you to everyone that took the time out to comment on my earlier rant from this morning. I never imagined so many thoughtful responses and they have all helped me rethink the situation with "friends" back in the UK.

On a happier note as it's a Tuesday it's another post in the Collectors Club featuring Emily and her gorgeous collection of cameos - an assortment which comes to show how you can collect old alongside new. Remember if you want to share you own collection, either pop a comment in the box below or email [lo_ts@ymail.com].

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Hello, I'm Emily from http://emmerliejay.blogspot.co.uk/ and I collect anything cameo related! :) I even have a cameo duvet set, which is posing as the background of the images in this post.

My Nan wears a large blue cameo necklace almost every day, and apparently I was fascinated by it from a young age. I guess this is where my love for cameos comes from. I like how every cameo is unique, but still elegant and classic!

The necklace on the left is my first cameo necklace, and believe it or not, it's from Primark! It was only cheap and the metal on the back is starting to discolour but I don't care, I love it :) It goes with pretty much everything and is my first choice necklace most of the time! The necklace on the right was given to me by my Boyfriend's Mom, she found it at a tabletop sale. The chain can be removed and there is a brooch fastening on the back, so it can be used for either a necklace or a brooch :)

This is a cute heart shaped cameo that I wear on a lot of coats and jackets. My boyfriend bought this from a vintage store, I think. I think the lady in this one is the prettiest of my collection.

My Dad bought me the necklace on the left for my 21st birthday, he got it from the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, UK - an area famous for good quality antique jewellery. I love this one, but try to keep it safe and only wear it on special occasions because I'm scared of losing it! The necklace on the right was from a high-street shop called Accessorize, bought by my boyfriend (he spoils me too much!), this is another one that goes with a lot of outfits.

The ring on the left was my Nan's and she said I could have it, it's a little bit too big for me so I keep it displayed on my dressing table. The one on the right is again from Primark, it's way too over the top to wear so I just keep it for decoration!

If you're interested in buying cameos, you can buy them in high-street shops as they're quite fashionable at the moment. However, other great places to look for them are vintage stores, tabletop sales and carboots! 

I'm going to carry on collecting cameos for the rest of my life as I think they're timeless and, even if I don't wear them, they're beautiful to look at.

I'd like to say thank you to Rachael for letting me ramble on about cameos and I hope everyone enjoyed reading!

I'd love to hear your comments on my collection :)

Emily x 

Collectors Club - Vintage Cookbooks

Welcome again to another edition in the collection club series of us blogger who collect, today I'm delighted to be sharing Jenns collection ...

I’m Jenn and I collect…all kinds of stuff, really, mostly related to the 1940s and ‘50s. I’m excited about the opportunity Rachael has given folks to guest blog about their collections: such a fun way to meet new people and learn a bit in the process! Rachael and I connected online through our mutual love of powder compacts. You can read more about how that collection started on my blog, powderkegcompacts.wordpress.com here. I also enjoy cooking and baking, which spawned a collection of vintage recipes and kitchenware. 

The recipe collection started accidentally. I inherited my grandfather’s 1961 edition of The Joy of Cooking, and my mother gave me some 1970s Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks when I first moved out of the house. The photos cracked me up—they were so dated! But some of the recipes were pretty good. 

When I was 23, I met two women who encouraged my love of vintage—Helen and Wendy. They were both about my mom’s age. They both LOVED poking around antique stores, auctions, and flea markets. And passing on cool things they found years ago that they no longer used—like cookbooks. Sometimes I took them just to be polite. But years later, I’ve grown to appreciate the artwork and the language.  I like seeing how ideas about health and nutrition have evolved—how we eat today as opposed to the way vegetables are classified in this 1949 recipe organizer. 

I cherish the way farm cookbooks from the first half of the 20^th century assume the reader knows how to handle a sheep’s head. I enjoy looking at Ladies Auxiliary cookbooks and wondering about the group dynamics and how their recipes morphed as they were passed down through different generations. 

