Patricia sent in so many great pictures that I added several of them to the Show & Tell pages, be sure to visit there too.

Say hello to Patricia!

I got into head vase collecting quite by accident. In 1993, I bought NAPCO # C1615 at a church rummage sale for $1. (pictured on side border) She still had the plastic flowers in her head. I didn't know ANYTHING about antiques - I just thought she'd be cute in my kitchen window to hold rings and things!

Two years later, I found myself divorced and in need of some extracirrular activities. So, I started hanging out with 3 fellow church members who loved to go "junking". On one of our first trips, I saw a vase similar to mine - it cost $42. I hurried home to check mine out closer and sure enough, I realized I must have a treasure! Newly divorced, I didn't have much extra money, so I just admired other people's vases for the next year or so, but I was able to collect a few during that time. The lady who has cleaned my house for about 20 years gave me a precious gift - just like #6 in plate 62 of the Cole book. This one still has the 37-cent price tag from Woolworth - Mrs. Lucille bought it herself when she was little.

Needless to say, this collecting is addictive and my collection has now grown to 38 head vases, the set of wall pockets in plate 249 of the Cole book, and several full lady figurines.

I've kept a journal of every one of my treasures - where it came from, why it "called my name", how I was feeling at the time of purchase. Sometimes I tell how much I paid for them, but sometimes, I'd rather not remember! There's usually a good story to go along with a good shopping trip - who I was with, where we ate that day, or the reason we were out splurging! I hope I can look back on these adventures when I grow old and remember how much fun I had. I even talk to my children in the journal, urging them to please not sell all my ladies for $1 at a rummage sale when I'm dead and gone! It's really been fun to name some of my ladies for people, or places, or even special occasions. I have one that reminds me especially of my junking buddy's daughter - so I left instructions in my journal to give that one to her when I'm no longer around.

As you can see from this photo, I already have 3 sizes in a set - NAPCOWARE #C7471, 7472, 7473. If anyone knows the whereabouts of "Miss 7474", please tell her to call me!

Most of the time, my 20 year old daughter rolls (Leslie) her eyes when I start telling someone about my collection, but I think she's just as proud of it as I am. We started her a collection of vases to complement mine - young ladies with a planter in their skirts - we have 12 of them now. I'm hoping Leslie will follow the tradition and become crazeee over "ladies" also.

Thank you Chrissy for creating this wonderful website and for allowing me to share my collection with the world via Internet.

Patricia Simon