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since the early 90s at least, however the minuscule handful of those that still exist are (by and large) woefully outdated (as are, I’ve found, the directories on most patch trading related Yahoo Groups).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.
June 11, 2010
Know what the Girl Guide and Girl Scout community needs?
November 15, 2009
Celebrating my second blogiversary with an open call to trade patches
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!
October 31, 2009
What Girl Scout Cookie Are You?
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!
May 16, 2009
Wonderful Girl Guide and Girl Scout photos from Flickr
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 :)
March 31, 2009
A brief history of Canadian Girl Guide cookies
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.
February 3, 2009
Updated the Girl Guide Patch Collecting Directory
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!
upon hundreds of fantastic patches from Canada,
each of which is a reason to keep on collecting :)
January 17, 2009
New Girl Guides and Girls Scouts on Flickr group
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.
December 20, 2008
Happy Holidays!
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.
November 30, 2008
Have you heard of the Badge Collectors Club?
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.
November 15, 2008
Girl Guides and Girl Scouts blog turns one year old
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 galleryA 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!
October 31, 2008
What trades for what?
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.
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.
June 23, 2008
Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Information & Patch Collector's Resource Blog FAQ
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
February 8, 2008
Not everything with a trefoil on it is Girl Guide related
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.
January 21, 2008
PatchCamp.com – not just for Boy Scouts
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.
January 11, 2008
My Girl Guide and Girl Scout Dupes and Traders List
IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: On October 13, 2016, my husband and I lost our home, our beloved cat, my (home based online business), and very nearly all of our belongings - including 100% of my Girl Guide and Girl Scout collection - in a tragic arson fire.
As such, I presently do not have any patches to swap/trade or sell. Please see this blog post here of mine for many further details about what happened to us.
It is my sincere hope and desire to slowly start rebuilding a new GG & GS collection again and I hope that in time I'll have some swaps to post here once more.
Thank you very much for your understanding in this matter - and a huge thank you as well to all those around the world who I had the pleasure of trading patches, badges, pins, etc with over the years.
Though the physical items I received from you are sadly now gone, the lovely memories of them and our interactions will long live on in my memory.
This page was last updated on May 9, 2017.
January 10, 2008
Jessica's Girl Guide & Girl Scout Patch and Memorabilia Collection
“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
December 13, 2007
Enter to win Pax Lodge's 2008 Christmas Card Design Contest
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!
December 5, 2007
Girl Guide and Girl Scout Patch Collecting Directory
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)
November 23, 2007
What I'm working on right now for this blog
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.
November 21, 2007
About this blog
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.