list 9: things i collect

We all have things we can’t get enough of, silly little object we collect. For some people it’s shoes, others salt & pepper shakers, Wade Whimsies, keychains. Whatever floats your boat. I’m by no means an oniomaniac. In fact, I rather hate shopping. But put me in a garage sale or antique shop and 9 times out of 10, Imma comin’ out of there with somethin’.

Liste numéro 9: Things I have a little weakness for.

Flowers. Fresh flowers are a weekly purchase. The ranunculus are now in season and I am beside myself with joy.

Hats & Scarves. There have to be at least 30 of them lying around this apartment. Thick wooly knits, colorful silks, wide shawls, super long wrap around your neck 5 times, thin striped, patterned and plain… Winter hats, straw hats, funky hats, running hats, plaid hats. You name it, I got it.

Jars & Bottles. The older and more warped, the better. Royal blue bottles, soft milky jars, beer brown, wine green.

Clocks. Vintage ones preferably. I only own a couple of them because I keep myself in check. But if I could, I would have a house full of them. Tic Toc Tic Toc. Also, I totally need one of these.

Pyrex. You sell pyrex, good price? I buy. I mean, who in their right mind could resist those colors? It is a scientific fact that pancakes taste better when the batter is stirred in Pyrex.

Train tracks. While one certainly can’t collect train tracks, I am addicted to them. They are the ultimate feeling of freedom. Put me on the tracks with my camera and you just lost me for a few hours. Definitely more dangerous than antique shops.

Shawnee pottery. See that deer piece on the left side of the shelf beneath the clock? That is Shawnee pottery, manufactured in the 1930’s. My grand-ma collected it, my mom collected it and now, so do I.

Coffee cups. Ideally filled with espresso. I like an eclectic mix of mugs in my house, purchased at garage stores, trendy shops, pottery studios. I even have a vintage mushroom mug that used to live at a kitchy fusion restaurant east of St-Denis, where it sat on the table holding sachets of sugar. I fell in love with it and asked the waiter if I could buy it and he said “Honey, just put it in your purse, I won’t even notice”.  When they get chipped or broken (as they inevitably do in these accident prone hands), I give them a new life as pencil holders or vases or a place to put my chopsticks and utensils.

Cameras. The fact that I just purchased a Pentax K1000 and a Yashica Electro last week is proof of this fixation. So far, there is the Canon Rebel, two polaroid cameras, one Kodak Duaflex, one Holga and now these two pretty little 35mm numbers to add to the collection.  Meow.

What’s your current obsession?