SOFTBALL GIFT

I am posting the last of my softball posts today.  I promise we will be jumping into fall on the 17th. When I walked outside this morning, it was the first time the air was really cool enough to walk. 

During the softball season, my daughter was mentored by 6 amazing seniors.  These upperclassmen spent every practice and every game giving the underclassmen an example to follow.

We just needed to make sure that these young individuals were given some recognition for a job well done.  I approached the head coach and asked if I could come up with some gifts to give these seniors for their last home game.

I found a cute idea on Pinterest.  It seemed pretty easy to replicate.

I took a trip to Michaels and picked 5 wooden frames up and some spray primer and softball neon yellow.

I also purchased small red clothespins, some red acrylic paint and adhesive  glittered red stars to decorate.

I began by lightly sanding the wood boxes with grit 220.

After setting up my spray paint 'tent', I sprayed both sides of the boxes letting the paint dry  in between coats.

The next day, I spray painted the primed boxes with two coats of the neon yellow paint on each surface.

Using a plastic cup, I stenciled out a circle out of paper to use as my lacings on the 'softball frame'.

The circles are cut out.

They are placed on the corners of the frame and traced.

A regular red sharpie will create my lacings.

Red mini clothespins are glued onto the box to hold the team photo.

Gifts boxes with the teams forest green ribbon will hold the frames.

Using scrapbook paper, I printed off each of the girls' names on a light green damask pattern to make them a bit more feminine.

Well, at this time, I realized that I had forgotten to make something for the team manager, who just happened to be a boy.  I had to pull something quick out of my brain.  Knowing that his name began with the letter B, I took off to Michael's and found a wooden B.  I did basically the same steps with his frame as I did with the others.

I did distress his frame a bit more.

In the end, everyone enjoyed their frames and the special team picture which will have such memories of their softball playing days.