Here’s what I love… framing memories

Interiors should reflect the personality and experiences of the people who live in them. Whether modern and spare, or traditional and layered, incorporating mementos from travel or special occasions brings warmth and character to a home. I love documenting my travels through a collection of unusual objects and art.

In this Decor Mentor article detailing my latest trip to France, I highlighted some ideal items to bring home from a holiday in Paris.  I recently pulled my favorite purchases together to get them ready to frame for my own home.

The magnets of iconic French food items my family loved are from a street market in Montparnasse, and the skeleton key and vintage printmaker blocks were bargained for at the well-known flea market (marche aux puces) at the Porte de Vanves.

I had some IKEA frames and shadow boxes kicking around my studio and thought I should put them to use.  Some of the actual framing and mounting work was beyond me, so I took the whole lot to my favorite framer, who with her talent and skill, turned them into meaningful treasures.

Adding these to some of my other pieces from trips to France, and elsewhere, tells a story of my family’s favourite holidays.

Travel memento tips:

Local photographers are a great place to find reasonably priced art pieces with images of your destination

Gather like items together to give them importance and cohesion.  Try a group of smaller items on a tray, within a frame, or in a glass box.

Add meaning to your travel art by purchasing directly from the artist. You may make a long-term connection.

Finally, don’t limit yourself to framed paintings.  Apply some creative thinking for items to put in a box or a shadow box.  Wine bottle corks, ticket stubs, event brochures, beach glass, or small containers of beach sand add dimension and colour to the tale of your travels