Even if you’re not a Broncos or Seahawks fan, chances are you’re not going to let The Super Bowl pass you by without celebrating the big game. I’m a fan of just about any excuse to get together and party with friends, so you can bet that come next Sunday, I’ll be eyes-glued to a flat screen, elbow-deep in guacamole and chugging beer with the best of ’em. And even though the day is quintessentially fuss-free, I still love the idea of infusing it with a few thoughtful, decorative details. I’ve been wanting to use the distinct leather of a football in a DIY for a while, and this project proved to be perfect for the occasion and even simpler than I imagined. Best of all, the same technique can be employed to make other Super Bowl party elements, like invitations, bingo cards, and just about any other signage you need. Keep reading for the instructions…
- composite football (as opposed to a leather one)
- heavy duty scissors
- ruler
- pencil
- lightweight vellum paper (note: vellum paper is available in both “laser” and “ink jet,” so be sure to choose the correct one for your printer type.)
- black photo corners
- Begin gutting your football by firmly jabbing scissors into an inconspicuous spot close to one end on the ball.
- Further insert scissors into the hole, and begin cutting along the seems of the ball. You’ll find a rubber lining inside of the ball, which can be removed and discarded.
- Continue cutting all seems until you have four panels of the composite material. Remove any remaining lining so that you’re only left with the outer shell.
- Use the ruler and pencil to mark a rectangle onto one panel of the football material, and cut out.
- Print your beer menu onto vellum paper. See this printing tip from Paper Source for best results.
- Cut out menu so it’s .5-inches smaller than the football rectangle on each side.
- Attach photo corners onto the football material as pictured.
- Insert vellum beer menu into photo corners.
- Optional: Use a hot glue gun to adhere cardboard to the back of the menu card for additional thickness.
*photography by Melanie Grizzel Photography
