A Soccer Banner

Have you ever been volunteered for something? 

 Something that you've secretly wanted to do but never volunteered yourself for? 

 Well....it just so happens that this happened to me!! 

At one of Blake's soccer practices we were discussing how much it would be for the team banner.  Well....considering how much we've already paid for soccer I didn't want to have to shell out another $10 for a vinyl banner.  We thought it would be nice to have a "homemade" banner & that it would be cheaper.  So...my friend Bonnie looked at me & said, can you do that?  I sheepishly shrugged my shoulders & said SURE!!!  I thought, no biggie...I can do this...PLUS...I've always wanted to make a team banner.  I know...sometimes I'm a little crazy!!  When I got home I started searching the internet for "felt banners" & "how to make a felt banner".  There were only a few tutorials & plenty of sites to buy your banner from.  I got what I needed...like how big it should be & how to do the corners.  I got together with my friend Jaime & we came up with the design.  (she's totally awesome...had I known how talented she was in the graphic design area I would've made her work harder at Girls Camp last year!!  hahaha...)  We went over to Grandomother's one day so she could help me with my measurements so that I wouldn't make a crooked banner.  She then offered some great advice!!  She mentioned that we should use heat n' bond for the writing to put on the banner.  Now I've never used this & I've seen it mentioned on plenty of blogs so I didn't think to use it.  Can I just say that this stuff is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!!!!! 
So...after I got the hang of the heat n'bond I was able to do most of it on my own & Jaime cut out the soccer ball for me.  Let's just say that it took me about 3 days total & cost about $30!!  Way, way, way cheaper than a vinyl banner & I wouldn't mind doing it again now that I've learned a few tricks!!
Here are a few pictures of the process.  Sometimes I forget to take pics throughout the whole thing.

Here's one of the stencils for the kids names.

Here's some of the names on the Heat n'bond stuff.

Here's a few "finished" names. 

I alternated between black & dark purple for the league colors.

Here is the most awesome scorpion & the soccer ball. 

Should I mention that after I had everything in place I looked at it from a height & the

freaking scorpion was off centered??!!  And that I pulled the whole scorpion up...very...very...carefully

& moved it & the hot glued it down??!!

Oh...guess I just did...you can't even tell that I did that because I am awesome!!

Here's a shot with the kids at opening day.

And here's the final product.  I am very proud.

I need to take a different picture so you can see the colors better.

I did have to make one more change...we have a different assistant coach but the name was super easy to change.  You'll see that in pictures later in the season.

If anyone wants a true step by step from me let me know.  It's easier than you think!!

GO SCORPIONS!!!