Duet Piano Book by John Schaum: The Destiny of Things, Story XCIII

 Duet Piano Book by John Schaum:  The Destiny of Things, Story XCIII

Nothing like finding a story in my "Note from Buyer" area!

Note from Buyer I'm so excited to find this book. My sister and I had a book like this in the 70's after we started taking piano lessons. Our favorites to play together were the "En Route March" and "Village Festival". We live about 350 miles apart now, and it'll be great for us to each have a copy so we can each brush up on some of our old songs to play again for our parents.

Kennedy Miranda

Jun 16, 2013

Invoice: www.etsy.com/your/orders/93092351

Hi there!

Thank you for the order of the 60s piano book, it will be shipped out tomorrow! I was hoping it would be going to someone who was going take up piano again and even better there's two of you even though you are so far away! Did you ever play duets? My brother and tried.

I did use this book for awhile a couple of years ago, but wasn't disciplined enough to continue by myself. My mom requests Fur Elise every once in awhile and I can still play enough of it for her to smile, so I know how happy you and your sister will make each other and your parents!

Please tell me, I can use your "note from buyer" exactly as it is for my blog!

Many thanks for your story, it will surely go on the blog along with mine and how I'm doing with my recovery as a hoarder!

I can't thank you enough for making my day! Best wishes to you, your sister and family musically and in every other way!

~Kennedy at
www.etsy.com/shop/HoarderRehab
www.etsy.com/shop/vintagetogoetsy
www.etsy.com/shop/thedestinyofthings

PS. Thank you for joining me and 80+ Etsyians in my journey to break my hoarding chains!

hoarderrehab.blogspot.com/

Saying Good-bye:  Last I heard is she is watching out for the mailman and looking forward to playing through the book!  That is so cool to hear that even though two sisters are 350 miles apart they will be playing the same tunes and one of them with my book!  I love stories like this one!

My brother and I tried playing duets, but he practiced even less than I did, so we never got past "Heart and Soul," which I think is the first piece I learned to play!  Listen to it here, if you want to walk down memory lane.  And just for fun the other song most learned to play without lessons, "Chopsticks" here. 

Saying good-bye to my piano books is like saying good bye to all my years of piano lessons.  Eight years of playing and finally getting to the point of mastering Mozart's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in variations on the piano and then adding my own to variations was enough for me and I left piano lessons forever!  Listen to  Mozart's "Twinkle Little Star" in variations here, while you read the rest of this post!

Why did I quit when I was finally getting some where?  I have no idea, but I tried playing again a couple years ago and knew it was going to take me another eight years to get back to where I had left off.  Hence all the piano books at my Etsy shop, The Destiny of Things, listed here.

I did play a couple of times a week because back then that was about all I could do, since I was so ill.  Once I got well, which took several years, I decided against more weekly piano lesson and practicing piano finger strength exercises for the next eight more years for an art room instead.  The music room is for mr. oz.

What I Learned:

1.  The several years when I was bedridden sick is the time when I piled hoard on top of hoard!  I tried to find every piano lesson book I had to start from the beginning of my piano lesson days!  And piano lesson books is just one of the many things I bought to keep myself going during THAT illness.

I am so happy I am decently tolerably well now and dehoarding is just another step for me to get in even better health.

2.  My battle with hoard is still a battle and breaking my hoarder chains is more challenging on some days than others and I seem to be going through a tough spell of it, since the thrifting fiasco.  So I am thinking either the thrift shop overload combined with most likely "something else" that I haven't figured out yet has triggered a deep need to fill up a hole that is "so far" a bottom less pit I keep trying to fill up through buying more things!

3.  And the worst part is I don't know how to stop the feeling, except to let it run it's course and accept it.  So here I am sitting with this feeling of "some sort" of loss that I can not put my finger on and try not to buy anything.  Please wish me luck and send good thoughts my way!  Thank you!

Thank Etsy buyer for leaving your story!  Thank you for taking me down memory lane and I hope you and your sister continue practicing to play at your family gatherings.  Just like old times!

Thank you Etsy for keeping me focused on my HoarderRehab and to continue my journey to break these chains to free myself into a new life! 

Thank you Google for providing me with this free blog space to figure out my hoarding ways.  I think more clues dropped down from the skies today!  Thank you for bringing people here and to all three of my shops!

Thank you US, Russia, Germany, Brazil and Turkey for joining me on my quest as a recovering hoarder!  Visit my newly listed hoard at VintageToGoEtsy, HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things by clicking on the highlighted Etsy shops.

Related Stories:

1.  My HoarderRehab Melt Down:  I'm battling the feeling, but I may be on the brink of another one.

2.  Retail Therapy as a Stress Relief, part 1, part 2, part 3:  Did my last thrift overload spur another shopping spree?

3.  My Thirfting Overload:  Anyone have any ideas on  how to contain hoarder feelings of going on a buying spree?

Miracle Fish Fortune Teller Surprise Balls: The Destiny of Things, Story XCII

Miracle Fish Fortune Teller Surprise Balls:  The Destiny of Things, Story XCII

My Miracle Fish Fortune Tellers are going all the way to France!

Audrey, from her Etsy shop,  Hello Mountains told me she had never heard of these before until four days ago and has such a huge "crush" on them that she's putting them in "Surprise Balls!"

I've never heard of "surprise balls" but they are like one big rolled up party favor that have some surprises wrapped in them.  It seems you unravel the ball that is made with crepe streamers or tissue paper and little trinkets roll out randomly!  How fun does that sound?  Kinda like having a mini pinata without having to break it to get what's inside!  What a neat way to wrap a gift!

