I started with a large piece of foam board from Dollar Tree and used an exacto knife to cut the Mickey shapes. I traced the shapes with chalk using two sizes of bowls on the backs of the foam boards. The mini chalkboard clothes pins were on two of the their birthday gifts. I had originally planned to hang them from the ribbons, but they got quite heavy once the pins were added so we hung them using two small nails right in the bottom crooks of each ear.
They are down in the basement now and the littles have added all of their pins to them. John has been collecting for a little longer than Whit. The pins are not super secure when moving the boards around because the board was too thick to use the backs. They are fine for hanging on the wall though, and make it easy to take them off as desired.
On the Very Merrytime Cruise we attended the officer pin trading night and had so much fun. That really peaked an interest in trading, so they each received a bag of trading pins in their stocking. I purchased them in a lot on e-bay for about $0.50 each. Whit LOVED trading with cast members on our trip last month!! If you are interested in this, just look for cast members wearing pins in the parks, resort and on the cruise ships. They will trade any one of their pins for any one of yours, as long as they don’t already have it.
I also love that this is a new no-brainer souvenir for the littles (I cannot bear to bring home another stuffed animal)! I picked up these limited release pins from Princess Race Weekend and they were THRILLED with them. I also went ahead and got the Disney Visa 2015 pins but will save those for a treat later.
I love how our time spent in Disney parks is evolving. From days spent almost solely meeting characters and watching parades, to adding more and more rides and even coasters, to fighting evil in Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, to pressing pennies and trading pins. Every part of it sweet and magical!
xoxo
What a fun idea – we love collecting (lots of thing) and the boys love being able to see the collection growing!
Random off-topic question – can you tell me what spray paint you use for furniture?
Love this idea Amanda. My girls too loved collecting pins and pressed pennies.
Love this idea! I will be doing a Minnie version for my girls! ?
We're doing pins and pennies when we go in the fall!
Cute!!! Our 11 year old daughter is into the pins, but our 7 year old son LOVES the stuffed animals and hats. The last trip we brought home the GIGANTIC, 3 foot tall Stitch, and Evan sleeps with him every single night. His queen sized bed it taken over with stuffed animals, but he has carved out a sleeping spot amongst them all. I'm showing him these boards, maybe he'll decide pin collecting is better! Have a fun week! P.S. Honey deserves an Ellie badge for yesterday's post.
Super cute. I'm sure the boys absolutely treasure these and love showing their collection to friends. Such fun! xx, b
Our grown son works full time for Disney and my husband and Ilive in Celebration! Its a dream life! When our kids were little (ages ago) they did all those same things yours are doing now! Who knew it would lead to my son's career there after college! Enjoy it! We get almost everything at Disney free because of him!
I love pin trading! It's very addicting! Just be watchful when purchasing pins on Ebay…. if the pins are under a dollar each, they're most likely "scrappers"…. :-(