When Penelope Tuck hits the antique shops and boot sales, she makes sure she has all her collector's heads on.
The retired lecturer from Clacton has three distinct groups of items to search for - Blue Peter annuals, glass milk bottles with printed adverts and darning mushrooms.
Younger readers may not even know what the latter are.
Penelope explained: "A darning mushroom is made of wood in a mushroom shape.
"People used to darn their socks when they got holes in them.
"They would stretch the sock over the darning mushroom to hold it in position while they repaired it.
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"It's the sort of thing that people might find in their mother or grandmother's work box."
She added: "I started collecting them about 25 years ago and bought my first for about 25 pence - now, they cost about £3 to £5 each."
Penelope, a mother of two, has around 100 darning mushrooms, which are displayed in a converted wardrobe in her home.
Out in the garage, she has a collection solely dedicated to glass milk bottles which have adverts on them.
Production of such items started in the mid-1920s, promoting the sale of dairy products and other goods, and which were later emblazoned with war-time messages.
"I've got about 100 of those as well," said Penelope.
"They're getting harder to come by now at the sales though.
"I can't imagine ever selling them."
And Penelope's other collection is of Blue Peter annuals.
She has every yearly book from the first in 1964 to the present day, which she originally bought as presents for her two daughters.
"They loved Blue Peter, so they'd always have an annual in their stocking at Christmas," said Penelope, who used to teach business administration at Colchester Institute.
"It's really interesting looking through them, seeing how the fashions have changed over the years."
She added: "I'm looking for replacements for the first three, because they aren't in very good condition."
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