Collecting Vintage Souveniers

Last week I received a little box in the mail from Cactus Creek's Etsy Shop. (Thank you Fancy!)...I recently found something else to add to my souvenir collection. This is another collection I never really intended to start...these things just happen. Like my bottle collection, my pitcher collection and from the look of my tack room...my saddle collection. It seems if you have one or two items people will see that you "collect" them and begin to give you more of these to add to your "collection." Yes, someone gave me a saddle, not counting the one my husband gave me.

But, my souvenirs, are genuinely my choices. I began buying up old vintage 1940's - 70's souvenirs several years ago...things that had special significance to me...places I had been, places I'd like to live or they just seemed to have my name of them for some odd reason and I scooped them up.

I added the new cup and saucer to other small souvenirs and toys

(another collection that just happened)

A few of my favorite souvenirs....

Found this at a local thrift store for $6

 The yellow pennant is vintage 1940 or earlier. It's a nice soft flannel and still in great condition. 

The red is felt and too in good shape. Ebay $4 and $1. They are enjoyable to look at while I'm doing laundry!

Rick found this in Hillsville a few years ago. One of our favorite buying trips every year.

Souvenir collecting is fun because it is relatively inexpensive....heck, it's just cheap or even free. A few ideas  to start your collection are ceramics like you see here....state plates, gas station pottery, or fridge magnets. 

Some paper items would be stamps, postcards or matchbooks or memorabilia  from the circus when it came through your town.

We all  remember and used to buy t-shirts from every concert or music festival we attended in the 70's and 80's...those are now collectible and found on ebay and other online auction sites. Oh, and Harley t-shirts from every stop on the road...how could I not mention those. We have a few left from our younger, wilder days that aren't completely thread bare. These are to be worn and not put away!

You may run across ornaments and snow globes in thrift or antique stores as well as pens and jewelry.

In my first years of collecting anything, I wouldn't buy souvenirs of any kind. I didn't like the fact that there was something printed on the item. Now, I find a lot of them quite charming. 

We've found several souvenirs in the estate items for the shop.... 

A bowl from Bargain Furniture High Point, NC and lots of ash trays

Boxes of travel 1950's - 1970's brochures and maps galore 

 Do you collect souvenirs? Do you make scrapbooks of vacations with your paper souvenirs? I'm thinking of decoupaging a table top or a tray for my screened in porch with some of these vintage brochures. I will be so busy this summer I don't think I will go anywhere far away, but I can dream while I sit on the porch sipping lemonade or sweet tea. Want some for yourself? Give me a holler.