I too love to collect things, and have been a collector since I was a little kid. When I was little, my Mom started me on a porcelain doll collection; for every special occasion she would get me a gorgeous doll...I loved them, and still have all of them, although I haven't gotten any recently...The only one I've gotten in years is a little German dressed porcelain doll from a shop in the "German" area of Disney World...She was so beautiful I couldn't resist her.
Alas, the thing I collect now is Crystals, Rocks, and Minerals...When I was young, I started a collection...I LOVED rocks, and learned all about them...Then, I just stopped collecting...Then, my hippy girlfriend opened a Hippy-type store with all sorts of healing stones, Crystals and Minerals...Well, you can just say I got back 'into' collecting really, really fast! Not only are the beautiful, but I also believe in the healing properties of Crystals and Minerals. I have a huge cabinet FULL of stuff, and need to get another very soon, as I am running outta room!
I also LOVE jewelry...Precious (Diamonds, Emeralds, etc.) and Semi-precious (Lapis Lazuli, Rhodochrosite, Quartz, etc.)...I have about a dozen large-stone bracelets, and I guess you could say I'm a jewelry collector too! Collecting the semi-precious stuff goes right along with the Rock/Mineral/Crystal collecting....It is SO MUCH FUN, and getting into all the different healing properties these stones have is not only interesting, but really fun....And I can honestly say I feel I've benefitted from the healing properties of minerals....I guess I'm just a crunchy granola chick at heart!