ANNA MONICA

PHOTO: DONNA TERRIO of Garyville stands in front of a display cabinet filled with her treasured dolls and figurines. (Photo by Anna Monica) If you are talking about collectors, you have to be talking about Donna Terrio, whose home is something of a collector’s paradise. If you ask her what she collects, her first answer is “dust,” which is humorous to the rest of us but a serious work for her. Having collected coins since high school and being a gifted crafter, Terrio went to many shows, antique stores and flea markets and “before you knew it, I was collecting.” Not many people have seen every parade in LaPlace, but this Garyville resident has.”Rain or shine,” she says, “I was there.” She has an extensive collection of doubloons from every DuMonde parade and some complete sets. Her interesting thimble collection includes some from the grandmother’s and those mean the most to her. There are more than 100 action figures in her Star Wars collection which her son, Nathan Crotty, will inherit someday. Her matchbook collection is also extensive since Terrio has them from weddings, politicians, conventions and other events. One from the old Airline Motors restaurant in LaPlace sits in a demitasse cup also from there. Then, when it comes to stamps, she has her dad, Gerald Melancon’s, collection which he started as a young boy and to which she has added a few. She also keeps unusual stamps that come through the mail to someday make a collage. Much of Terrio’s precious collections sit behind glass as does her music boxes. That started in the 1970s when her mother-in-law, Gert Duhe, gave her one and continues to do so every year. Once, husband Danny took their young son, Donnie, Christmas shopping. Donnie just had to have a certain one at Roussel’s which he wanted to pay for himself. They put it on layaway and each month Donnie paid on it. Of course, today it is his mom’s favorite. The bell collection, also behind glass and of such materials as tin, glass, porcelain and crystal, comes from as far away as Ireland and “lots of vacations.” When Haydel’s Bakery started adding bisque dolls to their king cakes in 1990, Terrio collected them. She makes sure she gets the new one each year since they are different. This particular collection is a delightful surprise to most who visit her home. At least eight patterns of Terrio’s Depression glass are extensive but lacking more room, she satisfies her passion for it by having at least a cup and saucer in other patterns. This beautiful glass glistens in all light. They all love it and Terrio has to admit that of all her collectibles it is her favorite, especially because it was started with some of her mother’s wedding gifts over fifty years ago. Terrio’s collection of Barbie dolls began in 1988 when her sister-in-law gave the Christmas edition to daughter, Bethany Crotty. She collected them all until they stopped making them two years ago, but Terrio has plenty more including Bob Mackie’s, porcelain ones, Hallmark ornaments, Avon ornaments, music boxes (one is Swan Lake and the other The Nutcracker) and in all, her collection numbers more than 100. Several carnival ball gowns were inspired by the dress of her Empress Bride Barbie. Her at home business of machine embroidery is a priority for Terrio who has no trouble keeping busy and is an early riser to get her work done. She admits “I am a sentimentalist. That is why I collect so many things that have so much meaning. It is hard to get rid of something that has meaning.”