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Unlike toy collectors who looks for pristine pieces sealed inside their original packaging, I collect previously loved toys that are still able to withstand the imaginations of my own toddler.

I've always love collecting stuff. It began with stamps and stickers. While living in Germany, I collected Die Schlumpfe (aka Smurfs). In high school I began my Coca-Cola collection. In college it was basketball cards and comic books. Also, somewhere along the way, I've amassed a small collection of postcards and ticket stubs.

While my stamps and stickers are long gone, I still have a basket full of Schlumpfe, shelves packed with Coca-Cola memorabilia and bottles, and a closet full of comic books and basketball cards.

Over the years, I have learned to collect what I adore. My newest and ongoing project is to pare down my current collections, and only hold on to my dearest pieces. While I still look at my PVC Schlumpfe and smile, my most prized piece is a ceramic Schlumpfe bank which I purchased on a trip to Spain.

I was feeling nostalgic when I started toy collecting. I was surprised to find that Fisher-Price no longer made the Play Family line, and decided to buy a few of these older toys so my son would know the joy of playing with these sweet little people. Now, the Castle (#993) is a favorite with it's trap door and moving draw bridge. Another great toy is the School House (#2550) with yet another trap door and a moving lunch line. (I'm still looking to add the little girl with glasses to my collection!). While my son plays with some of my collection, there are a few pieces which I save just for display. The Little People Sesame Street set is a favorite, and I try to keep it from getting any additional wear.

The Fisher-Price little people have evolved over the years. In 1990 they were redesigned into Chunky Little People. While I don't particularly think these Chunkies are quite as adorable as the earlier version, my son loves his Action Ramps Garage set (#2593). They were redesigned yet again in 1997 to a more articulated version. The current versions are not quite as adorable as the Chunkies.

I also collect other Fisher-Price toys, including pull toys and music boxes. Their wind up toys which require no batteries are simple to use, and fun to play with. My son loves his Giant Screen Music Box TV (#114N) which plays "The People In Your Neighborhood." Fisher-Price made and still makes quality toys which can captivate a childs imagination.

Little Tikes also makes quality toys. They make a very cute line of little people called Toddle Tots. I began collecting the older style egg shaped ones at garage and yard sales. They are easier to find then the Fisher-Price Little People, and the Toddle Tots are just great for playful toddlers. My favorite sets are the Wee Waffle Primary Castle and the Wee Waffle Space Set with a Waffle Block Shuttle, Astronaut, and Robot. The Wee Waffles are Waffle Blocks which are great for building. I'm sure we have all we need, but I still pick up a few more pieces here and there.

Wooden toys are another favorite of mine. Playskool made some really cute wood toys including their puzzles. The puzzles I find in the stores now (even the Playskool ones) are so horribly done, that I'm so glad to have these older treasures.

The Lesney Matchbox cars are actually my Mother's collection. She purchased them, and packed them away in a couple of shoeboxes for all these years. Here are SOME of the ones that didn't STAY in the shoeboxes.

Tupperware toys are pretty nostalgic for me also. I played happily with my Shape-O sorter and the Zoo-It Yourself set when I was a small and when I found them, I couldn't pass them up.

Weebles are just cute. I never had these when I was small, and the older style are sometimes a bit pricy, so I expect my Weeble page to remain a bit sparse. Someday I might splurge on an old style Winnie the Pooh Weeble, but for now I'll just look at this cute picture which I saved from an eBay Auction I didn't win. I did picked up several of the "newer" ones (© 1995) at a garage sale, so there they are for all to enjoy.

Lego is still one of my all time favorite toys. You can never have too much Lego, Duplo or Primo. I know my page is quite lacking, but I just wanted a Lego page. Someday I'll update it with better pictures ... Well, I've updated! I scrounged through my brothers lego bins for a couple of old lego sets I remembered from when we were younger. I found out these were from the FABULAND ® line. Boy are these animal characters cute! Well, I added them and several new DUPLO pictures to the Lego page, and did a remodel. My page is a little more respectable now. (Update: 9/15/00)

The Block Puzzle was just a garage sale find. It looked old and interesting so there it is. I know next to nothing about it. The lady I purchased it from said it came from an old estate sale.

I have also added toy listings. Images in the listings are not necessarily made by me, but I try to be very clear where they came from, and give appropriate credit. (Update: 2/14/2001)

I work on this site on and off. I still have quite a few toys that I haven't photographed yet. I use my small but trusty Intel Create and Share Camera. It's a few years old and has a few problems, but has served me pretty well. All toy pictures have been taken by me with the exception of the ones clearly identified (such as "donated by...") in the text as not mine. I received a Fuji FinePix 1400 Zoom Digital Camera for Christmas, so some of the images posted in 2001 are from this camera. I really love this camera, but still use my Intel for smaller items.(Update: 2/14/2001, 2/18/2001)

My site is pretty low-tech as far as what I use to create it. I write all my html files in edit pad, a very nice text editor. I also use an early version of Paint Shop Pro to edit my image files. Nothing too fancy, but it works for me. (Update: 2/18/2001)

I hope you enjoy my site!