A reminder of a different age; when travel was special, an event in itself.
Whether by train, plane or boat everything had its place and appearance mattered.
Hat box, vanity case...leather bound suitcases of varying sizes.
Travel was romantic, exciting - suitcases buffed and polished, owners the same.
And a world away from the travel of my youth.
The travel of my youth involved an overstuffed rucksack, well thumbed travel book and an abundance of lycra and frayed shorts. They were probably a lot shorter than my parents would have liked.
And not a hat box in sight.
Now, I have rediscovered vintage suitcases to repurpose as pet beds.
Although they all have their individual quirks and appeal, my absolute favourites have got to be the battered and bruised, brown leather bound suitcases of the 1940s.
So much hidden history!
I have recently upcycled a 1940s suitcase into a dog bed for a family of four dachshunds.
Buffed, polished and coated with dubbing, it was incredibly satisfing to bring a dusty, grimy suitcase back to life again.
Complete with a golden bone for some added bling!
I am also working on a handbag dog sized bed, made from a 1960s vanity case.
This one is going to be gingham and floral, with a silver bone and tiny pillow.
There is so much satisfaction to be gained from upcycling old items, and this year is going to be the year of the suitcase for me, although storage may be a problem...and with three currently awaiting upcycling and another winging its way via Ebay, how many suitcases is too many???
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheSherbetPatch
https://folksy.com/shops/thesherbetpatch
