OPINION: DO YOU ENJOY YOUR COLLECTION?

A quick back and forth with another blogger got me thinking about something tonight.

Do you enjoy your collection?

What I mean by that is...do you admire the pieces you've picked up once they are in your possession? Do you display them for all to see or do you have them in shoeboxes in the closet? Do you get more enjoyment in searching out the item rather than owning it?

Once you have the card, jersey, puck, autograph...whatever...what is your enjoyment level of it?

What I love about these questions is that there are no right or wrong answers. That is one of the big things that I enjoy about this hobby. My collection is done by MY RULES!

I have the bulk of my collection in boxes in my closet. My Trevor Linden cards are in top loaders and in a couple 3000 count boxes. I bring out the boxes every couple months when I add a few cards to it and sift through the cards I have in my collection. I enjoy looking at them but I think I get more enjoyment out of seeing the collection as a whole (almost 1000 different Linden cards). It's been over a decade of collecting and I think it's a pretty cool accomplishment.

Finding a new card is a huge thrill and when it arrives in the mail I get that feeling like it's Christmas morning. Once it is in my collection, I am still proud of owning the item, but I've checked the item off the list. No more pursuing it. That's a bit of a downer.

When I see rare Linden cards pop up on ebay that I already have, I get a little sad that I don't need to go after it. And it's fewer and farther between finding Linden's that I do need.

I like that people have goals in there collecting. I like that people get enjoyment out of collecting. I like it even more that everyone is different in what gets people excited about their collections.

At the end of the day - as long as you are enjoying the hobby as a whole, then that is a good thing.

1 vs 100 update

Well, it has been ages since I have made any mention of this project.

Summer....what can I say.

Since Thursday I have been on vacation and actually spent a little time making a couple trades to pick up a pair of cards to add to the collection.

They are currently on their way and I will be sure to update when I receive them.

I am currently on my way to BC for the week to do some golfing.

A busy summer of work makes this trip even more of an anticipated tour of some of my favorite courses in British Columbia.

90 might not happen there....but I could care less.

See you in a few days.

TTM: The Cullen Family Complete

Some vacation time for myself and a TTM success from Betty White earlier in the month was all the inspiration my niece needed to get some more custom Twilight cards made up today.

She is super proud to have cards finished for all seven of the Cullen family members composed, printed and assembled. Even more so, the fact that we have now sent TTM's to all seven actors.






The newest ones turned out fantastic. I ended up modifying my template after realizing that we were spending way too much time doing things over and over that we didn't need to.

A good template can make customs go a whole lot faster....and therefore be a whole lot more fun for a 12-year-old.

Here are the other four to complete the 'set'.









Now I have recently heard that both Nikki Reed and Jackson Rathbone have signed and returned recent TTM requests (and in a reasonable time period).

I have a good feeling that my niece will be heading back to school this fall with at least one (her first) TTM success.

Wish her luck.

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!! - Glenn Healy

A while back I posted about goalie cards and how some look good when it is a closeup of a goalie as they take a drink of water. The freeze frame grab of the water splashing and what not can make for a cool looking card.

Here is an example of.....the exact opposite.

1991/92 Bowman
#224 Glenn Healy

I see Glenn Healy....or at least his eye.

He sucks on the waterbottle. Apparently he doesn't like to spill.

I can see the bottom of the Gatorade bottle, underneath his blocker, his chin, his armpit. Wow......cool.

The guy doesn't even use a mask. Lame hockey helmet for him. Booooooo.

Again - is this the best possible shot of Glenn that Bowman had? They really needed to take a second look.

Then again, he was a career backup and it very well could have been the only photo in existence that season.

Regardless, it is one of the most unflattering poses I've seen on a card.

For that, Glenn Healy.....

PPPPPPFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!!

Article: Enforcers Only

I enjoy writing. I know I'm not the best at it...but over the past year (almost) that I have been building this blog, I have been enjoying getting the thoughts out of my head and on paper (well, actually I type...on a screen).

