From getting, to giving... Brooklyn Dodgers.

Hey guys.

I showed you the nasty gift I got, but I just gave a nasty gift myself.

I don't have pics just yet, but I will get them by tonight.

(I apologize if the following doesn't make sense, I am in a real hurry right now).

So, today was the day I presented my gift. In all I gave:

22 index cards (with more coming I assume)
2 photos
1 printout (from Bob Aspromonte)

I framed EVERYTHING. The index cards were framed in collage frames (except for one. On the back there was a note, and that went in a large toploader). It was quick and easy. I used scrap booking paper (in Dodger Blue) as my backround. I put a piece of mounting square on the back of each card and aligned it as good as I could. There were some excess index cards, so I did the same thing in an 8x10 frame. I did the same thing to one of the photos (the other one has info on the back that he would like to read).

The printout was easier. I went and bought a document frame, and turned the insert around and framed the printout (the printout wasn't exactly document size, so I had to get some white on the bottom).

He still has 2 cards coming his way. They need to be put in cases and bags and they will most likely be presented tomorrow (or whenever the materials arrive).

He loved it. He opened the first index card (the one with the note on the back), and said "Joe... Landrow?" I said, "No, it's Joe Landrum." and he said "Who does he play for?" I replied "The Brooklyn Dodgers, who else?!" His sight must be going downhill a bit, but he is eager to research all of the players who signed for him. All but 3 gave him a birthday wish.

I appreciate all the help from the FCBers who made this gift possible. It was a joy to make, and a joy to give, and it didn't cost hardly anything (about $60 for the frames, and really roughly, $22 for the autos themselves, $3-$4 for the blue paper, and less than a buck for the index cards). It's a reason I love TTMing, because they work well as gifts.

Each player who sent a birthday wish and/or extras will receive a nice handwritten thank-you note from me.

Pics will be up once I can get them uploaded. His party is still going on, I had to run home and get some stuff.

I just came home for good. I had a nice time.

He left, so I moved his stuff to the kitchen table to take a pic of it, and so he sat down with me to see if he recognized the players and if they were in his Dodger book. Only a handful were in his book, but it was fun to look through it and discuss baseball, and cards, and all sorts of things.

Here is a pic for you guys.

It's a thoughtful gift to share; I'm glad you got your desired result. Congrats!

BunchOBull said:

It's a thoughtful gift to share; I'm glad you got your desired result. Congrats!

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Yeah, thanks! It came out better than I had planned. I got a lot of compliments from the family on my hard work.

Although, I don't consider it work because it was fairly fun to do knowing that they would be turned into this.

Very, very nice!!
Nice to see the entire project finished!
WELL DONE!
Looks great too!

that was awesome enjoyed reading about all of this the past few weeks.

Here is parts 2 and 3... and a description of a possible part 4 :shock: (pics of part 2 coming. Possibly part 3)

I arrived at my grandparents this morning. My grandpa was working on his bike, but I walked in and he wanted to show me his sports collection (a nice framed 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers piece, a stack of cards, and a couple mounted Barry Sanders cards (he likes the Lions)). He handed me a nice Harmon Killebrew card from 2003 Fleer (just a base card, but cool nonetheless). We discussed Dodgers and collecting, and things like that.

Around mail time, I borrowed my grandma's bike (har har har, it's actually pretty nice :lol: ) to go home and grab the mail as well as other things. In the mail, I got 2 magnetics for some signed cards that were sent to me by the Dodgers players, as well as a Dodger TTM.

I loaded the cards and the TTM up (I didn't open it. I wanted him too. I was getting so many questions about the TTM process that I wanted him to see what they looked like when they arrived). I also grabbed some Lions cards from 2011 Prestige (Suh, Pettigrew, Johnson, Best) and tossed them in a team bag.

When I arrived and handed him the stuff, he had brought up all the frames and set them on the table (I forgot to mention, there were a group of church friends/co-workers there for a party). He showed everyone my work and he seemed proud, which was a great feeling. I was told he did it again later on as well (I had left again to get some Pennysleeves for the cards I had just handed him).