 

Surprise balls are right up my alley!  I love trinkets of all kinds and have quite the collection of them!  I have mermaid, elephant and monkey drink charms, Bazooka Joe gum wrappers, fortune cookie fortunes, stamps, stickers, plastic fake watches, plastic treasure chests, tiny erasers and tooth lockets!  

As a matter of fact, many of my loved trinkets are listed at The Destiny of Things, Hoarder Rehab and VintageToGoEtsy!  I might need to try making some myself!

Saying Good-bye:  No problem what so ever and on top of it all, I found out about surprise balls! 

Also, I found some history of the surprise ball so interesting...the first earliest evidence of surprise balls were found with Native Americans.  It helped tell the oral history of a person with the middle having something from birth and as time went on mementos were added to tell the life of a person, like an amulet.

In the 50s, surprise balls became popular when Charles Gregor began creating Surprise balls in New Orleans.  His version was The Surprise Ball “The Toy You Destroy to Enjoy”.  Soon the Surprise ball made it's way to toy store's and gift shops of hospitals.

Later the novelty died out.  A few Surprise Balls that were made in Japan . Many of them had a hard plastic ball in the center filled with toys. I think my brother and I might have gotten one of these or maybe it was an American one.  I do remember unraveling a paper ball with tons of toys in the middle!

I thought my love for plastic trinkets evolved from my days of the Gardner picnic game booths, but I think it goes back to even earlier days now.  I also remember Japanese rice candies coming with metal and plastic toys too!  And I wanted the folding fan and one day I got one!  I think I have a plastic car and I might have the metal ladybug.

Many people, besides me have  memories associated with this candy because it was made of rice and had an edible paper around it that made it look like you were eating plastic or even eating just paper was weird, but delicious.  Many of my friends got hooked on this candy and collecting and trading the little toys was so fun!

Here's a blog with comments of people's memories about Botan Rice Candy, here, on Candyblog and on Wikipedia here, for ingredients and nutritional information.

What I Learned:

1.  As a recovering hoarder, I am beginning to scratch the surface for the origin of my love of plastic and metal trinkets ranging from these rice candy treats to cereal prizes, Cracker Jack's to vendor gum ball trinkets to saving Bazooka Joe wrappers for toys, to waiting up for my parents and playing with mermaids, monkeys and paper umbrella drink charms on the drive home from my Grandparents to collecting moveable sterling and gold charms and then religious medals and crosses and so on and so on!

2.  I guess everyone has their own childhood version of "Rosebud", but there's no way that my last words are going to be "Botan".

Merci beaucoup Audrey from Hello Mountain for sending me your story.  I love your Weirdo patch and it would go well in a surprise ball.  Will I be seeing "surprise balls" in your Etsy shop, Hello Mountain?  I see your bearded man, Flo Comitch at Pitch Up has some stickers to include in some surprise balls too!  Click on the highlighted words to visit their shops!

I would love to see a surprise ball with a Fortune Teller Fish in it!

Thank you Etsy for my second connection and story from France!  And finding new lives for over 304 of my hoarded items!  Thank you for bringing me closer to my dream of  a Minimalist Organic home with a music art room, rather than unused hoard storage!

Thank you US, Russia, Chile, France, Singapore, Canada, Japan, UK, and Nepal for your visits over the weekend and helping me stay focused on my HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things! 

Click on the highlighted words to see the new hoard listed daily at VintageToGoEtsy, HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!  Click here, here and here for some of my trinkets!  Order the Fortune Fish here!


Related Stories:

1.  My first story from France:  Ethiopian Coptic Cross

2.  Plastic Trinket Love, I love these!:  Toothy Tooth Locket Necklace

3.  Other Fortune Teller Fish Story, here.

Akro Agate Octagonal Sugar Bowl: The Destiny of Things, Story XCI

Akro Agate Octagonal Sugar Bowl:  The Destiny of Things, Story XCI

A story from one hoarder to another, but from a "self -defined" hoarder!  Here's her email:

 

Betty Spaulding

Jun 12, 2013

 

Oh Law! Another hoarder!

Actually, I goofed in ordering this sugar bowl. I have a tiny tea set in this line, and my dear great grandson broke two of the pieces. I was trying for a cover for the little sugar bowl. This one, though adorable, is too large. He broke one of the little saucers and the bowl cover. I plan to sell the whole thing if I can get these pieces.

I love the envelope of things you sent! These must be Mexican in source? I have always enjoyed the Chinese paper things--mostly because of the wonderful colors. I have also fallen in love with the culture of India--their color use is eye-popping.

Several years ago a friend henna'ed my hands for me for Christmas. It was great and if she hadn't moved away, I would have done it again.

I think of myself as a self-defined hoarder. It's not as bad as the televised ones, but I have been in this house since 1976 and have filled it up with books, collections, china sets, and BEADS.

About those beads--my husband and I planned to retire, get an RV, and go round to various fairs and such, selling the beads. We stocked them up before we retired because we knew we'd not be able to when we retired. Then he died six years ago. And here the beads are! I have sold some of them, and want to sell the rest, but other than an Etsy store I am not entirely sure what to do. I have a good feedback rating on eBay, and might go that way. I also make jewelry and sometimes sell it, but mostly it goes for gifts.

When I think of what I have already disposed of, I wonder if the remainder hasn't bred in the dark of night--there's still WAY TOO MUCH! I have given away lots, and have sold even more, but it still fills all the shelves and closets.

