Custom Creations - Making Progress... FINALLY!

Those of you who have followed my blog for past couple years know that I love creating custom cards. Be it cut autographs, cards to be signed or just simple concepts.

Sadly, the number of actual completions has been much smaller than I would have hoped by now. I just find it hard at times to commit hours on end designing and building these pieces of work.

This past week though has been a bit of a breakthrough.

In addition to finally constructing this Reggie Lewis cut auto (which is slowly turning into one of my favorites), I have hit that 'Eureka' moment when it comes to one of the most important cards I've tackled to date.

A couple of years ago, I showed you a ticket stub card from a Beatles show. It was part of a collective request I received a while back.

In addition to that ticket stub, there were a number of autographs (many of which have been built) and one final item.


This ticket stub comes from the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup run (the last time they hoisted the Cup). Through a little detective work, it was determined that this particular stub came from Game 3, which happened to be a Toronto victory....3-2 in double overtime.

Wow! That is one cool piece of history.

So of course I want to put together a smokin' card to house this stub. And so it began. Draft after draft, revision after revision, I kept coming to the same conclusion. I don't like it.

Just to give you some context...I've been in communication with the owner of this item for over 3 years now. THREE YEARS! For 3 years, he has been patiently waiting for this stub to return home.

Well. This week I was able to jump over that major hurdle.

I have finally come up with a look that I am happy with. And while I still have to add the final touches, I wanted to share it (because I'm just really proud to have crossed that threshold).


With the ticket stub taking up a substantial amount of space on the card, I kept finding it difficult to put any sort of design or information on the front.

I tried doing some simple box shape concepts, but found they were too bland. And every time I tried to add some info, it got too busy.

But this idea just hit me one day and I ran with it. Within a few hours I knew I had it.

Over the past day, I've been refining and adding the final touches. I should be able to start the back of the card by Friday. And from past experiences, the back of the card comes together in a fraction of the time.

On top of that, I've got a couple of ideas for how I will assemble it (ideas that I've never tried before, but if they'll work it'll make for a stunning frame). Fingers crossed.

And if you're reading this Greg....thank you VERY MUCH for your patience.