The Boy Scouts of America Scrapbook from K&Company is a sturdy, fabric-covered album that would be a welcome part of any Scout or proud parent's collection. The 3.75" die-cut highlight window on the front cover is accented nicely by a metal emblem.

The Scrapbook comes with 10 top-loading 12x12 inserts that would work equally well for displaying photos or scrapbooking materials. The scrapbook seems capable of holding twice the number of acid-free pages that come with it, and I almost wish it did come with more. Extra inserts can be purchased from the K&Company website.

Overall, this fabric scrapbook in the colors of the Boy Scout Uniform is well-made and designed with the Scouting® lifestyle in mind. 

P.S. Facebook user Christi M. offered this great advice for caring for your scrapbook "a hint: cover the metal emblem with paint tape and use fabric protector spray to keep it clean. :)" 

Thanks for the tip

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An Eagle Scout Coin Knife by Northwest Territorial Mint makes a great gift for someone achieving the rank of Eagle in scouting. The minted die-struck coin casing is durably designed, with a high-quality finish. The coin knife has a solid weight to it without being bulky, and the tools pull out easily without sticking or being too loosely hinged. The coin knife comes equipped with a small scissor, a file, and matching thumbnail-size knife blade. The blade is not sharp and would be better utilized as a piercing or extraction tool than an actual cutting blade. Though less than half an inch in length, the scissors managed to easily cut through a thick envelope on the first try. The two-sided file is the same shape as the knife blade, but twice as thick, to provide the needed rigidity for filing. The best thing about this tool is it's sleek construction, reminiscent of the hidden-compartment spy coins of the WWII era. If you're looking to purchase a practical, everyday pocket knife for camping and survival situations, you'd probably want something more like this. However, if you want a novel gift that fits comfortably in any pocket and provides a handy tool in a pinch, this Eagle Scout coin knife is for you.

 

Since the early '80's, the Northwest Territorial Mint has been known for quality die-struck collectibles. This Eagle Scout Hiking Stick Medallion 

is no exception. I like the idea of an Eagle Scout placing their medallion on something practical, like a hiking stick, since time

outdoors in nature is so integral to the lifestyle of a Scout. Plus, it becomes a sign of achievement an Eagle can take anywhere without having to worry about the keepsake falling out of a pocket or day pack. Since it is meant to be taken on hikes, this medallion is naturally lightweight, without sacrificing strength or rigidity. The face of the medallion is curved inward slightly to allow it to hug a hiking stick for a flush fit. The colors of the emblem are rich and the detail in the lettering and on the eagle are very good for a medallion this size (1.25" round). I didn't try attaching this medallion to a stick, but it does come with three small brass nails for that purpose. If nails are not the preferred method of fastening, the holes drilled into the edges of the medallion are large enough that any number of things, cord, wire, or screws could also be easily used to attach the

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You can keep your Scouting life organized with this offering from official licensee, It Takes Two®. The Boy Scouts Pocket Planner is a convenient two-year calendar and appointment book that is the size of a standard cheque book. It's perfect for keeping track of important meetings and events on the go. The outer cover is made of durable, stain-resistant vinyl, guaranteeing that the planner will stay looking new. Upon flipping through the planner, I was pleased to discover that the pages are made of high-quality, recycled paper that is not too thin. Each page contains the days of one month, an inspiring quote, the birthstone and flower of that particular month, and important holidays. The flower/birthstone references were an unexpected extra. For the planner's size, the squares for each day contain enough white space to write a phone number, address, or quick reminder, but for longer entries you'd probably want to use the lined "Notes" section in the back. This section is only one page long, but there is also additional pages for recording important names and numbers. This planner also contained one of my favorite features, blank pages in the very back that can be used for note-taking, or torn out and given

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There is no protocol for Eagle Scout ceremony gifts, but here are some good ideas and helpful tips to remember if someone you know achieves Eagle.

First, if at all possible, attend the ceremony in person. This is the best act of gratitude you can extend to the Scout. Bringing a congratulations card to hand to the Eagle post-ceremony is also always a welcome idea. Your card may or may not contain a small monetary gift depending on how well you know the Scout, but getting a BSA-themed card and writing a heart-felt note inside, will be something the Scout will surely appreciate.