I continue to divest and will someday be able to die in peace. Right now, I have informed my five children and eleven grandchildren that they'd better come get what they want or they will have to clean out the house when I am gone. They turn pale when I say that.

Thanks for your great note!

Best wishes, Betty Spaulding

Here's mine:

Kennedy Miranda

Jun 12, 2013

 

Hi Betty and fellow hoarder!

Thank you so much for the email, full of stories and similarities! I love it!!! Sorry to hear about the sugar bowl being the wrong size. Let me know, if you want to return it for a full refund minus the shipping.

Your grandson must have had a lot of fun with it. I used the set of in the classroom and was lucky only one item broke through all the years! They all loved learning etiquette with a tea party! The boys sometimes grumbled, but would miss their recess to join!

I am so happy you loved the collection in the envelope. It holds many things that remind me that I am leaving my hoard life into the unknown, since I don't really know what it's going to like without my hoard! Some of collection in your envelope is from my other shop, The Destiny of Things.

I used to get henna'd every summer at an outdoor mall in Cali, but just a little line pattern below my t-shirt sleeve and the inside of my wrist. We do have a lot in common, I love all things from Mexico, India and early China, like their Joss paper and Hell notes! I have quite the collections from many countries!

I have been filling up my houses all my life! My love of dish sets was out of control, (much of it sold already) most of my books were donated 20 years ago, and don't even mention----BEADS! I've had my bead collection, since childhood and it grows sporadically during the nights too! And even worse, I can't get myself to list any of it!

My condolences with the death of your husband and your RV-bead dream leaving with him. I hope new dreams find you and grow in the dark, instead of more things!

When you start sharing your collections on Etsy let me know! I can help with what I've learned. As a recovering techless, Etsy newbie hoarder, I find the Etsy forum much easier to navigate, less expensive, and the longer listing periods give me time to realize these hoarded, but beloved items are leaving me! and of course, the connection of meeting such kind people like you!

Will you give me permission to use your email "as it is" for my Hoarder Rehab blog next week, since I love the flow of your stories! Thank you so much!

And thanks again for helping me break my hoarder chains and all the best wishes!

Warm regards,
~Kennedy at
www.etsy.com/shop/vintagetogoetsy
www.etsy.com/shop/HoarderRehab
www.etsy.com/shop/thedestinyofthings
hoarderrehab.blogspot.com/

Betty Spaulding

Jun 12, 2013

 

So we must be twins, then? Separated at birth!

I wouldn't dream of sending the sugar bowl back. It was my mistake, not yours, and I am sure I can find a place for it. (Hoarding, are we?)

I have the impression that you are/were a teacher in a past life. (NOBODY who ever teaches really retires.) I find this hard to believe now, but I retired as an associate professor in information systems in 2002. And, yes, that's computers!

When I left the campus for the last time, I leaned my head over, unscrewed the little stopper that held all the computer information, and it all drained out.

I have a small and finite mind and I have to be careful what I put in there.

Of course you may use my letter in the hoarder's blog. I am not entirely sure there is a 12-step program for this addiction, but anything to help!

And, in passing, is there anything you need that I could pass on to you? My five children have gotten so they check the backseats and trunks of their cars to make sure I haven't squirreled something away in there before they leave. And they don't want any of the stuff--heirlooms all--that I saved for them for years! My revenge will be that they will have to clear out this house when I am gone. I plan to be laughing hysterically from my nice spacious, empty cloud.

Best, Betty

I had to soooo resist Betty's offer from deep "bead" temptation!  And you know, my love for beads is so strong that her offer has peaked my shopping for them!  I've been looking on etsy for mixed cat's eye round 8 mm beads, large German milk glass flower beads and odd size bezel cut beads, just look at HoarderRehab favorites under "beads I love" and you'll see I've been busy!

 

Anyways, back to this story, I've always wanted one of these tea sets as a child and finally found one thrifting in my late 20s.  It was kinda too late to have doll tea parties, but I saved it despite my age.  Later, after several moves, I refound it in my hoard and started to use it in the classroom to teach etiquette.  

 

It started out as a "miss your recess" tea party and I soon found that most everyone would give up at least one recess to see "what it was all about" and many more loved to plan and execute a 20 minute tea party and soon enough I could sit back and enjoy one too as a guest!

 

Everyone loves a party, so we studied the history of parties and from the disguise of a tea party many things were learned from planning a schedule, a menu, which meant buying things and multiplication for serving for a party of 4 to a party of 10, etc., it meant cooking, cleaning and preparing and of course, games, prizes party favors, and on and on.

This eventually lead to a having a party every Friday!  We called it, "The Academic Party" that included almost anything teachable with the word "party" after it.  We had Auction Parties, where we'd bring in our old toys and auction them off, Book Parties, when we followed recipes and cooked from books, like Green Eggs and Ham, Stone Soup with a real special stone in it,  Drink Water from Paper Party or how to make and origami cup that really holds water and I Scream for Ice-Cream--15 min. ice cream in a ziploc bag and on and on!  Around 36 weekly parties a year!

Those were the days when teaching was mostly one big long party carefully disguised as academics and learning was magical, easy and fun!  I left when it turned rote, all about test scores and boring for me.  At a time when teaching was so predictable, one knew what book, which page each teacher and student was on during each hour throughout the day, five days a week until the dismissal bell rang!

I hope it's different now.

