Being that I’m about to take off on another vacation, I thought I’d share with you a project from the last one. On every vacation we take, we get sucked into souvenir shop after souvenir shop, looking at all the crap. The more you cruise the aisles, the more you convince yourself that you need at least a handful of new shot glasses, a new souvenir plate, and countless keychains. Thankfully, early on, we figured out that we were going to collect ornaments from our travels, which if I’m going to be honest with you, has got to be the best souvenir you can buy. Mainly because they are put away for most of the year, but then come out and turn your Christmas tree into a story-teller. But also because our house doesn’t look like a frat house with 200 shot glasses displayed year-round. Which it probably would with the amount of traveling we do.
Since we are always on the lookout for the ornaments while we’re on vacation, we did the same thing while in Moorea. However, due to the fact that it’s a tiny little island with not much more to purchase than great seafood, we found nothing. So what do you do when you can’t find said item? You make it. Obvi.
I brought sand and seashells back from the beach in Moorea with me, so I ordered some glass vials online (couldn’t find the right sized ones at Michael’s), and painted “Moorea” on each one. I know they’re not perfect looking, but for me, this paint job has got to be museum worthy. I am the worst at hand-painting. This Moorea paint job is definitely in competition with the Mona Lisa, no?
When they dried, I filled the ornaments up with sand from the beach at our resort, put a tiny seashell in each, and tied them off with some twine. They’re going to look beautiful on our Christmas tree, if I do say so myself.
What kind of souvenirs do you collect from your travels?
Those are so cute! You’re so lucky to be traveling all over the world!
Thank you Megan!!! I agree, I am very lucky. I don’t ever take it for granted! 🙂
Well you did it again! Nice job. You are one talented and attractive woman if I do say so myself.
Haha thanks baby.
I like getting Christmas ornaments from wherever I go too! And I totally agree with you about your handwriting on those ornaments. It looks perfect and there is no way I would be able to make my hand painting that neat!
Hahaha thank you Jamie!!! I’ll try to get my handwriting improved. 🙂 Did you get an ornament in Alaska?
I did! I actually got 2 – an eskimo angel and a metal one with a Christmas tree and a bear in front of it.
So pretty!!! I bet the eskimo angel is beautiful!!
It is! And it’s handcrafted!
The best kind!
So cute!
Thank you Allison!
Adorable! I started collecting ornaments from our various trips! This is such a cute DIY idea!
Thank you pretty lady!! Aren’t ornaments the best souvenirs?!
So cute! And soooooo so jealous of your vacations! They look so amazing on Snapchat!!
Thanks Jess!!! Congrats on the new house!
Trust the Sparkly lady to give a new meaning to the word “souvenir” . This is so much funn! Love the idea. We mandatorily buy magnets(but not limited to them 😛 ) from every country we visit and after coming to US, it has included states as well 😛 .
We were seriously sucked into the whole “souvenir” shopping thing when we went to Cape Cod. Sometimes I felt like buying the entire shops. 😀 EVERYTHING was SO cute. And I used to tell myself and the poor student-hubby too that I would control myself after Cape Cod.But then Maine and Vermont happened and I simply lost it. Unbelievable cutesie things, I tell you. Now if only everyone was creative and talented like you, you could save a LOT !!