Girl Guides & Girl Scouts Patch Collecting Blog

Preparing for a big move

2012-01-20T23:15:00.000-05:00

Many times - likely more than I could begin to recall - throughout my life, the skills and lessons I learned during my years in Guiding have served me well and helped make a wide range of situations easier to navigate.

Few circumstances drill home this point better than when I'm getting ready for to move houses, which I'm very pleased to share with all of you, my husband and I will be doing at the end of this coming February.

After nearly six years of living in Ontario, following a great deal of thought, planning, and consideration, we recently decided that the best step for us at this point in our lives (for a number of important reasons) would be leave Toronto and move to my home province of British Columbia.

Though I grew up (and enjoyed all of my Guiding years) in B.C., this will be the first time that my European born and raised husband will get to call Canada's most westerly province his own.

As anyone who's ever prepared for a cross country move (in which you pack up all your belongings) knows, there's a significant amount of work involved with such a major life change. From detailed checklists to weeks of packing, finding a new home, organizing transportation, and following a budget, a long distance move like this requires careful preparation and well coordinated efforts on everybody's parts.

At times like this I think back to days spent planning for Girl Guide camps, several of which involved weeks or even months (as in the case of SOAR 1998) to prepare for. Then as now, there was planning, budgeting, task division, and plenty of packing involved. And of course, you have to be as prepared as possible for the unexpected - one of the cornerstones of the Guiding philosophy for sure.

When we arrive in B.C. we'll have about 7 to 14 days between then and when the moving company delivers our belongings, so for a little while (though we'll be graciously hosted by some of my relatives) we'll be channelling a campout vibe by living out of our suitcases (in a nod to camping packsacks) and adapting to a different environment than the one we're used to.

Fortunately we see this move as a positive one and we’re both extremely excited about it - as well as for the many prospects the future holds in store for us in British Columbia.

As there's only about a month left until our moving day, this is likely the last post I'll be sharing here for the next few weeks. Once we're settled into our new home and have the internet set up (sometime in March), I'll be sure to let you know how things are going.

During this time, though you can always email me with your patch trading and other Girl Guide/Girl Scout related queries, please be aware that I may not respond to you as quickly as usual and that I won't be able to send out any patch swaps (as my all of patches have already been packed up for the move).

I appreciate your understanding about this and hope you'll join in my excitement regarding this exciting new chapter in my life.

Until we chat again, Guiding and Scouting friends, may you all have a wonderful rest of the winter – and lots of terrific patch swaps!

Merry Christmas wishes to one and all!

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

What a whirlwind, unpredictable, often trying year it's been on this end. Never dull for the tiniest of moments, 2011 has been one of the rockiest years I can recall throughout my adult life.

Yet, I’m the first to admit that it could (goodness forbid!) have certainly been worse, and I'm immensely grateful for those moments that did go right and the special people in my life who have helped make this year more bearable.

All thoughts of the past twelve months are but a distant memory this morning though, for Christmas is here and with it the invaluable gift of the unwritten future that lies ahead for 2012 and beyond.

While things for many, myself very much included, continue to be quite slow on the patch trading front, there too lies the prospect that perhaps one of these days our beloved hobby will see a resurgence of activity once again.

{A wonderfully charming vintage image of Canadian Girl Guide and Boy Scout who were helping Santa Claus deliver Christmas gifts to needy children during the 1920s. Photograph by way of The Glenbow Museum on Flickr.}

For the moment though, all is calm and right in the world on this frosty winter morn. Neighbourhood lights twinkle like fireflies in the pale morning light as a bitingly cold wind rustles through the air, while deep inside the recesses of my little apartment, the kitchen is already starting to heat up with activity for today's feast.

Soon present will be opened, laughter shared, smiles passed around the room, and holiday songs played for the soundtrack of another beautiful December 25th.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish each and every one of you a truly, incredibly lovely Christmas, holiday season, and New Year!

Let us all raise our glasses in a collective toast to the inspiring, important, and downright wonderful spirit of this most glorious time of the year.

♥ Jessica

Interviewed about my love of patch collecting

2011-11-21T11:00:00.002-05:00

Recently I was contact by a young gal named Lilly from the States who wanted to interview about my interest in patch collecting for a school paper she was writing.

I was deeply touched that wanted to do so and instantly agreed to conduct an interview by email. Once it was completed, I asked her if she'd be ok me publishing her questions along with my answers to them here on this site and she said that was totally fine that.

Though I've been interviewed before by various blogs, publications and radio stations in relation to certain interests and aspects of my life, this was the first interview I'd had pertaining to patch collecting, which makes extra special in my eyes.

Long time readers of this blog may already know some of this information about me and my history with patch collecting, but as I haven't done a post on the specifics of what got me into swapping and gathering Girl Guide and Girl Scout patches in quite a while, I thought that this interview would make for a great post on that topic.

Without further ado, here's the lovely interview that Lilly and I held last week.

1. What was the first girl guide item you collected?

Technically the first Girl Guide item I collected with a Girl Guides of Canada Brownie program book and small number of Brownie badges that had belonged to one of my aunts in the 1960s. My Grandma gave me these items to play with for fun when I was little, however I did not become a member of the Girl Guides of Canada myself until a few years later when I was 12 years old. Once I was part of the GGC myself, I began to ardently trade and collect Girl Guide patches at camps and other Guiding events (in my home province of British Columbia) and have been hooked on collecting GG items ever since!

2. Why did you decide to collect girl guide insignia?

I've always enjoyed collecting a wide array of items (I have pretty eclectic tastes), but for me as an adult now these days, collecting Girl Guide items is a way to keep the wonderful memories I have of my years as a youth member of the GGC alive and in my heart. I've been chronically ill for the past decade and not well enough to be an active member of the GGC, so for me collecting is also an especially important way to not lose the connection I loved so much when I was younger with Guiding.

3. What is your favorite item in your collection?

This is a very tricky question to answer, because I have so many favourites, but I would have to say that my favourite item is the red and white, tasselled Canada Cord which I earned myself when I was a Pathfinder.

4.) How or where do you get your pins/badges/patches from?

When I was a youth member of the GGC I collected all of my patches and pins with other girls or adult members at camps and other Guiding events, however since I began collecting again a few years ago (in 2007), I've connected almost solely with fellow collectors online and arranged trades by email (with the items themselves going out and arriving by postal mail). Through online trading I've connected with people as close as my own city and as far away as places like Australia and South Africa - some of whom have since become good friends (as tends to happen when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts connect anywhere!).

5. Was there anyone who inspired you to start collecting Girl Guide insignia?

No, not specially. I started collecting out of my own interest in Guiding as a girl and collected the whole time I was with the GGC. In 2007, wanting to reconnect with my Guiding roots, but not being in good enough health to be an active member of the GGC, I started collecting again and have been doing so ever since (and certainly plan to collect for as long as I possibly can).

6. How long have you had your collection?

Unfortunately only a few (perhaps six or seven) items from my childhood collection survive any more (nearly all of my first Girl Guide collection was lost during a move many years ago), however I've built up a wonderful collection over the past four years, which is the duration for which I've been collecting again for as a adult.

7. Why did you start your blog for girl guides and girl scout?

I started my Girl Guide and Girl Scout blog primarily for two main reasons. One, to share my love of Guiding and patch collecting with the world, and secondly as a means by which to connect with fellow patch collectors online.

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I want to sincerely thank Lilly for finding me, this blog, and my patch collect interesting enough to interview. Doing so was a total joy and I very much hope that my answers helped her get a great grade on her school assignment.

Requirements for the All Round Cord

2011-10-20T14:00:00.001-04:00

It's fascinating, as a result of this blog (which, has been online now for nearly four years, can you believe it?), I'm frequently contacted by all kinds of folks from around the world who have a bevy of different questions pertaining to Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

Sometimes people want to know what a specific badge or patch is (and certainly if I know, or have an idea as to where they can look to find that info out, I tell them), others want to share their personal Guiding experiences with me.

Many people are interested in knowing if I have a specific item they're after (remember, you can always see a current list of what I have available in my Dupes and Traders list), and others still have a more obscure query (such as if I know who the mascot was for a certain camp).

From time-to-time I hear from people who are curious as to what the specific requirement were to earn a certain badge, pin, or cord.

Earlier this month I received an email from a woman who was wondering what a girl had to do to earn the GGC's All Round Cord during the 1990s (this much loved Guide award was in place between roughly 1910 and 1993).

(The All Round Cord, also known as the All Around Cord, as it looked during the 80s and 90s. Image first used in my post from 2009 about what your Holy Grail of Girl Guide Collecting is.)

Though I don't have a copy of the GGC's Guide handbook from the the very early 90s, I do have one from the 80s, which includes the criteria one needed to complete in order to earn the All Round Cord. The requirements really didn't change much between the 80s and 90s, so I felt confident sharing this information with someone else.

Many of us are intrigued by all of the cords that the Girl Guides of Canada have offered over the years (including the Gold Cord and Canada Cord, on top of the All Round Cord), so I thought that I'd share the same information with all of you, too, in case anyone else out there is curious about what the requirements were that one had to complete in order to qualify for the All Round Cord.

According to the 1981 copy of the Girl Guides of Canada’s Guide program book that I have, in order to earn the All Round Cord, a Guide needed to do/earn (all of) the following:

-The Complete Adventure Challenge (badge set) and Voyageur Challenge (badge set)

-Complete at least one of the following badges: History, World Trefoil or World Neighbor Badge

-Hold the Camp Badge, plus at least four of the following badges: Explorer, Stalker, Astronomer, Naturalist, Hiker, Trackers, Forest, Bird Watcher, Outdoor Adventure, Ecologist, Conservationist, or Wildflower

-Hold at least one of the following badges: Cook, Homemaker, Handywoman, or Seamstress

-Hold at least one of the following badges: Fire Safety, First Aid, or Rescuer

-Hold both the Citizen and Law Awareness badges

-Hold at least one of the following badges: Health, Keep-Fit, or Athlete

-Learn about three organizations or agencies which held others. Tell how you could work with or contribute to the work of one of these.

-Chose and carry out a project in which you give service to others. This project was a challenge that was approved and evaluated by a Guide's company and the person(s) to whom she gave the service.

-Find out about Pathfinders and take part in an activity with them, if possible.

-Do a project which shows what the Promise and Law mean to you. This was then presented to either the Guide's Company or a small group of Guides.

"When you have checked off each of the items in this record you will have earned the All Round Cord. Congratulations!"

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Though this was certainly a heavy work load, it wasn't incredibly tricky, especially for those girls who were quite keen on earning badges, and as a result thousands of young women earned the All Round Cord over the decades it was in use.

While no longer used today, the All Round Cord still sparks memories for many who were involved with Guiding when it was a popular part of the Guide program.

Much sought after as a collectible, those hoping to track down a blue and white All Round Cord of their own, are wise to keep their eyes peeled on eBay, where this earned Guide item does, very occasionally, pop up.

I'm always interested in trying to help people who are interested in Girl Guiding and Scouting, so if you have a query of any sort (while I can't promise you I know the answer), by all means feel free to email me with your Guiding questions any time.

It's time to kick off a great new Guiding year!

2011-09-01T01:30:00.000-04:00

There's still a hefty glint of sunshine in the air, but as the days grow a little shorter and the familiar routine of the school year starts up again next week, it's time to make peace with the fact (hard as it can be sometimes!) summer will soon be behind us.

I've always loved autumn (it's my favourite season), and have especially fond memories of the new Guiding years that September ushered in. Just as going back to class meant fresh pencils, squeaky crisp binders, and perfectly unmarred erasers, so too did starting another Guiding year bring the chance to earn more badges, make new friends, and amass a wonderful array of skills.

Though those lovely days of badge work and weekend camps are long behind me, I still get a serge of excitement as the Guiding year gets underway and have been sorting through my patch box, organizing and doing inventory, for much of this week.

As a result I've updated my Dupes and Traders list, with what I believe to be an accurate account of those items I presently have available to swap.

I know that not as many of us are swapping these days, but for those who still are, I'd always love to hear from you. Shoot your patch trading offer my way and we can definitely go from there.

(Autumn and the return of the Guiding season means it's time to live the words of the classic Girl Guide song that say, "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold". Making patch trading friends is always a great thing, too! Image via the Girl Guides of Canada's clip art collection.)

Whether you're heading back to school, Guiding, or just readying yourself for the changing of the seasons, I wish you all a beautiful, happy, super fun month of September.

Here's to a great new Guiding - and patch trading - year ahead!

Memories of SOAR 1998

2011-08-08T13:45:00.000-04:00

There are certain events in one's life that stick with them like super glue throughout all of their days. Sometimes an event is momentary - your first kiss, the instant your newborn child cries for the first time - other are longer, spanning days, weeks or even whole months at a time. While not as momentous as, say, my wedding day, one event that had a profound impact on my life was SOAR 1998.

For those who haven't heard of the Girl Guides of Canada SOAR (which stands for Spirit of Adventure Rendezvous) camps before, they're large week long camps for both Canadian and international Guiding members that are held in various lovely locations throughout the province of British Columbia.

As with many big camps - even national level ones - that carry hefty price tags, preparing for SOAR took several months of creative, dedicated fundraising and more than a little elbow grease. We did bottle drive after bottle drive, hosted event nights for friends and family, worked at the local Christmas craft fair, anything and everything we could think of to help us reach the funding we needed to attend SOAR 1998.

It was close in the end - I still remember standing in a local park near the beach in my hometown while one of my Guiders stressed to parents how important it was that contribute whatever they could to help send their daughters to this wonderful camp.

She was right, it was wonderful - in more ways than I could have ever imagined as I trudged through the snow in early spring to sell cookies for a camp that would take place under the sizzling hot July sun.

I'd been to many of Girl Guide camps before my feet hit the long, dusty path that wound through thick Vancouver Island brush to reach the SOAR '98 campsite. Some had been overnight, others for a weekend or three days - but this camp, at a week long - was not only my biggest camp to date, it was also going to be the longest I'd ever spent away from home and my family.

It would take a lifetime for me to explain the dynamics of my home life when I was growing up, but sufficient to say, it wasn't exactly a bed of roses. Freedom was as obtainable to me as a child as the sea is to a person standing smack dab in the middle of the Sahara desert, so you can imagine my elation at being hundreds of miles away from home, just my close Pathfinder friends (and our two Guiders) and I setting up tents, cooking three hearty meals a day, learning new skills and having a ball.

SOAR '98 was many things, one of the most memorable of which was hot, hot, hot! In fact, though I do recall at least one drizzly day, this camp earned the nickname "Sear" because of it's constant warm temps and gorgeous sunshine.

Under that toasty summer light I paddled a canoe, hiked up a mountain, bicycled for 40 kilometers (my legs felt like aching Jell-o after that!), paddled canoes, made my first (and subsequently second) dream catcher, learned about the eco system of Sooke (where the camp was located), greatly enjoyed a day trip into Victoria, and swapped with anyone and everyone I came in contact with during the whole week (but that, I think, is another post unto itself).

Over the week my summer tan darkened, I slept beneath the diamond-esque stars, took a shower under a bag of water with a hole poked in it. I spent my own money on souvenirs without having to ask my parents for permission to do so (or doing so in secret, which would have been more probable by that age).

I bonded even more deeply with the other Pathfinders in my unit (two of whom, Karen an Anne, were my best friends at the time), stood my ground during an argument that arose one evening during meal prep, sent postcards home to my siblings, took walks around camp on my own and felt, perhaps for the first real time in my young life, like I could sense what adulthood was going to be like.

Of all the things to take away from a week long summer camp, that may seem like an odd one, but it was so immensely poignant in shaping many of the life altering decisions I would make in the coming years.

Though sadly, I do not have any photos from that camp (and the only patches from it currently in my collection are ones I've bought online in recent years), the memories of those summer days spent on Vancouver Island, camping with around 2,000 other Guiding sisters, learning new skills (both Guiding and life related) and growing as a person will remain vivid in my memory for the rest of time.

While '98 remains the only SOAR I've ever attended, with the recent occurrence of SOAR 2011, I couldn't help but pause to reflect back, with a wave of nostalgia and immense fondness, at that amazing week I spent under the golden Sooke sun and the many, many important lessons I learned from my time at such an exceellent Guide camp.

Going to be missing in patch trading action for a little while

2011-06-12T22:30:00.001-04:00

My goodness, can we really be nearly half way through the sixth month of the year?! I realize that there haven’t been too many new posts so far throughout 2011 on this site, my friends, but serious ongoing health problems have been occupying much of my time.

To that extent, this message is actually to let you all know that I’m going to be heading into the hospital for a pair of surgeries this week, and that I will not likely be online much (if at all) for the rest of the month. (For more details about this matter, please see the post on my other blog, Chronically Vintage, about it.)

As always, you can send patch trading offers my way, just be aware that it may be a smidge before you hear back from me.

Whatever you’ve got planned for the coming summer (or winter, for those south of the equator) months – from starry nights spent in a sleeping bag under the stars to mountain hikes, international Guiding trips to some good old fashioned patch trading around a campfire, I wish you all an absolutely fantastic summer!!!

Have you seen Lee Ann's awesome Girl Guide patch collection?

2011-03-21T08:00:00.003-04:00

No? Neither had I until a Google search last night (for "Northwest Territories Guide patches", a term I periodically hunt for in the hope that someone out there on the good ol' interwebs will be looking to swap some of their NTW or Yukon patches) led me to discover the delightful homepage of a fellow collector named Lee Ann, whose put up images of some of here wonderful Girl Guide patch collection on her site.

Sadly over the last few years, many folks who once kept similar sites bursting with photos and/or scans of their great collection of Girl Guide and Girl Scout patches have closed down, which makes it all the more awesome that people like Lee Ann (whose patch collection - which includes very recent items, including some GGC centenary patches - attests to the fact that this site is currently wonderfully up-to-date) decide to share their treasured collections with the world.

Though I couldn't find an email address on Lee Ann's site (so as to contact her to discuss doing a patch swap), she does have guest book on her site, which you can contact her through (or simply leave a friendly message from a fellow patch collector, if you prefer).

Thank you, Lee Ann, for sharing your marvellous collection of beautiful GGC items with the world. Finding your site has definitely been one of the patch collecting highlights of 2011 for me! :)

Are you looking for Girl Guide cookies?

2011-02-28T15:00:00.002-05:00

Like many of us, I have scores of memories pertaining to Girl Guide cookies. I happily trooped around my neighbourhood as a youngster (often with my elementary school best friend and fellow Girl Guide, Karen, and my little sister in tow) selling box after box, case after case of Classic Vanilla and Chocolate cookies, as well as those wonderfully scrumptious Thin Mint cookies (which were often easier, I found, to sell in multiples).

Girl Guide cookies are delightfully fun to eat, while also being highly important to the GGC (the funds they generate go a very long way in helping the organization). However, sometimes they can be tricky to track down (even during cookie campaign time), especially if you don't live in the immediate vicinity of a Guiding unit. For example, I've lived at the same address for the better part of three years and never in all that time, have I had a single Spark, Brownie, Guide, Pathfinder, or Ranger come merrily knocking on my door with their case of cookies.

