create your own: inexpensive, easy souvenirs

Oh, ha-ey! How’d your week end up? We’re finally getting winter ’round here, in all it’s Phoenix glory.  The days are cool, the nights are chilly, and it’s nothing short of fantastic! Before I throw my last vacation photo dump at you, I thought I’d share some of the souvenirs I made for the people back home while I was abroad, in pictures. Because, why the hell not? It’s been a while since I’ve shared a post like this, I’m kinda excited about it… (p.s. typing “while I was abroad” made me grin)

Enough of the fuss.  First up: coin jewelry.  Try as I might, I couldn’t spend every last pound or euro while I was in Europe.  I wandered through the airport at the end of the trip, trying to spend everything in my pocket, and well.  It didn’t work.  Isn’t that always the way? When you have money, you can’t seem to find something to spend it on.  When you’re dead broke, you want all.the.things.  But actually, it worked out, because the coins came in handy for souvenirs when I got home.

*I used a vice, and recommend this over the block of wood.  However, if you do use the block instead, you’ll want to have a good grip on the coin when you drill it through the wood.

**For a how-to on the knot, check out this video: https://youtu.be/W2GhB8k7vBw

Once I got through all my leftover coins, I decided to use up some of my fabric scraps and make map pillows.  I spent a lot of time looking at these maps while in London and Amsterdam, and they really grew on me. I actually was searching for weeks to find a map that I loved so I could blow it up and hang it on my wall.  Do you even know how hard it is to find a pretty map that is just what you want? Why are they either so scholarly or so specialized? I may need to create my own… In the meantime, I printed out the maps we used most on our trip and created something different:

I had a lot of fun making these souvenirs, and I am so pleased when I see them.  It’s always been a dream of mine to travel, and now I have something that will remind me of where I’ve been.

I know there are lots of ways to create useful, inexpensive souvenirs from tokens collected on a trip.  Feel free to share your favorites – I have lots of trinkets that deserve some use and I would love some new ideas!

Happy day to you, my friend!