Artelopes- My Favorite Grizzly (Fresno Grizzlies)

Still working on lowering the amount of business cards missing from baseball. I sent of what was one of my more important artelopes. The importance comes from the fact that in the two years we have driven to Disneyland in the summertime we have stopped in Fresno.

While we have yet to watch a game in those two trips. A problem that the wife, and I have discussed trying to solve eventually. We have dropped in the team store where I have bought some of my favorite minor league stuff. The first time it was a logo baseball, and a t-shirt that I wore all the time. Our second time I walked away with a hat that I wore non-stop our entire Disneyland vacation, and still wear quite often. Sadly the t-shirts weren't as cool as they were during the first stop.

Because I love the hat so much I thought why not recreate the bear claw slash that is on the hat.It might not be the most fantastic drawing that I have ever done, but it did do a fantastic job in the results category.

Fresno sent three of the pocket schedules shown, and followed it up with the most important addition in the business card. Since becoming the Astros affiliate in 2015 I was unable to update the collection with the new representation.This year that changed as now Fresno has been crossed off the list of needs for the Pacific Coast League.

Hopefully my luck will keep running as I am now missing 22 teams in the minor leagues, and independent leagues. Four new requests went out today that should lower that number if all goes right.

Artelopes- Turning The Tide (Norfolk Tides)

With baseball season very close I have been hitting the baseball artelopes hard. Most of these have been to teams that have either gone through a logo change, affiliate change, new name, or are a new team. Among that list is the Norfolk Tides.

Wanting to pay tribute to the much cooler new logo I went with the trident used in the logo. If you pay attention you will notice the "N" that is part of the top of the trident.

As you can see the Tides delivered the goods. Included was two of the schedules shown below the real reason for the request in a new business card. It's a beautiful card that showcases the new log like you hope that it would. Throwing in the Orioles logo is a touch I'm torn on. While it's an idea I appreciate, I think they did the logo a little to big for my liking. Overall it is a great card though that looked better than I had expected when mailing the team.

Artelopes- Loisville Bats (Going Batty)

In the category of artwork this has to be one of the worst I have done in a long time.

If you look hard enough you can tell that those are two bats. The idea came from the Bats new logo with those being one of the alternate logo's.

While not my best work the results are still something that I am thrilled to have gotten. Included was the much wanted business card as the Bats went through a logo change this off-season. Also were two of the schedules shown above the business card. Not a bad return as the business card was the reason for this request.

Artelopes- Kane County Cougars

Continuing my run of good luck is the Kane County Cougars. The Cougars are on the list of teams who went through the process of changing logo's. What this meant is the collection needed some updating with an artelope.

Personally I think they did a great job with the new look. Since I liked it so much I thought why not go with a drawing that was close to this new logo. One thing that I was proud of is if you think about where I was ability wise when I started the entire artelope project. You can see a big difference even when it comes to a drawign that is a copy of another drawing. When this whole thing started a cat lik the one here would have looked like who knows what? Now you can see that it is a cougar like it is supposed to.

As I already said in the first sentence. Kane County delivered with four of the schedules shown, and the much sought after business card. It's a great looking card that as you can tell, showcases this sweet new logo.

After adding this into the collection, the Midwest League is only missing the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Much like the Cougars, Bowling Green is an update due to a logo change.

Artelopes- Philadelphia Soul

On my quest to complete leagues that I am very close on I decided to tackle a team I'd been leery to go after. That team is from the Arena Football League, and from the post title is obviously the Philadelphia Soul. My reason for being so cautious about mailing the team was its ownership.

For those that don't know the majority owner of the team is none other than Jon Bon Jovi. Some people might respond to this with a big so what. The problem is in my past experiences, a team owned by a celebrity like Jon are impossible to get cards for. I don't know if it is just a me thing, or if others have the same problem. All I know is that my past has shown them to be impossible. Keeping that in mind I was very reluctant to spend the money for two stamps, and a request. I took the chance though by mailing out this.

Simply put I went with the team logo, and was pretty pleased with the results.Even more pleasing was the results from this request.

A return that now has me questioning the very thinking I went into this request with. The Soul not only sent the schedule, and business card that I needed. They did it in fast fashion, and a turnaround that was faster than some teams much closer.

What they did do is leave me with hope as my luck with teams from all the various arena leagues have been treating me well this year. That is the good news, the bad news is the two remaining teams from the league.

First on the list is the now AFL owned team, Portland Steel. When it comes to the Steel I don't know if there are any business cards, or if one will ever be made. Second is what I consider the impossible dream because of who that team is. That team is the famously Gene Simmons owned team the LA KISS. Due to the name, and ownership they don't even list a mailing address to contact the team. I have sent a couple e-mails that have yet to get any sort of a response. Any time you get a team with an iconic name like the KISS they are very reluctant to mail out anything such as a business card. If I do one day pull off this miracle the collection might just have its crowning jewel. Until then it will be a dream that I will keep on hoping to one day have granted.

