Decorating with collectibles is a great way to express your individuality

Whether you collect stamps or golf memorabelia, display them to their best advantage

Decorating with collectibles is a natural outlet when you are a dyed-in-the-wool collector. It doesn't matter what type of collector you are. You may collect items that reflect your passions or hobbies. Perhaps you have a sense of the past and want to keep traditions alive. Maybe you inherited a family collection and feel the need to enlarge it. Whatever you reason for collecting, eventually you have to do something with it.

Below are a few ideas for decorating with collectibles you can use to add interest to your home and show off your collections.

Stamp Collections Ideas When Decorating with Collectibles

• Paint and distress an old mailbox. Use white glue or decoupage medium to adhere stamps to box.
Place by an entry way as a place to leave messages, notes, shopping lists and errand reminders as you leave home.
• Look for some old pictures and frames at yard sales. When you have what you want, paint or stain the frame. Decoupage the frame with stamps to coordinate with the map. You can use stamps of the country, specialized stamps such as Disney, sports, holidays, etc., person stamps such as Washinton, Elvis, etc. or even event stamps such as the Olympics, Breast Cancer Research, etc.
• Stamps can be placed between sheets of specialized placemats that can be purchased in craft stores.

Displaying Photos when Decorating With Collectibles

When decorating with collectibles, you may not think of family photos as being in that class. However, who doesn't have boxes of photos and shelves of albums stored away. With the new technology available today, it's fun to bring these out to be viewed and enjoyed.

If you prefer not to use your original photos and you have a computer, scan your photos and use them in these projects. Copy your scanned pictures onto photo transfer paper. This can be obtained at craft and fabric stores or quilt shops. Once your photos are transferred, trim the edges with decorative edge scissors that can be purchsed at craft stores. When that is fininshed, here are a few thoughts to get you going:

• Your photos can be transferred onto clothing for wearable art
• Transfer to a tablecloth. If the people in the photos are around, have them autograph the photos. Use on a side table and cover the cloth with glass to protect the cloth. This is a good technique to use when trying to come up with a special gift for a wedding, anniversary, graduation, etc.
• Magnetic paint is great for creating e your own magnetic board. Find a great frame to match your decor. Cut a piece of plywood or heavy chipboard to fit the frame. Paint with 3 coats of magnetic paint. Let paint dry between coats. Use acrylic paint to paint board to match your decor. Leave a plain color or faux paint any way you prefer. When dry, spray with clear acrylic spray and place in frame.
• The above technique can also be used directly on an awkward shaped wall area in your home. Paint the wall or corner directly with magnetic paint. Use molding nailed directly onto the wall to make a frame for your picture display.
• If you are displaying antique photos, find some antique buttons and hot glue magnets onto the back of the buttons to hold photos in place. By using this technique, you can change your photos often and never tire of looking at the display.

Displaying Collectibles from Various Collections

Often if you have several collections, there is not enough room to display everything. One of the ways to get around this when decorating with collectibles is to display souveniers and collectibles by color.

Choose a background display color in the same or coordinating color as the collection. Perhaps you have some green glass, a green tin can, a few green books and maybe even a shawl in a shade of green. Place these all together on a tea cart that is sprayed green and suddenly you have a collection people will enjoy looking at.

Once you start looking at collections by color, you may be inspired to collect even more items of your favorite color.

Decorating with Collectibles when Golf Memorabilia is Your Passion

A love of golf and its history drives golf enthusiasts to constantly collect golf memorabilia and constantly expand their collections. Balls and tees, pencils and equipment, along with posters are some of the favorite golf collectibles. Here are a few ideas for decorating with golf collectibles:

• As always when decorating with collectibles, group similar items together to create an impact.
• Group golf balls in an antique wire ball basket
• Decoupage an old umbrella stand with golf posters. Use to store old golf clubs

• Place a hat rack in the corner for hanging a collection of golf hats
• Buy a glass flower frog at a florist or craft shop and use it to show off golf pencils
• Frame maps of famous golf courses and place on the walls over your collectibles
• Make a display of antique pictures showing golf wear of years gone by
• Place golf tees in a clear decorative container on your desk