Who Loves Stickers?!?!

I had this big post planned, but the gods have conspired against me. First, I've spent most of my time watching all of my DVR'd soccer matches from the 2012 EURO's. Secondly, this godforsaken all in one scanner/copier/fax monstrosity has decided to be a none-in-one.

While I find my hammer, don't be a dummy, and stay away from All In Ones!!!!

So you're going to get an abridged version of my Panini 2012 Euro stickers box break.

I paid $44 for the 50 packet box of stickers, but you can readily find them for $40. Albums are the usual $2.

Here is the cover for the album. Very pretty.

Here is the part where I'd show you some of the cool pages inside the album. Stoopid HP printer thingie.

The packets! 7 stickers per packet, 350 for the box.

one thing about this year's offering compared to other Panini Soccer sticker sets is the horrible collation. Apparently the North American Panini offices have infiltrated the European offices. Out of 350 stickers I pulled 115 duplicates including 24 triples.
Not cool.

I managed to wrestle 2 scans out of the craptastic all in one before it pouted and went home.

ROONEY!!!!

SHINY!!!

and that's it.... all of the other types of stickers are forever lost in the ether world. But know that they are spectacular dammit!

(I wonder what's in my draft folder?)

Cardboard Ketchup

Like everything else, I'm waaay behind in posting some trade/gift packages. Some have evn been put away already. Whoops. But, I'll rectify some of that today, and hit some more up tomorrow. I'm not the one who scans every card.... it would take forever, and you would fall asleep at the keyboard. So I'll hit the highlights and move on. A huge thank you to all who have sent me cards over the last month or so.... During my last contest, participants had the opportunity to send over some cards in an attempt to bribe me, win bonus points.
dawgbones sent over a small stack of baseball flavoured cards... topped with Mr Teheran and his cherry border. Is this one of those Target things I keep hearing about but have never seen until now?

Also included were a couple of cards off of my wantlists.... Chippah!

and a card of my Dirty Dozen most wanted list located off to the right. I'm glad someone reads that thing.... it's slowly diminishing. Time to replenish.

Casey from Drop the Gloves sent me a surprise hockey package, but tucked in the middle was this amazing card.

Chipper is so damn good, he can hit homeruns early in the morning, while facing the wrong way and standing in Section 17, Row 21 behind the dugout.
Yeah. He's that good.
The Angels in Order also sent over a 'potential start to a trade' package that had a card in it I've been passively chasing for over 20 years.

the no-numbered Joe Montana Heroes header card from the inaugural UD Football offering. I loved this set when it came out and bought a tonne of it. Now it's finally complete.

Of course very, very late in the year they came out with a high number series that had Joe Namath heroes cards......... Now I can begin to collect those. Anyone have any to spare?

all of the rest from Angels was hockey related, save for this odd shaped card. 1993 UD 600 Home Run Club.

How would you like to have those as your 3-4-5 hitters????? Of course, the Bambino would be peeved at not making his contract bonuses, having hit 60 home runs and only collecting 64 RBI's.

The last package I'll feature today from P.A.T.P. had a lot of fun items in it. Like stickers!

Everyone knows how I like stickers.
It also had blue bordered cards in it.
Active NL RBI leaders? Yeah, it's Chipper.

Active NL Home Run leaders? Yeah, it's Chipper. (The least Topps could do was put Andruw in a Bravos uni)

Speaking of home runs.... one of the most discussed photos from the 2012 Topps set, Huddy in his trot.....

and J-Hey in his, rounding third....

Craig has had enough of this home run talk. Strike three... game over.

Again, are these from Wally world? I know Topps does blue borders in it's Opening Day set... does the regular set do this, or do I have my first WalMart cards?

Let's end up with more fun.... mini's! Or as Owl says..... MINI'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it's a new Topps rule that all Heyward cards must feauture that damn red jersey.

to end off, I go to my closer.

As Bill Paxton says..."Game over man! Game Over!

up tomorrow, a special Dodger edition.

Seger är min!

It's no secret that I love Sweden. It's a beautiful country...

*ahem*... it's a beautiful COUNTRY.....

 Better. Why all the Swedish content? Why I'm glad you asked. (Quit staring at the blonde)

Reader Magnus from, yes, Sweden, instigated a trade with me. Part of the loot I received was these three beauties.

 STICKERS!!!

 these are the last three stickers I need for the 2009 Topps Total English Premier League sticker set.

I'm grateful for having put this set to bed a day or two before the sticker box I bought for the 2012 set arrives in the mail.
What?? I'm a set builder. Three years is nothing.

