Every once in awhile, apparently clever travellers make a fundamental mistake. Take me, for example. I'm a seasoned travel writer. Yet, last fall in Paris, bent on buying a new suitcase (we have a favourite area for shopping for luggage, and we've had great success with quality and value there), I carefully compared features and reputation of manufacturer, until I was certain I had just the bag I needed. It wasn't until I had hauled my new suitcase -- on the Métro -- all the way back to our apartment that it dawned on me: I had just purchased a brand new BLACK bag -- something I had long ago promised myself I would never do again!

It was too late in our trip to exchange the bag for another, so I made-do with a hot-pink strap around the middle (to make it easier to spot among the hundred of other black bags on the carousel), but it really didn't cut it as a solution.

I was very delighted, therefore, to discover a regional entrepreneur who has provided not one, but two solutions to my dilemma: A couple named Marlene and Kit Eldredge ("MarKitNow" -- get it?) from Sammamish, WA have created "BagFinders" and "HandleWraps" under their Expression Media product line, as part of the "unique individual" banner of their sales and marketing company, MarKitNow. Whew!

Bottom line is that these LUGGAGE TAGS are products that really work, helping your same-as-everyone-else's luggage really "stand out in the crowd." BagFinders luggage tags are approximately 3 by 5 inches and are available in styles from sports themes, to "almost solids" (small prints and bright colours), to miscellaneous motifs such as wine (very popular), coffee (very popular here in the Pacific Northwest), travel, dogs, cats, animal-print, kokopelli (that Hawaiian/Mexican dancing icon), music and chili peppers, among many, many others. (Whew, again!) The loop from the BagFinder luggage tag makes it a breeze to attach securely to any loop on your luggage, plus there's a plastic-guarded insert area just right for a business card or other identifying feature.

At a trade show recently, Marlene Eldredge introduced me to a new wrinkle she and Kit have just added to their designs: HandleWraps not only help you spot your bag from a distance, but have the added bonus that they make the handle itself a little more comfortable to grip.

View the line of Bag Finder luggage tag styles at Markitnow.com. There are minimum-order requirements for both items, but you can e-mail them to inquire about a store selling BagFinders and HandleWraps in your area. Retailers may also inquire by calling 425-891-3057.