Yet, what some folks may not know is that many Guide units (and/or District offices) often have a supply of cookies available for part or all of the year (or know another unit that still has some in stock). If you're not a member (or have a child who is) of the GGC though, it can sometimes be tough to find unit in the phone book or by word of mouth.

Happily for all those who are looking for Guide cookies, there's a great form on the Girl Guides of Newfoundland and Labrador's website that you can fill out and then be put in touch with the nearest GGC unit in your area.

So the next time a craving for a wonderfully crisp vanilla sandwich cookie or delectably sweet Thin Mint biscuit strikes you in between cookie campaigns, you can get in contact with the just the right person to help satisfy your need, while your purchase helps the GGC at the same time (definitely a great - and very yummy - win-win situation all around!).

New Girl Scout patch collector launches blog

2011-01-31T12:35:00.002-05:00

You may have heard me comment on before that it seems as though with each passing day (or least month) there are fewer and fewer of us actively trading and collecting patches online any more. Whereas once this hobby was alive and buzzing across the net, these days it seems that more many more sites devoted to patch collecting come down than go up.

As such, I feel that when I get wind of a new site or blog devoted in some capacity to Girl Guide and/or Girl Scout patch trading and collecting, it's all I can do not to jump for joy! I love knowing that people are still taking up (or renewing an interest in) this rewarding, fun-filled hobby, and believe that those of us in the GG/GS patch trading community should do our best to help support these fledging collectors.

A few days ago I received a lovely email from a woman named Ashley "Stormy" Martin in which she informed me of her brand new site, called "Stormy's WAGGGS Patch Trading Blog", that's devoted to her interest in GSUSA patch collecting.

I'm sure many of can remember when we first started building up our collections and how fantastic it felt when veteran traders were able to help us out by swapping patches and sharing their years of knowledge with us. I will always be indebted to a few kind souls who assisted me in this way (especially my good friend Louise St. Germain).

I definitely remember how I felt when I started collecting patches online, openly encourage any and all fellow patch collectors who are reading this post to bop on over to Stormy's great new blog to say "hello" and see if there's something on her dupes list (which includes some of the beautiful new GSUSA 100th anniversary items) that you'd like to trade for.

If this terrific hobby of ours is going to continue to thieve as we head into the second decade of the twenty-first century, we really need to foster and support new patch traders as much as possible, and I for one am absolutely thrilled to see sites like Stormy's blog emerging again.

The Areas, Divisions, and Districts they are a changin’!

2010-11-30T21:30:00.030-05:00

Come gather round Girl Guide enthusiasts, it’s high time you heard that (some of the) A/D/Ds in Canada are a changin’! Or, to be more accurate and less folk song-ish, some of them already have. :)

As I’m not a member of the GGC at the moment, I’m not particularly privy to the internal structural changes of the Girl Guides of Canada’s provincial organization system. However, once a chance takes place and becomes public knowledge, I often hear about it.

The first (major) structural change that I got wind of happened approximately three years, when the province of Ontario decided to do away with the classic Area/Division/District structure. I would venture to guess that this was a discussion that was not made lightly (at the time Ontario had more A/D/Ds than any other province in Canada) and which had many solid reasons behind it, though I can only speculate as to what those might have been.

With the doing away of Ontario’s A/D/D’s came the emergence of a new type of provincial structure that had not been seen in Canada before (to the best of my knowledge): the Community based system. Instead of a three-tier system, Ontario (and Nunavut, which is grouped together with Ontario) now consists of nearly 40 “Communities” areas, each of which is comprised of a part of the province. Sadly, as things have stood so far, these Communities have not been given geographic location specific names. Instead they are referred to simply as “Community 27”, for example. (I hope very much that one day they will be given actual names, as I feel that calling a Community simply by a number is too impersonal and bureaucratic sounding.)

As many collectors of Canadian patches may know, when Ontario scrapped the A/D/D system, they also stopped producing location specific patches for this province. To date, I am not aware of patches (similar to the classic A/D/D ones) being produced for the Communities of Ontario and Nunavut, though I hold onto the hope that they will be at some point (so that both Guiding members – especially the girls, for whom having patches to swap at camps and other events has always been important – and patch collectors alike will once again have something to collect from Ontario).

Recently my lovely friend Louise St. Germain brought to my attention the fact that over in British Columbia they've been altering their provincial structure as well. Thankfully however (for the time being), B.C. is still using an Area based system. At the moment, B.C. is comprised of ten different Areas (see image below), and is still has Districts (some of which – such as Fraser Skies - have recently put out some really stellar patches, that I’m sure many collectors will be very eager to try and get their hands on).

I would imagine that as the 21st century rolls onward, more and more provinces will be adjusting their Guiding structures to some degree, and think it will be highly interesting to see how such transformations unfold.
If you happen to know about any other parts of the country that have changed their provincial structure in a significant way recently, I would love to hear about it so that I could share that information with the readers of this blog (please feel free to contact me via email or in the comment section of this post, if you have such info).

As the old axiom says, change is inevitable. Sometimes change is good, others it’s not, but the one certainty of change is that it’s always bound to happen at some point. I’m not against change (though I am do not support the doing away with each province/territory having location specific patches – how could I? :-D), it can be great and help usher in a lot of positivity, which I sincerely hope will be the case for those parts of Canada that have altered their provincial structure.

Enter to win a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate

2010-09-29T13:33:00.000-04:00

While I generally like to keep the topics that I post about on this blog relevant to the subject of Girl Guiding and Scouting, occasionally when I feel that something is too interesting not to discuss it pops up here :-)

As I know many of my fellow patch collecting enthusiasts also have a broad range of other interests (including reading – which has always been a lifelong passion of mine), I thought that now would be a great time to tell you about a fantastic new book notification service that my husband (Tony) recently came up with.

Called anynewbooks.com, the straightforward website that my husband and I proceeded to produce works like this: you visit the site, select one or more categories from a list of (currently) 42 different genres of books (there truly is something for everyone!), enter your email address, and presto, once a week we’ll send you an email newsletter with a selection of newly released books in the categories of your choice (one email per category).

While, unfortunately, there are few books released that are specifically all about Guiding and Scouting, there are tons of books that can be applied to these areas. For example, cookbooks about outdoor cooking work great for those who love to camp and spend time outdoors, whereas craft books can provide tons of interesting ideas to help keep Guiding members of all ages occupied during meetings, sleepovers, and camps. Books about everything from being a team leader to history, sports to ecology and green living can be useful to those involved with Girl Guiding and Scouting - which is all the more reason why it’s super handy to stay abreast of new books that come out on such topics. Luckily, anynewbooks.com can help you do just that.

{From the youngest Spark to the most venerable of Trefoil Guild members, no matter your age or areas of interest, there are always terrific new books coming out that are worth knowing about. Anynewbooks.com allows you to just that, thanks to its weekly email updates for the categories that you selected upon sign up. Brownie clipart image via Girl Guides of Canada.}

Any New Books? Is an entirely free email notification service that’s here to ensure that you never miss a great new book (on the subjects that are nearest to your heart) again. To celebrate its recent launch and to share this great site with my lovely blogging visitors and friends, Any New Books? and my vintage themed blog, Chronically Vintage, have teamed up to give away a $100.00 (US) Amazon.com gift certificate to one lucky reader!

For more details about, and to enter, the $100.00 amazon.com gift certificate giveaway (which will run until Monday October 4, 2010), please be sure to swing by Chronically Vintage.

Thank you very much for checking out anynewbooks.com. Please feel free to let anyone you wish (from fellow Guiders to your children’s teachers and librarians) know about this useful new way to stay up-to-date on terrific book release.

Many thanks again and happy reading, my fellow booklovers! :-)

Checking in with my fellow patch traders

2010-09-14T15:55:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone, this quick little post is to say that, no, contrary to popular belief, I have not fallen off the face of the earth! :)

As those who follow this blog and/or know me from elsewhere may be aware, I’ve been going through a very challenging time with my health this year (well, for much longer than that, but 2010 has been fraught with new issues on the medical front).

About three weeks ago I surgery to (hopefully!) aid one of my (more recent) health problems, and remain steadfastly optimistic that I’ll eventually be able to get help for some of the other pressing medical issues that are dominating my life at the moment.

But enough of all that drearily serious talk! With the hours of sunlight already getting shorter each day and that familiar zesty nip of fall swirling through the air, there’s no skirting around the fact that (for those in the Northern Hemisphere) summer is gingerly meandering its way to a close.

As we slip into the familiar rituals of fall, I am, year after year, struck by the pleasantness of memories filled with childhood Septembers when new Guiding years commenced and once again weekly meetings brought evenings spent intently focusing on such things as badge work, challenges of all sorts, volunteer activity planning, cookie selling, campfires, rousing songs, lessons learned, and friendships formed.

I’ve always felt there was an undeniable buzz to September, rich as it is with new beginnings and anticipated events. From school years to the once-again wearing of cozy sweaters, the launch of the end-of-the-year holiday season (which, depending on who you ask here in Canada, kicks off with either Labour Day or Thanksgiving in October) to the autumn harvest teaming with toothsome apples, pears, and early season root vegetables.

With the fun-filled frenzy of another summer quickly falling behind us, the upbeat tempo of September gives way to a sort of magical autumnal tranquility. Lingering between the excitement of summer and the whirlwind weeks of December, this time of the year is one of the best in which to rekindle favourite pastimes – and what better hobby to once again dive headfirst into than Girl Guide and Girl Scout patch trading?

For those of us still diligently trading patches, the past few years have seen a sharp, ongoing decline in our ranks, but I know that there are still many of us, scattered as we may be around the globe, who are still passionate about this hobby (and/or who are looking to get back into it again).

Now, as the cooler days slip into our midst and evenings spent at nestled at home seem inviting once more, why not take some time to reconnect with past swapping partners or to make new ones? Sort through your patch collection (who hasn’t gone to organize their patches before, only to find you had more dupes than you thought?), spend time sharing your zeal for patch collecting with the younger Guiding members in your life (it’s never too early to get children interested in this rewarding hobby), shot an email to a dear Guiding friend, and enjoy the simple joys that come with being a patch, badge, pin or any other sort of Girl Guide memorabilia collector.

{Autumn, as the new Guiding year takes off, is amongst the beast seasons during which to divulge in your love of patch collecting and trading. This photo, which I shot last fall, shows a small selection of the GGC fun/camp related patches in my collection.}

Though I know that until my health improves further I won’t be able to spend quite as much time online as I’d ideally like to, my email inbox is always open (and checked frequently). If you’d like to swap patches with me (or simply shot the Guiding breeze), be sure to swing by my Dupes and Traders list, than zip an email my way.

Gather together, fellow badge swappers, and lets all start autumn off on a stellar patch trading note! :)

Know what the Girl Guide and Girl Scout community needs?

2010-06-12T01:30:00.001-04:00

Before I jump into the topic of today’s post, I really want to thank my darling husband for posting in my absence recently, to let the wonderful readers of this blog know that I’d be MIA for a while. I’m actually still quite under the weather (for a more detailed account of what’s been going on this regard, please the medical update post that my husband wrote yesterday for my blog Chronically Vintage), but wanted to take a few moments to share an idea with you all that I’ve been toying with for a few months now.

As many of us are keenly aware, the number of online Girl Guide and Girl Scout patch traders continues to dwindle. While there are no hard facts on just how many people actively swap patches these days, I know that that I’ve personally witnessed a drastic decline in the number of online patch traders over the past two to three years (especially from the spring of 2008 onward).

In speaking with Guiding friends and fellow collecting enthusiasts from Canada, America, UK, New Zealand, and Australia, I quickly came to realize that they too had noticed a sharp decline (both amongst online and "real world" traders, but all of the folks I voiced this concern to shared my sentiment that it's online trades in particular that have taken a nose dive).

While it would be easy to dwell on our diminishing ranks, little good can come from focusing on the negative side of things. Instead, the idea I’ve been thinking about implementing is the creation of an online directory (hosted on this blog) of people who are still actively collecting and trading GG and/or GS patches.

Of course this notion is hardly revolutionary. Directories of Girl Guide and Girl Scout patch collectors have been online since the early 90s at least, however the minuscule handful of those that still exist are (by and large) woefully outdated (as are, I’ve found, the directories on most patch trading related Yahoo Groups).

So far those in the GG and GS patch trading community that I’ve discusses this idea with have loved it and told me how much they’d welcome such a service (just as I know I would).

In terms of the information that would be required to join the directory (which of course would be 100% free!), all you’d need to do is email me with your name (just a first name or even online handle is totally fine), what country (state or province is optional) you live in, what kind of Girl Guiding/Scouting items you have available to trade (if you have an online link to your dupes list or photo album, by all means include that too), what sort of items you’re looking for (aka, what you collect), plus a valid email address (this would be how interested parties could contact you to set up swaps).

In order to help keep the directory current, once a year I would contact you via email to ask if you want to remain in the directory and if your information was still up-to-date. This measure would, I hope, help to keep this directory current and to reduce the number of bounced emails.

Before going ahead and putting together this directory, I want to gather some listings (of patch traders) together, so it may be a short while still before the directory itself materializes. I’ve been thinking that so long as I can find at least ten people who’d like to be a part of such a list, I’ll launch it and keep adding names as they come in.

If you’re interested in having you name added to this budding patch swappers list, please email me with your details and I’ll add you to my database of interested parties.

I truly believe in keeping the GG and GS patch trading community alive and sincerely hope that this effort with help to unite those of us – wherever in the world we may be located – who are still actively trading patches, crests, standards, silks, pins, buttons, scarves, books, uniforms, and anything else related to the perpetually wonderful world of Girl Guiding and Scouting.

~ PS ~

For those who are looking for other places in which to potentially connect with fellow swappers, be sure to check out the Girl Guide and Girl Scout Badge Collectors Club, a UK based group for patch enthusiasts the world over.

At the hospital

2010-05-22T21:50:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone,

Jessica's husband here. Jessica was admitted to the hospital earlier this week and is currently waiting for surgery. It may get a little quiet around here for a few days. Please bear with us and a sincere thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,
Antonio (acangiano@gmail.com)

The GGC and GSUSA are on Twitter!

2010-04-29T11:35:00.002-04:00

While I’m the first to admit that I’m not the most prolific Twitter user (I like the site, but find the small character limit a bit irksome, as I rather adore having the freedom to use as many words as I please), it’s always a delight to find out that a person, business or organization I adore is using that site as well.

Very recently I discovered numerous Girl Guiding and Scouting organizations on Twitter, many of which I’ve listed below:

-Girl Guides of Canada

-Guiding Mosaic 2010

-Girl Guides Australia

-Girl Guides South Australia Inc

-Girlguiding UK

-Girlguiding 2010 (Centenary Camp)

-Foxlease

-Girl Scouts USA (Note that in addition to the main GSUSA Twitter account, numerous Councils also have their own Twitter pages, just do a Twitter search to see if your Council is amongst those who are Tweeting)

-Guías y Scouts Chile (Guides and Scouts Chile)

-GuíasScouts Perú (Guides Scouts Peru)

-Our Cabana

-WAGGGS Challenge

-World Association of the Scout Movement

Whether you tweet morning, noon and night or just every great once in a while, if you’re a fellow Guiding/Scouting enthusiast, some or all of these accounts are ones that you may enjoy following. I’ve been tracking most of them and have enjoyed the great tweets they’ve posted recently.

(A screenshot of the Girl Guides of Canada's official Twitter account page, which is updated with Guiding related news and other information frequently.)

While Guiding is certainly a very venerable movement, it has always strove to keep abreast of the times, and the fact that many WAGGGS members the world over are now on Twitter further points towards how much Guiding is trying to stay current and relevant to its existing and prospective members.

If you’re on Twitter and would like to connect, you can find me here. Definitely feel free to let me know in the comment section of this post if you follow me (please include your Twitter account name), so that I can be sure follow you back.

Happy Tweeting to all my fellow GG and GS friends!

The Girl Guides of Canada unveil a new Promise

2010-03-30T15:40:00.001-04:00

For many the first time they pledged the Girl Guide promise – often in front of a group of their fellow Guiding sisters and perhaps others, such as their parents – was a moment they would never forget. There’s something immensely impactful about taking an oath of any kind, but what has always helped the Guide promise stand out is its simple, timeless words that even the youngest member of the GGC can understand and appreciate.

Late this past January the GGC publicly announced that they had altered the classic Guide promise to help bring it into the twenty-first century. The new Girl Guide promise is as follows:

I promise to do my best,
To be true to myself, my beliefs and Canada.
I will take action for a better world
And respect the Guiding Law

I personally love the new promise. In order to make a broader range of people feel comfortable, the words “faith” and “God” are gone, in their place the all-encompassing word “beliefs” appears. I feel this is a wise choice that will hopefully make everyone from atheists to conservative religious Guiding members happy, as it doesn’t tie them to one word pertaining to their personal feelings or beliefs when it comes to matters of faith.

Likewise I really like the addition of the line, “I will take action for a better world”. In this rocky era of climate change, economic crisis, and constantly evolving technology, it’s import that girls realize that the changes they make today can have a real impact on both the present and that future.

This new rewording holds true to the classic spirit of Guiding, yet has come up to speed with the modern world we inhabit. I believe that it will resonate in the minds of many youngsters who make the Guide promise for the first time now, just as strongly as the words of those of its predecessors do in my own memory.

One Guiding grail down, so many more to go

2010-02-12T11:15:00.000-05:00

After more than two years of patiently waiting and previously always being out-bid on eBay, this month I was finally able to win one of my Girl Guides of Canada “holy grails”: an All-Around Cord!

Interesting, whereas in auctions past I’d bid (usually along with several other collectors) on the cord itself, this time around I ended up coming out as the lucky winner on an auction that included a Guide uniform (the late 20th century royal blue dress style) and a necktie. Even with shipping (from a location within in Canada), I ended up getting the cord (which is in fairly good condition, the ends are a bit worn, but the body of the cord itself is highly presentable) for an absolute song!

I’ve yearned for an All-Around Cord (sometimes also referred to as an “All-Round Cord”) since I was a girl (I started my Guiding journey as a Pathfinder and as such had already bypassed the branch [Guides] in which a girl could earn the All-Around Cord), and though I earned my Canada Cord (which I love and treasure to this day), I could never shake off my longing for one of the gorgeous blue and white tasselled cords that the most accomplished of Guides had earned.

I’m on cloud nine this week because my newly won Cord has arrived in the mail and is every bit as wonderful in person as I always dreamed it would be. Yet as all collectors know, so much of the thrill of collecting any category of items, is the t hunt itself. We love finding those pieces that are chief amongst our most desired items, yet also greatly enjoy knowing that there are still (often many!) other items that we’re still looking for – at least this is how I personally feel.