Saying Good-bye:  I suppose letting go of my childhood dream tea party dish set that I finally got later in life is symbolic of many good-byes to things I loved and dreamed.  It's not as sad to me  this time, since I think I've purged from stories before this one.

This exchange was fun with Betty and she reminded me of many things!  Like my friends turn the other way when I come bearing a box and I know who in my family will take things, but other family members cringe when I give them because their collections are larger than mine!

I know others who will throw away what I give them and others who refuse to take anymore!

What I Learned:

1.  I'm not the only one who wants my things to have a chance at a better life and see them go to a good home!

2.  I'm not the only one who saves what I think are "heirloom" items that I've gotten as gifts from relatives or that's been handed down from generations.  I even get items from relatives as if I'm the "history" keeper and asked to restore or take especially "good" care of it!

3.  I'm not the only who thinks my hoard multiplies secretly in the dark.  Everything looks more tidy and organized in a closed box, closet or even cluttered shelves, but try and sift through everything once stuff gets out!

4.  I'm not the only one with a small and finite mind.  I need to pull the plug and let it all drain out, just like Betty did with her work computer.  Actually I think dehoarding is uncluttering my mind too, it's just a slower process.  I will wait patiently for my home to become as nice as a spacious empty cloud!

 

5.  I need to find my childhood bead collection in my hoard!

Thank you Betty from HoarderRehab for connecting with me and making my dehoarding journey pleasant, fun and laughable yet finding ways to break free from my hoarding ways!  Thank you for letting me know that I'm not the only out here with my thoughts and feelings!

Thank you Etsy for attracting all the right people for me and my shops and for bringing me closer to my dreams!  As of today, 302 items have gone to better lives and new homes, thank you Etsy!

Thank you US, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, France, Mexico, Sweden, Chile and the Netherlands for coming around and supporting my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!  Click on the underlined highlighted words to see my hoard and maybe you'll adopt something or find a home for it at VintageToGoEtsy, HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!

More of my Little American Maid Tea Set in Octagonal Akro Agate still available:  tea pot here, creamer here, cup and saucer here.  Or see everything in my yesteryear's toy box, here!

 

Stories from Other Hoarders or Collectors:

1.  Someone with Hoarder Tendencies, click here and read.

2.  My Vernon Ware went to another collector who turned his collections into a museum!

 

3.  A story from another recovering hoarder:  From Hoarder to Hoarder: Chocolate Milk Caps

4.  Day of the Dead Calavera Skull Beads

5.  As a Hoarder I am Not Alone, Today's Hoarder Rehab Epiphany #3

6.  The Peterson Museum:  Garages for American Clutter 

 

7.  Hoarding as the New American Epidemic! at least in my neighborhood

 

***There are plenty more I've read in Etsyian profiles and some who email me, but I've lost track of them!

 

Teacher Related Stories:

1.  Receipt Spike and Service Bell:  my inner city teacher challenges

2.  Rewards as Motivation : relates to my inner city teacher experiences

3.  Freddie the Frog Puppet:  happier teacher experiences and how to forgive

4.  Polaroid Camera Story:  inner city school challenges

5.  US Puzzle Maps:  kinda funny story of my teaching days

 

6.  Many other stories about toys or teacher tools under the category, The Destiny of Things

 

7.  Sterling Alphabet Bracelet:  letting go of my "favorite" teacher jewelry to another teacher 

 

Most Read Story of the Week, Month and All Time:

 

My Louis Vuitton Collection:  The End of Mine is the Beginning for Others

 

Teacher Destash Floral Stickers: The Destiny of Things, Story XC

Teacher Destash Floral Stickers:  The Destiny of Things, Story XC

I ask for stories from every person who orders an Etsy item, despite how crazy it may sound, even to myself sometimes because I'd rather know than not know and there's always a chance someone will share their back story and I always learn something from their story telling.

This person bought out my whole collection from my teaching days!  She bought them all from both shops! and she ordered other ones too!

I'm already curious about the back story when something sells, but when she bought the same stickers at HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things, my curiosity was maxed out and I just had to know about these stickers!

This is what I found out!

carol peck  

23 hours ago

 

Ken I am going to use them on colored boards to add to my photos. I think putting them on will make a great background for my photos. Some of my crafts I might not use those board. I might use plain boards. Depending how it looks. Are the others you have flowers also? Give me a deal, and I will take the rest.

As far as the tropical foam, I will have to see them. Things pop into my mind. Not sure yet what I will use them on.

Her story rang a bell so loud for me, I had to write about it today!  It was perfect timing!

Eventually, I want to be a "Happy Crafter" like Carol and have a shop like hers with things I made in it!

I definitely can relate to Carol's collecting of "certain" stickers, I do the same thing, like collecting 90s mini Mrs. Grossman's heart stickers, which the over flows into collecting certain Victorian style angel die cuts.

Also, if I see something I love, usually from my childhood and an art project will "POP" into my head too!  And I'll start collecting things for it, my latest being monopoly houses, hotels and money with gum ball toys.

BUT my biggest issue is "actually" doing the project I have in mind! I need discipline to start, remember to continue and finish my projects.

All I can say is at least these new collections are smaller than my other collections, but then I remind myself of my religious cross and medal collection that was so vast it took up a "file" box!

And I have to ask myself, do I have room to create these "pop in my head" projects?  Not unless I use the dining room table, however once I start a project, I like to make different versions and let it rest for a day or two and go back and see it through "fresh" eyes.

I like eating on the dining room table daily, so I have tried putting my projects away and then I end up losing them in my hoard, forgetting about them or end up starting another project!

