I Do Not Collect Vintage Toys

If you asked me if I collect vintage toys, I would say, "No."  I really don't think I do collect them.  But, what I do collect is memories. I pick up cute  little things here and there, beloved little things from other people's childhood.  I pick up things left behind at sales, thrown in boxes of Happy Meals Toys and things not appreciated. A tiny bedraggled doll, an old toy car, a colring book, an old game - one tiny thing that someone used and loved.  I hate to see a random tiny thing lying in a heap or in a box and know it was once loved by someone.  So, I bring it home to be loved by me.  I have an old cabinet with screened doors where I stick all the teeny things I find. 

Lots of loveys from other people's childhood...and a few from my own.

Many tiny things I have brought home over the years.  The marbles were mine - when I was a kid, every time it rained, I could go out in our ditch and find marbles.  I filled up an entire jar full of found marbles back then.

I love that tiny worn dustpan in the middle - some little girl really used it - a lot!  The toaster with the rose was mine as are the little Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls.  The Steiff Ram on the edge was bought to sell, and I will someday.  The prices aren't what they used to be, so I will just love him a bit longer.

Two more Steiff - a lion and a Schnauzer - to be sold someday.  I think that pink poodle with the original tags is one of the very first vintage things I ever found - and fell in love with.

More things - many of these from the ebay stash.  Old kaleidoscope, tiny playing cards, wee ping pong paddles, marbles made from end of the day 7UP bottles (mine as a kid), blocks and a fun old giraffe, to name a few things.

All these bears and bunnies have arms and legs that snap off.  I found the white bunny first, then the other two bunnies in a free box along the way.  The three bears came as a group from Etsy. 

My sweet little toaster and dolls.

Some of my favorites.  A tiny little rabbit rattle, a nekkid baby in a stroller, a teeny doll in a teeny cup and another nekkid baby.  And, of course, that stinking dustpan. 

At that big digger sale I sent to last Fall, I bought a large amount of Fisher Price toys.  I have put most of them in the Flea Market booth and on ebay.  But, this "There was an Old Woman Who lived in a Shoe" has snuck into my heart.  I need to find some people to sit in the toe.

So, as you can plainly see, I do not collect vintage toys.  :)

It's just about time to put them away and bring out my beloved bunnies and chicks.  I ((heart)) my Easter stuff!