Two Twenty One

Favorite Souvenirs

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. I love going to new places, seeing the sights, learning about the history and culture, and sampling the food. Bringing back souvenirs is also something I look forward to when traveling.

I started collecting artwork as souvenirs when I was in Florence, Italy in 2005. One of the wonderful things about Florence is the amazingly talented street artists. I purchased this water color of the Florence skyline from a street artist outside the Museo de Uffizi.


I picked up a handful of watercolor reprints while in Paris. Here’s one that I framed and display in my home office.


The tradition of picking up local art continued when we went on a Caribbean cruise in 2008. This is a watercolor reprint of Magens Bay in St. Thomas.


I don’t collect many things, but I do hoard collect pashminas and scarves. Whenever we go on vacation I look for a pashmina or scarf to bring back.

These pashminas are from the Alaskan and Caribbean cruises we went on.


The pashmina on the left is from Ireland. The other ones are from Italy. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy haggling with the street vendors in Italy. I brought back pashminas for my female friends and family members because they were inexpensive, and they didn’t take up too much room in my luggage.


I love to enlarge, matte, and frame photos I take on vacation. These 16×20 photos that I took of the Duomo de Firenze, a canal in Venice, and the Eiffel Tower hang in our great room.


In case you haven’t caught on, I like to save things. Some call it hoarding, some call it saving. I say saving. One of the things I like to save from vacations are my ticket stubs. I framed my ticket stubs from the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre. And who goes to Paris without picking up a miniature Eiffel Tower? No one, that’s who.


I lived in Ireland for 10 weeks my senior year of college. Coming home with a bag full of Cadbury chocolate was a no brainer. But I thought it would be wise to bring home some non-edible souvenirs as well.

The claddagh that reads “Fáilte”, which means “welcome”, hangs beside our front door.

I also brought back a bell with a calddagh on top. When I’m sick, I ring it to beckon Brad.

I love my cute little Russian nesting doll that I got in Sitka, Alaska.

What are your favorite souvenirs?
What was your favorite vacation destination?


I’m linking up with Centsational Girl.

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Comments

  1. The Tryons says

    I love this post! I got a mini eiffel tower in Paris too! I gave it to my boyfriend/now husband. I don’t think we have it anymore, but I really wish that I had gotten some watercolors..I only have one from our honeymoon in Gatlinburg. I never even thought to blow up and frame any of the pictures I took. I will have to see if I have any good ones and get on the ball!!

    Reply

  3. [email protected] says

    I’m a “saver” too! My husband always tries to get me to throw stuff out, but I like to keep it. I love the way you’ve framed tickets and photos from your trips, it’s such a classy way to show off your “saving” 🙂

    Reply

  5. Donna says

    The watercolors are gorgeous. I frame ticket stubs, too. Unfortunately, my ticket stubs are not of so glorious a location as the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. LOL

    Reply

  9. Mary { Something Nice } says

    ha ha! I love it. I totally have a tiny eiffel tower( from a teenage Paris excursion), and I have all sorts of ticket stubs etc, that I need to go about framing now that I’ve stumbled upon this cute pic!!

    I think you’d like my giveaway, I’m treating one lucky lady to a new Brahmin handbag. Come by and check it out: http://www.some-thing-nice.com

    Reply

  10. Ruth says

    I am so excited by this post. I will be in Paris Next weekend (not this upcoming, but the one after that)!!!!! I have already promised the kids mini Eiffel Towers, and myself a visit to the Louvre and flee markets. Thanks for the street art idea. I have a water color from Boston I should frame and hang, and some from Paris would be a good Idea for my empty empty walls 🙂

    http://www.diyforums.net/ruth/blog/

    Reply

  13. Jayme and Mendi says

    Your watercolor prints and pashminas are so beautiful!! We have a habit of always buying one significant purchase a piece on each vacation we take. Last year in Chicago, I bought my first Tiffany bracelet and a Tory Burch bag, while the hubz walked away with a Nixon watch. This year’s trip to San Francisco in September holds so much promise! 😉

    I can’t wait to do more travel internationally, but we vowed to see some of our favorite US cities before we travel abroad again!!

    Mendi @ Her Late Night Cravings

    Reply

  14. rdowney86 says

    We always buy a deck of cards. We have a drawer full. I love the idea of buying artwork to display though, I might have to take up that as my souvernir shopping now!!!

    Reply

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