Soccer Balls

Tomorrow is the last day of our Junior Soccer club's 2010 season. Our boys skipped an age group this year and were placed in the top division. Most team parents hoped that our kids might lose a few games this season. While this doesn't seem like good parenting - hoping your kid will lose - our reasons are sound. Our boys haven't lost a game in nearly 4 years, although I think they did draw 2 or 3. Experiencing failure is a very positive experience, so we want our boys to learn that is it ok to come second, they only lose if they lose heart and understand that a loss can lead to positive self analysis and is useful as a guide toward improvement. Saying this, our boys are only 7 and 8 years old... so if they understand that you can't win all the time and the importance of being gracious in defeat that would be a good start.

In a few weeks we are having our windup and trophy presentation. I want to make some 'soccer' ball temari to give to the Assistant Team Manager and Assistant Coach as thank you gifts. They offered loads of time and provided a lot of help to DH and I in running our team this year.

I tried to count the faces on an actual soccer ball 3 times this morning but kept losing count. Then I decided to go ask how many faces there are. DH gave me a strange look and said 'I'm pretty sure it is 32, but isn't it written on the ball?' Looking over the ball I discovered that yes, '32 face' was written on the ball in very large print in one of the hexagons.

Our team is black and white so I need to decide if a black base or or a white base would work better... or if it really matters. Methinks I will do one each way... and experiment while making the gifts aahh... multi-tasking!

I'm planning to wrap the bases tonight after dinner and might even get them marked up (thankfully I can mark a 32 - thanks to Barb, Debi A and TC's HHG challenge from earlier in the year)

If you read my earlier post this week this is why I forgot our Anniversary. This is full costume check before the show (before beard adjustments of course) .  He only had 4 or 5 lines in the play but he had such a strong concept of how he wanted his costume to look... how could I deny him. Isn't he the cutest 'old man at the bank' you ever saw?! I made the little waistcoat from a cute pattern I trolled the net for (I did need to redraft the pattern to get it big enough), the bead and wig were made with the dilly bag technique I learned at the Bassendean craft workshops a few months ago. I added 89c teddy glasses and hooked them into the beard so they stayed on. The shawl is a cut up thrift shop dress and the Shirt and Jacket were also altered thrift shop buys. I made use of some pants I had previously altered (took the cargo pocket off of) for an Eisteddfod performance. Thank goodness for DH's cuff links and tie and Old Nana's spare wooden cane which completed the ensemble.