an easy way to honor your family and personalize your home is by adopting some of their hobbies. my grandfather's collection of swizzle-drink stirrers looks BEYOND pretty sitting in a julip cup on my bar- and some sticks are over 50 years old! my favorite women in the world: my mother, my grandmother and my aunts, all collected limoges boxes. today my sister and I add to our collections by giving limoges boxes to each other as a fond reminder of a special trip or event. and don't be afraid to let the world know about your collections - it makes gift giving much happier and easier for all involved (you are simply doing everyone a favor by educating them). petite collections are great decorating tools in smaller spaces such as shelving and desk tops. but a group of vintage napkins or table cloths can be displayed neatly folded in a basket or framed along an entire kitchen wall. tip: to keep collections from exploding, be specific about your pieces. for example, i only collect the green/blue and pink mccoy pottery vases and pots - it looks better/cleaner in clusters and works with the other colors and designs in my home. have fun!