The spectrum of Girl Guide and Girl Scout collectibles is a vast one that encompasses many decades worth of items and thousands upon thousands of pieces that one could potentially be on the prowl for. My own GG/GS collection is fairly diverse (I collect patches, proficiency badges, pins, GGC uniforms and scarves, stickers, buttons, magazines, books, dolls, etc), but naturally there are certain items that pique my interest the most and which I’m forever trying to track down.

Having now acquired an All-Around Cord (and prior to that an All-Around Cord pin, which was another one of my biggest GGC wants), I find myself reflecting on my other “Guiding Grails” (that is to the say those elusive items that we collectors are always trying to track down, much like some seek the Holy Grail of biblical and Arthurian legend).

Topping the list of hard to find items that I’m most interested in right now, are Canadian Area/Division/District (and provincial) patches from the Yukon, NWT and Nunavut, as well as those from my home province of British Columbia (I’d especially love to find more patches from the Thompson-Okanagan/Okanagan-Similkameen region of the province), and from Calgary, Alberta (all of these geographical locations are near and dear to my heart for various reasons).

Ranger badges (though it’s been a number of years since they were in use, at one point the GGC Ranger programme included proficiency badges), certain older Brownie and Guide badges that I’m lacking (such as the Brownie Baton Twirling badge), and also newer badges from all levels of Guiding are high on my list, too.

Perhaps however, the Guiding article that has most moved into the spot where the All-Around Cord once sat on my list, is the (even harder to locate!) Gold Cord, which was in use during the mid-20th century, specifically from the 40s or 50s until the 1970s (I could be mistaken, but it’s my understanding the Gold Cord was the predecessor to the Canada Cord for older Guides in the days before the Pathfinder programme was in place; a smidge more info on the topic can be found on the site VintageGirlScout.com).

I’ve not been able to find very much information online about the Gold Cord (which is not the same thing as the modern day Chief Commissioner’s Gold Award) so far, but just as I’ll cheerfully continue to hunt for the Gold Cord, I’ll search more about its history.

{So elusive is the Gold Cord in fact, that I've not even tracked down a photo that I'm 100% certain is of it! The image above is from an eBay.uk sale that I discovered after it had ended (drat!) a few weeks ago, which listed this tasseled cord as being a Gold Cord. I do not know however if it was a Gold Cord from Canada, the UK or elsewhere, or if it is in fact an actual Girl Guide related cord at all. If anyone can provide more information on this cord or the GGC's Gold Cord, I would be most grateful.}

This post isn’t the first time I’ve blogged about my Guiding Grails, but as it’s a rare occurrence for me to actually find (and come into possession of) one of my most sought after of Guiding items, I really wanted to share my happiness with my readers and fellow collectors.

As always, I would love to hear about your own grails of GG/GS collecting, and welcome your comments and emails on the subject.

2010 GGC centennial merchandise is here!

2010-01-26T13:00:00.002-05:00

After eagerly awaiting its arrival, the Girl Guides of Canada officially released its pint sized group of 100th anniversary merchandise a few weeks ago. The capsule collection includes two different patches, a metal pin, a metal cell phone/key chain charm, and a comfy 100% cotton t-shirt (which is available in assorted youth and adult sizes).

For those of us – both Canadian and international collectors alike – these pieces, which feature a colour pallet of blue and white, are long awaited treasures that help to commemorate the milestone anniversary that the GGC is celebrating this year.

All of the 2010 anniversary items can be purchased online from the Girl Guides of Canada’s ecommerce site or through this latest edition of the GGC catalogue. I’ve not heard any numbers in terms of how many centennial items have been produced, but given the interest that such pieces tend to generate, I’d highly recommend grabbing your anniversary merchandise as soon as you can.

{This lovely, cheerful patch is one of two different celebratory 100th anniversary designs that are available from the GGC this year; it’s available for $1.95 (CND) from the GGC's website or catalogue.}

If you’re going to buy some of these wonderful items, I'd definitely suggest picking up a few extra, as they will no doubt prove to be popular trading items both this year and in the future (especially with fans of GG/GS anniversary patches and pins).

Should you want a patch or pin of your own, yet live outside of Canada or do not want to order online or from the current GGC (paper) catalogue for whatever reason, please feel free to email me. I plan on placing an order for centennial items in the near future and would be happy to pick up an anniversary piece or two for you (you can either repay me for the cost of the item(s) via PayPal or we can work out a patch swap).

I’m delighted that the GGC has put out items to celebrate this momentous event! It’s not every day that an organization – let alone one as profoundly important as the GGC – reaches the venerable age of 100. I can’t wait to see what the future holds in stores for the Girl Guides of Canada – and WAGGGS members worldwide – in the coming century of Guiding life.

Geocities is no more

2009-12-28T15:50:00.001-05:00

A few weeks back a reader kindly emailed me to say that it seemed like some of the links in the Patch Collectors’ Directory were broken. I immediately looked into it and it turns out the links she was referring to were all Geocities websites. It wasn’t that the links weren’t working so much as that the websites in question no longer existed.

(A once popular and well known personal website hosting provider, Geocities recently closed its doors as a free service.)

In 2009, Yahoo, the company that ran Geocities, shut down the free personal website hosting service after offering it to users for numerous years, citing that they wanted to focus their attention on other sectors of the Yahoo web sphere.
Though it is my understanding that Yahoo gave their Geocities users fair warning in advance of their shutting this service down, its cessation still caught many users – and a substantial number of web viewers the world over off guard (I heard about the matter throw my husband who works in the IT industry). This closure, which you can read more details about in the official Yahoo page on the topic, also means that nearly everywhere a Geocities page was linked to from an external website, said links are now defunct.

Thusly it was time for me to once again prune my way through the Patch Directory, removing all of the “dead” links (be they Geocities or otherwise) and bringing it up-to-date just in time for the New Year. I like to weed out any defunct links on that page at least once a year, and hadn’t done so for several months, so it was actually not a hassle in the least to update the page today.

To those who lost their Geocities websites (be they Guiding, Scouting or otherwise related) as a result of this closure, I’m sincerely sorry. While I realize Geocities was no longer as popular as it once was in the nineties, many people will still utilized its services, and I feel Yahoo should have at least offered to keep hosting any and all existing Geocities pages for free (and simply closed new sign-ups, if they wanted to cap user numbers).

With Geocities gone, there are now far fewer personal Guiding and patch trading related sites on the web, but I hope that at least a portion of those who lost their pages will rebuild them or start new sites elsewhere (if you’re looking for a free personal website hosting service, I’ve heard positive things about Jimdo.com, but have not tried this site myself).

If you’ve launched a new Guiding/patch collecting related site (or simply have one that isn’t in the Patch Trading Directory already) please let me know and I will post it in the directory at once.

I sincerely appreciate the reader’s email that reminded me about Geocities shutting its doors, and always welcome correspondence regarding any element of this blog or the Guiding/Scouting realm.

Celebrating my second blogiversary with an open call to trade patches

2009-11-15T06:38:00.000-05:00

Two full years have passed since I first began this wonderfully fun blog, and a tad more time than has rolled by since I began to collect Girl Guide and Girl Scout patches (and badges, and pins, and silks, and...) again for the first time since I was a Pathfinder. Over the course of those two years many things have transpired in my life. I’ve moved homes, experienced very rough periods of health, adopted an incredibly precious cat (Stella), had a marvelous visit (last spring) with my mom and step-dad who flew out to visit my husband and I here in Ontario, experienced my first (two!) operas (which I hope are the just the beginning of a lifetime of live opera performances), began a second blog (devoted to my lifelong love of the past called Chronically Vintage), become an avid photographer, and experienced many other memorable events both large and small.

In that time I’ve also had the true pleasure of meeting (in the online sense of the word) and swapping patches with many fantastic people from across the world. Getting to know some of my fellow patch collectors, learning from your years of GG/GS collecting wisdom, and sharing my thoughts on all manner of Guiding related topics with you has been nothing short of a joy. Some swappers and I have interacted only once, others several times, and a handful of badge collectors have become cherished friends. No matter the duration of our correspondence, I can say with absolute sincerity that every one of the people I’ve swapped with has definitely exuded the spirit of the sisterhood of Guiding, and helped to make me even happier that I rekindled my love of patch collecting!

On that note I am issuing a call to swap to one and all! I know that our ranks have dwindled as of late, but at the same time I know there are many people across the world who are also still actively collecting and trading patches. Whether we’ve swapped before or not yet had the pleasure, if you would like to trade, please swing by my Dupes and Traders list to see what catches your eye then zip an email my way letting me know what you available to swap.

Today, on this lovely second blogging anniversary, and always, thank you to one and all for your friendship and the wonderful swaps we’ve shared. I look forward to many more years of trading and sharing in this terrific hobby with you!

What Girl Scout Cookie Are You?

2009-10-31T05:15:00.005-04:00

North of 49th we currently have two different types of Girl Guide cookies: classic vanilla and chocolate (creams), and chocolate covered mint. Both are scrumptious, and thinking about them brings back many fond memories of canvassing my neighbourhood as a youngster, selling cookies and working towards badges and fun crests at the same time.

In the US the Girl Scouts there have several more types of (delicious sounding) cookies, but whether your country sells one type of biscuits or ten varieties, the important thing about all Guiding and Scouting cookies is that their sale goes to directly put money back into the organization and in turn its members.

For a bit of sweet fun on this traditionally treat filled day, I thought it would be enjoyable to take a quick online quiz that poses the question “Which Girl Scout Cookie Are You?” According to the results I’m a Thin Mint – yum!

You Are Thin Mints

You are bold and brave. You dare to be different, and you are confident about who you are.
Your fearlessness has paid off. You are extremely well liked and popular.
You are charismatic and charming without even trying to be. People appreciate your unique take on life.
You are willing to take risks, speak your mind, and live life to the fullest.

If you’d like to know which GSUSA cookie you are too, take the quick quiz here and feel free to share your results in the comments.

Happy Halloween wishes, everyone, I hope this day is filled with wonderful fun and oodles of goodies for all of you!

The nationwide Girl Guides of Canada online store is now open for business

2009-09-20T22:29:00.004-04:00

A while back – February of 2008 to be exact – I blogged about the fact that the GGC had officially announced plans to gradually phase out all (remaining) GGC shops across the country and introduce a nationwide online store (aka, “eStore” or “eShop”) to replace all physical shop locations.

At the start of this month the online GGC shop went live, and though the process of closing down the remaining bricks and mortar shops will continue until December 31, 2010, for all intents and purposes it appears that GGC is directing members and the general public alike to the new online store. (At the time of writing, GGC store locations exist now in only Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Prince Edward Island, all others have ceased operation.)

If you haven’t swung by the check out the eStore yet, I highly recommend you visit it here. This site replaces the Girl Guides of Ontario online shop that had previously existed (if you were registered with that site, you will have to register again for the new national shop, as the Ontario eStore site is no longer operational) and is meant to serve Guiding members across the country, wherever they may be located.

As one might imagine the eStore sells both standard GGC items such as uniforms, programme books and a selection of “fun patches” (crests which are not earned but rather purchased), in addition to a selection of lovely gift items (think plush dolls, jelly bracelets, mugs, bud vases, etc). The items in stock this year are by and large the same pieces that appeared in last year (2008’s) catalogue and some of the items stretch a few years further back.

One thing I had been secretly hoping for when the announcement of a nationwide online store first broke, was that the GGC would return to selling a broader range not only of uniform pieces (remember the days of multiple pant, skirt and blouse options for Guiders – or of dress and pant options for girl members?) but non-uniform pieces alike. I fully realize that in this cost-conscience age it’s not always possible to stock a store to the rafters with merchandise, but the nostalgic side of my soul greatly misses when there were far more items emblazoned with trefoils available from the GGC.

At present, the main question I raised in early 2008 still looms unanswered: what is to become of A/D/D crests? Currently, the official GGC eStore FAQ page, while certainly helpful in answering numerous questions visitors might have, does not address this point. I’ve asked GGC (adult) members across the country for over two years about what the fate of A/D/D crests is going to be when the last of the physical GGC shop locations closes its doors, and no one has been able to provide me with an answer.

Of course, I fully realize that the GGC – an organization I will perpetually hold near and dear to my heart – does not exist merely to produce crests, far from it! This organization – and Guiding the world over – is about the lives of the girls and women it touches, enriches and challenges.

However, I do feel that it would be a sincere shame to watch A/D/D crests go the way of the dinosaur. They have been a mainstay of camps, day events, sleepovers, international events and myriad other situations where Guides from different areas of the province/country/world gathered in the sisterhood of Guiding.

Like license plates of sorts representing the part of the country a girl or woman hailed from, these crests – sometimes highly detailed, other times humbly simple, yet no less elegant in their design – have told the rest of the Guiding world where a Canadian member was from and allowed her the opportunity to connect through the act of swapping patches with new friends from not only the roads of her own country but also from destinations the world over. I hope in my heart of hearts that somehow – whether it be through the national GGC online shop or perhaps via A/D/D council offices, location crests will continue to be produced. Many Guiding members and patch collectors the country over will miss them terribly if they are phased out.

Like the band that played until the Titanic went under however, I always try to maintain a sense of optimism until the very end, and as such I won’t dwell on this topic any more for the time being. Instead I’ll extend my congratulations to the GGC for launching a terrific, very easy to navigate eStore, which I’m delighted to report accepts PayPal as a form of payment.

I look forward to ordering from this new shop in the future and also to the merchandise they’ll continue to offer members and supporters of the GGC for many years to come.

Do you collect Girl Guides of Canada catalogues?

2009-08-26T17:59:00.002-04:00

There’s something about catalogues – especially ones relating to clothing, craft supplies, or toys – that have always appealed to me. Growing up in the 1980s we received both the Sears and the Consumer’s Distributing catalogues each fall – well in advance of Christmas – and, like youngsters everywhere, I would pour over them wishfully for weeks.

Both back then three decades ago and now, we’ve never had the volume of catalogues available to us in Canada that our neighbours to the south in America do, which is perhaps that more reason I fell head-over-heals in love with the Girl Guides of Canada catalogue the first time I received one as a young Pathfinder.

Truthfully I do not know how long the GGC has been issuing catalogues for, but I believe the history of this annually printed booklet stems back to the 1930s, if not earlier. Certainly in Great Britain and other countries where Girl Guiding and Scouting were established early on, catalogues stretch back almost to the earliest days of Guiding in such places. I would love to know more about the history of GG/GS catalogues from around the world, and would welcome any information on the subject that my reader might have to share.

When I began to collect Girl Guide related items again in 2007, one of things that I almost instantly began adding to my collection were GGC catalogues. To date I’ve obtained a copy of each of the following catalogues:

-1990/1991 (30 pages)

-1993/1994 (34 pages)

-1995/1996 (33 pages)

-1998/1999 (38 pages)

-2000/2001 (38 pages)

-2001/2002 (38 pages)

-2003/2004 (37 pages)

-2004 to 2006 (“An updated reprint”, says the front cover, “of the 2004 /05 catalogue”, adds the back page; 37 pages)

-2006/2007 (37 pages)

As this list shows, while I do have several of the more recent catalogues, there are many (a few newer, most older) that I do not. I was wondering if there are other Guiding enthusiasts out there who also collect GGC catalogues and who would be interested in trading. I only have one duplicate (catalogue) at the moment (a copy of 2003/04 issue), I would be happy to swap catalogues for items from my patch/badge/pin dupes and traders list.

Do you collect GGC (or foreign GS/GG) catalogues? If so when did you start, what do you like best about the older catalogues, and do you have any to swap? :)

Gearing up for 100 years of Girl Guides greatness

2009-07-30T05:25:00.003-04:00

{Official logo of the 100th anniversary of the GGC.}
It is with great pride and joy that many of the earliest countries to have respectively founded Girl Guide and Girl Scout organizations will soon reach their hundredth birthdays. In 2010 the Girl Guides of Canada will hit this centennial anniversary, and over at the official GGC website preparations for this once in a lifetime milestone and the yearlong celebration that will help to commemorate it (while also honouring the important role of Guiding into today’s world).

For more information (including dates of large events that are being held to celebrate, such as National Rally Day on May 15th) be sure to check out the official 2010 website, and also stay tuned to this blog, as I’ll try to post pertinent information regarding the GGC’s 100th anniversary in the months leading up to it and all through 2010.

Ahoy, collectors! A reader is searching for a Sea Ranger pin

2009-06-29T07:55:00.001-04:00

One of the neat aspects of running a blog about Girl Guide and Girl Scout collectibles is that I routinely receive emails from people from around the world who are looking for very specific items. Sometimes the item(s) they're on the hunt for is for their collection, other times they want to replace pins, badges or patches that they once earned but are no longer in possession of.

The later situation applies to a lovely lady who recently contacted me in regards to the (now defunct) Canadian Sea Rangers, which were once a branch of the GGC Rangers. As a member in late 1960s here in Canada, this woman remembers her time in the Sea Rangers fondly and would absolutely love to have a Sea Ranger enrollment pin again.

Personally I don’t have any Sea Ranger items at all in my collection (much as I’d like to, too!), and honestly was not sure where to point her, though I did suggest a couple of people and places. As things stand now, I don’t believe she’s gotten any further ahead in her quest, so I offered to post about her search here.

A thorough internet search turned up one image (from the Vintage Girl Scout Museum) that was listed as being a GGC Sea Ranger pin. I’m posting that image here for anyone who is curious as to what these pins looked like (note the earlier version of the GGC trefoil).

Should anybody who follows this blog happen to have a spare Sea Ranger enrollment pin that they’re looking to trade/sell or even just more info on these pins, please don’t hesitate to contact me so that I can pass along your information to this once fellow GGC member.

Wonderful Girl Guide and Girl Scout photos from Flickr

2009-05-17T00:46:00.004-04:00

In January of this year I created a fun little Flickr group devoted to all things Girl Guide and Girl Scout related, and now four months later I’m thrilled to report that not only do we have over 300 members, but hundreds of photos have been added to the group pool.

It’s wonderfully enjoyable to watch with eager interest as photos and scans (from old handbooks, for example) pour in each week. In case you’re not a member or haven’t checked out the stream lately, I wanted to share a sampling of some of the awesome images (both modern and vintage) that make up the group’s international collection of Girl Guiding and Scouting photos.

1. Sisterhood, 2. Girl Scouts, 1918 , 3. 167:365 Photography badge, 4. Trefoils, 5. Girl scout, 6. 4 Girl Scouts, 7. Sparks, 8. IMGP0077, 9. Girl Scout, 10. Cookie eyes are smiling on you this St. Paddy's Day!, 11. I was a Girl Scout., 12. I promise to share and be a friend, 13. Girl Scouts Wearing Vintage Uniforms {Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information}

If you’re on Flickr and have an interest in GG/GS (chances are that if you’re reading this blog, you do!), than why not pop by and join Girl Guides and Girl Scouts on Flickr. It’s like a virtual campfire for WAGGGS members, fans and collectors from around the globe :)

What’s your Holy Grail of Girl Guide or Girl Scout collectibles?

