Busy week on this end with Kate headed off to college on Thursday. Short and sweet post today...I thought I would do a post on my VERY FIRST collection.
Wind back in time to 5th grade. I collected postmarks. This was my binder that I kept them in. I like how I added the word "collection" in parenthesis for clarification. I also like how I added the vintage decal to the cover. The decal did not fare well with time.
I had them organized by state and then misc at the back.
I really was not super tidy with my layout for them. Cut, paste and label.
It is also quite evident the glue I used was not archival..it certainly browned with age.
I still remember giggling when I got this postmark from Hell, Michigan. I was not allowed to say that word.
I collected these postmarks in the early 1970s. I only collected a couple of years and then moved onto some other topic. What was your first collection? Do you still have it?
If you have an idea for a future challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of ____." I have had this collecting bug for a long time.
Happy day. Wish me luck with the college drop off. Gulp.
Laurie I knew you have always had it. What made you want to start such a rare collection? I have never seen these collected. I started collecting stickers just like everybody else and soon lost interest. Lucky you to still have them. Smiles...Renee
Posted by: Renee | August 21, 2012 at 05:44 AM
Your post mark binder reminds me of my Watermelon sticker binder. I've been collecting stickers off watermelons for about thirty years. I have a ton of them.
My first collection was little ceramic and glass animals. I only started collecting them because my cousin collected them! I still have a couple of them. I started collecting paper napkins when I was a kid too. I saved them from all the parties I had and went to, plus weddings and such. I had a little friend from Japan that sent me a slew of rice paper napkins. I still have those too. I think you are born with or without the collecting bug. You and I certainly were born without!
As for college drop-off. Ugh. I know you are going to miss those kiddos! (Saw photos of Ben on Facebook - when did he turn into a MAN?) :)
Posted by: Shara | August 21, 2012 at 06:42 AM
Did you use that icky Lepage's Musilage glue with the rubber tip? I hated that stuff! It sometimes crumbled and reminded me of gluing with honey...only not as tasty! I'll bet you were a funny kid. =D
Posted by: shirley hatfield | August 21, 2012 at 06:42 AM
How fun to still have your collection from the 5th gr.My first collections were rubber faced plush critters from Rushton and My Toy and Gumbys. Wish I still had them. Unfortunately my dad thought I was too old for them so when I came home from school one day, they were gone :-(.That's probably why I collect some of those now when I find them and if they're reasonable. I loved the ones with the sad faces with a tear running down their cheek.I felt sorry for them sitting in the store so I gravitated towards those.Some of them had big smiles and looked cheerful.As for the Gumbys, they had thick wires poking out of them when they got old. That could be why those disappeared.I had quite a few of those and Pokey.Sigh..
As for you, Wishing you luck with dropping off your kiddo.They're still all close by :-)
Bring your hankies though!
Posted by: Doreen | August 21, 2012 at 07:41 AM
Cool book! Can tell you've always been very organized. I guess my first collection was Wacky Packages stickers. Still have them too! I post one on my blog every Wed. Good luck w/ your dau.!!
Posted by: Diane | August 21, 2012 at 09:11 AM
This is my favorite collection yet! A postmark from hell,that is funny! I collected things for my dollhouse, souvenirs and hello Kitty. Have been thinking of you often. Audrey went to school last week and Strauss began preschool today. It is hard to let go even for a few hours. Can't imagine sending your little girl to college. Big hugs to you.
Posted by: kim g. | August 21, 2012 at 09:33 AM
You always had the collecting bug I see. Read the one below too where you went to the show and stood in line. I agree that black doll is worth more than 15. You have way more patience that I do for lines.
Posted by: Nan | August 21, 2012 at 09:56 AM
My first collection was dogs! Lots of years and lots of collections, and I still pick up dogs quite often :)
Will be thnking of you on Thursday. Thank goodness for collection #35.
Posted by: Lynne | August 21, 2012 at 09:59 AM
I see Ohio on a divider!!! YAY!! I can send you a 2012 postmark if you decide to update this collection....haha
I collected things people threw away--cracker jack toys--broken toys--discarded stuffed animals. Mama said I am the illegitament child of Fred Sanford and Martha Stewart (she's a funny old lady)!
I still free cycle whenever I see something! If I can't use it, I'll clean it up/repair it and give it to the charity shop. Just gotta make sure I don't buy it the next time I go in 8-)
Tears will come on Thursday-be brave Mama!! your little bird is leaving the nest but will be back (probably with stinky laundry) (and an overdrawn checking account)!
Posted by: thriftmaven | August 21, 2012 at 04:37 PM
this collection is so sweet. Hell, MI.! My hubby is from MI and I have never heard of Hell. Where did you find them? Were they sent to your family? I had a tea cup collection (still have it) that was started by my mother. Best wishes for Thursday as I know it must be a happy/sad time. Proud, yet not wanting it to happen.
Posted by: Annette | August 21, 2012 at 05:10 PM
What a fun collection!! Did you write to the postoffice and ask them to write you back or were you already visiting the antique malls in 5th grade or what?
Posted by: Kathy | August 21, 2012 at 07:14 PM
You are a most interesting person, Ethel! I've never heard of collecting postmarks but it makes sense and could be an endless collection. I used to collect stamps way back when but I'm not sure what ever happened to them.
I'm already bawling my eyes out about Kate since we know I'm a big crybaby. Maybe a roadtrip somewhere fun will help take your mind off of things. xo!!
Posted by: Into Vintage | August 21, 2012 at 07:19 PM
What a neat collection!! Your collections amaze me! Sending you best wishes for the college drop off!! ;) xo Heather
Posted by: Heather | August 21, 2012 at 10:00 PM
Never heard of collecting postmarks but sounds cool. How do you get them? Pen pals? Lots of mailman friends? I have an autograph book of mine from 3rd grade. I guess I collected everyones autograph! Later it was stickers, my favorite being the puffy ones and the scratch and sniff ones. Bonus points if you found a scratch and sniff sticker that was ALSO a puffy sticker!
Posted by: Marci | August 22, 2012 at 03:08 AM
What a great collection! My first collection was turtles...ceramic turtles, glass, stuffed, on shirts and on my sheets. My sister collected frogs. I collected stickers as a young teenager, and I collect books. I love my books, especially vintage "girl" books like Nancy Drew, Donna Parker and Connie Blair. I'm always on the lookout for those!
Posted by: Kim B | August 24, 2012 at 05:45 PM