Travel Kitty Interactive Art Project

I travel a lot and 99% of the time it’s alone. And during my travels it’s my job to write and photograph all that I see. I try to make it fun but sometimes an assignment wants a more serious, structured tone. So how to I break that up and put a little fun back into my job and not feel so by myself?

The Travel Kitty!

I forget how I discovered this on Etsy but I’m glad I did because, although I’ve often hated those ‘Gnome in Photo” photos, there’s something so charming to me about the Travel Kitty (along with the blog about where all the kitties go). The creator calls it an “interactive art project” - she makes the art, then you create more art by photographing the art. Get it? Good!

The orange kitten had me smitten and so I placed an ordered and was even more charmed by the packaging of it - professional, fun and completely thought out. My kitty came with the name Suki and and a map which shows she’s instantly ready to travel - no set up required! So now I’m looking forward to taking more pictures and having someone to play around with on those long haul flights and trains! You can see my Travel Kitty photos on my Flickr.

BUY AT: lmdalton’s Etsy Shop

Two Owls Luggage Tag

With buying a new travel bag comes the need to buy a new luggage tag. Since my Orla Kiely bag was colourful and fun, I wanted a tag to match. But all the travel stores seemed to carry the same black or neon tags - definitely not what I had in mind. With all the luck I’ve been having on Etsy lately, a quick search turned up Two owls linen and cotton travel luggage name tag by Minmade!

There are several reasons why I love this; the colour combinations, the fact that it’s linen, the stretchy loop to secure it to my handle, the snap closure to put my business card in (and keeping my info private), the fact that it’s unique and handmade and I confess, most importantly, is that it goes perfectly with my luggage!

I’m not sure how it would stand up to repeated uses as checked luggage but for my carry-on pieces, it’s perfect.

BUY AT: Minmade on Etsy

What a Hoot Camera Strap

As an artist, I love colourful, unique things and especially love to support other artists. However, I find a lot of gear for my camera is boring black - not creative at all - and generally made by great big corporations. So I was happy when a quick search on Etsy revealed the shop What a Hoot that was selling beautifully made (and colourful!) camera straps!

I was a little hesitant because my camera and lens can be quite heavy so I wasn’t sure if something home made would be sturdy and comfortable enough for my gear. However these straps are made from real manufactured camera straps so they are very durable and a felt backing makes it very comfortable around your neck. I also really like the thickness of the strap (1.5″ wide) and the length (42″ long). The colour selection is beautiful as is the craftsmanship.

So if you have a camera, banish the black and get into some colour!

BUY AT: What a Hoot Etsy Shop