Geocache Journal

Four Craft Ideas for Geocache Signature Swag

by Jeff on August 25, 2008

by Melanie Marten at Quazen.com

In the increasingly popular sport of geocaching, people find caches filled with log book and swag by using their GPS receivers. The swag that is traded usually consists of dollar store items, small toys, and signature items.

Signature items are things that are specific to one geocacher or geocaching team. Often, people make a craft for their signature item. Below are four great craft ideas for geocache signature swag.

Beaded Pin

Beaded safety pins are one of the easiest ways to make a personalized geocache swag item. There are two ways of doing this, one much easier than the other. The first way is to take a large safety pin and simply slide different colored beads onto the straight section.

The second method for making a beaded pin geo swag item is to start with a safety pin and add more hanging from it. Again, you should bead the safety pins that hang down in your own special style.

Personalized Button

Many craft stores sell button makers. These machines press the button backing, a paper made by you, and the plastic button cover together. You can easily make a geocache signature swag item by designing your own button.

It is a good idea to include something about geocaching and your geocaching nickname on the button. You can also include the button in a small plastic bag that tells where it came from.

Wooden Nickels

Wooden nickels are essentially round pieces of wood that can be decorated on both sides. You can purchase these easily at the craft store. You can also get squares and specialty shapes for your signature item if you like them better.

Decorating your wooden nickel can be fun. You can paint, use a permanent marker, a stamp and ink, or even wood burn a design into it. Just make sure it says something about you.

Shrinky Dinks

The final geo swag signature craft idea is the shrinky dink. These have been around for decades and are still great fun to make. Using a special plastic film, you print or draw a picture on the plastic, and then put it in the oven to bake. The plastic shrinks and gets thicker, making a hard plastic chip or other shape. You can easily make a great signature item that will hold up to the weather.

Making a craft for your geocache signature swag item is a great way to add value to your swag. People love to see and receive hand made items. It also ensures that your signature swag is completely different than all other things in the geocache container.