I also enjoy hearing from others who have a real passion for the hobby. Any hobby for that matter. Cards, sports, music, culture...it doesn't matter. The passion and enjoyment the person has keeps me riveted to what is being said.

I've been wanting to do more writing for The Insider's Edge magazine (a collectibles hobby mag), but have found little to no time lately.

Recently though, I did talk to a person who has a strong passion for cards - specifically 'enforcer' cards. I asked if I could interview him and submit the article.

He agreed...and here it is.






Thanks again Richard for your help. I enjoyed the time.

STASHED IN THE CLOSET - Foster Hewitt surprise

Things have been fairly busy lately...company is in from Toronto which means a thorough cleaning of my place.

Long time overdue....they need to come over more often.

Summertime is not a huge motivator for me to search down hockey cards and such. It's more of a time to get rid of some stuff taking up space in the basement.

I came across this item which brought back some great memories of when I picked it up.


This 1971 Hockey Hall Of Fame Yearbook was a cool find for me at a booksale that goes on here once a year. Huge boatloads of books are donated and so I scour the sports section and snag a bunch of hockey books.

Great prices too - hardcovers for a buck. Softcovers even less.


It gives a description of those who are currently enshrined in the HHOF. It also gives quick bios of players who are currently having All-Star type seasons.


I'm focusing on Foster Hewitt as he is a bit of an influence on my career. His career was legendary as well as ground-breaking. Guiding hockey fans from the radio days through the birth of television.

He was the voice of one of the most iconic goals ever scored - Paul Henderson in 1972.

So why is Foster a focus of this book?


Well, whadaya know.....an autographed inside cover of a Hall Of Fame icon.

For less than a buck. Nice!

OPINION: BUDGETING

With the summer season in full swing (well, for me it's a few days of sun and then a bunch of rain....but oh well) my 'war chest' of funds for hockey cards is slowly building again after taking a few hits over the winter.

It made me think about the amount of money I spend on hockey cards per trip to the card store, card show, per month and ultimately over the span of a year.

Back in the day, before I became a more focused collector, those thoughts would have sent my head into a spin. There was huge disregard to how much and how often I was spending my money.

I wanted everything and I wanted it now. I wanted to backtrack and get all the sets that came out prior and I wanted to keep up with what was currently coming out.

Yeah....good luck with that. Don't ask how that turned out.

I guess with my more mature age has come some knowledge (maybe just a little) but I think more so it has been a 'learn from your mistakes' situation with me.

I still love cards - all cards. All shapes, sizes, styles and smells. And I have even found a way to enjoy the aspects of every set out there at a reasonable price (see my 'One Sheet, One Set' project).

While my Linden collection has been slow over the past couple of years, there are still times when a card comes up (or a bunch of 'em) and I want to be sure that I have the money available should I want to go after it.

Hence, the budgeting I have set for my collecting.

I try my best to save a certain portion per month and it goes into my 'war chest'. Whatever I have in that chest is what I can spend on cards. It's my choice on what I get and how much of it I want to spend.

It sounds simple, but I find a lot of people can't grasp that concept. They go out of control when a new release comes out or that 'must have' single appears. Many people clearly spend beyond their means. Why is that?

Now I'll be the first to admit that there are still times when my budget goes right out the window and I splurge on stuff. But what was once a monthly (or weekly) thing has now become a one a year type fiasco. I can handle that.

I think the big reason for excessive spending is nowadays, buying wax packs is more like buying a lottery ticket. For your $5, $50 or $300 per pack, you might end up with a gem that will pay for your purchase ten fold.

Most of the time though, the cards are quickly mulled over, popped into a traders box and eventually sold off at a fraction of what you paid for them. The thought of getting the 'big hit' in a box (or case nowadays) of cards keeps people coming back for more.

That can do a ton of damage to you financial health, and you attitude towards the hobby.

A good grasp on your financial position when it comes to cards is equally (if not more) important than the type off collection you have.

Don't spend more than you can handle! It truly is not worth it.