Patches Update

 It's been over a year since I introduced my Patch Jacket Project here, and it sure has expanded since then! The weather has turned nasty here, so a mannequin is standing in for my usual outfit photos!

 Let's start by looking down the left arm. In my original post, the Chicago Flag patch was already there. My post goes into detail of this being from my 40th birthday trip and the meaning behind how the flag was designed. The 3 stars are from real United States flags that line the main street of Grass Lake (I would say there are at least 30 out?). Once the flags get too battered, our local American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars groups cut the flags and hand out the stars. I love this idea! The Michigan Adventure Center is from attending Richard's 1st grade field trip. The Veterans Outreach one my Dad got for me - it's a group in my hometown of Racine, WI.

 Down the right arm, the flag was already there in my last post, but I took off the peacock I had on as it just wasn't flowing right. I added a Grand River Brewery patch - this is a restaurant in Jackson where I have enjoyed many meals with friends (there is now a location in Marshall too). The bunny BSA patch I found at a thrift shop on a special girls day out with my friend Sarah. There was a stack of patches that I can only assume a scout leader had excess of and donated. This one reminds me of our fun movie outing and thrift shopping.

Additions to the front from last time: there are 5 merit patches in a row that were my Mom's from Girl Scouts! The flowers on the pocket are from Anthropologie. The past few holiday seasons, Anthro has come out with some fun patches to embellish/personalize gifts. Last year Richard participated in his first pinewood derby. Jon had stopped at the local scout store to get some supplies and he brought this patch home. I thought he got it for Richard, but he said it was for me to remember the special event. Last year was the derby's 65th anniversary!

From the original post I already showed on the back the "Sinner" patch, butterfly, Tawas Point Lighthouse, and American Robin. I also had one of my old Girl Scout patches on the opposite bottom corner, but took that off for now as I continue to edit my collection. I took some close ups that I will get into more below, but as you can see I pick a corner and then start to build on it. I know eventually the entire jacket will be covered, but this seemed like the best plan as it's in progress. Smokey the Bear and The Lumberman's Monument (both above the belt line) are new from our last Summer vacation. We went the The Henry Ford museum about this time last year. The Haunted Woods was a Scout outing we did as a family at Camp Munhacke (which will be described later too). 

Details on the left back: Sort of wrapping around the side is my zoo collection. The two new updates since last time are Potter Park Zoo (Lansing) and Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago). The Lemur has a rivet so he moves, and that's the first interactive patch I have ever seen! The Lost Railway Museum is a gem in our little Grass Lake town. Holy Hill is a church my family has visited our whole lives, starting with my Great-Grandma. My Mom arranges to have masses said in my Grandparents name so on this occasion I was in town and we went up for a mass for my Grandma on her birthday.

Details on the right back: Ann Arbor Hands on Museum was from a field trip I went on with Carson's class. Impression 5 is a kids museum we went to as a family in Lansing last year. The Sugar Skull Chihuahua (a remembrance of our dog Mocha who passed) and David Bowie lightening bolt my friend Jennie gifted to me. The Safe House is a really cool spy bar/restaurant in Milwaukee that Jon and I went to quite often when we were dating. Niagara Falls and Grand Canyon are both places that I have visited, but obviously before I started patch collecting. I found them at a flea market over the Summer. Mitchell Park Domes is where Jon and I got married, and we took the boys there this past Summer so they could see where we got married! Getting to visit Churchill Downs and Pike Place Market were due to work trips (loved both places)! The Camp Munhacke badge Jon got, as he and Richard had their first Scout camp experience this Summer. They stayed two nights and had such a fun time, and my heart was so full hearing their memories that I am glad Jon gave me his patch (and that is the same camp we all got to experience for the haunted woods). I have a few more patches waiting to be added, but that's all the jacket updates I have right now.

Now that Richard is into his second year of Scouting, he is acquiring many badges as well! This is the red vest they use for badges so I've had fun sewing them on as he gets them. The really big hexagon one, and the penguin one, are from Camp Munhacke. All of the little circles on the hexagon represent all of the things he did at camp. Others include Christmas Parade, Tree Planting, Movie Night, Haunted Woods, Popcorn Selling, Cake Bake, Memorial Day Parade, and Family Camp.

 It was bound to happen that the boys have gotten into patches too as they see me collecting them at places we go. I came up with the idea of putting them on their backpacks since they will quickly outgrow any clothing item. These backpacks from Target have held up so, so well! Unfortunately, they don't sell this brand anymore, but I just love them! They each had a few patches of their own, but then I let them take a few from my stash and arrange them how they wanted. Richard had yet another Camp Munhacke patch purchased at the camp shop, and a Lincoln Park Zoo patch. There are 2 vintage patches from the flea market I mentioned above (77' Lake and the blue wolf). The leafy thing, Sing Louder, Dream in Color, and eye are all from a Starbucks mug I had gotten and knew I wasn't going to put them on the mug. Carson earned The Haunted Woods and Movie Night patches from Scout events he went to (but since he's not in Scouts yet he doesn't have a vest). He selected 2 patches from the Lincoln Park Zoo and also a patch from the Racine Zoo (my hometown zoo). Relax Hard and the Zebra are from that same Starbucks mug. The Airborne patch I got at a really cool shop in the Seattle airport that sold all air travel stuff (they had some really cool vintage bomber jackets, vintage airline uniforms, etc...). Lastly, he convinced me to let him have the peacock and boom box.

I have really enjoyed these projects, and I love how each patch is a memory. I am seeing themes as well...... Zoos (Binder Park, Potter Park, Lincoln Park)....... Field Trips with my kids (Binder Park, Ann Arbor Childrens Museum, Michigan Adventure Center)........ Our now annual Summer vacation (Tawas Point Lighthouse, Lumberman's Monument, Smokey the Bear)........ Work Trips (Pike Place, Churchill Downs)........ Scout Memories (Pinewood Derby, Haunted Woods, Camp Munhacke) and once I add back in some of my Scout badges, the jacket will bear 3 generations of Scouts (My Mom, Me, Richard). Other patch projects I've thought about? I have this really cool bag below from Anthropologie (from years ago) that is screen printed to look like an old travel bag with its own patches/stickers. I laid a few vintage flea market patches on it to see if I would like to add patches to it someday. Hmmmmm.



I should also mention that I am now the proud owner of this patch vest below! We were at an antique shop during our Summer vacation and I came across this for $25!!! Just knowing that this was someones life work, I just could not leave it there. Just knowing how much it took to not only collect the patches, but also sew them on. Don't put it past me to actually wear this someday - seriously! I do not plan to take any patches off or add any - this piece is being preserved as is.

If you're still here, you must be a patch lover too or at least appreciate my collection. Again, you can look to this post to see the beginning stages of my jacket and more in depth detail of the patches I started with.