Although, when I got home, I found some Dodgers re-print and insert cards, a Matt Kemp Refractor (he likes Kemp) and a Jahvid Best Chrome Rookie. I handed those to him when I got back, and he loved that.

NOW for the part 4 in progress... I had just thought of this last night when we were talking current baseball. The Dodgers are coming to Target Field (a stadium in which he never has been too, and a team that hardly comes). Knowing the great time we had the last time we did this, I thought... Let's do it again! The parents are down for it, and I am researching tickets right now. I can't pay for them in full, but I will push 20-30 bucks for them and the parents will cover the rest. I am looking at some in the home plate box behind the Dodgers dugout (not RIGHT behind, but a section back). I just have to check to make sure his work schedule allows him to go.

I probably won't graph the game, but I might bring a couple cards along just in case. Seems like a dumb idea, right? The goal will be to get Matt Kemp to sign a card for my grandpa, in person. I doubt that will ACTUALLY happen, but hey, why not try? He is a BIG Kemp fan. I might even get him to inscribe it "To Dick, Happy Birthday!" Wouldn't that be cool?

Thanks for following my project, and the nice compliments guys! I really appreciate it, and all the help I received from you guys to get this thing done. I am still looking for a Duke Snider signed Index card for him, if anyone has one they would like to sell to me.

The project turned out great. I'm sure he really appreciates it.

Bring cards if you go to Dodgers games. Kemp signs a decent amount.

17ROCKIES12 said:

The project turned out great. I'm sure he really appreciates it.

Bring cards if you go to Dodgers games. Kemp signs a decent amount.

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Thanks!

That doesn't look like a reality anymore...

The games are Monday-Wednesday, and his off-day is Tuesday. That's great, but Wednesday is the afternoon game.

I was going to discuss it with the family but I went out and about with my uncle and didn't get back until just now. We will discuss tomorrow. In the meantime, I gotta get some Kemp cards. I gave all mine away in my big giveaway, and the last one I had was a refractor I thought my grandpa would like.

I think this title should be TB finally finishes a project he started :lol: . It looks awesome dude, and sounds like he likes it. As far as the card he gave you, put it in a penny sleeve and into a magnetic one touch or a screw down. It will be a special card for the rest of your life. Like my Nolan Ryan bloody lip 16 x 20 that my grandpa bought for me before he passed away from cancer. When I see it I think of how tough Ryan was to be able to pitch after that then I think about how tough my grandpa had to be to fight with his cancer even though he lost his battle with it. That is one of the items that will Never ever be sold for any amount of money in the world. My wall of my room leaked becuase of some storm damage and the back of it got wet I almost cried thinking about not being able to replace him giving it to me for Christmas early becuase he knew he was not going to make it until december.

PujolsCollector said:

I think this title should be TB finally finishes a project he started :lol: . It looks awesome dude, and sounds like he likes it. As far as the card he gave you, put it in a penny sleeve and into a magnetic one touch or a screw down. It will be a special card for the rest of your life. Like my Nolan Ryan bloody lip 16 x 20 that my grandpa bought for me before he passed away from cancer. When I see it I think of how tough Ryan was to be able to pitch after that then I think about how tough my grandpa had to be to fight with his cancer even though he lost his battle with it. That is one of the items that will Never ever be sold for any amount of money in the world. My wall of my room leaked becuase of some storm damage and the back of it got wet I almost cried thinking about not being able to replace him giving it to me for Christmas early becuase he knew he was not going to make it until december.

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Haha! Yeah! This is the first project I finished since my woods shop project last year :lol:

That card will go away someplace nice. It's in my Blazer but I am too stinkin' tired to go out and get it :lol: I will toss it in a PC box so I don't lose it. Then I will display it when I end up with a display case.

Sorry to hear about your grandfather. My great grandma passed away from a stroke a couple years ago and that was pretty hard on me. Losing loved ones just plain sucks. Had too much of that happen over the past few years.

I was going to bring the '58 set over to show him. He would have loved that. My uncle kept me out until half an hour ago, so I didn't get to show him. But, that's motivation to make it grow for next family gathering! What sucks is I have to many other things going on, cards and non-cards.