Junk Love Monday: The Collection That Shall Not Be

We generally have very little restraint when it comes to adding new collections to the ever-growing list. But, believe it or not, we do occasionally have to put effort into not collecting certain things. These are usually items that tempt us with their beauty and/or quirkiness, but to buy one would open the proverbial Pandora's box. We might not have room for a full collection, or the funds to really apply ourselves to it. And still these items taunt us, tempt us, and haunt us wherever we go. And so, we introduce the first Collection That Shall Not Be: vintage potato chip cans.

From FayeTravisVintage on Etsy

I love potato chips. I inherited this from my father, who used to press his face to the living room window waiting for the Charles Chips man. I also love tins, which makes it doubly difficult to resist buying vintage potato chip cans. They have great graphics, and they used to have chips in them! But, I have to constantly remind myself of two things: 1. Chip cans are large, which means they take up a lot of space, which we don't have a lot of; and 2. Chip cans aren't very expensive--you can get some good ones for pretty cheap, which is a dangerous way to start a collection of large things. They're too easy to buy....

From SundayTown on Etsy

The trouble is that we see them everywhere. If there was a reward for finding old chip cans, I would be rolling in money right now. Sometimes, we might go to 4 different antique malls in the same day, and come across a dozen different potato chip cans before we go home. This is why I'm not allowed to buy one. Whenever I fall in love, which happens fairly regularly, we have to have The Conversation....

Her: If you like it, you could buy it.
Me: We have no room.
Her: We could make room.
Me: What about all the others? You know if I buy one, I won't be able to turn down the rest.
Her: You're right. Potato chip cans are a gateway drug.

From ElaineMary on Etsy

It sounds funny, but we're serious. Sometimes, when you fall in love with good junk, you close your eyes and envision the life you can make together. I close my eyes and know with absolute certainty that my collection will be huge. I will become the girl who can't say no. The collection will get out of hand, my other things will be obscured by my mountain of large tins, and then I'll either have to put them in storage or officially stop collecting. A crew will have to come extract me from my house, because I won't be able to get to the door.  My depression will be contagious, monarchies will fall, icebergs will melt....Seriously, I cannot allow myself to buy the first potato chip can, because I won't be able to stop myself.

From sugarSCOUT on Etsy

But I can certainly look.

From VintageCoolETC on Etsy

From AGoGoVintage on Etsy

From Thebeezkneezvintage on Etsy