Here it is 2019, and I still have not shared all of my SWAPS from summer camp. My Camp SWAP was a huge hit. The extra effort required was worth it when I saw the joy on both the adults’ and girls’ faces.
The inspiration for this SWAP came from a Christmas ornament I found on Pinterest. Fascinated by the idea, I was determined to make them into SWAPS. At around 2 inches in diameter, they are larger than most of my SWAPS, but still small enough to share.
Even though pre-cut wood slices are available at the craft store, I created my own. Our Elm trees were overdue for a good pruning and I had a large pile of branches. My father helped me, and using his chop saw we began cutting.
Using a wood burning tool I had recently acquired, I set to work. This was my first pyrography project. I do admit it took some time to get to the feel for it, but was able to tackle basic lines. On the back I burned our troop numbers.
The next step was to drill a hole for the twine that I used to hang the SWAP. But before I could add the twine, I covered each piece (front and back) with a clear coat of polyurethane.
I hope you find these SWAPS inspiring – just about anything can be turned into a SWAP. There will be more to come.