Artelopes- 2016 Hickory Crawdads

With baseball starting in the very near future I have been slowly mixing in some baseball artelopes with the other sports that have already started.

Hickory went through a new logo change this off-season. This new logo was the inspiration for the drawing I used for this request. Wanting to try something a little different though I went with one of the alternate logo's because it just looked cool in my mind.

A new logo means that the business card collection needs the new logo represented. Hickory didn't disappoint as not only did they send three schedules, but they got the most important part right by adding the business card.

With Hickory coming through the lone remaining team from the South Atlantic League is now the newest member, Columbia Fireflies. A schedule for the team has recently popped up so expect a request to be sent soon.

Artelopes- Cedar Rapids Titans

On my quest to complete the IFL my final lingering artelope came home.

Thinking it would be good to just keep it simple I went with the teams sword logo. Sometimes the simple drawing turn out to be among my favorites. Maybe it is just the colors, but I like the way this envelope turned out.

As for the results they were everything that I could hope for. The Titans dropped the much wanted business card that now leaves me with four teams missing from the league. One more request went out today, and another is waiting in the wings. If my luck continues they will send business cards, and put the number at two.

The schedule itself is a card style that I scanned two of so you could see both sides. When it comes to the card style schedule they did a good job. It is always tough to get your information, and some sort of picture. In the end Cedar Rapids did both, and it turned out decent. Another great thing about card style schedules is the team usually send more as they are thinner. What that means is more schedules to offer up in trading so consider me a fan of the card style schedule.

Artelopes- 2016 Nebraska Danger #1

In my quest to complete the Indoor Football League, or the IFL as it is better known. I sent out requests to all, but three of the teams in the league. Two are on the verge of being mailed, and the third we will be going to their town this summer so I hope to get a card in person. The final request out was the Nebraska Danger.

Doing drawings for the Danger has been fun because of their logo. Last year I did the big danger sign, but thought this year it would be fun to try the skull, and crossbones.

In every sport, and league there is atleast one team that just seems to be impossible for me to get a business card from. Nebraska seems to be that team in the IFL as last year two requests finally yielded one schedule. This year the team sent two of the paper schedules above. What this does is leaves me thinking about my next move as contacting the team via e-mail got me a person to address my request, but it still didn't get the result.

Artelopes- Sioux Falls Storm

Last year while doing the serious business card wants update. I came across a football league appropriately called Indoor Football League, or IFL. Thinking it would be fun to try for their cards I added them to the list, and went about trying to complete the league. Luck wasn't on my side as most the requests never returned, but my spirit wasn't broken. Deciding to make another run at it I sent out request to three of the teams, and one of those was the Sioux Falls Storm.

Last years shot was a full on storm look with lightning bolts all over the front. This year not really knowing what to expect I stuck with two bolts in the teams colors. Wanting to do a little different I reversed the colors on each bolt to get what you see above.

This time the Storm nailed it, and showed why I chose to try, and complete this league. The business card has a better version of the design I attempted last year, and better still it continues on to the back of the card.

The schedule is very well done with the black, and white cover. The inside is full color so don't think the team went cheap. It is a good looking schedule that from my returns still to be shown is by far the best of the three.

Artelopes- 2016 New Hampshire Fisher Cats #1

If you are paying attention you will notice that this post is labeled #1. The reason behind this is the Fisher Cats always put out a minimum two different schedules each year. Whether I need to send another SASE, or will be able to trade for that schedule isn't something I'm too concerned with right now.

The Fisher Cats use a red, white, and blue color scheme. Due to this I've had some fun doing the artwork for their envelopes. This edition was no different as I thought why not do something that resembles the US flag? I can't say it was a prefect match, or anything. What I can say though is I like the way it turned out in the end.

For results the Fisher Cats have always nailed it. They kept that trend going in this return as they sent three schedules, and a pair of business cards. My initial thinking is the business card is a new design. Hopefully that thinking proves to be right, but if not it give me a couple more for the traders.

Artelopes- 2016 Colorado Avalanche

When it comes to hockey schedules my interests are very small. That shows in the fact that I only collect schedules for one NHL team, and that team is the Colorado Avalanche. Ironically the Avalanche are also one of six teams from the NHL I am missing a business card from. Those two things led to the following artwork, and a request letter.

With it being winter I for some strange reason felt that I had to draw something with snowflakes. Adding in the mountains came later as it just seemed to need more than just the flakes.

While the Aves did send a schedule. As you can see they are still missing from the business card collection. Hopefully at some point I will be able to change this as it's always disheartening when your collection is missing you favorite team. Luckily the Aves are the only team from my favorites that is missing.  

2016 Clearwater Threshers

I had another planned post for today in an artelope return. Things changed though as while watching MLB Network they advertised spring training games for today. So, in honor of the games starting today I thought why not show off my latest 2016 minor league schedule.

Clearwater has been a Phillies affiliate since the teams founding in 1985. Before becoming the Threshers in 2004 the team was known as the Clearwater Phillies. 2004 was when my collection for the team originally started, but since then has branched off into collecting the schedules before 2004.