I have a long ways to go here!  I can see my issues with hoarding are just not with objects from my past, but items I think have "potential" for other uses or art!

Saying Good-bye:  I love these stickers, but have had them for decades and haven't used them, yet their potential for something creative still lives within me!  However, I have so many hoarded items that I think have potential, I have no idea where to begin or what I really want to make out of anything!

So off these stickers go joyfully to someone who will actually use them on color boards for photos!  I hope I Carol remembers to send me updated photos of her project because I think it would really help me to see a follow through!  Thank you Carol!

What I learned:

1.  A cluttered home does lead to a cluttered mind!  I've noticed that my living room display shelves have enough empty space for me to actually notice what's on them and I am down to my favorite "love love" items and art made from family members.

I actually do think I feel better about it all, which I never thought possible because before all this, the thought of parting with anything was unthinkable, painful, confusing and stressful!  So I am making good discernible seeable progress in that area.

My mind is becoming more uncluttered also because with all the projects I've collected over the years, I'm now can think about where to start and how to manage them!

What to do with all the "stuff" I keep buying as potential projects?

2.  It took me about a month, but I listed items until my huge plastic see thru box was empty!  It's over 2 feet long, over 1 foot wide and deep.  It even has wheels on the bottom of it.

I had it for teaching when when every two months I moved to another classroom at a year round school.  Then it held items that I had in it from my move two years ago and since I didn't unpack it, I did my best to detach and dehoard myself from everything in it!  Now, it's finally empty!

It's been sitting in my living room empty for a week now and the whole time I've been wondering if I should use it or dump it.  I can't throw away or donate anything I think is useful yet, so I decided to put all the craft things I find in it because I have such a diminished spatial awareness when it comes to my "things" with potential for upcycling.

Starting with the clothes I bought from my last thrifting fiasco!  Clothes I bought just for the fabric because I thought it would make such interesting background or had potential for textile collage or I could rip up to make distressed silk ribbon!

When that box is full, I hope the music art room has been dehoarded, so mr oz has space for his music and I have space for my projects!

Let's see how this little experiment helps my awareness of how much and how many things I see and keep as potential projects and whether I do anything with them!

Thank you Carol from the Etsy shop, The Giraffe for ordering my bulk of stickers and sharing your story about their future.  I find it so interesting and amazing that someone will use them in a project I've been waiting to happen for decades!  I'd love and enjoy an update of their transformation!

Thank you for also sharing your story because it was a big factor in mine to trigger the connection of my hoard of "future potential" projects I have piling up.  What a viscous cycle!  However, it's never too late to stop collecting or start my projects!

Thank you Etsy for helping me get one item at a time out there for others to enjoy, rather than being in a room full of boxed hoarded storage!

Thank you US, Russia, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Sweden and Malaysia for your visits which encourage me daily to keep going and stay focused on my HoarderRehab dreams!  Click on the highlighted shop names to visit newly listed hoard at VintageToGoEtsy, HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!

Related Stories:  Click on the titles to see and read stories of my hoard turned into meaningful beauties by Etsyians!

1.  Circular Story of Saint Christopher Medal: Allegra took this medal and made her own amulet for her last year of college in South Africa

2.  Intentions for B. Maugerite Bourgeyeos Beatification Charm:  See the photos of the transformation of this charm into a beautiful bracelet gift for a daughter.

3.  Hans Vilhelm Hansen's Version of  St. Laboure's Miraculous Medal:  updated with a picture of Katherine's necklace of her ongoing necklace charm collection!

4.  Cross Box Collection:  My garnet cross transformed into a necklace by Etsyian Jen Ecklund of ViaLove

4.  Pope Pius X Medals:  My Pope medal finds it's twin for some earrings at the Etsy shop, Chic Fragments

Stories without update pics from Etysians who transformed items!

1.  My Seiko Watch:  used for parts to transform a long lost high school graduation gift from parents!

2.  Saint Patrick Trinity Clover:  for an Irish Rosary for St. Patty's Day

  

3.   Rear View Mirror Religious Medal:  The Destiny of Things, Story XXXVIII 

 

4.  Pocket Rosary for Miraculous Medal:  The Destiny of Things, Story LI 

Stories with Future updates of transformations!

1.  Not My Red Cashmere Coat!  This coat is inspiring Melissa this summer to sew some winter outfits around the coat my aunts swooned and fawned over!

2. Hand-Crafted  Christmas Bracelets:  for Christine's shop, The Colors of the Southwest

The story that connects this one to my hoard collection and how I also hoard ideas for future potential projects:

1.  My thrifting fiasco for camisoles that turned into a hoard buy of some future potential projects! Read, Thrifting Overload

Taxco Warrior Ring: The Destiny of Things, Story LXXXIX

Taxco Warrior Ring:  The Destiny of Things, Story LXXXIX

A story all the way from the Netherlands!  I'm so excited! my third story from the NL!

Items shipped from the US to the Netherlands seem to take decades, but it's really only about 4-8 weeks and I used to get a little worried about them because shipping to the NL is already expensive and tracking is even less economical, so I get a lot of emails about the timing of their arrivals.  Which is fine with me because NL people are so friendly and I get to know them until their package arrives!

Every Etsyian from the Netherlands not only have sent me stories, but also sent me updated pictures!  And she said she would too!  As a recovering hoarder, collecting these stories, instead of more things has been so helpful towards my Hoarder Rehab and and I am even more thankful to actually see my hoarded item's new life and home!  It's the ultimate! 

