No, I never set out to have a collection of tins. There have been a few folks peppered throughout my life that I have known who intentionally collect tins. Not me. I never even considered it. Yet, here I am with a decent little collection of vintage metal tins.
Once again, my grandmother is to blame for this. Oh that woman had a lot of things! Fortunately many of those things were lovely, or interesting at the very least.
You see when I was young my grandmother was quite a baker. Her cookies were heaven. She was well known for a few specialties in the cookie department. Unfortunately, some how most of those recipes have been misplaced and I have never been able to replicate the melt in your mouth sugar sandies that she used to make. She would make up batches of cookies at a time and send them to us in her metal tins (vintage even then). We would get a box with a couple of tins, we would open the old clanging lids to peel back layers of wax paper to reveal the goodness inside.
This one has become my well worn button tin
We always had to return the tins so that they could be re-used for future batches of cookies. When my grandmother passed, I elected to keep a couple of the tins to use for storage of buttons and other sewing accouterments. Handy things those tins, though from time to time I find myself looking at them and being overcome with a mad craving for peanut butter chocolate bites.
One day I was at my local thrift shop looking for this and that and there was a funny old tin that caught my eye. Upon seeing the $.99 price tag it jumped into my hands and came home with me.
Another day, many moons later, Pony Girl and I found ourselves at a garage sale. While PG was making me proud negotiating the price of a doll, I spied a couple of sweet vintage tins. I wasn't going to purchase them, you see I don't collect tins. I just thought I would casually ask the price and say oh well no thank you. However, when the woman had been talked down on the doll to a mere $3.50, she announced, you can throw in the tins for $.50 to round up to $4.00 as I'm running out of quarters for change.
And so now I seem to be fairly well tinned. Since there are more than 3 it makes for a collection. I truly never meant for this to happen.
I love old tins! I have a few that came from my husband's grandmother and I really treasure them. Guess what? One of them is an Ole South tin! I use it whenever I make a smallish batch of cookies or fudge.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a fan of old tins, and mine have all come into my possession via family members. I also have an affection for new tins with pleasing designs. Again, most of mine have been gifts, but very occasionally I will buy one....
ReplyDeleteI do regularly use some of mine as storage for sugar cookies I bake.
Your Riley's tin is a gem! xo
I purposely collect them, I would love to have some that have a close personal story like yours. Guess I'll have to work on that with my grandkids! (pity about those recipes!)
ReplyDeleteGrandmothers do inspire a lot of collections! I remember tins of cookies back in my day, too. Your vintage tins are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love these old tins, I am always collecting them (sometimes I make little creatures to sit on them) most of the time they are stacked high in my studio
ReplyDeleteLauren
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