Gifting Back to the Basics of Life

I would consider myself an early adopter of technology. I love the newest features in phones, home automation, and I drive what would some consider an iPad on wheels. Although I love technology for efficiency and innovation, I recognize that sometimes it is important to return to the basics.

My love language is the giving of gifts. I love giving presents, and I pride myself on finding the perfect gift for someone. However, technology rarely fits the bill. I love to give simple gifts, especially items that you can’t find at a department store.

One reason I love giving simple and unique gifts is that technology goes out of date so fast. Our kids have never told me that their favorite gifts were last year’s iPhones or the Amazon Fires that they received two years ago. It feels technology, as amazing as it is, will never make it to the “most memorable gifts ever” category.

Earlier this fall, I found what may be the perfect holiday gift! We were at the Foxfire Festival in Clayton, Georgia, where we found the Mountain Man Music booth. Les Barnett and his wife, Patti, of Rabun Gap, create musical instruments using different household items and antiques.

We all fell in love with the instruments. That day, Sean walked away with a panjo and Jackson and Lucy made their own canjos!

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Panjos are “guitars” made with pie pans. A canjo is a single string “guitar” made with a can that once contained canned vegetables or fruits.

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The items that Les makes are so memorable that I want you, the readers, to experience the amazingness of his creations. Sean and I traveled back to North Georgia to check out Les’s workshop and to learn his story.

Les and Patti were camp hosts for Georgia State Parks. While camp hosting at Black Rock Mountain State Park in Mountain City, Georgia, Les would hold monthly events at the campground where the children could make their own canjos. Les would ride through the campground at night, and he would hear the children playing their new instruments.

After many months of holding canjo making classes, adults began to outnumber the kids in wanting to learn how to build canjos (I understand them completely, the night we arrived back to the cabin after Foxfire, I wanted to play the kids’ canjos so bad).

Building canjos morphed into building cigar box guitars. Les would lead these seminars at the campground as well. At the time, being a camp host meant living in a camper, which also meant limited storage. Les decided to bring his instruments to a local festival, where, he sold all thirty instruments that he brought with him, and Mountain Man Music was born.

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Les currently participates in two events each year, the Foxfire Festival and Celebrate Clayton. Since building the instruments is a hobby and a love, he is not looking to have a full-time business but rather to share his love of music with others.

Canjos are fantastic starter instruments for kids and adults wanting to learn how to play musical instruments (I could play one, and that is saying something). Watch how easy a canjo is to play!

I had an opportunity to make my own canjo with Les. Assembly is super simple, and with minimal assistance, even a child can assemble a canjo.

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Canjos and panjos are priced for everyone and are perfect for gift giving. The panjos generally run under $100, and the canjos run from $10 for the kits to $15 for ready-made canjos (many groups such as girl and boy scout troops often buy the canjo kits). Each kit comes with a sheet of music.

Les makes guitar picks out of bottle tops as well. Custom guitars range from $100-300. He has band members playing some of his more advanced instruments internationally. One of his favorite guitars is electric and made with a doggie bowl.

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Check out the sound!

Each instrument Les makes has a different sound based on the components used to create the instruments. For instance, a panjo sounds a lot different than a cigar box guitar, and these both sound different that dulcimers and diddalidoos.

Les can customize your instruments. If you send him a picture, he can transpose it onto your panjo. He can also use family heirlooms like a grandmother’s pie pan or jello mold.

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After our visit with Les and Patti, Sean and I traveled into downtown Clayton to see some of the panjos for sale. Our first stop was to Outdoor 76. Les’s panjos are located in both the Clayton and Franklin, North Carolina, locations. Outdoor 76 accommodates the novice hiker as well as the skilled outdoorsman.

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Next, we walked down to The Farm House Donuts. Choose from a variety of phenomenal donuts while shopping for Of These Mountains apparel… and panjos!

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We then visited Blue Ridge Toys, which has a vast selection of panjos in their shop.

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This may just be the best toy shop I have ever visited. The employees were friendly and the kids were having a blast.

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When I inquired into the panjos, I got an explanation and a demonstration. I walked out of Blue Ridge Toys feeling like a happy kid myself!

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If you are interested in gifting panjos, canjos, or DIY canjo kits, Les can also ship them directly to you. Check out Les’s Facebook page by clicking HERE.

Giving musical instruments that Les creates are perfect for Christmas, Hanukkah, and the holidays. Why buy something for someone that they could purchase themselves? Give a unique gift. Make a memory.

What are your favorite types of gifts to give? Would you be interested in gifting a panjo or canjo? We would love to hear from you! Please drop us a line in the comment section below!

Check out more great holiday content with the Great Gift Card Swap and Downsizing Christmas and Upsizing the Meaning.