When I’m looking for authentic recipes for classics, I turn to my 1939 copy of The American Woman's Cookbook, Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook from 1959, or, my first edition Betty Crocker’s Picture Cookbook. In addition to cookbooks, I love recipes torn from old magazines, as these tend to have the best illustrations. I’m also a huge fan of advertising in disguise—pamphlets like “How to use and care for the Crosley Rotary Barbecue” or “77 Recipes Using Swift’ning Make Your Own Mix.” 

Vintage cookbooks are practical and affordable – besides consulting them for recipes I’ve framed old recipe cards or magazine pages in the past and used them as kitchen decorations. 

Excited to learn more about what other folks collect and how they got started! Keep the guest collector posts coming! 

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Remember if you collect and want to take part, leave your contact details below! 

Collectors Club - Brooches

I'm rather excited to be sharing Bex's collection today. Bex has been a great supporter of this series from the off and I'm very happy that she took the time to take part and show us all a glimpse at her gorgeous collection of brooches!

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Hi, I'm Bex from Futures. I'm here to talk to you about my collection of brooches. When Rachael first asked if anyone would like to appear in her Collection posts, it got me to thinking. Which collection could I post about?

Pictured above is my brooch collection in its entirety. Brooches aren't the only things I collect, I also collect Agatha Christie novels (and my boyfriend would also say beauty products), however my brooch collection is by far the prettiest one.

I began to collect brooches when I was about ten years of age. My paternal grandmother had recently passed away and left me some beautiful jewellery. I became a human magpie, seeking out more sparkly items for myself. I would buy any jewellery I could find until one day, my Dad and I were browsing in a local charity shop and found this little fella:

Something about him just stood out to me and I begged my Dad to buy me him. I had no clue at that age what a brooch actually was, so my Dad explained. He told me to look after him well, so he bought him and I did just that, keeping him in my little tartan jewellery box which I still have to this day:

My favourite brooch would have to be this one pictured below. Not only is it my favourite, it was also the most expensive by a long shot - however, for something as beautiful as this, who am I to complain?

I bought this stunning brooch in Camden, London when I was 16. The seller was an elderly Irish woman, who I could tell just by looking at her, didn't have very long to live. I fell for this brooch and felt really bad haggling for a cheaper price, however I still paid more than I've ever paid for a brooch in my life - it is possible that the price of this brooch is the same as about eight of the brooches in the top picture! I don't really wear the brooches in my collection, preferring instead to put them out on display on occasion, however this one quickly became a part of my staple wardrobe, especially when I became a prefect in Sixth Form. I still wear it now, although not as often, as tiny hands could easily grab it and do some damage to either themselves, me, clothes OR the brooch...

Since then, I have constantly kept an eye out in local charity shops, on local markets and various other places for gorgeous brooches to add to my collection. I haven't collected many in recent years, either I haven't found any that I've liked or I've been too busy to take a proper look.

I'm hoping to start up my collection again in the near future - brooches can be absolutely stunning and also provide a great focal point for an outfit.

Do you collect brooches? I'd love to see your collection

Bex xo

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Do you collect anything old and new and would love a place to feature it? Just leave a comment below!

Collectors Club - Postcards

Thanks to everyone that commented on the first edition of this series of bloggers who collect. Today I'm featuring Dani from A Blog From Blackpool who has an amazing collection of postcards.

I collect old, written, sent postcards from Blackpool and Greece.

My collection started by accident I wanted to write a collection of short stories in which the lines between fact and fiction could be distorted and a bought a small selection of old sent Blackpool postcard off Ebay.


I found them fascinating like little glimpses in to someone else’s life and I started to use them to inspire my writing.

At first I was only interested in Blackpool postcards because I like to be able to relate to the images and the places mentioned, plus I’ve always had a huge obsessive interest in the history of Blackpool.

Whilst searching for Blackpool postcards online I came across a collection of Greek postcards for sale, looking through a few images I realised that some of the postcards where from a place I’ve visited in Crete which was enough to spark my interest.

