Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Cookie Cutters and Stars



Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high;
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are!

My mother once told me that she imagined that the stars were little pinholes in a big blanket covering the earth, and the light on the other side was shining through them.  I have always had a fascination with stars.  I even took astronomy as an elective in college, thinking it would be the most fascinating course in the world.  It wasn't.  It's nothing like looking at the sky and dreaming.  It's about numbers and elements and drawing circles on a chalkboard with a piece of chalk and a string and about wondering when the spittle was going to form in the corners of the professor's mouth - which it always did before the end of the hour long lecture.  He tried to kill the stars for me, but I managed to hold on to them and resuscitate them.



Linda at Teacherdance has a collection of star shaped cookie cutters.  Her picture of the cookie cutter jar, got me to pull out mine and check for stars.  I have three as you can see in the photo.  In my cookie jar picture, I have the matching heart cutter for one of the stars she has.  Love those green handles!


Though it looks as if I might collect cookie cutters, I don't really.  I have a set of the 12 days of Christmas figures cookie cutters....hmmmm.  I haven't seen them in years.  I wonder where they went after the fire?  Guess I'll be hunting them down.  I haven't thought about those for a long time.
Anyway.  Collecting.  I've tried not to collect lately.  At one time, as a young girl I collected porcelain horses.  I got good at gluing their legs back on.
Then I collected gum wrappers, to make those long chains to see how tall your husband was going to be.  I think Tim is taller than as far as I got.
For a while in the 70's and 80's we collected real live horses on our mini-farm.  We had 10 at one time... bought high and sold low. 
I collected Cabbage Patch dolls when they were all the rage.  They were going to be very valuable someday, especially if I didn't take them out of the boxes.  MIB.  Yup.  Paid $32 each for them way back in the 80's.  I can sell them today for $30 each.
I guess I have never quite gotten the hang of collecting and cashing in.
I have a fairly good collection of The Night Before Christmas books stashed away for grandkids.  I started collecting when my kids were born.  I'd read them one of the books each night leading up to Christmas.  I loved the different styles of illustrations.  I started with one book a year, but by the second year, I was buying at least two.  Didn't take long to build up a good assortment.  As the years went by, I'd have to start reading earlier and earlier.  They got a bit tired of the story mid November.
I now collect anything thistle patterned, as that was my maiden name (my poem and picture of Thistles by the Sea).  I have pins, pendants, cups and saucers, mugs, trivets, butter molds, an old hand-carved cedar chest, and anything else I can lay my hands on.  But most of it is packed away.  As much as I love collecting, my passion for dusting is equal and opposite.
Here are the few items that I will allow into the light of day and the load of dog and cat hair.
Now I'm trying to collect my memories.  
They can be stored in particles smaller than dust.

9 comments:

  1. This was an interesting trail from cookie cutters to thistle patterns. I have never collected anything. Dust collects itself.

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    Replies
    1. I remember my mom saying that she didn't have a lot of knickknacks out because she didn't want to have to dust them or dust around them. I feel the same way.

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  2. This is one of my favorite things about writing when one writes and it inspires another one to write. It was cool to see how Linda got you thinking and writing about stars, cookie cutters and collections. Did you notice how similar your cookie jars were? Both clear with red lids.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, that was what struck me too. I saw her picture and thought, wow...how did she get a picture of my cookie cutters?

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  3. I think we could be good neighbors, Donna. I love that my collection inspired you to write about your own jar of cutters & no, I don't have that shooting star-now something to look for! I too am tired of dusting so much, & am clearing a path although some of it is hard to do. I know by the time I move, I will feel some of the burden of stuff lifted, yet some of the 'things' have been special in the memories, so hard to say goodbye, but also needed. I love your thistle collection and that it's because it was your maiden name-lovely. I know thistles are not so loved by farmers, but they have a gorgeous color, don't they? And, love that little purple & green vase in your picture-so pretty. We have a Christmas book box that comes out each year-fun to re-read all those old books with the new grandkids. And love the story about the dolls. One of my aunts made a lot of money making & selling clothes for the dolls at craft fairs. My daughter had a doll & the aunt made many clothes for her. We've since given it to another family's children. That was quite a silly time, wasn't it? Thanks for your memories!

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  4. A thistle collection, how fun! A good friend collects anything with bees, and it's always great entertainment to follow her through tag sales and antique barns - she has a bee- radar, and seems to zoom right into the anything with bees. Do you have a thistle radar, Donna??!!

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  5. Hi Donna,
    I collect way too many things...I'm a pack rat and a sentimental fool and those two don't play well together...I'd love to see more of your thistle collection - they are the bane of my garden but I really think I actually got them this year! Tried a new weed killer. Used to pull them out by the root, a very long, laborious and fruitless endeavor as they always, always came back.
    Thanks for your suggestion about "Crossed in Space". I definitely put it on the list.
    Tina @ Life is Good
    Post A-Z Road trip!

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  6. I, too, have a jar with a red lid full of cookie cutters. And I have a variety of other collections. I never started any with the idea of reselling, though. It seems like collections make a popular topic for writing, especially the way it segues right into memories...

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