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 

 

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