2009-04-19T01:32:00.005-04:00

From the first moment I spied the listing, I knew the bidding was going to sky rocket. I’ve been following Girl Guide auctions closely on eBay for a year and a half now and I had never seen one of these babies pop up before. Though they were not uncommon during the time when Guides were eligible to achieve them, they are highly sought after now. What am I talking about, you may ask? A blue and white All-Round Cord (sometimes also called an "All-Around Cord").

While I have one All-Round Cord pin (the version with the modern GGC trefoil), I do not thus far have the tasselled, satiny royal blue and snow white hued cord itself. But goodness knows I want one.

As the week progressed I watch the listing price climb higher and higher, first $10 then $20, by early Saturday afternoon it was $40 and I knew that no matter how much I longed to add that cord to my collection, unless I won a lottery before day was over, there was no way I could even debate bidding on it. And so long after the sun had set, I watched one of my most sought after Girl Guide items sell for $44 US. In these modern days of eBay anonymity I have no clue who the lucky winner was, but I truly hope that they will treasure the cord as much as I would have.

Having joined the world of Guiding as a Pathfinder I missed out on the opportunity to achieve earning the All-Round Cord. As a Pathfinder I’d sometimes see one lopped proudly through the epaulet on a Guide’s shoulder and secretly think to myself how gorgeous it was and how wonderful it must have been to earn such an esteemed piece of insignia. I went on to achieve the Canada Cord, the highest level of award that a Pathfinder can earn, and love that beautiful crimson and white cord (and pin) with a passion, but I still can’t help yearning for an All-Round Cord.

As a Girl Guide and Girl Scout enthusiast with a broad range of interests in terms of what I collect (patches, earned badges, pins, scarves, etc) my wish list of items that I hope to one day be able to find continually grows in size seemingly by the day, but no matter how many items I’ve got my eye open – or hope to trade – for, there are certain few that have the ability to truly set my heart a flutter in that particular way that only the most pined for treasures can. Amongst collectors of all sorts, these kinds of items are sometimes referred to as your “Holy Grails”, as their scarcity, price point or some other element make them illusively hard to get your hands on.

For me such items include Ranger Badges (http://www.guidingproject.info/catalogue/rangers.html) (I am immensely fortunate to have a couple, but need numerous others), A/D/D patches from the Yukon and NWT/Nunavut, A/D/Ds from my home town and the areas around where I spent my childhood Guiding years (in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia) – and as you already know from this post, an All-Round Cord.

Surely though, for those like myself who still actively collect GG and GS items, there must be certain pieces – maybe a rare Brownie badge or crest from a particular camp you enjoyed attending – that you’d dubbed your Holy Grails. If you have such items that you’re trying to track down, I’d love to know about them! There’s a slim chance I might have what you’re looking for on my dupes list or know of someone else with the item(s) in question. But if not, I’d be more than happy to keep an eye peeled for you in case I do happen upon your dream GG item, all I ask in return is that you drop me a line if you ever come across an All-Round Cord :)

Photo of the All-Round cord from the
auction which led to the inspiration for this
post. Image by 2splats on eBay.

A brief history of Canadian Girl Guide cookies

2009-03-31T06:30:00.006-04:00

The official GGC website recently put up a delightful page that provides a short overview of the history of Girl Guide cookies in Canada, stretching all the way back to the first batch which was whipped up by a Guider from Regina, Saskatchewan in 1927.

Amongst the fun facts are tidbits (or should I say “bites”) of information such as that following the second World War in 1946, the official GGC cookie varieties were maple cream, vanilla crème, and shortbread; and that 1992 Roberta Bondar, Canada’s world renowned female astronaut, brought GG cookies with her into space!

The page also features a marvelous little gallery of GGC cookie box imagery from the 1960s right up to day, which is sure to bring back fond memories for anyone who has ever sold or been involved with the selling (or eating) of Girl Guide cookies over the years. Below this article are three examples of the marvelous types of art and design that have been featured on GGC cookie boxes through the course of their eighty year history, as documented in the GGC's article.

Be sure to check out this lovely cookie story page, and print off copies of these interesting cookie facts to share with your girls or for your own files.

Cheerful, beautiful and bursting with exuberance, this lovely retro cookie package from 1962 is pretty enough to frame!
Packed full of interesting images and subdued hues, the art from this package hailing from 1978 resembles that of many of the Guiding handbooks of the time.

By the 90s cookie packages has shifted away from drawings, instead featuring photographs and lively colours, as seen on this box of chocolate and vanilla cream cookies from 1996.

Girl Guides of Canada’s website gets a facelift

2009-02-10T08:15:00.002-05:00

The official GGC website recently underwent some design changes (care of the Canadian web design group c-Seven Media Inc.) and now has a fantastic new look. Returning visitors will immediately notice that the introductory flash page is gone (thank you!), and that instead you’re greeted warmly by a stylish, modern homepage that points you towards in-site pages, while also featuring fun GGC themed photos and graphics, as well as a quick “what’s new” section on the right hand side of the page.

Fun graphics such as this one – which
encourages people to check out
the GGC Girls page – greet
visitors to the recently revamped
Girl Guides of Canada homepage

I’m really digging the new look and can’t help but think that it may be a precursor to the national online Girl Guides of Canada/Guides du Canada (ecommerce) shop that is scheduled to go live in September of this year.

If you’d like to read more about the design update, check out the official GGC article about it.

Updated the Girl Guide Patch Collecting Directory

2009-02-03T14:21:00.009-05:00

It’s been a few months since the last time that I checked on the validity of all of the links on the Girl Guide and Girl Scout Patch Collecting Directory page, so while waiting for my building’s maintenance worker to come check out a problem with our plumbing this afternoon, I decided to update that page.

It’s always a little sad in a sense to do this task, because inevitably I find links that are no longer active (in other words, pages that have been taken down or hosting sites that have folded). This time around, I weeded several “dead” links, but am happy to report, that overall most pages still appear to be in good shape. Granted though, it is worth mentioning that just because a site is currently online, it doesn’t guarantee that the person (or people) behind it are still actively updating it or trading patches.

It seems that as time goes on fewer and fewer people are actively trading GG and GS patches (and there is likely a multitude of reasons – not the least of which is the current economic situation – as to why this is), yet this should not deter new and veteran collectors alike from swapping with one another. In fact, if we are to keep this wonderful hobby alive in the long run, it’s crucial that we connect with one another online, and in the real world. I highly encourage you to contact fellow patch traders (myself included, I’m always looking for new swap partners!) via their websites and on Yahoo groups.

If you have a patch related site, blog or online group or know of one that is not listed in the directory, please contact me and I’ll be delighted to add it right away. Thank you, and happy patch collecting to all!

Example of a GGC crest from Ontario – just one of hundreds
upon hundreds of fantastic patches from Canada,
each of which is a reason to keep on collecting :)

New Girl Guides and Girls Scouts on Flickr group

2009-01-17T18:32:00.004-05:00

Late last night I decided to create my first Flickr group ever. I spend quite a fair bit on time on that site, faving and commenting on photos with a passion, and have wanted to start my own group for some time now. While there are numerous topics that I’d be delighted to found a group for, it seemed natural to start with one based on my love of Guiding, and so Girl Guides and Girl Scouts on Flickr was born.

A screenshot of the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts on Flickr group's homepage

Setting up a Flickr group is substantially easier than I’d imagined it to be. It only took a few minutes to create my group, write out the group rules, and post a description of what the group is about (which is anything related to Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting). I then found a very helpful post about how to create an invite so that you can ask people to post their photos in your group, on the Admin Help Flickr forum. The code suggestions there were a snap to follow and in no time at all I was scouring through the results of various Guiding related keyword searches for photos that I could invite people to post in the group.

At present the group has been online for a tad under a day and already we have 46 members and 103 images that have been added to the group pool – what a wonderful response!

If you’re a Flickr member, I would love it if you joined (and if you’re not on Flickr yet, when not use this as the perfect reason to join, basic membership – which entitles you to a lot actually – is free and it only takes a little while to sign up and create an account). You don’t have to post pics or discussion topics if you don’t want, it’s entirely up to you. I just think it’s terrific to have a little spot on Flickr where people from around the globe with an interest this topic can gather together and share in the spirit of Guiding and Scouting.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-21T00:13:00.004-05:00

Warmest festive wishes to all of my readers and fellow Girl Guides and Scouts from around the globe! I wish you all a peaceful and extremely happy holiday season from my heart to yours, and hope that your new year is one of wonderful adventures, great health, and oodles of fantastic patch trades!

This lovely pewter Christmas/holiday ornament is
available from the British Columbia Girl Guide shop.
Please see this page for further details.

Have you heard of the Badge Collectors Club?

2008-11-30T15:47:00.014-05:00

One of the best parts of collecting patches is the wonderful community of fellow collectors that exists. I love getting to met and trade with wonderful people from across the globe (as well as in my own backyard!). Sometimes though it seems like it can be hard to find new people to swap – or just chat about crests – with.

If you’re looking to expand your list of swap contacts, love reading about patch collecting or would just like to stay abreast of some of the patch related news that happens around the world, then without a doubt the Girl Guide and Girl Scout Badge Collectors Club is for you!

This terrific club is centred in the UK and run by a lovely lady named Annette Preston. The cost of club membership is very reasonable: £8 in UK and £10 for those outside UK (which can be paid in cash, UK Cheque, or by UK/international money order, in the following currencies: Euros, Pounds, Australian dollars, US dollars, and Canadian dollars). Membership entitles you to six printed club newsletters each year, plus a hugely useful CD upon joining, which is jam packed with a directory of known patches from various countries.

Each of the multi-paged newsletters features information on topics such as recent Girl Guiding and Scouting events (particularly in the United Kingdom), write-ups about the patches and relevant Guiding information about particular parts of the world (in the most recent newsletter, New Brunswick, Canada was in the spot light), the names and contact info of new members, general GG and GS patch related articles, and member profiles (including what patches people are specifically looking for and/or have to trade). I’ve been a member of the club for a year now and adore receiving the newsletters, which arrive like clockwork every two months, and highly recommend becoming a member to fellow patch enthusiasts.

If you are interested in joining the Badge Collectors Club, please contact Annette Preston by email at annette@badgers2.madasafish.com, by postal mail at 24 Badgers Brook Road, Drayton, Norfolk, NR8 6EY, England, or by telephone at +44-(0)-160-386-1435. (In case you were wondering, at present, the club doesn’t have its own website.)

Below is the club application form which can be mailed with your annual membership fee (make cheques payable to “Guide & Girl Scout Badge Collectors Club”) to the address above:

Guide and Girl Scout Badge Collectors Club membership application form. Please complete and return, to the above address.

PLEASE COMPLETE IN BLOCK LETTERS (apart from e-mail!)

NAME…………………………………………………………………
ADDRESS…………………………………………………………
………………………………….………………………………………
POST (POSTAL) CODE……………………………
E-mail …………………………………………………………

Data Protection Act – I give permission for my details to be held on a computer. I give permission for my details (*address / e-mail) to be published in the newsletter.

Signed……………………………………………………………

I enclose a *cheque / money order / cash for £…………………
(Sterling cheques only)

(* Please delete as appropriate)

This is official Badge Collectors Club patch.
It’s available for 75p (pence) per patch,
plus SAE, from the address above.

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts blog turns one year old

2008-11-15T18:30:00.006-05:00

My goodness, has a year really zoomed past since I first began this blog? It has indeed, and today is this site’s first anniversary, its “blogiversary”, if you will. While elements in my personal life have at times prevented me from posting as often as I’d like, I’m also pleased with what I have had a chance to write about.

Image from the GGC's clip art graphics gallery
A huge element of any site is its readers and visitors, and nowhere is that more true that on a blog like this one that offers an element of “real world” interaction via patch trading. I began blogging about Guiding topics just a few days after I started collecting patches (et al) again for the first time since I was a youth, and over the past twelve months I’ve had the pleasure of trading patches and pins (and occasionally other GG/GS items like scarves and postcards, too) with fellow collectors from five different continents!

I want to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone that I’ve traded and chatted with over the past year. I’ve loved shipping off little parcels of crests to places as far-reaching as New Zealand and Ethiopia, as well as to my fellow Canadians and a plethora of lovely folks from many other countries. Thank you also to all of the people who visit this blog! I hope that you enjoy reading its contents as much as I enjoy writing them.

Here’s to another wonderful year of covering Girl Guide and Girl Scout topics – and taking part in patch swaps – that lies ahead!

What trades for what?

2008-10-31T14:30:00.001-04:00

When it comes to swapping patches, badges, pins and other pieces of Girl Guiding and Scouting paraphernalia, have you ever wondered what accounts for an equal sided trade? In other words, what you need to trade in order to ensure that both (or all) parties involved in the swap feel that the trade has been fair and balanced.

As groups go, I’d have to say that the Guiding and Scouting community is not a tight-laced bunch. Most people are happy to swap “like for like” and I’ve rarely heard of any disputes arising over trades that have been worked out in advance. Generally the rule of “one for one” applies to any Guiding related item (from crests to scarves, key chains to postcards), so long as the patch or other item that each person has is of similar value and degree of rarity. However, it never hurts to know what to do if you encounter a trading situation where someone wants to swap for something which you don’t have an equivalent of, or if they’re interested in patches and you’re into merit (proficiency/earned) badges, for example.

The following list is based on my own experience as a trader and on the very helpful advice that my good friend Louise St. Germain gave me, back when I a newbie patch collector, on this matter. Please use this list as a guideline only, and always rely your own judgement when it comes to determining what you feel is fair for a given swap (keep in mind that older and/or rarer items are often viewed by their owners as being worth more and may therefore require that multiple items be traded for one rarer piece). After all, the point of any trade is to feel happy and make new friends, not to feel like you’ve been ripped off or taken advantage of.

One (Canadian) Area/Division/District/Provincial patch for one Area/Division/District/Provincial crest, US Council patch or other stitched location specific patch from an international country. (Very large/over-sized A/D/D or Council patches sometimes trade for two smaller ones.)

One (Canadian) Area/Division/District/Provincial crest (patch) for two “fun” (camp, cookie, challenge or other non-A/D/D/Council ) patches, two proficiency badges (or one rare/very old badge), or two woven silks (from Canada, the US or overseas).

One Guiding or Scouting pin for one pin of an equal value (for example an provincial pin from Ontario for one from B.C., or a Guide enrollment pin for a Pathfinder one), one A/D/D (or US Council patch, etc), or two fun patches or proficiency badges. (Some pins can be quite rare and may garner higher trade values.)

One UK or Australian Standard crest for two (or sometimes even three) A/D/D or Council patches, or 3-4 fun patches, proficiency badges or silks.

One UK or Australian Standard crest for 1-3 pins (Canadian, American or foreign), depending on the type and rarity of the pin(s).

One overseas (woven) patch or pin for one overseas patch or pin or two silks of a similar nature (for example, one patch from a camp in Scotland for one from a camp in New Zealand).

One WAGGGS or World Centre (woven) patch or pin for two (woven) location specific patches (A/D/Ds, Councils, etc), 1-2 pins, 3-4 fun patches or 2-4 silks.

One WAGGGS or World Centre silk for location specific 1-2 silks or 2-3 fun silks, or one pin.

One Canadian Girl Guide uniform scarf/tie for one scarf, 2-4 A/D/D or Council patches, 4-6 fun patches or silks, 3-6+ proficiency badges, or 2-4 pins, depending on how rare the scarf is.

Please keep mind that this list is by no means a complete rundown of all the possible trading scenarios you could potentially encounter. It’s merely a sample of some of the more common ones that Canadian and American collectors (in particular) might find themselves in.

By using these guidelines, I’ve completed many positive trades with collectors and Guiding members from around the world. I’m generally what I’d (humbly) consider to be a laid-back trader, in the sense that I don’t get up-tight or unnecessarily rigid about trading. If someone wants something from my list and they have items up for offer that I’m interested in, I’m more than happy to try and accommodate their needs. One point of interest I’ve found is that different people often feel differently over what a pin can/“should” be traded for. Unless it’s really rare, I don’t think a pin is worth more than one or two A/D/Ds, but that’s just me :)

Do you agree with these trading guidelines? Do you have a different list that you go by? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic and welcome you to post a comment about this article.

2008-2009 Girl Guides of Canada catalogue released

2008-09-30T22:42:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago while checking in on the GGC website (as I like to do often), I noticed that the new Girl Guides of Canada catalogue had been released. As an avid collector of patches and other pieces of Guiding memorabilia (and as a big fan of the annual GGC catalogue), I was excited by this fact, however I felt a little let down upon venturing through its PDF pages (at this stage I’ve only seen the 2009 catalogue in its online form, but just as was the case last year, I’m sure that the paper version will be the same as the internet one).

The reason for my lack of enthusiasm? In my opinion, the catalogue is extremely similar to last year’s. Of course a lot of elements (such as uniform pieces) are generally expected to remain the same from year to year, but I would have liked to see a handful of new fun patches and (more) non-uniform items make their debut in this catalogue.

I have a (paper) copy of nearly every GGC catalogue since around 1990, they’re beautiful and enjoyable pieces to look through and spend time admiring items from days gone by. However in more recent years I’ve noticed that the number of “fun” items (things like dolls, toys, stationery items, stickers, key chains, and other sundry articles) have greatly diminished.

As a collector, I really wish this wasn’t the case, but as a realist, I understand that the budget to produce and market such items may simply no longer be available (or that money may have been put to use elsewhere in the organization). Still, with each newly released GGC catalogue I can’t help but keep my fingers crossed that a larger assortment of fun items bedecked with a trefoil will appear. And while we’re still wrapping up 2008, I’m already looking forward with eager anticipation to the 2010 catalogue, in the hope that it will once again contain a broader assortment of lovely GGC items (after all, the more interesting and new items they put out, the more I’m likely to purchase and thus help provide the GGC with revenue for).

What are your thoughts? Do you like a smaller, more concise and program centred catalogue or would you like to see a return to more pages and a wider assortment of items?

WAGGGS unveils Centenary theme

2008-07-07T18:38:00.003-04:00

Right now Girl Guide and Scout delegates from nations around the world are gathered at the 33rd World Conference, which is taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa. This wonderful and vitally important event proved to be the perfect time to reveal WAGGGS’ Centenary theme: Girls worldwide say 100 years of changing lives.

There is an understated beauty to this slogan, which reverberates with truth. From Guiding’s most humble beginnings right up to its ability to continue to be a world leader in the youth organization arena, for nearly a century Guiding has flourished and impacted the lives of countless women and girls around the globe.

In conjunction with the newly announced slogan, a theme of “Plant-introduce, Grow-Expand and Share-Pass” was also outlined. As well WAGGGS issued Centenary badges will be available (presumably during 2010-2012, which is when this theme will be in effect, but there’s nothing at this point to say that the badges won’t be made available sooner).

I’m certainly looking forward to the Centenary and the badges which will accompany it, and can’t wait to see what the future holds in store for WAGGGS as it prepares to kick off its second century of life!

