Custom Creations - Getting Back On The Horse

With the summer months now past us and the leaves slowly changing color, I'm bound and determined to pick up on a number of custom card projects that have been patiently waiting for me (along with a few of their eventual recipients).

To all of you who have been sitting by the mailbox - disappointed day after day all summer - thank you for not razzing me endlessly.  I will do my best to get this stuff done sooner than later.  Believe me, it bugs me as much as it must bother you.

Way back in March, I came up with a cut auto for a sweet Gordie Howe signature.  I really liked the way it turned out.  The person who asked me to create it also had a Darryl Sittler card in mind.  This weekend I finally put together the finishing touches on it.

He is sending 2 different signatures so I wanted to make sure that the signature window and the card design in general worked for both.

It took me months to track down a decent Sittler photo for the front of this card.  I scoured numerous resources and found nothing that worked for me (either the photo was too small or it was in black & white or it was Darryl wearing a helmet, etc.).  I came upon this photo in a kids book about hockey.  I was at a huge book sale this summer and (surprise) I headed right to the sports section.  I grabbed every hockey book that looked interesting.

It definitely paid off.

The back of the card came together a lot faster.  I didn't go overboard with the text on the back.  I put together a trial version of the card and am really pleased with how it turned out.

Now all that's left is to take the actual autographs and build the cards for real.  That's always a tense time.  Fun - but tense.


I also continued working on one of the biggest projects I have ever undertaken.  I'm not going to share pics until I am fully finished, but no question about it, it will be one of the most challenging projects to date.

It's a ton of fun working on these again.  It makes me want to clean the plate off so I can get back to building stuff for myself again.