Souvenirs

Yes - we own this little guy, I am guessing
he's originally from China.
Do you collect souvenirs? My husband owns a small shot-glass collection, though we haven't added to it in years. He also likes to buy tshirts from wherever we've been, especially for the kids. The result is that our kids look like tourists, ha! We also collect Christmas ornaments - we have several favorites that we hang on the tree every year. I love it!

Others scrap-book with pictures and other collectibles from their trips - maps, ticket stubs, dried flowers etc. There's a cute scrap-booking store here in Kihei - Embellished Memories. I just finished a photo book from our most recent Canada trip - it's 'fake' online scrap-booking, but hey - I was pretty impressed with myself for doing it.

Of course, then there are the perishable souvenirs (some of my personal favorites) - chocolate, coffee, wine...

My parents used to travel a lot for work. They started collecting original art from everywhere they went. Nothing big, nothing expensive, but they now have an original framed painting from every European country they've visited hanging in their condo. I love it! We started doing the same thing, but at the time the only place we traveled was Hawaii, so we have one original painting and a number of prints by local artists. Some are hanging in our house - others have moved into our vacation rental condos.

resin-dipped orchid jewelery - my mom LOVES it!
Where to get your souvenirs? There are many touristy stores on Maui. I prefer to steer clear from the 'made in China' souvenirs. My friend Dany owns Maui Memories in the Wailea Gateway Plaza (directly underneath the Monkey Pod restaurant) - she has some gorgeous local art (paintings, prints, cards, jewelry, women's clothing...). There's also a neat little store underneath Denny's in Kihei - Maui Ocean Arts - that sells (among other things) gorgeous orchid jewelry (yes, real orchid blooms that have been dipped in some sort of resin). Another great place is at the Lahaina Arts Society which has a gallery in the old courthouse next to the Banyan Tree. They also organize art fairs underneath the banyan tree.

What do you collect? I'd love to hear!

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