Vibrant and full of energy, the Centenary theme logo
incorporates the colours of all five of the World Regions.

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Information & Patch Collector's Resource Blog FAQ

2008-06-23T16:49:00.008-04:00

Frequently asked questions pertaining to this blog

Since this blog was created last autumn, I've received a wide array of emails from many fellow GG/GS members and collectors, quite a few of which often touch on the same subjects. As such I thought that my readers might find it useful if I had a FAQ section in which I provide answers to the most common questions that I receive in regards to Girl Guiding and Scouting topics. This page will be updated as the need arises, and in case this section doesn't cover your query, I look forward to hearing from you any time you'd like to chat about the wonderful world of Guiding.

Are you associated with WAGGGS?

No, we are not associated with WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) or any other official Girl Guide or Girl Scout group, and make no claim whatsoever to be. This website is a personal blog, wherever possible I've striven to ensure that all information is/was as accurate as possible (or have given further explanation if I was uncertain as to the factuality of something), but I am not an authoritative expert on the subject of Guiding – just a woman who is passionate about the subject.

Do you trade/sell patches?

I, as an individual, most certainly trade patches (and the like) and am always interested in trading with people from Canada and around the world (please check out my dupes and traders list and email me if you'd like to trade or discuss trading). I'm also personally interested in buying patches, especially Canadian ones. However, this site does not sell any patches (or anything else for that matter). If you're looking to buy patches, try contacting the Guide and/or Scout shops in your area or joining some of the free online patch trading groups (garage sales, online auction sites, secondhand shops, and flea markets are also all good places to look for patches and Guiding related items). This site also has a regularly updated list of other online patch traders, which you may really find of interest if you like to collect and trade GG and GS crests.

Can you help me find this patch/pin/crest/stamp/button/uniform/postcard/etc or answer this question for me?

Time permitting, I'm always willing and happy to help fellow collectors. But do keep in mind that I never make any claims of being the biggest Guiding expert in the world, so I may not be able to answer all of your specific questions. If your question pertains to Guiding in Canada (the GGC), there is a somewhat better chance that I can help, as this is the area that I have the most experience with. If I don't know the answer to your query, I'll certainly do my best to point you toward someone/the appropriate Guide/Scout administrative body who may be better able to assist you.

Do you have a list of all Councils, Areas, Districts, Divisions, Troops, etc in my country?

As each country choses to divide the Girl and/or Scout groups in their country up based on their own geographical layouts, not all countries are divided (and subdivided) the same. At this time I don't have a list of all of the “divisions” of each country, I would venture to guess that even the people at WAGGGS would have a bit of time compiling a list such as this.

As a point of reference for US Council patch collectors, you may find this list of 319 GSUSA Councils helpful (please note that as of August 2006, the number of US councils has shrunk dramatically and new councils are being formed still at this time, so this list is more for people who are into patch related collecting, rather than for current geographically factual purposes).

Canadian Guiding is divided into far more groups (geographical regions) than our Scouting sisters to the south. In fact, over 1,600 past and/or present Canadian Areas, Divisions, and Districts have been identified, though the GGC itself, does not (to the best of my knowledge) put out a list of A/D/Ds for the general public, so it can really tricky at times to find an accurate list. That said, some people have worked tremendously hard to compose their own lists of Canadian A/D/Ds. Two such diligently hard working souls are Louise St. Germain and Ursula, whose lists are the best that I know of anywhere on the web.

A small number of links to the geographical breakdowns of various world countries (such as England and Australia) can be found on our Patch Trading Directory page, but there are very few such links (in English) available on the web. If you live in other parts of the world, your best bet is to contact your National Girl Guide or Scout body and ask them for further information on the geographical breakdown of your country.

I've heard that Ontario no longer uses the A/D/D system is this true?

Yes, it is true. I am absolutely not an expert on what led to the Ontario Council's decision to do away with the A/D/D system, but I do know that in its place, Ontario now uses the Administrative Community system. Instead of having Areas, Divisions, and Districts, the province of Ontario is presently divided in 39 Administrative Communities (ACs), which employee a single tier system (as opposed to the A/D/D three tier system). Each of these Communities is represented by at least one Administrative Community Leader, whose role is much akin to that of a District/Division Commissioner. At this time the Ontario Council (which includes the territory of Nunavut) is the first Provincial Council to adopt this new system, as far as I'm aware.

For more information on these recent changes (right from the source!), including a page which describes where the geographical boundaries are for each Administrative Community in Ontario, please use this link from the official Girl Guides of Ontario website. Or alternatively, you can also reach the Council by phone at (1)-416-920-6666, by fax at (1)-416-920-1440, or by email.

What's a camp blanket?

A camp – or campfire blanket – is a a blanket (homemade or store bought) which is often made of fleece, flannel or another sturdy material onto which a person may choose to sew (or glue, or otherwise attach) items such as Girl Guide/Girl Scout badges, sashes (often with badges), crests, silks, patches, scarves (neckerchiefs), and other mementos which they have either earned through their time in Guiding, bought (as in crests, etc) or traded with others (such as Area or Council patches).

Such blankets are often cut/sewed to form a poncho or cape shape, which allows their owner to wear them at certain types Guiding events such as camps and some kinds of day trips. Campfire blankets are not a mandatory part of the Guide/Scout uniform or protocol, and are merely a fun expression of one's interest in Guiding.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to camp blankets, each person's own whim is what dictates how their blanket (if they wish to keep one) will look (some people also like to embellish their blankets with embroidery, wool stitching, glitter or other decorative means). In addition to (or instead of) a campfire blanket, some folks like to use camp hats, scarves, vests (fleece vests work well for this), sleeping bags, and other linens as a means of displaying and collecting their patches, crests, badges, silks and the like. Campfire blankets are popular with those involved in Boy Scouts too, and a mixed Scout-Guide jamboree or other camp (as with girls only Guiding camps) can be a terrific place to see a wide array of campfire blankets.

Will you add my link to this site?

If your website/blog/forum/Yahoo Group/etc directly relates to some aspect of Guiding (such as Guiding in your country/location, patch trading, SWAPS, and so on) and is not a link-bait site, yes, there is a very good chance that I'd be more than glad to add your link (please contact me via email). This site is all about the sisterhood of Girl Guiding and Scouting, so the more pertinent links, the better.

Page last updated on June 23, 2008

Heartfelt thanks & a fantastic tip for sending pins in the mail

2008-05-14T02:54:00.004-04:00

When I last posted here the snow was still heavy on the ground, creating massive banks and rising high enough to entirely cover our bottom floor windows. In the weeks since mid-March I've had many ups and downs, come through surgery and seen a new season blossom without me even getting a chance to officially say good-bye to that (sometimes insipid, sometimes elegantly beautiful) snow.

As I type these words I still have a period of recovery before me, but I hope to be able to post from time-to-time as I work my way through these weeks of rest and healing.

I've long believed that healing comes not just from a pill or a doctor, it can also come from (or be fostered by) our own outlook on a given situation and from the care and support offered to us by the dear and special people in our lives. And on that note, I would truly like to thank everyone who sent me emails and cards, enquired as to how I was doing, offered kind thoughts and healing vibes, and even – in the case of one GSUSA member from California, whom I'd never had any prior contact with – sent an envelope full of delightful event and fun patches, which they insisted were a gift, not a trade. In these acts and words I cannot help but see the naturally caring spirit of Girl Guiding and Scouting at its finest.

To usher in my 'return' to posting, I'd love to share a wonderful tip with you on how to securely send (GG/GS) pins in the mail. Not too long ago I received about eight pins which came wrapped so ingeniously that I knew the moment I saw how they were presented, I'd be blogging it here.

Pop (Soda) Bottle Lid Pin Protectors

What you'll need:

-1 plastic bottle lid (cap/top) for each pin that you wish to send, cleaned and dried (you can use the lids from water bottles, soda/pop cans, juice bottles – whatever works)

-(Approximately) 3”x1” long stripes of bubble wrap (or adjust to the size that you need, just ensure that you have enough bubble wrap to go around each pin at least once), 1 strip per pin

-Scotch tape (aka, sticky tape)

How to:

One at time, place a pin on a strip of bubble wrap so that the puffy bubble side is what the pin is resting on. Wrap the pin – fairly tightly – with the rest of the strip of bubble wrap so that it's entirely covered/protected and secure the bubble wrap with piece of tape so that it can't come unwrapped.

Place the bubble wrapped pin into a pop bottle lid (it's fine if some of the bubble wrap sticks out over the sides a little, just so long as the pin itself is nestled into the bottle lid). Wrap the lid (with pin inside) with a piece of tape, securing it so that the pin cannot fall out of the lid.

Repeat with as many pins as you plan to send/store/trade/etc. For added protection send pins in a bubble lined mailer (envelope), placed all together in a plastic bag or good sized paper envelope. Not only does this method do a great job of keeping pins safe and secure when travelling through the mail, it provides the receiver with fun little gifts to open.

If you wanted to send bigger sized pins (or even buttons or sturdy homemade swaps), you could implement this same technique and use lids/tops from products such as 4 litre (1 gallon) milk containers, plastic yogurt container (the kind that have lids with rims), jam jars, baby food jars, and the twist-on tops from vitamin bottles. Be creative and resourceful, while recycling – and protecting your traders – all at the same time.

I’m going to be MI(GGGS)A for a little while

2008-03-17T05:28:00.004-04:00

Up until now, I’ve not written particularly personal posts on this blog (that is to say, I’ve kept to the main topics at hand – Girl Guides/Scouts and patch trading), however I wanted to inform my readers and visitors that I may not be adding any new posts for the next few weeks.

I’m dealing with some serious health issues at the moment and am currently bed ridden, unable to sit or stand for more than a few moments with out experiencing very severe pain. Help and hope is on the horizon though, as I’m scheduled for surgery towards the end of April. Fingers firmly crossed that all will go well and I’ll soon be on the mend and able to (sit up and) write new posts.

If you’ve just discovered this site (a very warm welcome to you!) and would like to trade patches (or contact me for any other reason) please still feel free to do so. I’m checking my email whenever possible (it’s not all that difficult to read while lying in bed on your side, but it can be a tad trickier to type), and with my husband’s help, I can still send out patch trades (and update my dupes page, as needed).

Thank you everyone for your understanding. While my body is ‘out of commission’ for the next while, I’m sure my mind will remain as active as ever, ready to return and post oodles of fun and interesting new Girl Guide and Girl Scout related articles soon.

Sincerely YIGGGS,
Jessica Cangiano

Save the date: 9/9 – GGC to launch ecommerce site

2008-02-24T17:05:00.002-05:00

Girl Guides of Canada has officially announced recently that by September 2009, they plan to create a nationwide online shop. Currently much of the GGC’s annual merchandise catalogue is available for viewing online on the national website, but orders cannot be placed directly through the site itself.

With this exciting news however, GGC members, non-members and collectors alike will all be able to avail of the convenience that comes from directly being able to order anything they fancy from the comfort of their own home computers.

Currently web shoppers are able to order a selection of GGC and province specific items from both the Ontario and Alberta Girl Guide provincial council website shops, but autumn 2009 will mark the first time that the entire national GGC catalogue will be widely (presumably in its entirety) available online for all of your buying needs.

I’m personally happy about this impending ecommerce site and truly hope that that it’s able to take off and soar. (Fingers crossed however that the GGC does not do away with traditional paper catalogues in the wake of this step towards modernization. So far the GGC has said that they plan to keep catalogues in production. Which is really good news, as I know for a fact that both I and many others out there with a vested interest in GGC absolutely adore – and shop from – the physical catalogue itself, and will likely continue to do so, even if a fully stocked ecommerce site is available around the clock).

One thing however, that sent up a red flag for me, is that near the bottom of the GGC’s announcement, they briefly discuss a plan to do away with all GGC shops (that is to say, physical store locations across various Canadian towns and cities) by 2010.

The reason you may ask, why this paragraph sent chills up my back - well, aside from the fact that it’s always worlds better to be able to try on uniforms and other clothing related items in person, than to guess at the right size when ordering online - is that I can’t help but wonder what such a decision would mean in terms of the production and sale of Area, Divisions, and District crests (patches) and pins.

For now though, there’s little point in worrying too much. The GGC clearly knows what they’re doing, and there’s certainly nothing to say so far that A/D/D items wouldn’t be available still. I’ll be monitoring these merchandise changes very carefully as further news unfolds, and will share whatever I learn with my readers here.

Not everything with a trefoil on it is Girl Guide related

2008-02-08T17:55:00.000-05:00

As an avid collector of Girl Guide related objects, I’ve come across several eBay auctions over the past few months wherein an item with a trefoil or clover shape on it was being promoted as a Girl Guide/Scout item, even if though in reality it almost certainly was never issued or created by any branch of Guides of Scouts worldwide.

The reason that I bring this subject up is that I would never want any of my fellow collectors to buy an item that they believed to be GG or GS related, only to find out later that they were either intentionally duped or accidentally misinformed, and that their item was in fact, not one of GG/GS origin.

I’ll give you a prime example of what I’m talking about. A while back an eBay seller had a bookmark listed (in hindsight I should have saved the listing photo for example purposes) which they titled as being a Girl Guide bookmark from the nineteenth century. There’s just one glaring problem with that description, Girl Guiding did not begin until 1909 (with Boy Scouting being started by Lord Baden Powell in 1907), so unless LBP was secretly creating merchandise before he’d even formally begun the Scouting movement, this bookmark was not authentic.

But wait, I can hear you say, what if they just got their dates wrong? Great point, and certainly one that could happen, but (and I realize that you have to take my word for it here) nothing on the bookmark itself said that that it was related to GG or GS. I believe it was creamy white coloured ribbon which showed a trefoil-like shape, possibly with some written text, but again nothing that would indicate it was GG related (or even a hundred plus years old, regardless of its questionable relationship to Guiding).

I think the asking price was only a few (or perhaps even a couple) of dollars, so had a well meaning collector purchased the item, they wouldn’t likely feel too ripped off. But still, that’s not entirely the point. It’s import when you’re looking to buy Girl Guide and Scout items (memorabilia), on eBay or elsewhere, to try and verify (if you’re at all uncertain) whether or not the item was in fact created for or by an official GG organization or merchandise provider. The point is to ensure that what you’re buying in genuine whether it costs fifty cents or five hundred dollars.

In some instances, I believe that sellers are well intentioned; they may have little to no firsthand experience with the Guiding or Scouting movement and may genuinely believe in good faith that the item they’re listing really is a GG or GS one. From what I’ve seen, this is most often the case when an item (badge, patch, piece of clothing, postcard, etc) has a trefoil shaped symbol on it. Right now for example, a seller has a ring listed on eBay with a somewhat trefoil-ish shape on its face. The seller says outright that they’re not sure if it’s GG related, and in my opinion, I don’t think it is (but, I am far from an expert on GG jewellery, so if you come across this same listing, please draw your own conclusions). As a collector, I appreciate such honesty on the seller’s part, and would always prefer someone to say “I’m not sure”, than to swear from here to the moon and back that it’s as authentic as had Lady BP handcrafted it herself.

Yet in other cases, dishonest sellers may be out to try and scam potential buyers and collectors by attempting to pass off items with trefoils (or even just clover/shamrock shaped symbols) as being GG merchandise, when in fact they are not genuine Guiding items.

The trefoil, a tri-pointed leaf shape, is actually an ancient graphic configuration, whose name in Latin means “three-leaved plant”. It has figured often through history in the art and heraldry (coats of arms) of numerous cultures, especially that of the Celts and Scots (it is also somewhat similar in appearance to the fleur-de-lis, a symbol which is often associated both with the French and with various military related items, as well as being widely used by Boy Scouting movements around the world). Today the trefoil is still commonly used in everything from art to graphic design, and often appears on items in Ireland (I’m speaking firsthand here, having lived in Ireland for two years).

Girl Guide and Girl Scout movements from around the globe have long universally adopted the trefoil as their symbol. From country to country, the artistic interpretation of this shape does vary (call me biased if you like, but the current Canadian Guiding trefoil is my very favourite version), but it’s usually always clearly a trefoil. In some countries where Scouting and Guiding are more fused together than they are in North America, the trefoil may appear atop or beneath a Boy Scout fleur-de-lis, from example, as in the symbol of Scouting and Guiding in Slovakia.

It warrants mentioning that simply because an item (coin, badge, hat, belt buckle, ring, sticker, button, etc) has a trefoil on it, this does not guarantee its authenticity as a Girl Guide or Scout piece of memorabilia. (By the same token though, certainly not all GG/GS items include a trefoil, so the absence of one definitely does not rule out the possibility of something being authentic. A great example of this is merit badges, very few ever include a trefoil, so you’ll need to look for other factors such as size, colour, and stitching quality.)

If in doubt about an item’s authenticity, ask the seller for more information (i.e., “Aside from what’s written in the eBay listing, what can you tell me about this item’s history?” or “Where did you first find/buy this item from”), and try to see what sort of further information you’re able to encounter by doing an internet search for the item in question. Yahoo Girl Guide/Scout collecting related groups are also someplace where you could inquire as to a piece’s credibility, as many collectors in such groups have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to past and present GG/GS collectables.

Collecting Girl Guide items is about buying, trading, and finding pieces that bring you happiness and likely add to your existing collection. Have fun, do your research where needed, and remember that trefoil or not, make sure what you’re buying or trading is the real Girl Guiding deal.

Girl Guides of Ontario launches revamped website

2008-01-28T16:37:00.000-05:00

Decked out in dual shades of blue and sporting a far more streamlined appearance, the official Girl Guides of Ontario website has recently been redesigned. The homepage now promotes the fact that not only is the site specific to Ontario, but that it's also the online spot for Guiding members from Canada's newest territory, Nunavut.

Easy to navigate, full of useful resources (such as a listing of all of the Ontario Girl Guide summer campground locations) and information for members, Guiders and non-members like, the new site gets a thumbs up in my books. (I really hope that in the near future they add content – and items to the online GG of Ontario Guide Shop – which are specific to Nunavut.)

If you have a moment, check out the refurbished provincial site and bookmark it for future reference, as the “What's New” section is bound to be updated often with oodles of interesting Ontario related Guiding news and announcements.

PatchCamp.com – not just for Boy Scouts

2008-01-21T12:22:00.000-05:00

The world of Boy Scout collecting is vast. Its history vividly rich and its present still wonderfully lively. In my ongoing search for websites and resources which deal with Girl Scout and Guide collecting I've encountered a sizable bounty of Boy Scout related sites, groups, and other handy resources. As a general rule though, I have not included such groups in the Patch Collector's Directory, as the focus of this blog is more geared towards female related Scouting and Guiding collecting.

As the old axiom says though, to every rule there are exceptions – especially when the creator of a very well known and much loved Boy Scout website takes the time to not only link to your site, but also features it on his homepage page (which is ever so perfectly aptly called "Base Camp").

