Just One Thing.

If you grew up in Canada, chances are that you, your brother, your cousin or that kid down the street had a table hockey set at one point or another. If you're unfamiliar, basically picture a mini version of an ice hockey rink complete with little players, a little puck and rods that move the players around....in other words, hours of fun for kids that didn't have Nintendo (not that I'm complaining).

When I was about 8 or 9 I received a hand-me down table hockey set from one of my older cousins. The rink itself was made out of metal, and I'm almost certain that I cut myself on it a couple of times. It was a bit beat up, some of the players from different teams were missing (no Vancouver Canucks goalie), we used marbles or checkers instead of the original little puck but regardless, my friends and I had a blast.

I'd forgotten about the table set until this afternoon when I was going through my storage room and stumbled across a storage tote with all of the players. I had no idea that they were even in the city with me - I figured that we'd gotten rid of everything years ago, but low and behold there they were....six teams, some with broken sticks, some a bit scratched up, but kind of cool none the less.

I had no idea what I was going to do with my players until I had a sudden brainwave. You see, a couple weeks ago I woke up at a ridiculous hour and went to a gigantic community garage sale in one of those fairly well-to-do neighbourhoods....you know the type. They're selling stuff that's never been used, etc, etc. Anyways, I'd picked up a really cool glass vase for a dime (apparently rich people aren't opposed to selling their crap for pennies on the dollar) and I figured 'hey why not!'

And behold, the result - 

Kind of cool huh? These guys will make for a neat centerpiece on my dining room table until I figure out what else I can do with them. Perhaps a garland of them come Christmas? Hmm.

Any ideas?

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And the winner is....

When it comes down to it, I'm probably the last guy in the world that will ever win a trophy for a sporting endeavor. I'm clumsy, can't throw or catch any sort of ball to save my life, I can't skate backwards and basically have the attention of a squirrel when it comes to trying to understand anything sports related.

http://www.reuters.com

Yet, I currently have giant silver plated trophy cup sitting on my kitchen counter. How that did that happen? How, after confessing my lack of sporting panache did I end up with a piece worthy of someone with some actual skill and talent? Did I practice night and day? Did I cheat? Did I steal it? Just how did I end up with the most beautiful of trophy cups?

I bought it.

And do you want to know the best part of this story (besides the fact that I bought my own trophy)? This isn't the first time that I've done this. In fact, I'm slowly building a collection of vintage trophy cups.

Why?

Because I can.

http://primitiverughooking.typepad.com

It's not so much the fact that I'm looking to fill a void in my life, or to makeup for the fact that I'm terrible at sports (in fact, I can't bring myself to watch most sporting events....even if there's beer involved). My desire to bring these pieces into my space is purely for the purpose of showing them off. They're eye candy at it's finest...plus they look good on a shelf and they're stupidly cheap.

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So far, my collection really hasn't served any real purpose or function other than to look nice and collect dust. Actually, right now my other pieces are wrapped up in storage until I figure out how to properly display them. But after picking up my most recent find, my mind has been working in overtime to come up with a use for my pieces.

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I spent a bit of time last night checking out old magazines a few blogs to see if I could come up with some ideas, but basically I've come to the conclusion that the only purpose that my pieces will serve is to look pretty, collect dust, possibly hold some flowers and let me pretend that I'm an accomplished athlete. My sport of choice? Skeleton racing. Have I ever skeleton raced? No. Will I ever skeleton race? Probably not.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com

And as if I don't have enough projects on the go both work and not work related, I've decided that as soon as I get home tonight I'm pulling the rest of my pieces out of storage to pick out which ones I want to polish and which will keep their aged patina finish. I'm thinking that the mix will add to the look that I'm going for....not that I've totally figured out where these pieces are going to be making their home.

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I promise to throw up some pictures once I've got the lot sorted out and have come down from my silver polish high. Heck, maybe I'll start hunting around to see if I can find some vintage bowling trophies to throw into the mix (I kid! I kid! Although Mister's Dad has a pile of them....). That or maybe I should start looking for a tall wardrobe or sideboard that I can display these pieces on....hmm...

What are you on the hunt for this summer?

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Show it off.

It doesn't matter what you're into - be it books, trophy cups, art, dishes, candle sticks, shells, toy cars (okay, no toy cars) or vintage pottery, you can grow and develop your collections to add to warmth and character to your home. Besides, who really wants to live in a space that's generic and boring looking?

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com

That said before you start going all collection crazy on me, showing off every single one of your Pez dispensers, I've got some tips and advice to share with you.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com

First off, when it comes to collections I like to display items in odd numbers. There's just something more meaningful about items when they're not in pairs. Odd numbers create a powerful statement that ad interest and character.

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Grouping your collections by colour or tone can add to the sense of cohesiveness. Why not group all of your white pottery together? Or do like I did and mix and match a selection of thrift store frames unified with a couple coats of black paint.

http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com

When assessing your collections and deciding which of your pieces you'd like to display, consider the idea of displaying no more than three collections per room. I've read this idea in a few different books and it's a rule that I try to stick to. The last thing that you want is for your living room to start feeling like a boutique.

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It's important to remember that collections are for loving and enjoying. So many individuals have things that they love and adore tucked away in closets and back cupboards. I say, "what are you waiting for?!?" Mix it up! Shake it up! Open those cupboard doors, dust that china off and enjoy! Sort through those stacks of old family photos and find new ways to honour your family and those that you care about.

http://www.paleandinteresting.com

Still not sure what you're doing? Look to catalogues and designer boutiques for inspiration. I love flipping through Pottery Barn catalogues to see how they showcase their accessories. They're always coming up with different and unique ideas - some of them a bit out of the box but worth a peek.

That said, consider switching up the pieces that you have on display from time to time. I like to keep my pieces fresh looking, plus by switching things up you create a sense of excitement for your guests.

http://www.styleathome.ca

And lastly, remember that your collections are what help make you YOU. It's all about showing off what defines you as an individual. That said, donating your collection of zebra print articles to charity. You don't want to scare your guests!

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