Repurposed Fondue Plate

One of the highlights of our Swiss adventure was the night we had cheese fondue...made by our Swiss friend using Swiss cheese and enjoyed in our little Swiss chalet in the Alps. It was a fun moment to be sure! So with my fascination with Swiss fondue, it's probably no surprise that I also brought home a vintage Swiss meat fondue plate from my thrift shop excursion.

I wanted a souvenir that would clearly remind me of our trip, but not be the typical souvenir kitsch. I think this does the job nicely! It's a great little catch-all for my work space. Before the semester break I had this filled with paper clips, pens, post-it's and other instructor-type material. Now it's full of creative supplies: threads from secret sewing projects, washi tape clippings, pin backs (more of these in the works!), silver 'confetti' from sharpening a hole punch, and other bits and bobs. I really like the way the ridges in the plate -originally designed to keep different sauces from running together- neatly frame and keep things organized on my desk.

What about you? What sort of souvenirs do you look for? Sometimes I still collect playing cards because they can get used up. Fabric is another favorite; we're still using the oilcloth from our Denmark trip 3yrs ago (3? already?!) as a tablecloth in our kitchen.