Patch Camp (how awesome is that name!), is an Scouting memorabilia haven. Online since 2000, it's rich in thoroughly helpful links and resources for patch and memorabilia collectors of all ages and collection sizes. So when a friendly email sat waiting in my inbox this morning from Patch Camp's creator, letting me know that he'd discovered my blog (via Bill Mulrenin's own stellar collecting blog, where this site was honoured with a write up in December) and added it to his terrific link directory (as a patch trading portal), I was stoked!

Thank you so much for the add, Glenn. Both Patch Camp and your cool Patch Camp Blog have been added to the Girl Guide and Girl Scout Patch Collecting Directory. I'll definitely be checking in on your blog and site often, because while we may specialize in different branches of collecting, we are all united, male or female, by our love of Scouting and Guiding – and most certainly of gathering and trading patches.

My Girl Guide and Girl Scout Dupes and Traders List

2008-01-11T17:19:00.255-05:00

Welcome to my list of Girl Guide and Girl Scout patches, silks, and other memorabilia that I have available to trade. I'm fastidious when it comes to ensuring that I keep this list up-to-date, and any time that I get a new dupe or send out a patch, I update this page. Please feel free to bookmark it for quick reference – and check back often to see what's new.

I've arranged my dupes collection by Canadian, American, and international sections, and further broken each of these areas down based on what I have available at the moment. Within each section, all of the items are arranged alphabetically for ease of searching. If you do not see something listed, it means that I do not have it – but other traders might, so check out my Girl Guide and Girl Scout Patch Collecting Directory and see where that leads you.

I'm always happy to answer any questions about the items on my dupes list and can, if you'd like, provide you with a photo or a scan (or point you towards another online spot where I know an image of that particular patch exists).

Unless otherwise clearly noted, all of my dupes are in excellent condition and come from a smoke-free home (though I cannot, understandably, attest for the homes of people whom I received them from in the first place). For more about my own patch collection, check out my Girl Guide and Girl Scout collection information page.

If you see something that strikes your fancy, if you'd like to share your dupes/traders list with me, or if you'd just like to discuss trading in general, please zip an email my way. I always love hearing from fellow collectors.

Jessica's Girl Guide & Girl Scout Dupes and Traders List

(Last updated on November 22, 2011 at 6:30am EST)

Canadian A/D/Ds

Please note, I prefer to trade A/D/Ds for other A/D/Ds or US Council patches, as A/D/Ds are very hard for me to come by these days (my province of Ontario stopped producing them a few years ago). With all other items on this page, I’m quite flexible in terms of “what trades for what”. Thank you for your understanding.

-Central Area Girl Guides of Canada (Ontario) (Good sized round patch with yellow outer stitching. Image is of a pretty pinwheel, the segments of which are comprised of all the colours of the different GGC branches and centred around a navy blue and yellow trefoil. The background of this patch is navy blue and the text is in yellow stitching)

-Girl Guides of Canada Maple Leaf Division (Ontario) (Round patch with dark royal blue stitching. Image is of a large red maple lead surrounded by six smaller maple leaves. Text (and two small trefoils) is in yellow stitching; design is on a dark royal blue background)

-Girl Guides of Canada Peace Arch International (B.C.) (Round patch with dark blue outer stitching. Features a line of multi-coloured figures, with yellow hearts on their chests, holding hands in front of the B.C./US Peace Archway, with a blue trefoil directly above it. Text in yellow stitching and the patch's background is medium blue)

-Halifax Area (Nova Scotia) (Rectangular shaped patch with rounded corners, and brown outer stitching, with a border of golden yellow inner stitching. Shows the image of a cityscape, located on a green bank, alongside the sea, with numerous white seagulls flying around. Text, and a trefoil in the top centre of the patch, are in royal blue stitching. The patch's background is light blue)

-Komux District (B.C.) (Square shaped patch with rounded corners and dark royal blue outer stitching. Features the pretty image of an orca whale swimming in front of a green, snow-capped mountain range. In the sky above there's four birds in a flight and a yellow sun with a white cloud. The background of this patch is light grey-ish blue and the text is in black stitching)

-Mid Island Area (B.C.) (Circular patch with black outer stitching. Shows a portion of Vancouver Island in green, with a red circle indicating the spot where Mid Island Area is located. Text is in thick red stitching)

-Nanaimo North District (B.C.) (Square shaped patch with rounded corners and yellow outer stitching. Features the image of a large yellow trefoil attached, almost as though as if by a kite string, to seven golden hued, five point stars. The background of this patch is navy blue and the text is in yellow stitching)

-Ottawa Area, Ontario (Round patch with dark royal blue outer stitching. Features the clock tower of the Canadian parliament building on Parliament Hill with a Canadian flag on top of it as well as two red flowers. Text is in dark royal blue stitching on a white background)

-Pioneer District Surrey, B.C. (Hexagon shaped patch with black outer stitching. Image is of a colourful rainbow over top of two brown, snow-capped mountains and some trees. There is a yellow sun and two white clouds in the sky, and a royal blue trefoil in the bottom centre of this patch. Text is in red stitching and the background is light greyish-blue)

-Ripple Rock, Campbell River (B.C.) (Round patch with brown outer stitching. Features a large brown rock with blue waves in front of it, on a white background. Text in royal blue stitching)

-Senior Branches Da Hon Neh Area (Ontario) (Round patch with yellow outer stitching. Features three interwoven rings in the colours of the three branches [Rangers, Cadets and Junior Leaders] of the GGC, surround a dark royal blue trefoil. Text is in red stitching and this design appears on a white background)

-South District Rolls (Ontario) (Round patch with dark yellow outer stitching. Features the lovely image of a red vintage 1930s style car, along with two red roses whose steams reach toward a white trefoil along the bottom of the patch. The text is in white stitching, and the background of this patch is medium blue)

-Trenton Division (Ontario) (Circular patch with dark blue outer stitching. Features a three part scene inside a smaller inner circle that also has dark blue stitching. The images in the scene are a red apple, a campsite, and a red airplane flying over a bridge, all on a white background. Text in dark blue)

-Trillium Area 1972 - 1997 Guides Canada (An oval shaped black patch with silver outer stitching featuring a plum and green version of Ontario's provincial flower, the White Trillium, and a silver trefoil) x 2

Canadian Provinces and Territories

-Alberta provincial shaped patch (White crest shaped like the province of Alberta with a campground scene and the word “Alberta” written on the left hand side in orange stitching. A trefoil does not appear on this patch)

-Ontario provincial crest (Triangular shaped patch with golden yellow outer stitching and black background on which a White Trillium, Ontario's provincial flower, is depicted beneath the words “Ontario Girl Guides” in golden yellow stitching) x 2

Canadian Camps

-None at this time

Canadian Events/Dated

-Burnaby Royal Area "Carnival 2000" (B.C.) (Round patch with gold coloured outer stitching. Features a pink, green and gold masquerade ball style mask and a small gold trefoil on a purple background. Text in gold stitching)

-Celebration 75 (1985) (Semi-circle shaped patch with beige-taupe outer stitching. Background colour is the same as the outer stitching. “75” is in orange stitching, “1985”, “Celebration”, and a small trefoil on the left hand side, are in navy blue)

-Da Hon Neh Area Day “Looking into the Future” (Ontario) (Octagon shaped patch with pine green outer stitching. Image is of a person walking alongside a river, a campfire and several trees. All text and the image – which includes a small trefoil on the centre right hand side – itself is black and pine green. Patch has a white background)

-Edmonton Law Awareness '98 (Alberta) (Rectangular shaped patch with rounded corners, and deep red outer stitching. Features the GGC trefoil and the Scouts Canada symbol in deep red on a dark blue background. All text is deep red coloured)

-Hike For Hunger 2006 (B.C.) (Rectangular shaped patch with dark green outer stitching. Features a trefoil with the words “Guides Canada” under, the B.C. food bank symbol, and the Scouts Canada symbol with the words “Scouts Canada” under it, all on a yellow background that's speckled with black footprints. Text in black stitching, except for “2006” which is white)

-Peace Arch Area (B.C.) Camp Skills 2003 (Circular patch with royal blue outer stitching. Features compass points around its sides, a tent with a royal blue trefoil on it, and a rope with a knot in it, as well as a campfire in the bottom centre of the patch. Background is light blue and all text is yellow, except for the words “Camp Skills” which are royal blue)

-White Pines District “Watch Us Grow” 2003-2004 (Ontario) (Adorable hand shaped patch with three layers of outer stitching: dark green, royal blue and brown. Text takes up the entire palm part of the hand and is yellow and black. The background of this patch is dark 'hot' pink)

Canadian Challenges

-Asia Pacific Challenge (This pink diamond shaped crest – with a thin line of white outer stitching – is part of a series of challenge crests which explore the 5 WAGGGS regions. It features an image of a person's face below part of a globe and above a tiny navy trefoil. Text in white stitching)

-Girls in Motion Challenge Ontario Council (Gold level) (Wide diamond shaped patch with metallic golden coloured outer stitching. Features a picture of girls playing on the letters “GIM” which is written in multi-coloured text. All other text and a small trefoil are in metallic gold stitching on a white background)

-Girls in Motion Challenge Ontario Council (Silver level) (Wide diamond shaped patch with metallic golden coloured outer stitching. Features a picture of girls playing on the letters “GIM” which is written in multi-coloured text. All other text and a small trefoil are in metallic silver stitching on a white background) x 2

-Top of the World Challenge Manitoba (Square patch, fuchsia-violet coloured outer stitching, green background, shows a Guide jumping over a globe with a navy trefoil to her left side) x 2

Canadian "General" Guiding Related

-Girl Guide Cookies/Biscuits des Guides (White square shaped patch with the aforementioned bilingual text plus the words “Cookie Seller/Vendeurs des biscuits” written in white stitching on a red ribbon with a golden yellow trefoil in the middle of the ribbon. Patch also features a green maple leaf and a red maple leaf in the bottom left-hand corner)

Canadian Silks

-Canadian Friendship silk (Rectangular shaped silk with a white background. Shows a red maple leaf with a dark blue trefoil on it and the word 'Canada' written beneath it in royal blue. [Please note that CF silks are reserved for giving to/trading with people outside of Canada, as stipulated by the GGC. Canadians can easily obtain them from any Guide shop, for their own personal use/collection])

-Guides Canada maple leaf flag silk (Rectangular shaped silk which shows red maple leaves falling down atop a blue trefoil and the word “Canada”, which is also in blue, all on a white background)

-Guides Canada triangle maple leaf silk (Triangular shaped silk which shows numerous red maple leaves surrounding a medium blue coloured trefoil, all on a white background with a band of medium blue around the perimeter of the silk)

Canadian Earned (Merit/Proficiency) Badges (and Patrol Emblems)

(Please note, if you click on the name of each earned badge it takes you to a picture of that badge for easy reference. These pictures are not my own, but instead (most of them) hail from two other collectors' amazing GG/GS collections, those of Sparklegarden (Beth) and my good friend, Louise St. Germain)

Older Brownie triangles (All badges, unless otherwise noted, are brown triangles with brown outer stitching and yellow stitching for the emblems themselves. As these badges tend to be a bit old – triangle badges were discontinued in the mid 1990s – they have often softened on the back a bit, while the front remains in great shape. If a given badge that I've got listed has any other flaws or issues though, I will list them beside the patch in question)

None at the moment, but do check back often, as I've had dupes in this category before.

Older Brownie rectangles (Rectangle shaped badges that were used during part of the 1990s and early 2000s. All badges, unless otherwise stated, have a brown background and either golden yellow, orangey-red, or green outer stitching)

None at the moment, but do check back often, as I've had dupes in this category before.

Older Brownie Opening and Widening My Windows Challenge badges (This series of Brownie challenge badges were in place during part of the 1990s and early 2000s. There were three 'windows' which were square shaped and three smaller semi-circle shaped 'widening my view' badges, one each of which corresponded to the window badges)

-Opening My Window On People (Square shaped badge with reddish-orange outer stitching. Features the smiling faces of five girls on a light blue background)

-Widening My Window On The Outdoors (Semi circle shaped badge with green outer stitching. Features three brown hued geese flying toward a yellow sun on a light blue background)

Current Brownie badges (The current Brownie badges are very colourful and hexagon shaped (either standard hexagon or longer, rectangular hexagon shaped). They no longer have embroidery on them, but instead more resemble woven silks)

-Key To Camping (Long, rectangular length hexagon shaped badge with a green inner background and a Brownie key in yellow and goldeny-orange) x 2

Brownie patrol emblems (Older Canadian Brownie patrol/Six emblems were square, newer ones are round. Both styles have brown outer stitching, a brown background, and an image of an elf, fairy, pixie, dryad or other similar mythical being in the centre)

None at the moment, but do check back often, as I've had dupes in this category before.

Other Brownie related badges and emblems

None at the moment, but do check back often, as I've had items before (such as “Brownie Wings”) which fall into this category

Girl Guide circle badges (All badges, unless otherwise noted, are small navy blue circles with navy blue stitching around their outside perimeters)

-Baker (also known as “Tasty Treats”) (Orange and white loaf of bread) x 3

-Campfire Leader (Orange coloured flames rising up from a pile of logs)

-Collector (Pink and white seashell; please note that the copy of this badge that I have is slightly rippled around the edges, but the stitching and navy background are in great shape still)

-Forestry (also known as “Woodman”) (This is the older design of the forestry Guide badge which was used until some point during the 1980s. It shows a golden yellow axe stuck into a brown tree stump)

-Forestry (current design) (Two green trees)

Girl Guide 'Exploring' Challenge emblems (All four badges in this series were dark royal blue – with either red, green, yellow or white stitching – and had three parts each: Encountering, Exploring and Discovering)

-Encountering My Community (Large hexagon base)

-Exploring My Community (Smaller chevron shaped part)

-Encountering My Future (Large hexagon base) x 2

-Exploring My Future (Smaller chevron shaped part)

-Encountering My Horizons (Large hexagon base)

-Encountering My Outdoor Environment (Large hexagon base)
-Exploring My Outdoor Environment (Smaller chevron shaped part)

Current Girl Guide badges (Calling a category by this name is slightly misleading, as some of the navy blue, round Guide badges are still in use. However, on top of such badges, a number of others have recently been introduced. These new badges come in three different shapes (depending on their respective themes): square (in two sizes), rectangular and one shape which is somewhat like a cross between a triangle and a pentagon with almost rounded corners)

None at the moment, but do check back often, as I've had dupes in this category before.

Pathfinder Badges (Between the creation of Pathfinders in 1979 and the early years of the 21st century, girls in this age group [12–14+] had the option of earning five – later six – round badges which were each offered in three stages: bronze, silver, and gold. Plus a four part badge which formed the shape of an arrow, which was called the “Be Prepared” arrow. These badge have now been replaced by a new and entirely different series, of which I do not yet have any and would be delighted to trade for. Please note that I only have the levels of the older Pathfinder badges that you see listed. I am lacking gold level badges and would love to trade for some, if you happen to have any available)

None at the moment, but do check back often, as I've had dupes in this category before.

Canadian Pins

Service stars (All service stars, unless otherwise noted, are made of an unmarked metal and are gold in colour with a grip style back that's a separate piece which one would put on the underside of their garment to hold the pin in place. They're six pointed stars with round circular faces upon which the service year number is embossed so as to be raised slightly. These pins are no longer is circulation, and have been replaced by a newer silver coloured round version, so for pin collectors these star shaped pins are a must)

-1 (first) year service star

-2 year service star x 2

-10 year service star

Enrollment pins (Unless otherwise stated, all enrollment pins are the ones which are currently in use by the GGC and its members)

-Brownie enrollment pin, current version (A gold toned Brownie fairy figure on a thin bar shaped pin)

Other assorted GGC pins

-Guides Canada maple leaf flag pin (Rectangular shaped pin which shows red maple leaves falling down atop a blue trefoil and the word “Canada”, which is also in blue, all on a white background)

USA Girl Scout Councils (Please note, if the name of the state is not included as part of a Council's name, I've indicated in brackets, after the Council name, which state a given patch hails from)

-Girl Scouts Columbia River Council (Oregon) (Octagon shaped patch with royal blue outer stitching. A detailed patch with various little pictures in the middle such as a bird, trees and a mountain, a bridge, and a pear and apple. The background of this patch is white and the text is red stitching)

-Girl Scouts Homestead Council (Nebraska) (Round patch with royal blue outer stitching. Features the image of a brown wooden building/house, a grey monument and a green tree on the state of Nebraska. The background behind the images is light green, behind the text – which is in royal blue stitching – it's light blue)

-Girl Scouts-Indian Hills Council (New York) (Round patch with very dark navy blue outer stitching. Lovely, heavily stitched image is of a Native American's head amongst a grove of birch trees, over top of a blue river. All of the patch is stitched and the text is in white stitching)

-Girl Scouts Mt. Wilson Vista Council (California) (A lovely patch that's shaped like a rectangle with a rounded top. Patch has dark blue outer stitching and features an image of a beautiful red rose, grey mountains and a large yellow sunburst, all on a medium blue background. Text in yellow stitching)

-Girl Scouts of Greater Essex and Hudson Counties (New Jersey) (Round patch with red outer stitching. Features a city skyline in blue overlooking a row of green trees, with the words “New Jersey” in white stitching, between the two parts of the image. All other text in dark blue; patch has a white background)

-Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana (Kentucky) (Oval shaped patch with emerald green outer stitching. Shows the heavily stitched image of two girls peering down upon a lush green river valley that leads to setting/rising sun. A pretty red bird appears on the left hand side of the patch. The background is light blue and the text is in emerald green stitching)

-Girl Scouts of Palm Glades Council, Inc. (Florida) (Large oval shaped patch with medium green hued outer stitching. Features a beautiful and detailed picture of a cityscape with tall grey buildings in front of a large yellow sun, with a lake/ocean with a boat, a person canoing, alligators and a turtle. Text in black) x 2

-Girl Scouts of Rhode Island (Slightly angularly shaped rectangular patch with turquoise outer stitching. Features the shape of the state with the letters “r” and “i” in dark green on it, over top of a turquoise body of water. The background of this patch is white and the text is in black stitching)

-Girl Scouts of Santiam Council (Oregon) (Oval shaped patch with dark pine green outer stitching. Shows a yellow sun over a blue lake, green trees, and brown hills/mountains, with clouds in the sky, all on a light blue background. Text in dark blue stitching)

-Girl Scouts of Southwestern New York (Good sized semicircular shaped patch with black outer stitching. Image is divided into three main sections, each with an image in it: one with the state of NY, one with a campsite, and one with a sailboat. Background behind the images is steely blue coloured and behind the text – which is in black stitching – it's white)

-Girl Scouts San Diego-Imperial Council Inc. (California) (Round patch with black outer stitching. Image is divided into four heavily stitched portions: yellow sun rays, blue waves, green trees and a quarter with a black background on which the text – in yellow and green stitching – appears)

-Girl Scouts Susitna Council Alaska (Rectangular patch with a rounded top, and black outer stitching. The image on this pretty patch is of the Big Dipper constellation, the shape of Alaska in purple stitching, a purple snowcapped mountain range, and four purple animal tracks. All of the text except for the word “Alaska” – which is in deep green – is in black stitching, and the background colour is medium, almost cerulean, blue)

-Girl Scouts Trillium Council (Pennsylvania) (Rectangular patch with sky blue outer stitching. Features the image of a lovely white Trillium flower on a rectangle of very dark green stitching. The general background of this patch is dark blue and the text is in yellow stitching)

-Heritage Trails Girl Scout Council (Round patch with dark royal blue outer stitching. Image is of a yellow tepee, a royal blue coloured covered wagon, and some green trees behind a segment of railway track. The background of this patch is white and the text is in medium green coloured stitching)

-Hudson Valley Girl Scout Council (New York) (Good sized square patch with a curved top. This patch has dark green outer stitching and features the pretty image of a multi-sailed boat sailing past industrial looking grey buildings. “Hudson Valley” is in deep yellow coloured stitching and the other text is in dark green. The background of this patch is sky blue.)

