Pin Pal and partial pin collection

I’ve made no secret of my penchant for pins and pennants, and if I have, well, the secret’s out. Collecting these little enamel tokens of my favorite fandoms truly brings me joy. But what’s a fan to do when her burgeoning pin collection out-measures the length of her library badge lanyard? Enter Ardent Adornment. The perfect solution for displaying all of my pins, buttons, badges and bookmarks in fanatic style is this essential creation, aptly called, Pin Pals.

I discovered these crafty pin keepers through a bookish account I follow, drinksteareadsbooks, on Instagram. April, the maker, can be relied upon for real, entertaining, occasionally snort-inducing content. About a month ago she began showing off the embroidery hoop pin holders she made for her personal collection and asked if any followers would be interested. The response was overwhelming. 

In her words: “With an increasing collection of bookish and fandom pins being stored in little boxes here and there, I wanted a way that was a little more exciting than a simple canvas or cotton banner. Something that was a little more…me. Something I could also use in my #bookstagram photos (totally shameless). I love colors, I love patterns, I love fandoms and I love hanging shit on my walls- and so, voila!”

Same, April, same. Except my walls are pretty bare, but I like hanging things on my bookshelf. I’m also underwhelmed by most pin banners that hang in droopy wrinkled linen, not sturdy enough for the heavy pins they feature, or the unexciting cork-board solution. I know, first-world problems. But at least it’s a problem about which something can be done. I even toyed with adapting a makeshift embroidery hoop pin holder myself after Christmas when my collection doubled. I could never have dreamed up this creative and whimsical handcrafted version, however. 

*The details = 10 inch diameter. 3 other sizes available ranging from 6-12 inches.

*Best part-the pocket! Offered with or without, but it’s excellent for holding bookmarks, stickers, or any other rad bookish bits.

*Prices varied depending on size, mine =16.50 (I believe the price has since increased slightly) shipping for one Pin Pal – $3.50

 *Ordered March 9th, delivered March 26th. It took a little longer than I was expecting to arrive for RTS, but I get it. It was April’s first ever store opening and she had to deal with family sickness and travel as well. The packaging envelope was unexpectedly beautiful too. 

*Surprisingly light and thin but sturdy fabric.

Backed with a stiff fabric, fastening the pins is easy work. I haven’t hung mine yet, there isn’t a hanging attachment, but I think the depth of the hoop will keep the pin clutches from scraping against a wall. The only drawback is removing and replacing the pins does leave holes behind, which happens in the fabric banner versions too. If they become too noticeable I’ll hit it with a hot iron and see if that fuses some up. I’m happy with it for now though. 

That’s an understatement. I love everything about it ♥, the form, the function and of course the Wizardy Deathly Hallows fabric. The two-toned pattern is ideal for highlighting darker pins which could get lost on a black background, and the darker color really makes the metallic elements shine. April is creating more fabric options and coordinated sets and is working on an upcoming restock. Her music note version is an eye-catcher and I’m positive I’ll be adding to my Pin Pal collection soon.

As for the pins and bookmarks shown, I’ve featured all the shops in previous posts, which can be found here and here, except for two: the Slytherin Crest pin and the Knight Bus. Slytherin’s logo was a gift from my boss, acquired in Universal Studios’ Wizarding World. (When your boss knows you’re a Slytherin and still appreciates you as an employee, you accept the gift with a smile and go with it). The Knight Bus is from dedicated HP pin designers, Bunce and Bean. The detail and craftsmanship whimsically capturing one of my most favorite scenes in all of the Harry Potter series makes this a treasure. The price is $11.95 and part of the HP Pin Street collection designed by this fabulous mother/daughter team. If you haven’t ordered from their geeky shop yet, then get on it, it’s the highest quality pop culture pin game I’ve seen.

I actually own double the amount of HP pins than I’ve shown, but I misplaced a few of my B & B pins somewhere and I’m gutted about not finding them yet. My favorite is the stunning Deathly Hallows Xmas Tree and the spooky shop front of Borgin & Burkes, which I won in a most generous giveaway. I’m sorry Bunce and Bean, I will update or feature more of your creations when I find them, I hope!

Speaking of more, this is only part of my pin story because my geeky loving heart has lots more literary and film reference pins that I wear to work and switch out based on my mood. I will have to update with a pin collection: part II sometime. Thanks for reading, have you added any new items to your collection?