Travel Treasures

I love things that come from other places. I don't necessarily want to GO to all those places, but I love the notion that something I'm holding in my hand was recently across the world, and someone thought of me and brought it back. One of the guys I work with travels extensively for work and always brings me back some little doo-dad. I keep those arranged all around my computer at work. I like looking at the carved wooden camel that came from Egypt (who's named Cyril, by the way), and the rough-hewn carving of Christ the Redeemer from Brazil (you know the one - the one on the mountain over Rio), and the other stuff and just thinking how they were all once somewhere else, but now they're here.

Anyway, a few weeks ago my sister Rachel and her husband Matt went to Rich Coast (you probably know it better as Costa Rica, bwahaha)...ahem... She brought back some nifty souvenirs (that word is not spelled how I thought it was, by the way) for all of us even though we had told her not to (well...I told her to bring me some fabric but apparently in the middle of the jungle there no such spot to be found). In spite of her fabric negligence :) I adore the little gifties she gave me:

Isn't this embroidered purse too pretty? I never want to use such things as I'm afraid I'll ruin them. Of course the first thing I did was inspect the seams - I'm pleased to say I'm pleased with them :)

 In this one town they went to that I can't remember the name of everything was hand-crafted and people go from all over to obtain their handmade goods (like these nifty bracelets).

When we go down the shore one of my favorite things to do is to pop into all of the little artsy shops and see what they've got going on. I picked up a few little things that I felt I needed in my life.

I've seen these Scrabble tile necklaces all over and have never bought one before, but I really loved this little dictionary page necklace. It would have been better if the letter on the back was a B, but alas, it was an H. 

 I bought this little green glass elephant at a flea market. I like to pretend it's jade. It's much more mysterious and fun to have a jade elephant instead of a glass one. The trunk is up so it's supposed to be good luck. It reminds me of the little ivory elephants that Mary had in The Secret Garden movie they made back in the '90s (oy - 'back in the '90s' - I'm old).

 I tried not to buy this. I'm not really a cat person (being allergic makes it easy to pledge my allegiance to dogs) but this caught my eye. I walked around the store, saw some other lovely things, and for some reason I knew I would regret not buying this silly little thing. 

 I am almost 100% certain it was because of the bench. 

A guy I work with took a two week trip to Europe a few weeks ago. I gushed about England and asked enough questions that you'd think I've actually been there ("Are you going to Liberty of London? Are you going to have clotted cream on your scones? You need to see the Eye of London. Ooooooo---take the Jack the Ripper walk!" Things like that). So he brought me back some goodies from his trip.

 This gorgeous lavender lace scarf came from Austria. I can't wait until it's a bit cooler so I can wear it without attracting stares. OR I'll leave it wrapped in tissue and tucked in a drawer so I can take it out now and then and look at it (with the scarf from London my cousin Mollie gave me when she studied abroad and the Peruvian wool shawl someone gave me).

And here is the holy trinity of London - phone booth, bus, and Royal Mail box. All resting on a copy of the Daily Mail. When I was packing for our family reunion Zach laid on my bedroom floor and read some of it.  I asked him why and he said "Just to see what's going on." Too adorable.

So that's it. Just a few little bits that make me smile. I'll be back shortly with my next quilt block. And a quick tutorial. And a giveaway. And another quick tutorial if all goes well. And a new purse from the kit I just received. And....I don't even know what else. I guess you'll have to come back.