-Ozark Area Girl Scout Council (Missouri) (Triangle shaped patch with white outer stitching. Features three different images: a buffalo and a sunflower with the initials “KS”, a horse and a flower with the initials “MO”, and an oil derrick with the initials “OK”. The background of this patch is pale dusty blue and the text is all in red stitching)

-Patriot's Trail Girl Scout Council (Massachusetts) (This patch is shaped like the simplistic outline of a house with a pointed roof, and has royal blue outer stitching. The image is of a glowing old fashioned candle lamp, with a small banner beneath it that says “Est 1980”. The background of this patch is white and the text is in royal blue stitching)

-Peacepipe Girl Scouts (Minnesota) (Patch is shaped like a traditional Native American peacepipe with two blue feathers attached to its handle. There's a thin black border around the pipe itself, which is composed of two shades of brown. Text is in black stitching)

-Penn Laurel Girl Scout Council (Pennsylvania) (Round patch with white outer stitching. Shows a lovely pink sprig of Mountain Laurel flowers on a white background. Two green GSUSA trefoils appear, one each on either side of the flowers. Text is in green stitching)

-Redlands Council of Girl Scouts, Oklahoma (Good sized oval shaped patch with light blue outer stitching. Image depicts five figures swinging on a swing set with the words “It's A Swinging Place To Be” beneath them in black stitching. The background of this patch is light dusty blue, and the location related text is in red stitching)

-Tanasi Girl Scout Council (Tennessee) (Vertically rectangle shaped patch with rounded corners and dark brown outer stitching. Heavily stitched image is of a person holding a walking stick looking out at a valley with lots of green hills and a blue river alongside a tree. The background of this patch is light brown and the text is in yellow stitching)

-Terra del Oro Girl Scout Council (California) (Semi-circle shaped patch with yellow outer stitching; shows the sun rising over a brown mountain, green trees and yellow flowers on a white background. Text in dark green stitching) x 2

-Wilderness Road Girl Scout Council (Kentucky) (Round patch with chartreuse green outer stitching. Image is of a yellow pathway leading toward some green trees, with the outline of Kentucky overlapping the pathway. Background is navy blue and the text is in yellow stitching)

-Winema Girl Scout Council (Oregon) (Rectangular patch with slightly curved top and bottom sides, and white outer stitching. Shows the heavily stitched image of a girl sitting on a grassy hill looking out over a lake and some grey snow-capped mountains. All of this patch is covered in stitching; the word “Winema” is in yellow and the other text is in teal blue stitching)

International

International patches, silks and badges

-Canadian issued WAGGGS logo patch (Round medium blue patch with outer stitching in the same colour. Features the golden yellow WAGGGS trefoil in the centre. There is no text on this patch.

-Western Hemisphere silk (Square shaped white silk with blue and orangey-yellow hued North and South American continents and a WAGGGS trefoil in the left top corner of the silk)

International Pins

-Canadian issued WAGGGS trefoil pin (Round medium blue coloured pin that features the golden yellow WAGGGS trefoil in the centre, with a golden yellow border around the perimeter of the pin)

-Western Hemisphere pin (Square shaped white pin on a gold toned background. Shows an image of blue and orangey-yellow hued North and South American continents, with a WAGGGS trefoil in the left top corner of the pin)

Jessica's Girl Guide & Girl Scout Patch and Memorabilia Collection

2008-01-10T22:30:00.006-05:00

“Collecting has been my great extravagance.
It's a way of being.” Howard Hodgkin

How I became interested in patch collecting and trading

Like many girls and women from all corners of the globe who are involved with Girl Guiding and Scouting, I've long been enthralled with the notion and practice of collecting items related to this fulfilling pastime. As a youth I avidly collected and traded crests/patches and silks, sewing them (along with my Pathfinder sash and a few old earned Brownie badges that had belonged to one of my aunts) diligently onto a campfire blanket which I fashioned out of a grey fleece blanket. I whip stitched all of the outer edges and the neck hole with teal coloured wool, and using multi-coloured sequins and tiny seed beads, I stitched my first name (Jessica) on the back. I loved and treasured that blanket, but like so many things from our childhoods, I fear that it's been lost through many moves and conditions beyond my control (there's a very vague chance that it still exists at the home of a relative, but I need to investigate that in person one day).

In the fall of last year (2007), I decided that I was going to begin collecting patches (or as we usually referred to them when I was in GGs, crests) again for the first time in close to a decade. Starting a patch collection isn't the easiest of tasks for most people, but it's even more challenging for me, as I'm not enrolled in Guiding at this exact moment and so do not get a chance to avidly interact in person with fellow Guiding members.

However, I usually always love a good challenge, and so I set off to find patches online. So far I've had mixed success, but am delighted to say that I've been able to start a collection of crests not only from Canada, but also the US and even a few international destinations.

What I am currently interested in collecting

As my collection is practically brand new, I had to decide what Guiding related items I wanted to most focus on collecting. While the honest truth is, I'd not likely turn away any Girl Guide or Scout related piece, at the moment I am most interested in the following:

-Any patch, crest or silk from anything or that nature related to the Girl Guides of Canada, or any past or present facet of Guiding in Canada (including items pertaining to the 'Guides francophones du Canada'). This very broad description includes such things as national, provincial, area, division, and district crests/silks; camp crests; cookie and calendar seller crests (and often silks); challenge crests and patches; and event crests (for example, “Thinking Day” or “Hike for Hunger”). Really, if it is a crest, silk, patch or even pin and it relates to Canadian Guiding, I'm super interested. That said, I'm most interested of all in collecting national, provincial, area, division, and district crests/patches/silks from all across Canada, and would love to trade with you if you're also into these things!

-Canadian earned badges, pins, buttons, Patrol Leader stripes (or any stripes such as Seconders or Sixers), patrol/pack/troupe emblems, etc from any branch (Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers, etc) of Guiding (from any era).

-US Girl Scout Council patches: To begin with I'd like to get at least one council patch from each American State and then (or in the process) move onto collecting one or more patches from each of the former 319 US Girl Scout councils (in the summer of 2006 the number of US councils was dramatically reduced and currently is at 109 Councils nationwide).

-Patches from around the world: I am massively interested in hopefully, one day, being able to have at least one patch/silk/crest from each of the 144 countries that currently belong to WAGGGS. If you're an international trader, please don't hesitate to contact me, it's almost a given that my “newbie” collection does not yet contain your item(s).

-I very much like the idea of collecting US and international earned badges, but don't yet really have a collection of these. If you'd like to trade any earned badges, feel free to drop me a line.

-In addition to the above, I am really keeping my eyes peeled for anything related to Girl Guiding and Scouting in Italy. The reason being that while I'm Canadian, my darling husband is a born and bred Italian, and so as a way of honouring his wonderful culture, I'd love to gather Italian related items.

-Lastly, I'm causally (aka, as I encounter them, I'm not hunting such items down feverishly) into collecting “plush” Canadian Girl Guide items such as the various dolls, stuffed animals, and teddy bears (and their respective outfits and accessories) that have been put out over the years. Though I never owned any of these items, I remember when I was a Pathfinder and my little sister was a Brownie, the “Guide doll” had the option of wearing a Brownie or Guide dress (this uniform, sadly – it was so elegant – is no longer produced in human or doll size). I'd love to get one of each of those doll uniforms (plus any other “vintage” outfits). I'm not sure if there's a big following of doll/plushie collectors, but I'm certainly one.

(On a bit of a side note, if you have any patches, silks, crests, pins or even earned badges that you'd like to sell, I am certainly interested and can be contacted via email.)

Things that I'm not avidly collecting right now

At the moment I'm not really collecting (Canadian, US, or International) uniforms/ties/sashes (unless they have badges/patches on them), flags, camping related items (though I am very interested in the possibility of purchasing Canadian campfire blankets with crests/patches/silks/etc on them), stationary and postcards, or postal stamps.

I'm also not really too interested in US camp or activity patches, though I've amassed some already. Council patches however, are a definite yes!

My specific Canadian collecting needs

Everything! No, I'm just kidding, well..... But seriously, again, as my collection is in its infancy, I really do need a phenomenal number of Canadian crests. Whereas the US has a very finite number of councils (previously 319, currently 109), the quantity of areas, divisions, and districts (A/D/Ds) in Canada is such a large number that it's practically only surpassed by the number of kilometres it takes to drive from one side of the country to the other.

While there are concise lists of all of the US councils which can be found on numerous people's websites, it would appear that many Canadian collectors have come to the same conclusion that I reached when I recently began collecting again, there just isn't an “absolutely definitive” list of all of the Canadian A/D/Ds (and by this I really do mean the GGC does not appear to release such a list to the general Guiding population). Though a few people, bless their hearts, have given very, very earnest and wonderful attempts to cataloguing as many A/D/Ds as they possibly can.

On her fantastic site, Guidingproject.info, website creator and fellow collector Louise St. Germain , estimates that she has identified upwards of 2,000 different Canadian areas, divisions and districts. Wow, that's a huge number! Granted a small percentage of these A/D/Ds may no longer exist (or may not have, or ever had, crests), but still, that is a staggering number of patches to be on the prowl for and certainly more than enough to keep myself – and tons of other collectors – busy for a very long time.

Specifically, my heart lights up the very most when it comes to collecting patches, crests, and silks from British Columbia (my home province), Alberta – especially Calgary, and the Yukon/Northwest Territories/Nunavut (my maternal grandmother hails from Dawson City in the Yukon, and my childhood was peppered with her fascinating tales of growing up in the great white north, embedding in me a lifelong love of all things from the “land of ice and snow”). But truthfully, I really am wild about crests (and like) from any location in Canada and happily will trade for crests/silks/pins from any part of the country.

Would you like to trade?

As you may have gathered, I absolutely love to trade and collection patches and other pieces of Girl Guide/Scout related memorabilia. If you're the same way, or are trading on behalf of someone who is (a young daughter or relative without a computer, for example), I would love to trade with you, or even just discuss Guiding.

Feel free can check out my duplicates and traders page. I update this list every time I get a new trader or send out a trade and therefore remove it from the list. All trading inquiries and other email topics can be sent via email.

I look forward to trading with you, and sincerely thank you for visiting my website. Happy patch collecting to all!

Page last update on: November 30, 2008

Top 10 Places to Find Secondhand Girl Guide Uniforms

2008-01-05T14:34:00.000-05:00

While many people think of the blossom filled season of spring as the primo time to a thoroughly clean out of their abode, I've always preferred to do a top-to-bottom house cleaning at least once a season. I detest clutter and am constantly reevaluating if I really have the need/use for an items (e.g., outdated clothes, two year old magazines, etc). Like many people, I try to make a point of selling, giving away (to friends/family/women's shelters), or donating (to charity) any item which is still in good shape but of no purposeful use to me any more.

Interestingly though, this process is not merely a one way street. I adore – and I do really mean adore – shopping secondhand, combing through garage sales, and haggling for a bargain at swap meets. Inherited from my mother, this love of scouring high and low for that perfect bargain has helped me furnish homes and dress myself all through my life. And while growing my own Guiding related uniforms were bought new (though I might add, with my own money that I'd saved up from babysitting), I distinctly remember that when my little sister joined Brownies, her uniform was a very kindhearted donation from my elementary school best friend.

I think back to that time in my life and am always so grateful for the gift which was bestowed upon my sister, I don't know what we'd have done (for a uniform) if not for my friend Karen's generosity. Reflecting upon these childhood days I started thinking about some of the other places through out my life where I've seen secondhand Guiding uniforms, or where you may very easily be able to come by one.

While there's certainly the option of buying a new uniform, there's no reason to scoff at the idea of giving an existing one a second time around, irregardless of if the choice is financially based or not. In fact, I can't implore you enough to think of secondhand goods as just as worthy and wonderful as newly purchased items. Gently used items often have a life all their own, and tracking them down can be worlds more fun than just buying them new off the shelf.

With that thought in mind, here are my top 10 recommendations for places to find Canadian Girl Guides (Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders, Seniour Branches, Leaders, etc) uniforms (international readers can still avail of many of these suggestions too, adapting them to the shops and sources which are available in their own respective countries).

-The classified section of your local newspaper(s) and “Buy and Sell” type of papers. The Guiding year usually ends in most parts of the country around June and picks up again September, both of these times of the year in particular are potential hotbeds for ads of people who are selling or giving away outgrown or no longer needed uniforms. Plus, if you don't see an ad for what you want, consider placing a small wanted ad – some Buy and Sell type papers let you post (small) free wanted ads, which means you've really got nothing to lose.

-Online classified websites like Kijijo and Craigslist, both let you post and browse wanted and for sale ads for free. These two websites in particular are of interest because they have numerous locale sites for specific large Canadian cities such as Vancouver and Toronto.

-Value Village: an absolute haven for lovers of frequently rotating secondhand household and clothing items. On almost every trip I've ever made to a VV anywhere in Canada, I've seen Guiding uniforms (especially Sparks and Brownies). Sign up for VV's email newsletter to be informed of when one of their super cool 50% off all merchandise one day sales are going to happen (there's usually at least three such sales a year).

-Whether you call it “The Salvation Army” or the “Sally Ann”, there's no denying that this widely known and well established chain of thrift stores is a handy place to check for gently used uniforms.

-Local thrift stores, consignment stores, and church/charity run used clothing shops. (Check your phone book's yellow page section for local listings. Even very small towns often have at least one secondhand and/or consignment store.)

-eBay: This gigantic online flea market is a mecca for potential uniforms (as I type this article right now, a few quick keyword searches turned up a pink current Sparks sweatshirt and an older style Brownie dress – plus oodles of US Girl Scout uniforms and even some brand new sashes). Check often and consider having email updates for specific keywords sent right to your inbox so that you'll always known when a new item that matches your criteria is listed.

-Check out the ad covered bulletin boards at your local grocery store, library, school, church (or other place of worship), community centre, sports complex, daycare, community theater, etc. If you don't happen across an ad (which is fairly likely), place one with your information and contact phone number, so long as wanted ads are permitted.

-Ask, ask, ask! If you known anyone else with a child enrolled in Guiding (or who has been previously enrolled), politely ask them if they held onto any of their child's outgrown uniforms, and if so would they be willing to share them with you (if the answer is yes, make sure you give them something in return to say thank you – homemade cookies or a night of free child minding are always appreciated).

-Your own backyard! Well, perhaps not your own, but how about the front lawns and driveways of your neighbours and friends. Once the warm weather rolls around, garage sales and outdoor swap meets abound across most of Canada. Check your local paper for upcoming ads and circle all the ones close to where you live, then pack some water, snacks, and sunscreen and head out for a lovely weekend morning of yard sale scavenging :) (Likewise, head indoors year round for swap meets, flea markets, and even auctions and estate sales, you never know when and where the opportunity to pick up a uniform will strike!)

-Contact your nearest Guide shop and/or provincial council and inquire as to if they know of any good leads to find gently used uniforms.

As with all searches, it's wise to start well in advance of when you're actually planning on needing the item(s) in question. For example, if you know that your daughter will be flying up from Brownies to Guides next September, and it's July now, consider starting your search while you still have two months before enrollment (which, incidentally, is also another great place to ask around for possible uniform leads).

It is to the best of my understanding, not possible for a girl (or woman) to be excluded from joining Guides due to a lack of uniform (I've read that in the US, so long as a girl is wearing her enrollment pin, she is considered to technically be in uniform). In many cases, local leaders and Guiding members will likely be happy to try and help provide a uniform or suggest a suitable alternative, so please don't let the lack of a uniform prevent you or your daughter from joining or continuing on with Guiding. Try not to worry if you're on a budget or just looking to source a good deal, with a little diligence, it shouldn't be impossible for you to find yourself or your child a great looking Girl Guide uniform.

(I'd just like to add that if any of my readers are looking to sell or donate secondhand uniforms, I'd be delighted to post a classified style ad with your location and contact information on this site.)

Enter to win Pax Lodge's 2008 Christmas Card Design Contest

2007-12-13T14:19:00.000-05:00

With less than two weeks left until Christmas 2007, few amongst us are already thinking ahead to next year's holiday celebrations (and how can you, with so many presents to wrap, goodies to bake, and parties to attend!). Though if you're an organization and not person however, plans are often made well in advance, and that's just the case with Pax Lodge's recently announced 2008 Christmas card design contest.

Open to all members of WAGGGS, this contest is looking for a winning design (which will be judged by a panel of members of the Friends of Pax Lodge committee) for Pax Lodge's 2008 and Christmas cards.

The contest, which runs until February 28, 2008, will see 12 entries shortlisted, with one overall winner being selected. The chosen entry will earn an “international adventure day” for all members of the winner's group, plus all group members will receive a piece of the “Pax Lodge rock”.

For more information and to print off the entry form, please use this PDF link.

Best of luck and happy holidays to everyone!

Girl Guide and Girl Scout Patch Collecting Directory

2007-12-05T04:48:00.010-05:00

Created (first posted) on December 5, 2007

Last updated on March 23, 2011 (Weeded out links that were no longer operational and added a few new sites to the directory.)

Introduction to Patch Collecting

While there is a bounty of fun, interesting and rewarding activities that take place when you belong to Girl Guides (or Scouts), often these activities are limited to the time spent at meetings, on day trips or at camps. Patch collecting however is a Girl Guide related activity which you can enjoy around the clock (even if you're no longer, or not currently, enrolled in Guiding), which may be part of the reason behind its widespread appeal.

Anyone who has been enrolled in, or involved with, Guiding will be familiar with the badges, pins and other insignia that are awarded after completing certain programs and challenges (or that are present as part of the basic uniform). These items are the treasured rewards of our hard work and dedication to Guiding, and are usually displayed on our uniforms in one manner or another (such as on a sash or vest, for example). Patches and crests (and silks) however are not the same as earned merit badges, though in some instances (such as camp attendance or cookie selling) they are earned, they are more often items which are bought (such as at a local Guide shop) or traded for.