The email came with such an interesting back story stemming from childhood!  Here it is:

Hi Kennedy,

You were right - no reason to worry as my ring has arrived! Dutch customs got hold of it and decided to charge me extra. But the ring is all worth it, so no problem! Thanks for the great service and the nice magical extras :-))

My story behind the ring: I love silver jewelry, especially rings, and tend to go for symbolic (bit mysterious) rings with animals or skulls/ masks/ eyes. I always had a fascination for faces - the moment I could hold a pencil I was always drawing eyes and faces, so your ring just had the right feel - and really love the pierced nose and ears :-)). I think when I am 90 years old (I have a 100-year-old grandma so some strong genes in the family :-))I will still have my fingers covered in rings - for me they just express who I am somehow, more than clothes do. Will send picture later :-)

Doei! Isa

And I learned some Dutch too!  Doei-- pronounced doo-wee is like a casual way to good-bye and it's supposed to be sung, like the way we sing byyy-ee.  The more appropriate way to say good-bye in Dutch is "dag", which means day or "tot ziens", which is the most formal equivalent to "farewell." 

Read more about it at this interesting post here from Andy in Amsterdam and the comments are just as informative!  Thanks Andy!

This ring is from my love of Taxco jewelry!  I bought this in the 80s and have several other Taxco face pendants and one sided earrings.  I don't know when my love of Taxco began, somewhere in my childhood and loved to go to Tijuana for jewelry and miniatures.

When I was in my 20s I went on a summer vacation to Acapulco and despite no one wanting to take the trip to Taxco with me, I went anyway!  It was classic.  I went on a bus and was the only tourist with chickens and rabbits too!  I remember breathing in a lot of bus exhaust and sticking to the seat for two hours one way!

It was worth it!  If you like Taxco jewelry, just imagine being in a corner to corner town of it!  I was in Taxco heaven and didn't even bother to eat, so I could cover more ground!  I was so happy to have seen Taxco I don't remember the ride back.

Saying Good-bye:  Since I never wore this ring and have no idea why I bought it, except that it reminds me of Taxco jewelry, it was simply easy to let go.  It was found in a cigar box within another box of hoard.  Interesting...it seems now that most of my Native American jewelry has sold, now my Taxco jewelry is showing up.

I am just so happy that this made it's way on it's long journey safely to Isa in the Netherlands and it's joining a whole lot of other rings stacked on her fingers and will remain so for many more decades to come!  I used to wear many of rings and bracelets stacked and can't wait to see a picture of the Warrior Ring in good company!

What I Learned:

1.  That I used to just buy jewelry for no other reason besides it reminds me of other Taxco jewelry!  And I most likely still buy things due to something reminding me of my childhood.

2.  I knew a friend back in college who used to collect the green onyx jade warrior faces and I have a few of those too and I guess they got lost in my hoard and I never refound them to give them to her.  She loved Taxco jewelry too and wore several heavy Matl bracelets like this here mixed in with ones like this here.  We had the same style, back then during our punker days!

So this posting is a reminder that I've been hoarding for decades and so much so that there is hoard within hoard!  I wonder how many gifts I've bought for others and then lost them in my hoard over the years. 

Now I have a special drawer dedicated to just gifts because I'm the type of person who waits last minute to buy a birthday gift or I have something so specific in mind that I saw awhile back and then can't find a shop that sells it when I need it and I end up giving up and buying something else that in my mind is secondary and not ultimate, like I did this Father's day!  ...sigh...

Thank you Isa from The Destiny of Things for your story and coming update photos.  I can't wait to see all the rings on your fingers, like I used to be able to wear before I became allergic to them.  I enjoyed corresponding with you while the package arrived safely to you.  And thanks for teaching me some Dutch!  Dunk u wel!

Thank you Etsy for some international distribution of my hoarder history to others that love them so much and return a "thank you" with a story and pictures of their new lives and homes!

Thank you US, Sweden, France, Australia, Netherlands and Canada for your visits and being part of my HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!  Much appreciated!

Visit my newly added to hoarded history to any of my clicking on the highlighted shop names, VintageToGoEtsy, HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things.  My Taxco jewelry is scattered around all three shops with my favorites being here, here and here!  Thank you!

Other Stories from the Netherlands:

1. My Sequoia Souvenir Box, read the story, here with an update picture in the NL.   Danielle uses her Sequoia Souvenir box from my childhood as a coin changer at her florist shop in NL, which she named after our Sequoia forest, Sequoia Floral Design!  Click on her name or shop name to visit and see her beautiful and unique floral arrangements!

2.  My first story from the NL, Incense Burners, with my favorite incense burner, which later I learned from a kind reader is a "chakaboshi" or a waste container for tea leaves after steeping them.  Click on the highlighted "here" link to read it.

Related Stories with Updated Photos sent by Etsyians of my hoard in their new lives!  Many of them are like "before" and "after" pictures, see the transformations!

1.  Alphabet Bracelet in the Classroom!  updated pictures with Joanne wearing it and it's related alphabet lesson!  I never know what will be inspired from my hoard!

2.  Anniversary Love Dice:  updated with photo of what the hubby sees and says about it when he accidentally intercepts his anniversary gift!

3.  Mr. Happy with his New Brothers:   Update with a picture because one brother gave it to his brother because "one of them was getting kinda crabby".  See the picture of all four brothers and guess which one is the crabby!

