Is One Ever Enough?

Is one of anything ever enough?  I am not a hoarder (I know this because I easily let things go without too much angst!), but if you walked through my house today, you would see stacks of tables, trays, baby cribs (taken apart of course), and wooden boxes.  It is spring - this is when I line everything I have collected over the course of winter across the living room and dining room to begin the process of cleaning and painting.  We do not have a carport, garage, or shed so I work outside in the driveway or back patio.  I am lucky to have a booth at Riverfront Antique Mall so I can rotate stuff in and out.  But hidden among the clutter of what will eventually leave, there are my collections.  Here, one is NEVER enough!

 Above and to the left is a portion of my toolboxes and tackle boxes.  I tag the ones that contain knobs, beads, buttons, etc.  They do actually have a function,  It all started when my father-in-law was throwing away his old yellow tackle box.  I took it to hold my paint brushes. It escalated from there. Little bottles of craft paint fit perfectly in some, while others hold scrap pieces of paper I am sure I will use some day.

The tackle boxes led to money boxes and bank safe deposit boxes.  They are tucked in all nooks and crannies.  They are great for hiding anything and everything. I leave a few empty in case I have to do a quick clean-up!  I was going to count to see how many I have, but my husband pointed out I would have to include all the wooden tool boxes, saw boxes, and metal instrument boxes - I decided to wait until later.  I probably don't want to know anyway!

I might as well get my container obsession out there and confess that there are also about twenty sets of kitchen canisters surrounding my breakfast/craft room. Luckily most fit snugly inside each other. These are close to going to new homes - I am so over dusting them!  (And who am I kidding we have never eaten breakfast in here!)

I collected these birdhouses over twenty years ago when they were so unique  I vowed I would not ever forget the husband and wife team who created these, but I did.  NOTE:  Crafters who sell their work should always sign them!

There are three more of these around the house.  No, they will never live outside.

This is a cross-collectable - a birdhouse and a face.  I know it is unusual, but some one else must collect faces because they are getting harder to find.  I used to be able to pick and choose among boxes of them at flea markets.  The ones I love are the student art projects,  though some of the faces pictured are actually "real" artists" work.

Lousy photo - sorry about that!

I collected forties florals for a year (over sixty of them!) until I matched nine of the them to hang in the foyer.

I have never met a watering can I did not like - the more beat up and rusty the better!

My pink tole trays grace my fifties pink and green bath.  The perfect marriage!

I have collected two full-sized box springs and taken them apart for a future project.  Meanwhile I just like the rusty look of them.  Until I am ready to use them, I may just display them in a box.  H-m-m,. where can I find a container?!?

Later, folks - it's time for supper and my collection of cats and dogs (just two of each) are hungry critters!  Come by and visit again!

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Party Junk #228 at Funky Junk Interiors