So, we had this little tennis tournament last weekend, just a friendly thing with folks from the neighborhood. Wanted to have something for the winner, you know? Not just bragging rights. Looked online, trophies were either kinda pricey or just looked… bland. Generic. Decided, why not try making something myself?
Getting Started
First thing, I thought about what makes a tennis trophy. Obviously, a tennis ball is key. And a base. Maybe a little plaque? Didn’t want anything too fancy, just something with a bit of personality.
I went down to the craft store, also checked out a local thrift shop. Found a couple of things:
- A small wooden base, looked like it was from an old lamp maybe. Sanded it down a bit.
- Some gold spray paint. Because trophies gotta shine, right?
- A pack of old tennis balls from the sports shop nearby, picked the least fuzzy one.
- Strong glue. Really strong glue. Didn’t want the ball falling off mid-ceremony!
Also grabbed a small metal sheet, the kind you can kinda etch into with a sharp tool. Thought I’d try engraving the “Neighborhood Champ 2024” or something simple.
Putting It Together
Okay, the fun part. First, I cleaned that wooden base real good. Gave it a couple of coats of the gold spray paint. Had to do it outside, the fumes were pretty strong. Let it dry completely, took longer than I thought.
Next, the ball. Just cleaned it up. Thought about painting it gold too, but decided against it. A real tennis ball looked cooler, more authentic.
Gluing was the tricky bit. Put a generous amount of that strong glue on the base where the ball would sit. Carefully placed the tennis ball on top. Held it there for a few minutes, pressing down gently. Then I just left it overnight, didn’t want to risk touching it too soon.
While that was drying, I tried my hand at ‘engraving’ that little metal sheet. Used a sturdy nail and a small hammer to gently tap out the letters. It wasn’t perfect, looked a bit rough, honestly. But hey, it looked handmade, right? That was the point.
Once the glue was totally set, I stuck the little metal plaque onto the front of the base with some more glue. And voilà!
The Result
It wasn’t the shiniest, most professional trophy ever. The engraving was crooked, the paint maybe a tiny bit uneven in spots if you looked closely. But it was ours. Made with actual effort for our little fun match.
Handing it over felt pretty good. Way better than just giving a gift card or something generic I bought online. It had a story, you know? A bit of sweat and gold paint involved. Sometimes doing it yourself, even if it’s not perfect, just feels more satisfying.
