Beautiful memories

When you go on vacation, you want to keep the memories. Through the years details become vague and you forget exactly when you did what and what you saw when. Photographs help to relive the memories, but also the souvenirs you bring back with you.

I certainly enjoy bringing something special back from holiday. From Rome I was able to bring back little animals made of the stone travertine a couple of times. Unfortunately, these were taken out of production! (still upset about that!)

I also brought back some paintings and drawings from different cities I visited. I usually buy them from the artists you can find on every square. These drawings hang above my dining table, and I love seeing them every time I walk past it.

From Florence I took back a few things of the usual stuff, a silk scarf, a leather bag (gorgeous green leather), a handmade notebook etc. But I also bought two things that are a bit more unusual, and I would like to share that with you.

From the Natural history museum which I really liked, I brought back this little treasure box. It is made from shell, I think, and inside you can find little shells. I am not quite sure how I managed to bring it back home in one piece, but it stands in my bookcase now.

From the San Marco museum I brought something even more special. This is a reproduction of a drawing by Rafael. It is the Madonna with Child.

I love this drawing and think it is very beautiful. I like it even more because it is a Renaissance work, coming from the city where the Renaissance began.
I found a frame that fits very nicely and now it stands on a bookcase in my living room. I love it.