Am I a hoarder?

Are you a hoarder? Do you collect things that you don’t really need?

I can remember my affinity for different materials  started when I was only eight or nine years old.  What do I do for a living?’ If I’m  into fashion, or if I am a fashion designer? My answer to all questions   is ‘NO.”

I’m the easiest person to hang around with. I’m a  jeans and a  t-shirt person.  No fancy earrings, no jewelries,  if I can avoid it.

Being the youngest of the girls,  and growing up in the company of our maids. It  was not the coolest idea of fun that I would like to spend my days with. When mum and dad were at home, I made sure I spent as much time as I can with them.

I remember my mum and dad staying at home during their time-off work making a project together.

  “A plywood board 2 meters long by 2 meters wide with hundreds of nails hammered onto it. Three years ago, I found out that it was called ‘Looming’. Mind you that was some 40 years odd later. I was so fascinated by the many colors inter-twined together creating a beautiful curtain and tapestry.

I like hanging around with them and fiddling with all  of  my mum’s sewing gadgets. I was so enthused that I even tried using her sewing machine.  In which unfortunately,  ended  in a great disaster.  My middle left-hand finger got caught with the needle and got stitched on. Blood was all over the machine. To make the matter worse, I tried to pull my finger and the needle broke whilst still stuck into my finger. The law of survival ‘act at once’ was applied. So, no antiseptic, no anesthesia, no tweezer. Dad just pulled the remaining part of the needle from my nail. Just imagine how painful I felt that time? My Dad’s  theory? ‘if it’s your fault don’t even think of crying about it,  for you will never get his sympathy.’  Yes, your assumption’s right! I didn’t get any. Until today, I can still see the punctured left by the needle on my finger nail.

Did you think I contemplated touching a sewing machine again after that incident? Well, that’s another story to tell in the near future. Meantime you can share with me your collection of materials you hoarded over the years. Do you have any? Do you frequently go to the bazaar and any places with garage sales, and can never resist the urge to buy those beautiful materials, ‘CHEAP  AS CHEAP’?

 

Pictured above were some of the fabrics I have collected over the past 19  years, not including the materials I collected when I was 10 years old.

A lot of my new collections are still in boxes. I don’t have  the  slightest  idea, as to when I will have a chance to sit and unpack all of them.

There will be about 500-800 that I have hoarded over the years.(could you imagine? )

From corduroys to tartans, silks and georgettes. Cottons, polyesters, rayons, nylons,lycras, gabardine, flannelettes and laces. Thermal-lined curtain materials, blankets and terry-towelling ones. Velvet, Flaid, Tweed, Plain, coloured, printed, flowers and animals, plants and trees, fruits and vegetables designs. Even those horrible and scary prints and a lot more. I’ve got them all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why I love to collect them? It’s because…

(1.)   I like to be surrounded by colors and patterns. They make me feel happy and

at peace with myself.

(2.)   I like the idea that when I have that moment thatI feel like creating something,

it is available straight away.

(3.)   There’re times I saw a pattern that I would like to copy and reproduce. Knowing

the materials are within my reach, I can easily play with the different fabrics

and colors, and come up with a style and designs of the pattern.

(4.)   The  thought of the “what if’”lingered on my head most of the times.

Having children,  I should be prepared for the unavoidable circumstances.

Like projects and bring a brick-brack sort of things to school. I find it very handy and

relaxing to know when my materials were there for the taking, and I don’t have to run around in short notices.

(5.)   Maybe, I am a merchant or a trades-woman in my previous life, that I like to look, buy and barter for things.

(6.)   Or it could be that I’m a sewer in my past life. Who knows? Maybe someday, I can create some beautiful outfit and become famous! Wouldn’t it be nice?

(7.)   Maybe, I’m suffering from post-traumatic experience that made me attracted to different colors and texture.

(8.)  Or maybe, I have a compulsive hoarding disease. Oh goodness gracious! I hope not.

What is compulsive hoarding disease?  According to  wikipedia:

 Compulsive hoarding  is more known as ‘hoarding disorder.’    Action characterize   excessive acquisition, inability or unwillingness to discard large quantities of objects

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsive_hoarding_truncated

It has been associated with health risks, impaired functioning, the economic burden, and adverse  effects on friends and family members.

Some signs of hoarding are:

(1)  They hold onto number of items that some people considered worthless.

(2)  The house is a mess where some parts of the house are inaccessible.

(3)  The clutter or mess is considered hazardous and can cause illness and distress.

(4)  Becoming anti-social. Not allowing people to come to the house due to being embarrass.

Well, I could definitely say I am not in that state yet as our house is still livable.

Friends can still come and sit anywhere in the house.  Mind you,  it’s happening too often.

I wish hubby will give it some thought.

I just love to collect them  and make use of them.

What do you think, am I a hoarder?

I am a hoarder in my own special way…ha ha ha. Do you say so?

Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.

 

 Zienna♥

 

Note: Coming up are postings about my collections.