Patches and crests are typically small pieces of sturdy fabric backing onto which designs are stitched, embroidered, or printed (they can be virtually any shape, though circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, and diamonds are especially common shapes). The outside edges of patches and badges are often covered with a border of stitching, so as to add longevity to the life of the patch, and to give it added visual appeal.

Anything one can possibly dream up can be stitched or printed onto a patch, though when speaking of Girl Guiding and Scouting crests, commonly we see patches that are designed to represent specific geographical locations (Canadian provinces, areas, districts, and divisions; American councils, for example), events (camps, Thinking Day, commemoratives such as a milestone birthday in the history of Guiding in a specific country, etc), cookie and calendar sales, specific Guiding related locations (Guide houses, Guiding museums, World Guide Centres such as Our Cabana), and general Guiding and Scouting related topics (for example, national Girl Guides of Canada items, things related to Trefoil Guilds, and/or one's current Guiding affiliation such as being a Spark or Brownie).

The terms 'patches' and 'crests' can be used interchangeably, as they both refer to the same type of item. Patch is more common a term amongst people from the US, with crest being the preferred word amongst many Canadians. The word “badge” is sometimes used instead of patch or crest, but generally, by true (at least Canadian) Guiding definition, a badge refers to an item that was earned or awarded for something that a Guide or Scout did as part of their program.

In addition to patches and crests (and badges), there are also silks. A silk is (usually) a small square, rectangle or triangle of fairly thin silky fabric which is embroidered or screen printed with a Guiding related image (cookie selling is a common silk theme). In Canada for example, silks are produced for each province and territory. These silks feature the respective provincial flower of the province, plus the name of the province and usually a trefoil. Another common Canadian theme for silks is to have ones made up that feature the names of the provincial, national and other high ranking Guiding members (such as commissioners). A smaller number of silks compared to crests are produced annually in Canada, though that certainly doesn't stop silks from having a very loyal following of collectors, too. Silks are not strictly a Canadian occurrence; they are also produced in many other countries worldwide (I have many wonderful silks from Australia, for example).

Lots of other items related to Guiding and Scouting are also highly collectible; really anything that a person associates with their time in Guiding, or with Guiding on a broader scale, can be – and probably is – collected. Some people like to collect earned (proficiency/interest/merit) badges (that were at one point likely earned by someone other than themselves), title tapes, patrol/troupe (troop)/Six emblems, uniform stripes (eg, Patrol Leader stripes), US “hamburger” council title patches/strips, pins (these can be anything from service stars to trefoils, and our often highly sought out collectables, especially because they exist for just about every – if not all – countries that have Guiding and/or Scouting programs ), buttons (such as the type of button one might wear in support of their political candidate of choice, not per se buttons that composed the fastenings of a Guiding related uniform), postcards (featuring something relating to Guiding/Scouting), and uniforms (and/or uniform accessories like scarfs) are commonly collected items.

Though of all the items that are traded and collected by Guiding enthusiasts, it is likely patches (crests) that have the very largest following. It's easy to see why: patches are often detailed, beautiful little pieces of art work. They can be displayed (such as on a campfire blanket or camp hat) or simply collected by someone who enjoys them in the privacy of their own home. One can choose to focus on a certain type of crest (for example camp crests or US council patches) or build a more general collection. As with most hobbies, crest collecting is a personal activity with overlapping social interactions (eg, you may trade in person at a camp for crests or may arrange to swap with other collectors through the mail). It's rewarding and – if I may say so – more than a little addictive, but only in the funniest and most innocent sense of that word.

If you want to get started for the first time with a crest (or other Guiding related) collection, a good place to start (or to help your daughter start) is at your local Guide (or Scout) shop (if you do not live near a Guide shop, you can order crests and other items – such as uniforms – through the mail from a national catalog, or in some places, online). There you can usually find crests that feature your local geographical location, plus provincial and national ones too, as well as crests that relate to fun general Guiding topics (and sometimes even WAGGGS/world Guiding related crests and silks). Most new crests and silks will run you anywhere from about fifty cents to a few dollars a piece (often though, they are reasonably priced at under three dollars each).

Girls and women who are actively enrolled in Guiding may also receive patches from participating in various events, activities, and camps. Girls are sometimes also given a few crests (often featuring their local area, division or district) from their Leaders before attending a multi-unit camp (I remember this was the case when I attended SOAR '98 as a Pathfinder). In turn the girls can either save and collect these patches or trade with other campers for patches or mementos from their respective locations, thus allowing a person to build up a broader patch collection.

If you (and/or your child) want to trade patches with others from across the country (or the globe), it's very helpful to have duplicates (often simply called “dupes” or less commonly, “dups”) available that you can trade for crests/patches/silks/pins from people living in other places (of course one is not obliged to trade, though it does tend to make it much easier to collect a large volume of crests from different locations). Once you have a stock of dupes, it becomes much easier to find people who are willing (and often very delighted) to trade with you (in person or through the mail).

As Guiding and Scouting related items are popular trading and collecting pieces, a number of people have created websites (such as personal homepages and Yahoo groups) that focus on (or have a page dedicated to) this very topic. Below is a list of all the sites relating to patch and crest trading that I have located so far. Every time I find a new site, I will add it here immediately. If you happen to have/run/know of a patch trading site that’s not listed, please drop me an email and I will be very happy to add it to the list.

Wherever possible I've tried to list all sites using the names (titles) that the people who created them bestowed up on their own pages. However, in a small number of instances (namely with homepages), sites did not have a formal title or the title was simply too vague/generic (eg, “Patch Collecting”). In such cases I have named these sites myself, by taking an element from that person's page (such as their location or first name). Please, if you see your own site here and would prefer that it be listed by a different name, just contact me and I'll happily change it right away for you.

Each section of links below has been arranged in alphabetical order (with sites that begin with a numerical title preceding those with words as the start of their titles), so that you can easily search for the name of a particular site with out having to scan through the entire page as though it were a word search puzzle :)

This list was initially compiled at the end of November and start of December 2007, at that time, all of the links listed below were active. However, I know that a link can “die” as quickly as a candle flame is snuffed out, so their validity can only be vouched for at the time when they were posted. Do note though, that at least twice a year, I will do my best to go through each link on this entire website (blog) and weed out any that are no longer active.

If you would like to have your patch/crest related website listed here, please contact me via email, and I will add it (please note, no spam pages or sites that do not related to the topic of GG/GS collecting will be posted. Thanks!)

Girl Guide and Girl Scout Collecting Homepages

The following sites are the personal pages of fellow patch and badge collectors from around the world. As a general rule these sites do not sell items; they are about showcasing and/or trading patches.

Beth's Patch and Pin Trading Collection (Site features a fantastic collection of patches and pins with pictures, including the following categories: USA patches, GSUSA 90th Anniversary Patches, Canadian patches, Canadian earned badges, United Kingdom patches, United Kingdom earned badges, Australian patches, Australian earned badges, New Zealand patches, other international countries patches, international earned badges, pin collection, and scarfs and bandannas. This is site is a true must for any serious patch collector!)

Brownie Troop (Troupe) 75's Patch Page (A written list of all of the US council patches that have been collected by this Brownie group, including listings of the patches that have available to trade)

Collen's Badge Trading (An Ontario Guider's patch collecting homepage with written lists of her collected patches and pictures of the ones that she has to trade)

Debbie's Girl Scout Homepage (Features written lists of her collected and up for trades/dupes US council patches)

Girl Guides of Ontario Guiding Badges and Insignia Directory(This recently launched, absolutely stellar project from the Girl Guides of Ontario is comprised of a series of PDF documents dedicated to corralling all of the badges and insignia that have been earned by members of the GGC between 1910 and 2010 in one easy to navigate spot. It is an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in vintage or modern GGC patches and pins.)

Girl Scout Council Patch History (A detailed, descriptive list of what many US council patches from both the past and from more recent years looked, and still/currently, look like)

Girl Scout Council Patch History (A detailed, descriptive list of what many US council patches from both the past and from more recent years looked, and still/currently, look like)

Heather and Adrine's Girl Scout Page (Includes written lists of their US council collection and available US duplicate trader patches)

Kim's Own Website (Homepage of a GS Leader with written lists of her US council and Canadian patch collections)

Kim's Patches (Site features photographs of Kim's collection of assorted Canadian crests and earned merit badges)

Laurie's Patch Trading Page (An American GS's written list of the US councils patches and international crests/silks that she's gathered including dupes)

Lisa's Girl Guide Trading Page (Though the creator of this site clearly states that she's not actively trading at the moment, this page makes for a handy visual reference for those who are interested in A/D/D crests from certain parts – such as the Okanagan – of British Columbia, as there are a few pictures of patches to be found here)

Liz's Badge Swapping Page (Homepage of an Irish GG who is currently trading the the “30th World Conference, Dublin, Ireland” patch for other crests from around the world)

Lee Ann's Canadian patch collection (A delightful, relatively new online album displaying Lee Ann's lovely collection of Canada patches. Please see this post for more details about Lee Ann's site.)

Louise's Girl Guide Memorabilia Collection (A vastly interesting and well laid out site created by a woman with a very vested interest in Canadian and international Guiding. Includes pages about her trading needs and her traders/dupes, which include a fair number of photographs covering such items as earned Canadian badges, A/D/D crests, pins, scarfs, and patrol emblems)

May's Patch Girl Scout Patch Trading Page (A cool site belonging to a woman who has completed a quilt with patches from every US GS council. Also lists the sorts of patches that she's currently collecting and what she has available to trade)

Nanook's Trading Page (An Alaskan GS trader's homepage with written lists and photographs of her US and international collections, plus her collection of dupes. As well as a very interesting pages about the history of various GSUSA related patches and pins)

Patch Trading (Troop 809) (A mother-daughter page that lists [no photos] their collection, and available dupes, of US council patches)

Patch trading tracking record PDF (A handy PDF page which you can print off and use a way of easily keeping track of who you've traded patches/crests with)

Pud's Page (A UK Brownie Leader's site featuring written lists of her UK, US, and international patch/silk collections)

Sandralee1313's Flickr Album (Featuring pictures of her US Girl Scout council patch and assorted international patch and silk collections)

Sarah's Girl Scout Patch and Pin Trading Page (Site includes written lists of her current US, Canadian, UK, and international collections of patches and pins, plus her list of patch needs)

Scout Guide Badges (A superb collection of Boy Scout and Girl Guide patches/silks/pins from Canada and some international locations, complete with photos, composed by a Scouter from British Columbia, Canada. Some items are available for sale and to trade)

Scouting Memorabilia Collecting Information (on Wikipedia)

Stormy's WAGGGS Patch trading blog (A lovely, recently founded blog from an American patch collector that details some of her trading experiences and lists the patches she has available to swap. See this post for more details about Stormy's great blog.)

Tely's index of New Zealand Scout and Guide Badges (A very useful source for pictures of Girl Guide crests and badges from NZ)

Trefoilnet (This site is rich with useful GG and GS general information, plus it features a page with a page with pictures – in PDF form – of the site creator's own Scout and Guide pin and memorabilia collection)

The Scout Patch Collector's Base Camp (A superb Boy Scout Memorabilia site chalked full of collecting resources such as articles, resources, videos, links, and trading portals. Though the focus of this site is on Boy Scouting, some areas of the site may also appeal, and apply, to those who are interested in Girl Scout/Guide collecting. In addition, the site's creator, runs a wonderfully enjoyable blog (the Patchcamp.com Blog) about his interest in Scout collecting.

The International Badgers Club (A 'by membership' group of people from around the world who enjoy swapping Scout [boy and girl] and Guide patches/badges. Features some images, particularly of UK badges)

Troop 72's Patch Trade Site (A Mississippi GS's page which includes a written list of all the US patches that she's collected, plus a description and picture of the patch that she has available for trade)

Vintage Girl Guide and Girl Scout Online Museum (A site filled with images of retro and vintage GG and GS items from around the world including such things as crests, pins, jewelry, and uniforms. A very handy reference point for those who are interested in older GS and GG items)

Sites with patches for sale

The following sites actively sell Guiding and Scouting related crests.

Boy Scout & Girl Guide Memorabilia (A seller/collector of Boy Scout, GS, and GG badges from around the world. Many items for sale)

Scout and Guide Badges (A pretty looking site featuring mostly Australian, but also some international, Guiding and Scouting badges which are for sale)

Yahoo Groups

There are a number of Yahoo groups out there that focus specifically on the subject of patch/crest trading and collecting, and they can be a great way for you to interact with fellow traders from all parts of the globe. (*Important note* Not all Yahoo groups – in general – are moderated with the same level of diligence, which means that sometimes, even on seemingly innocent and child-friendly pages such as those related to Guiding and Scouting, unscrupulous people may post links or messages related to adult themed topics. If your child is interested in joining one or more Yahoo group, please read through some of the groups posts first to ensure that that particular group is not plagued by inappropriate spam message.)

Badges for Thinking Day (To quote this site's homepage, “This group was set up in order to facilitate Girl Scouts/Girl Guides being able to earn and be awarded actual recognitions from Girl Guides/Girl Scouts in another country.”)

Cross The Council (To quote the site itself, "This is a SWAPS group solely for those interested in swapping Council Patches or Council Pins related to Girl Scout/Girl Guide badges.")

GS-GG Exchange Resource Site

GG-GS Patches

GS Patches for Sale or Trade

Girl Scout Patch Trades

Girl Scout Patch Trading

Patch Hounds

Scrapbooking and Girl Scouting

Flicker Groups

So far I've only located two Flickr groups which pertain to patch collecting, and in both cases, they tend to be of a more generic patch collecting nature, as opposed to being solely focused on GG/GS related patches.

Amazing Patches

Patch Collectors

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts on Flickr (I created and administer this group; definitely check it out if you’re on Flickr)

Lists of Canadian A/D/Ds, US Councils, and the geographical Guiding breakdowns of various other international countries

The following websites contain well compiled lists of the respective areas, divisions, and districts; councils; or other geographical divisions by which Guiding or Scouting is arranged in a given country. I have used the term “Guiding Breakdown” as a way of describing a site which lists the GG/GS geographical divisions of a given country (please not that this list definitely does not have contain a breakdown for all of the countries that belong to WAGGGS, so far I've only been able to find lists for a small percentage of such countries). In many cases a tremendous amount of work on the part of the person/people who compiled them has gone into these lists, and the entire GG/GS patch/crest collecting community is extremely fortunate to have these resources available to us.

Girl Guides of Canada Patch and Badge Directory (please note, I termed the aforementioned name as a way of describing this awesome labour of Guiding love): A written multi-part directory, listed by Canadian province/territory, of all of the camps, areas, divisions and districts; earned merit badges, and national Guiding related crests/silks that this woman has thus far encountered (plus listings of her own collections). It is a truly impressive tomb of information.

Louise's Catalogue in PDF form (Invaluable for novice and experienced collectors alike)

What I'm working on right now for this blog

2007-11-23T16:18:00.000-05:00

Though this is very clearly a blog (hello, Blogger :D), in some respects, you can view it as a traditional website, because I am planning to create numerous posts which will become like (website) pages in the sense that they will be displayed all the time on the side of the blog (much like the achieves, etc are).

Some of the ideas for such pages that I've begun work on already are:

-A directory of all the 144 countries which currently belong to WAGGGS (the World Association of Girl Guides [and] Girl Scouts), including their respective founding dates, websites, and WAGGGS pages

-An information page about my own personal Girl Guide patch (crest) trading and collecting (what I have so far, what I trade, what I'm looking for and so on)

-A directory of links to other sites about patch, badge, crest, pin, etc trading and collecting

-A directory of links to sites (including Yahoo groups) that focus on SWAPs (trading, creating, collecting, etc)

I have several other ideas for “static” pages (and oodles of things I want to write posts in general about!), which I jot down as soon as they come to me. One such idea is to create a post with links to all of the Canadian provinces who have online Girl Guide stores (and/or provincially specific items which can be ordered off of the web by sending an order form via fax, email or snail mail).

Most, if not all, of these sorts of pages will be updated and added to often. I will put a “created on” date on each post which is likely to be added to or edited often and a “last updated” date, too. That way you will always know how if there are any new changes to a page which may of particular interest to you.

What do you think? Are there any sorts of topics that you'd really like to see covered here? I'm always open to suggestions and would love to hear your thoughts, which you can share in either the comments section or by emailing me directly.

About this blog

2007-11-21T21:11:00.000-05:00

What's this blog about?

This blog is all about the vast and wonderfully interesting world of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. My own firsthand experience with Guiding took place between the ages of 12 and 15. During that time I lived in British Columbia, Canada and was a Pathfinder and a Juniour Leader/Brownie Helper of my little sister's Brownie troupe. Though I may not have always realized it back then, the time that I spent in Guiding was amongst some of the happiest and most fulfilling of my youth. I learned a tremendous amount of skills and genuinely enjoyed the caring, inspirational feeling that I always got when I arrived at a weekly meeting. During my time in Guiding I attended numerous camps in British Columbia, including SOAR 1998, which took place in idyllically pretty Sooke, on Vancouver Island. I completed my three years of Pathfinders by achieving the Canada Cord.

Though I have not been enrolled in Guiding since my teens, I've never lost interest in, or felt as though, in some way, I wasn't still a part of the Canadian Girl Guides. It's been said before, “Once a Guide, aways a Guide”, and my heart truly echoes that sentiment, for Guiding has been with me in one way or another (from knowing how to tie a clove hitch to first aid training) everywhere I've gone.

My life has been chaotic, busy and sometimes too strange to believe, but I like to think that (fingers crossed) in the coming year (or so), I'll be settled enough to enroll again. This time as either a Link or a Leader. In the meantime though (and certainly once I've joined up again!), I wanted to start this blog as a way of gathering information pertaining to Guiding, both here in Canada and internationally.

What topics will be/are covered here?

If it pertains to Girl Guiding and/or Scouting, there's no topic which is beyond possible mention. I know that like myself, a lot of you out there love to collect and trade patches, crests, badges, pins and other insignia and memorabilia relating to Guiding, and so some of the focus of this blog will be towards the subject of collecting and trading. In addition, there will be links, articles (blog entries) and other information pertaining to Guiding (Canadian, US, and international) as well – from WAGGGS to World Thinking Day, Our Cababa to the history of Guiding. (If there's something in particular that you'd like to see covered, please email me your thoughts and suggestions.)

Guiding is all about bringing girls and women from around the world together, it's about learning new things and having fun, these are spirits which I hope this blog will share in, too.

First day of this blog's life

2007-11-15T08:17:00.000-05:00

Just a little note to say that this brand new Girl Guide and Girl Scout blog is under construction. It was started on November 15, 2007. Hopefully within a few weeks it will be suitably presentable :)

If you've found your way here, a warm welcome to you! The theme of this blog is Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and is being created by a (former, hopefully soon to be current again) Canadian Guiding member.

Please bookmark this site and check back often, I promise, it really will be up and running soon.

Yours in Guiding,
Jessica Cangiano