If the Eagle Scout is a member of your immediate family or a close friend, you might want to consider including an additional gift with your card. Your gift should in some way acknowledge this Scout's new rank and may even be something they can use in their Scouting adventures. For example, an Eagle Scout Hiking Stick Medallion serves both a practical and symbolic purpose.

Another gift idea is an

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Hey Scouters! Once again, our suppliers are going above and beyond for the Scouting community!

Yesterday, our friends over at ClassB launched a new Facebook page just for Scouts. But the coolest thing about it is that they are going to be giving away their amazing T-shirts and other Scouting products to random fans.

All you have to do to be eligible for one of these prizes is to add them as a friend on Facebook. It couldn't get easier than that.

Their first giveaway is for a BSA® Christmas Tree ornament. At the time of this writing, they already had 37 fans, and they're giving away the ornament when they reach 50 - so you have to hurry for this one!

If you miss the ornament giveaway, don't worry - they'll be giving away plenty more over the coming months. ClassB tells us that they will be giving away different prizes to their Facebook fans on a regular basis - and those prizes will include their

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This was one of the funnest book reviews I think I've ever done! I always love off-the-wall books that present you with facts and figures you thought you'd never know. And when those facts are zany and trivial, it makes it that much better. That's exactly the type of book we are reviewing this week in DK Publishing's, "The Unofficial Official Handbook For Boys."

There is no plot, no storyline and no rhyme or reason to the scores of quirky factoids, jokes, mind-twisters, tips and tricks for boys that pack this handbook from cover to cover. This is a truly random and outlandish book of facts, figures and information that is going to be gracing the rooms of boys, armchairs and coffee tables for a long time! From the very first page, this book grabs your attention and doesn't let it go until you reach the back cover.

Pick up this book and you're going to discover a very wide variety of factoids - like how long of a line you can draw with a single pencil, what chickens have in common with dinosaurs, whether or not frogs have ears, what to do if you

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If you're planning a Cub Scout or Boy Scout Troop Activity soon, what better way to show your Scouts how proud you are than to present them with our top-quality, durable and unique activity patches? They make a great and inexpensive way to reward them for all the hard work they've done.

These patches are perfect to give to your Scouts as awards for doing well in the activities, or for simply participating in them. And you can give them to your Scout Leaders too!

Best yet, if you order now, you can get any one of them for 20% off!

Derby patches, Wood Badge patches, Awareness patches and more. Browse our collection of top-quality, durable and unique patches here - Scouting Activity Patches.

Hurry on over to our patches page and see how much you can save. Your Scouts will love them and they'll love YOU for presenting them.

If you've purchased any of these awesome

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Published by DK Publishing, Be Prepared Fishing is a fisherman's dream guide! Covering everything from rod basics to vertical jigging and fly fishing, this book covers it all.

The first thing we noticed when we opened the book for the first time is that it is absolutely jam-packed with information. And not only does it give you all the information you need, it does so with amazing pictures and detailed illustrations. Of course, nothing beats getting out there on the water and learning things first-hand, but this guide will give any angler the information they need to do it the right way.

As we mentioned above, the book begins with the basics by teaching you about things such as tackle shops, fishing licenses and baits & lures. It doesn't get into great detail about these things, but it definitely presents the information in such a way that anyone can quickly grasp the concepts.

It continues by discussing even more angling information such as the fundamentals of rods and reels, knots, tackle and even how to carry your

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From the popular Boys' Life Series, "Let's Go Geocaching" is a great introduction for those who are just discovering the quickly growing pastime of geocaching. Geocaching is sometimes described as a modern-day game of "hide and go seek", where players use a handheld GPS device to seek out and find hidden containers of various odds and ends. Once found, you can sign the logbook you find inside, and you can swap something inside the container with something you bring from home of equal or greater value.

"Let's Go Geocaching" describes the details of beginning geocaching, while explaining them in a manner that children can easily understand. With full color pictures and engaging stories, this book not only introduces children to geocaching, it helps develop their reading skills and love of reading.

The book begins with a basic introduction to geocaching by telling a story of a geocacher seeking out and finding a geocache. The story grabs your attention immediately and doesn't let go until the end of the book. It continues by describing the GPS handheld device, its controls, how it works and how to use it. It even goes into detail about the satellites

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