4.  New Home for Turquoise:  see photos of my rings stacked with others on it's new home!

5.  Copper Sacred Heart Anniversary Gift:  see photos of their matching themed wedding cake!

6.  Circular Story of Saint Christopher Medal:  see photos keeping a traveler safe while going "to" and landing "in" South Africa!

7.  Toothy Tooth Locket:  updated with photos of daughter wearing it for her Reading Fair project!

8.  Intentions for B. Maugerite Bourgeyeos Beatification Charm:  See the photos of the transformation of this charm into a beautiful bracelet gift for a daughter.

9.  Hans Vilhelm Hansen's Version of  St. Laboure's Miraculous Medal:  updated with a picture it's new home with other medals as a necklace.

10.  World Globe Key Chains:  photos of it's new home in a shadow box!

Wow, thank you Etsyians for sending photos, so I can enjoy seeing them in their new lives and better homes!  I didn't realize I had so many!  Many many thanks to you all!

Glasbake Refrigerator Ice Box Container: The Destiny of Things, Story LXXXVIII

Glasbake Refrigerator Ice Box Container:  The Destiny of Things, Story LXXXVIII

A one sentence story from an Etsy buyer that I hear a lot!

 

I had 20 of these in my collection!  This is the second to the last one.  The Etsy buyer basically had a question concerning combined shipping, but also included that she was switching from Tupperware to glass for microwave heating for her two small children.  I've gotten several inquiries about switching from plastic to glass for these refrigerator dishes, but this Etsyian actually ordered one!

Interesting since, from what my Grandmother told me is that a set of these came included when you bought an ice box or later a new refrigerator.  One could prepare the main portion of the meal ahead of time, store in the refrigerator, easily take it out and into the oven, serve and then pop the leftovers back into the refrigerator.

There was a larger square one for vegetable or jello storage, this loaf sized one for meats or bread and two smaller ones to store your side dishes.

I had started collections of this brand, glasbake, Victrox milk glass, vegetable design depression glass, Gay Fad Fire King and a complete extra large collection of primary color Pyrex.  The 14 piece Pyrex collection and pictures of the others are here with the story.

I've been collecting these since the late 80s and I didn't use them much.  I thought I'd use them instead of plastic storage containers, but  I never really used plastic either.  I still use mainly glass, but just end up putting a dish as a lid on a bowl instead.  If it's a plate going into the frig. I just put another plate on top of it for a lid.

I rarely use the microwave and if I do, I just cover it with wax paper.  I do think vintage refrigerator dishes make reheating in the microwave and storing food much healthier than any plastic.

I did use glass containers mainly as lunch containers when I was a teacher, but mostly used the glass containers with toxin free seal proof plastic lids or jars and for hot foods, a large mouthed thermos.

So my collection of refrigerator dishes storage containers sat unused in cupboards, until finally during one move they just stayed in a box!  All of them were popular and sold well.  I have one left, the Gay Fad Fire King loaf sized dish, available here, click on the highlighted link to visit it.

Saying Good-bye:  These were some of the first of my collections to be listed and even though I hadn't used them in over 15-20 years the first couple that sold were difficult, but back then I think almost everything that left tugged at my heart.

Now, it's a rare happening because the heart tug has turned into heart felt, but if it is painful, it's for a few seconds to minutes and then it passes.  I try and stay focused on the fact that letting go brings me closer to my goals and the item is going to have a useful new life again in a better home where someone appreciates it to order it and have someone ship it to them.

What I Learned:

1.  Practice does make things easier and I hope that one day, letting go will be totally painless and just pure joy, delight and fun will have taken it's place without a single memory that I used to be a hoarder.

2.  It's such a relief, as a recovering hoarder to know the new back story of an item and for those that get away, I imagine one.  Now I make a wish for most of the items and I write one for all of my listed items at The Destiny of Things, titled, "untold destiny".  Many of my wishes end up coming true and I know this because the stories end up on my blog!

Thank you Etsy buyer for your little words of relief and I'm so happy they are being used by a family very open minded to their health.  I can't thank Etsy buyers enough for helping me dehoard my home and making other dreams and goals possible!

Thank you Etsy for giving me a way to be successful with my Hoarder Rehab!  As of today, 298 items of hoard have found better lives and new homes making my journey more meaningful and my buying choices more conscious! 

Thank you US, Armenia, China, UK, Greece, India, Netherlands, Sweden and El Salvador for your visits and supporting my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things!  See the newly listed hoard by clicking on the highlighted shop names, VintageToGoetsy, HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!

See the last available refrigerator loaf dish here.  It's hasn't sunk in that the other 18 pieces left so quickly!

Related Stories:

1.  See the almost double Pyrex refrigerator dish set that I thought was a regular set, click here.

2.  An endearing story of my first emailed story with my largest refrigerator dish, click here.

Some "Untold Destiny" stories that came true, which I call "destiny as infinity":

1.   Children's Spanish Picture Dictionary

2.  Twin Cross Story:  Native American Crosses for Daughters

3.  Baton Twirling Book

4.  "Destiny as Infinity" :  What it means to me and how it became my theme quote.

There are several more, but I can't remember them at the moment.  Enjoy!

Not My Favorite Red Kantha Bag! The Destiny of Things, Story LXXXVII

Not My Favorite Red Kantha Bag!  The Destiny of Things, Story LXXXVII

I'm so happy and relieved I received a story before this particular bag left!

I didn't think this bag would sell so quickly and was shocked when it did!  It was around the same time as my red cashmere coat and both of them leaving were a big blow to me!

