Signs Of The Times

During warm ups you can always find me on the glass taking pictures. Sometimes I might be in the enemy zone, but usually I am behind the goal on the Thrashers' side and very often I have a sign for a player or two.




It was only last season that I discovered how much I LOVE making signs. Looking back it seems such a natural progression. I'm a scrapbooking dork, too. Signs are just like big scrapbooking! I will say the scrapbooking helps with signs. My signs are usually some of the best looking and the camera man films them all the time.





I put a lot of thought and work into them, so I thought it would be cool to do a post about them. It's not like there is much else to talk about during this time of the year.




Now I have a friend that takes pictures of me and my signs at the games. And, if I'm lucky, he'll get Moose in there, too. Moose is the subject of my signs a good part of the time.





I make signs for a variety of players for different occasions.




I had phenomenal luck on this night. I decided to make Nathan Oystrick a sign congratulating him on his first NHL goal. We won the game against Nashville that night and he was the post game show guest. I got him to sign my sign, hehehe. He liked it. He said "nice sign." I said "thank you, that was a nice goal." Unfortunately you can't see the sign because Shauna took didn't take the shot vertical. No biggy, you can see Oysters and that's what is important!





These are all of the general purpose signs I've made this season. It's usually for accomplishments, first NHL goals, welcoming a new player, general fan love or some holiday.





This is my collection of Moose signs. I usually bring the Super Moose or the goalie Moose if I know he is playing. The Christmas sign actually has working Christmas lights and blinking snow flake.





Before anyone thinks I am a great artist or anything, the little Moose on my signs come from a stamping company called Hanna's Stamps. http://www.hannastamps.com/ His name is Riley. They have stamps of him doing just about everything imaginable.




They came out with some new ones this summer. I'll be buying this one and putting him in front of a net.



I thought about getting this one and making a sign that says "add me to your Facebook" but decided that might be creepy and lead to another restraining order.



More on how I get Riley up on my posters later.




This is my road trip poster. On our next giant road trip, I'll just change the section number. I used this one in Raleigh.





I've made signs for other teams or players, too. This sign was my greatest source of joy. I brought it to the Thrashers/Penguins game that was Marc Andre Fleury's first game back after an injury. When he saw it he skated over and tapped the glass at me. I was DELIRIOUS!! I have got the BEST sign planned for the next time I see my Flower. I can't wait!


Flower taught me an important lesson...photograph the sign BEFORE the game. A spilled beer messed up my Flower poster.





I've made Martin Brodeur several signs. The red sign I brought to Phillips arena. The sign with the cute devil and the birthday sign I took to Raleigh. I also brought one to the Prudential Center that said "I came from Atlanta to see Marty." Four signs and NO acknowledgement. He's a glass tap from Tim Thomas away from slipping down my ranks!





So, how do I make my signs? I start out with basic poster board, no big secret there. For smaller signs I use Martha Stewart scrapbooking paper. It's the perfect size, 18x18. Martha Stewart and hockey, two things that rarely cross paths. I've used foam board as well. I did my first Moose sign with foam board, but found it cumbersome at the game. My Christmas Moose sign was made out of foam board because HELLO...something had to hold up the giant blinking snow flake.




I originally started out using my scrapbooking stickers or stamps for lettering, but then I found these. They are AWESOME. It's like post it notes that are ABCs. They come in all black or bright colors. Sometimes the colors aren't right, so I've been known to marker over them.





I've tried a few different adhesives. I've found just a plain old glue stick is best.





I've also discovered a very cool thing to carry the posters in. It's like a giant sandwich bag with handles. No more beer issues and it's saved Super Moose from a good down pour, too.





Now for the fun stuff! When I want to get an image on my sign, I use a projector like this. I stamp the image (if I'm doing a Moose sign) or find the image I want on line (like the Nittymonkey and Devil). These projectors are cool. You just put them on top of the image and it projects it on the wall. You move back and forth to adjust the size, then trace on your sign. Easy-peasy!

I can't wait until it's time to make more signs!!!