I’m always looking for a way to preserve memories of my travels. After all, anyone can visit souvenir shops to buy tea towels, salt and pepper sets, key chains, t-shirts, etc . But how many of any of those do you—or anyone on your souvenir list—really want or need?
I try to think of special and meaningful uses of things that cost little or nothing.
For instance, some countries have unique currencies, Czech Republic and Yugoslavia among them. So, at the end of your trip, you’ll find you have random coins which banks will not buy back. Why not find a good jeweler, buy a link silver bracelet, have the jeweler polish the coins (or coin), and enclose in a bezel to attach to a bracelet or necklace? You’ll have a keepsake at far less cost than someplace catering to tourists.
Or, collect one coin of each denomination and maybe one unit of paper currency. Hobby Lobby can affix them to velvet or satin. Then shadow box frame this set from your Greek, Italian, or English trip! And it is unlike anything anyone else has!
I also like to buy pen and ink notecards. European frame/print sizes don’t conform to US sizes. Besides, note cards travel much more easily. Once home, I again visit Hobby Lobby (always with a coupon), mat one, two, or four in a single frame, and you have—again—a special remembrance at a nominal cost.
jarrva world wide 