A question I get all the time from new pin collectors is, "But what do I do with them?" So I thought I would put together a few ideas on how to use and display the pins you add to your collection. Here are just five (of many!) possible ways to use them:
1. Add a couple to your beanie. As the weather starts to cool down for the fall and winter months, you'll probably start wearing beanies or other hats to keep yourself warm. Perfect chance to show off a few pins! Add one or two to the brim, or you can pin some onto the body of the beanie as well. And if you have any smaller pins, this is a great place to use them. What I love most about wearing pins on a beanie is that whenever I stop to talk to people, they see the pins right away and often ask me about them! Then I get to talk about my pins and share my love of plants, boba, or whatever other pin I am wearing.
2. Decorate your bag. Hands down the most common way I use my pins. I have my whole Children of the Moon collection displayed on one backpack, and I always add a few pins to my tote bags when I go out shopping. It's great because there is a ton of space to add as many pins as you want, and since backpacks and totes are usually made of a more sturdy canvas material, you don't have to worry about the fabric stretching if you pin too many on! Perfect if you're like me and can't decide which pins to use—just put them all on there!
3. Dress up your pet. This is one I picked up from customers. I personally don't have any pets, but a lot of my friends and customers do, and they LOVE dressing up their pets in cute sweaters, vests, jackets...you name it. And these pet moms and dads love adding some flair to their fashionable fur babies. Just make sure that if you're adding a pin to your pet's outfit, you don't place it on a place where they can turn their head and bite it off. The chest or lapel area is a great place for pins.
4. Embroidery hoop. What a cute and easy DIY wall decoration! Just grab an embroidery hoop (or two, or three), from your local hobby store—they're usually just a buck or two—and some fabric. Stretch the fabric taught across the hoop, then once it's affixed in place, trim the excess. You can then display your pins all across the fabric! Some ideas: Color code the hoops: add all your purple pins to a hoop with purple fabric, all your green pins to a hoops with green fabric, and so on. Hang them on your wall in groupings of two, three, or four for a cute, cozy, and eye-catching way to display your collection!
5. Pinboard. Okay, what if you've done all these things and your pin collection is just TOO BIG to fit on all these places? Time to put up a pinboard! You can use a cork board, or there are some stores selling premade pinboards. You can also make one yourself! Cover some foam board in some fabric and place it into a picture frame of your choice. You can then start pinnning right away! Hang it up or let it rest on your dresser, leaning against the wall. Make it as big as you want so that you have room for all your pins!