Monday, February 28, 2011

Hoarding or Collecting?

Over the last several weeks I've had the opportunity to watch a television show called, "Hoarders." The show gave me pause to wonder if I am a collector or a hoarder? I look around my house and especially my office slash studio slash packing station; it frightens me to think that I may fall in the latter category! It also gave me pause that most artists and crafters may also wonder if they are hoarders!

Photobucket

I collect antique calendar plates, antique white ware, cut glass, black and white photography just to name a few. But the one thing I collect most are art and craft supplies. I simply can't help myself! A trip to Michaels, Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's is a dangerous outing. Regardless of my existing "stash" I can always find something that I absolutely have to have! Even the old Walmarts that have fabric departments and large craft supply isles will catch my attention and I can't leave without buying something!

Photobucket

When it comes to paints and painting supplies I become absolutely giddy when the Dick Blick Art Supply catalog arrives! I currently own boxes upon boxes of expensive oil paints and all kinds of brushes - and oil brushes are very expensive! Once a year Dick Blick has a huge sale on stretched canvas...I always think I need MORE resulting in a fair to huge stockpile of canvases.

Photobucket

Because one of my great loves is mosaic art I have enough antique and vintage plates to serve a small country. I cut these plates and make mosaic tiles from them. I can't pass a thrift store and because of my proclivity for hoarding plates my friends watch me closely when invited to dinner! I even sell the cut plates and some of my antique calendar plates in my CremeMagnolia Etsy Store!


Photobucket
A Rose by any other name!

So my question to all my fellow artisans are we collectors or hoarders?

Photobucket
Posted by CremeMagnolia at Monday, February 28, 2011
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

12 comments:

  1. chinamommyFebruary 28, 2011 at 8:35 AM

    it's a fine line, isn't it? My daughter and I watched a hoarders marathon this weekend...oh man! I am a neat freak about my home, but my studio usually looks like it blew up, so i think i'm pretty safe :)
    xoxo
    cm

    ReplyDelete
  2. KristinaFebruary 28, 2011 at 8:37 AM

    following back from www.cobbled-stone.blogspot.com, thanks for following! It sounds like you have a wonderful collection :) Watching Hoarders always makes me want to re organize my house!

    ReplyDelete
  3. il*mostroFebruary 28, 2011 at 9:08 AM

    Definitely a thin line!! And I wonder if hoarding is the same as a "pack rat"? I used to think my parents were pack rats, my mother has a hard time parting with old items and loves thrift shopping. I would say she's borderline hoarder. Me, I'm the same as u when it comes to craft stores... impossible to leave empty handed!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Paige @ Little NostalgiaFebruary 28, 2011 at 9:42 AM

    My house is usually pretty clean, except for my desk--which looks like a bead bomb went off. There IS a fine line between collecting and hoarding, and I think people use a "collection" as an excuse for their shopping issues. Thankfully, I'm not that way. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. LeighFebruary 28, 2011 at 10:18 AM

    The good thing about the web is that you can "collect" things (articles, books, movies, pictures) without messing up your house! My husband saves everything -- I purge all things but personal letters and my daughters art work.

    ReplyDelete
  6. roseworksjewelryFebruary 28, 2011 at 11:44 AM

    I agree - it is a fine line. It sounds like you might be hoarding a little bit from the way you were describing it, but it's very hard to tell! I know I'm naturally a bit of a hoarder but my hubby helps keep me in line :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jodi ChapmanFebruary 28, 2011 at 1:56 PM

    I love this post! I would've never considered myself a hoarder until I started thinking about transitioning our product line from 500 to 10. Whew the anxiety definitely set in then - I think I am a product hoarder! So I've been going through the process of saying goodbye to some old friends (journals, jewelry, etc.) in the hopes to free up some creativity for our new products. Great post! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kristin AquariannFebruary 28, 2011 at 9:33 PM

    I could definitely improve my hoarding tendencies - but I am nowhere as extreme as that show. I like displaying my collectibles in a pretty fashion, so piling items everywhere would drive me mad.

    ReplyDelete
  9. CremeMagnoliaMarch 2, 2011 at 5:56 AM

    I had to laugh at the "neat freak" comments! I too am a neat freak in my home but when it comes to art and craft supplies I just can't help myself. Thank you all for your comments.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Emily ClaireMarch 2, 2011 at 1:47 PM

    As long as we "collect" items with the intention of using them, I don't think we can be considered hoarders. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. OnePerfectDayMarch 2, 2011 at 3:25 PM

    You can't make something out of nothing now, can you.....?
    If you don't have supplies then you can't create.
    Hoarding comes with the territory...doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  12. RyanMarch 2, 2011 at 7:25 PM

    I definitely wonder about the hoarder issue on occasion. Glad to know Im not alone in this. But I keep the rest of the house clean, so just my office is a mess, and every now and the I do clean it.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me what's on your mind!

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)