Sunday 7 July 2013

Storytelling Sunday 3 ~ The Matchbox

It’s the first Sunday of the month and that can only mean one thing. In Sian’s own words:

Storytelling Sunday Three? There is no excuse for not joining in with this one! Everyone can do it. Pick Your Precious is about celebrating the little things you love: those souvenirs, bits and pieces, things from your past you can't bear to throw out. You know, the special little something you have tucked away in a drawer or up on a shelf? Or the thing you love most in a room? Or the object you would save if you knew you had to leave the country? Your favourite things.

Sian had suggested a theme of travel for July, but, for me, the first week in July is all about Wimbledon and the Gold Hill fair. I’ve used both of these as a subject for Storytelling Sunday before. What else? The School Summer Fete and something that came to mind, while taking part in The Great Big Swap of Small Things.

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I was fairly sure I still had this prize winning matchbox tucked away somewhere. Thankfully it didn’t take long to find, in our incredibly hot attic, this afternoon. Carefully labelled by my 8 year old hand and filled with a multitude of very small things indeed. The competition being who could fit the most items inside the box.

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The accompanying list has long since disappeared, but I know there were 100 items on it. That was my aim, when I started to fill it. My Dad said I’d never do it, so of course that made me all the more determined. Each one had to be different.

The largest things include a patch, from my puncture repair kit, and a raffle ticket. Among the smallest are a seed bead and a tiny button from Action Girl’s clothes. There are pieces of elastic, lace, fabric, tissue, cellophane and thread. A pin, needle, popper, hook and eye, staple and paper clip.

The dust cap from my bike tyre and an apple pip. Sindy’s fork and a piece from an Airfix kit. I wonder if my brother missed that last one? A spare brush from one of our Scalextric cars and a strip of ammunition from my cap gun. As I put them all back in the box, they conjured up many memories from my childhood.

When I first looked at the photo, I noticed the ivory coloured thing nestling in the middle and for one horrible moment I thought it was a tooth. It’s not. I can no longer recall what my prize was, but more than likely a book token, probably for the princely some of a pound. I would have been delighted with that.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and commenting on the other 26 stories (so far) between games in this afternoon’s epic Wimbledon final. The perfect way to ease the tension. Find them all over at Sian’s place From High in the Sky.

PS If you’re one of the winners from my giveaway, please could you let me have your address and colour choices as soon as possible. Thank you.

29 comments:

debs14 said...

100 items?! What a collection, and what a good thing that you've held on to it all this time.

Jess said...

Ahh that's so sweet, well done on getting 100 items into a matchbox. Did poor Cindy have to eat with a spoon & knife if her fork was in there lol!

Carin McDonough said...

100 items! wow that is a talent all in itself :D What a lovely treasure to have from your child hood especially as most of the items inside will bring back their own memories :)

Alison said...

What an amazing thing to have kept! Like a time capsule from your childhood - how evocative.

Lesley Ratcliff said...

I think it's amazing you have kept this

Jane said...

I can remember one of my children doing that for school, I don't think they managed 100 though.

Jo.C said...

That is brilliant and I love that it brought memories back. Would have really upset me to take buttons off dolls clothes but I may well have cut off a lock of their hair :0)

Rachel Brett said...

Oh wow a 100 items! How lovely to look back through and remember what each little token means. Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment :)

Sabrina DS said...

What a cool collection! Thanks for sharing your precious story with us and for leaving a sweet comment on my blog. xoxo from Bordeaux

Maria Ontiveros said...

What a fun memory!
Rinda

Lisa said...

Wow!! 100 hundred things in a matchbox! That's amazing and great that you still have it too! I'm gonna set my 3 a challenge to do this over the summer now Thank you so much for sharing, Fiona.

A great read as always :D

Lisa
xx

Beverly said...

Now that is determination and resourcefulness. I hope you enjoyed the book you chose :)

Jen said...

How wonderful to still have your matchbox. My 2yougest children did something similar when they were small in primary school, but they had to fill a mini Smarties box. You box must be full of memories. I loved reading your story, it has brought back some memories for me. J x

scrappyjacky said...

I can remember doing this as well...but I'm sure I got nowhere near that sort of number.

Mel said...

Wow its like how many people can you fit into a mini! I teach and our kids recently had to do Britain in a box and fill a shoebox with artefacts and I was truly in awe of some of them. Plenty of teabags, royal paraphernalia and one boy even made and painted a big Ben plaster of Paris! I loved it!

Ladkyis said...

what a fabulous thing and how wonderful that you didn't empty it out as soon as you got it home. if you took them out and photographed them it would make a really good page.....well, it would!

Sian said...

oh, this is my kind of precious! I love it..you have made me quite envious..I am very tickled by the idea of 100 little things all safely tucked up in a matchbox for all that time. Unpacking it would be a treat.

thanks Fiona..you've got me thinking now. maybe we need to do a challenge?

Becky said...

I loved reading this! What a lot you managed to put into a matchbox. I love that you can see the price of the matchbox on the front too!

Alison said...

Not only am I amazed that you got 100 items in the matchbox, but also that you Still have it!
Alison xx

Lou said...

that is quite a collection of small things you have there. The thing that popped out was ammunition from your cap gun....i remember them well! x

Abi said...

I have a strange recollection of doing something like this as a child! Great memories there.

Unknown said...

100 items in one little matchbox was an amazing feat! What a cool story.

Lisa-Jane said...

Oh my goodness! I can't believe you got so many things in or that you kept it! That's 100 little memories, right there. Love it x

Jo said...

I think it's amazing that you managed to get 100 things in the matchbox and even more amazing that you still have it x

Cheri said...

I never did anything like this in school but would have really enjoyed the challenge. Amazing that you still have it!

Estelle Grace Tudor said...

Can't believe you got 100 items in there - amazing! Lovely story.

Hugs, Estelle xx

Anonymous said...

What an amazing collection to fit into a matchbox!

jeanie g said...

This is a truly precious story and would make a great project to put all your items into a hanging to display don't you think?
Thank you for visiting my blog too and for leaving me a comment. I bet your daughter a clever girl, our Daisy is, despite recent reports in the news that low weight babies don't progress very well!

Missus Wookie said...

Oh now that is a well thought out way to meet a challenge, I remember £1 book tokens too. Thanks for the memories your list brought back. Agreeing with others that a list and a photo would make a wonderful page :)