I now have over 150 postcards most of which are from Blackpool. My oldest postcard was sent in 1903.

My favourite postcard was sent in 1905 and simply says “As promised” on the back. This was the first postcard which inspired a story.

Collecting postcards is not a particularly expensive hobby; I must have only spent about £10 - £15 on my entire collection. I think this is great value for more.

I think most people who collect postcards don’t collect postcards from/to strangers and I assume those that do collect them for the stamps or the rare images but I collect them for the memories written on the back.

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Do you want this series to last more then a couple of weeks? Do you collect and want to feature your collection in this spot? Get in touch!

Collectors Club - Tins

I'm really excited to be starting off this new series about us bloggers who collect - be it old or new. My intention is to create just that little spot for us to share our passion for collecting and to learn from each other. If you want to get involved you can, just leave your contact details be it email or twitter and I'd be glad to welcome your collection to the list! Thanks goes out to everyone that's got back to me with their posts already.

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First up we're starting with Alice's collection of tins. Make sure you take the time to check out Alice's blog over at An Alien World, it really is a blog worth spending some time reading and it's one of my favourites to check out! 

I collect tins, old and new I am always fascinated to add to my collection.  Most of my tins are either second-hand or have been given to me over time.  I would never spend more than a couple of pounds on one tin, because I can often find what I want for very little indeed.  It’s often the sweet nature of the tins that appeals to me the most, the thrill of finding a rare design or unusual shape or size is always fun.

I’m sure my collection is probably worth very little in cost, but to me it’s truly priceless.  I don’t really know when it began, but all of a sudden I realised I had quite a collection forming.  I see this collection lasting a lifetime.

My favourite tins are my two butterfly ones, which cost just twenty-pence and fifty-pence each from a car boot sale.  The butterfly design completely enchanted me and always makes me smile.  I’m quite partial to collecting tins with characters on too, Disney Princess’s, Charlie and Lola and The Turtles being a few in my collection already.  I’m a big kid at heart, so love nothing more than a cute design.


Another tip is a lot of tins are often given away as free gifts, either with toiletries or food I find most common!  Amongst my collection are a set of special edition tins given away with the purchase of Bodyform. 

My Cath Kidston tin is the only tin I have bought brand new, but it was a real treat of a design.  I would love to go on to collect more floral/vintage inspired tins over time.  I never know what I like until I see it!  Condition is an important factor I wouldn’t buy anything that was too tatty or rusty, but I do think a bit of wear adds to the character and age of the tin.

And you may be wondering what I keep inside in my tins…well normally they are stashed full of bits and bobs, buttons, letters and my ink stamps!  But of course there main purpose is decoration of course!

So there you have it, a little snippet of my collection. 

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If you collect and want to take part, click here.  

Do you collect?

Source

If you follow me on twitter you might have seen my call outs to people who collect to get involved with a little project I'm working on for LOTS. My call to you is to ask yourself if you collect anything a little different? Do you want a space to show off your little collection, feature on LOTS and tell people all about it?

You all know about my random obsession for the vintage compact but I'm looking for bloggers that also collect. Be it perfume bottles, buttons, china dolls, toys, postcards, old books. You name it, old or new I want to know about your collecting habits!

If you do collect and you fancy getting involved with writing a piece for my blog get in touch! I'm looking to provide a slot for us collectors to talk about what we collect, how we got into collecting, tips and a little look into what we have. The depth and the involvement is totally up to you I just want to give you the space to share your passion! Just get in touch and I'll send you an overview of what I'm aiming for - but I'm giving you the freedom to write it in your style. And just maybe we'll inspire someone else into the collecting world.

If you want to take part or want more details, you can leave your contact details below, email me at lo_ts@ymail.com or tweet/DM me. If you already got in touch via twitter I'll be emailing out things hopefully within the next day!

p.s have you entered my 500 followers give away?