This purse is well loved!  First my mom had it and when my aunt and I saw it we both fell in love with it.  My mom eventually gave it to my aunt and my aunt eventually gave it to me!

I used it so much!  I wore it a lot with my Free Mason coat.  I know it's an odd combination, but it went well with it and seemed to some how match the large embroidered cross on each sleeve!  Click on the highlight to see my cross coat.

I wore it as a cross body bag and also knotted the strap at the top and used it as a shoulder bag.  This is one of the most handy and most beautiful handmade bags I've ever owned.  The large detailed embroidered mirrored patch on the front is a pocket and there's a smaller pocket in the inside to hold important small items.

A couple of years straight I used to hang out at the cafe next to the Long Beach Museum, when my teacher vacation was two months in the spring and two months in the fall.  I'd sit overlooking the ocean and with art sculptures all around with a coffee and a good book.  This purse held many books I started and finished there!  Here's a photo of my old haunt:

It's changed so much!  It used to be all so green with grass with a sparse mixture of umbrellas and different garage sale sourced looking chairs and tables and a little scrappy bungalow booth for coffee!

Sometimes I stayed all day and at sunset they would have a free outdoor concert or theatre play.  And of course, I visited the Museum on all it's free days!

Anyways, my Red Kantha bag went with me there everyday I did!  I used that bag for years!  I don't even know why I stopped using it, except that it probably got lost in my hoard one of the many times I moved.

Before, I get carried away with memories, here's the email I received with it's story from a kind and thoughtful Etsyian!

Well, I fell in love with it at first sight! I have been trying to make a purse like it since I visited India, ordering patches and such, but never found the right combination. I plan to use it when I travel to interesting places (New Orleans, Santa Fe, etc.). Maybe even India. Believe it or not, I even asked guides to take me to stores that had bags like this when I was in India, but could never find an authentic bag that I liked (they all had shiny polyester fabric, were very small or were poorly made).
Thanks!

So I'm so happy that someone else had the same reaction as my mom, aunt and I and fell in love with it at first sight!  And to think someone went with guides looking for a bag like this all over India and found it here on Etsy!  Now it's free to go on adventures in other states and countries!

And I know this person is going to take really really good care of it, use it and love it as much as I do because they too, appreciate the workmanship and quality that went into this creation!

Saying Good-bye:  Even the back of this bag is a beauty!  And when my hoard is gone, I plan to try out some kantha stitching of my own and would like to mend my clothes in the Japanese boro style too!

So after the shock of this leaving so quickly dissipated, there was a little twang of sadness, but it leaving reinforced my dreams of uncluttering the music art room, so I can reach my sewing machine, embroidery threads, even cowrie shell beads and have space to use them!

If you click on the highlight here, it'll take you to the original pictures of the bag and you can see them on zoom.  It's really worth seeing on zoom, if you are an embroidery or kantha enthusiast or just enjoy looking at exquisite handmade detailed work!

What I Learned:

1. I have a quite extensive purse collection that I used to use as a wall display, but sense I'm dreaming of a minimalist organic home, I've been listing them on VintageToGoEtsy here.  Also, my Mom has sewn me many purses and I use them now.

2.  There are many patterns I follow as a hoarder and I never saw them before until I began this HoarderRehab with Etsy.  Letting go of my hoard is more conscious and deliberate this time and instead of trying to pass it all back to family or forward it all to friends, donate or trash can it, I'm giving them all a chance for better lives and new homes to people who really really want them!

And at the same time, it gives myself the time I need to let them go and get used to the idea that I don't use these things anymore and I'm really holding on to other things--- memories, past worries, dreams and feelings and it's time to seek those things out in the moment and not in the past.

3.  One of the patterns I can see now is that one of my Aunt's consistently gave me mostly gifts from India, so I have quite a collection of Eastern Indian jewelry.  I've started to list them, since I'm allergic to metals: A copper metal kisslock evening bag here, coil wrapped bracelet with pleasant, but not too loud bells, here, a bead like floral collar necklace here and vest somewhat like the red kantha bag here.

4.  One of the first patterns I saw was that I have a difficult time giving up gifts, even if they go unused for over 30 years!  And gifts that I did use over the years at one time are even more difficult, so I still have to battle that one out!

I have found it's not too bad of an ordeal with this red kantha bag!

Thank you Etsyian from VintageToGoEtsy for sharing your story to a total stranger who was so happy and relieved to get one, especially from this particular special item.

Thank you Etsy for helping me with my HoarderRehab in a way that is almost painless now and with time I  have come to find more joyful, sometimes full of delight and even fun!

Thank you US, Sweden, Canada, Russia, India, UK, France and Ukraine for stopping by and joining me in my HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!  Click on the highlighted shop names to visit my hoard listed today!  VintageToGoEtsy, HoarderRehab and The Destiny of Things!

Related Stories:  Click on the highlighted titles to link you to the story.  Thank you!

1.  Not My Red Cashmere Coat!  This held good Christmas dinner memories of my aunts fawning and swooning over this coat!

2.  Not My College Mugs!  I bought these and the Empire State building lamp to hold my worries of going away to college and living in my first apartment away from home!

3.  Not My Freddie the Frog Puppet!  This puppet held good memories of my teaching days.

4.  Not My Receipt Spike and Service Bell!  These held the not so pleasant memories of my teaching days.

5.  My attempt at boro style mending as stress relief for my hoarding ways:  Mending as a Creative Outlet

Most Viewed Stories of the Week, Month, and All Time Favorite:   My Louis Vuitton Collection and My HoarderRehab Meltdown