Thanks Magnus!

Ok, you can go back to the blonde now....

The 2010 World Cup is NOT over... Stickie edition.

Let your minds wander back to last summer.... okay, not the one that ended a couple of weeks ago, the one before that. It was World Cup Frenzy! People who never watched soccer before or since were all of a sudden experts. Games were watched. And discussed. The U.S got beaten, and all was forgotten.

Except for those few of you, who like me, were addicted to stickers. World Cup stickers. We were a small, but determined bunch. Most of us finished our sticker books as well as our online sticker books.

Or did we???

Like you, once I put the last sticker into my book, I let out a satisfied sigh and closed the cover. Until a few weeks ago.

I found out some disturbing news.

The bastards Panini had put out an UPDATE SET! ACK!!!

Are you kidding me?!???! No pigeon had come to my door telling me this. I MUST complete my sticker book!

So I did what any normal OCD set collector would do. I scoured the internet until 3am looking for these elusive unstuck stickers.

And after a few sleepless nights, I found them. All of them.

Behold.

 The reason for the update set was of course because not all of the players in the initail release actually played, so stickers had to be made up for those that did.

 Germany did fairly well considering that apparently they had no idea who their Keepers were going to be going in. 0/2 on that one.

 I guess I should show you the backs..... they are numbered according to who they replace in the book, with an "x" annotation. At the bottom, it also tells you by name the 'substitution' that needs to be made.

 The stickers are a bit longer than the original stickers, as the new information about the player needs to cover up the old pplayer's information that was pre-printed into the book.

 Team France added 5 new members, and still imploded.

 Not much to say about most of these guys....

 like any of you are still reading at this point anyways...

 that was a boring sheet... all white kits.

 The lone new American.

 all in all they were 80 new stickers made up for this update set

 and as a reward for actually scrolling through all that, may I present 6 members of Canada's womens soccer team. They never win any games, but we don't care.

Sorry there's no ponies... but it's best to stick with what you know.
(see what I did there?)

I'm late and gotta catch up....

The postal strike is over!! Which means it's finally here! My good friend John, or Jack Plumstead if you prefer, sent me the 2011 Topps Premier League sticker book!!! Now if you've been paying attention, yeah, I'm a wee late on starting this. The season has ended with Manchester United rightfully atop the standings.

No matter! Isnt it pretty?

 John also sent along what must be considered a rack pack over there...... 11 packets for the price of 10!!!
Isn't it nice how they don't try and snow you by saying "One FREE bonus pack!" But I digress.

 Those astute ones in the bunch have by now noticed the new feature for this year........

 Yeah baby!!! 3D!!! Not all the stickers.... but quite a few, plus a lot of pages in the book.

 The set also has large team stickers, here showing the best team in English football.

 and smaller, regular size stickers. The section that shows off all the new kits, (uniforms) are in foil this year.

 As are all of the team logos. I show Everton here in respect to my friend G_Moses.

 Something new this season is a section for "Stars of the Future". Basically young and upcoming players. Yeah, they're rookie cards. But they don't need a one inch square rookie card logo.... Old school.

 and of course the regular base stickers. 449 in all.

Thanks John!!!! If on the off chance that any of you are collecting this... I'm always available for swaps.

It's over! It's finally over!!!

thanks to dayf, Morgan "Mr Happy' Gould has found a home in my 2010 Panini World Cup Sticker Book. And then it was done! Complete!

The joy of a completed sticker book!!!

Thanks to all the bloggers in Canada and the U.S who traded with me, as well as those in Serbia, Finland, Australia, and France. Of course, a big shout out to John in England who always helps with these types of things.

Now, who wants to see scans of their favourite team??? Speak now. If no one speaks, I may just show you the whole damn book. Threat or a promise, your choice.

Trade Night Success! and an update....

My 'local' card shop has a trade night every month. Nothing too special, just a bunch of guys getting together to generally belittle each other's choice in sports teams, with pizza and pack wars thrown in. Surprisingly, very little trading occurs. But a lot of wax gets busted.

This time, there was a lot of trading. Usually when someone comes up to me around here and says; 'You're that Braves fan, right?' It isn't a good thing. This time it turned out to be.

I was able to trade a couple of Martin Brodeur inserts for this baby....

 On card /99. Doesn't get much better than that. Thanks for the swap Mike.
I also traded for a bunch of hockey stuff, but you can see that on Just A Bit Offside when I get around to it. Maybe tonite. Maybe.

Also a small envelope from Darkship arrived. Todd had one of the last two stickers I needed for the 2010 Panini World Cup Sticker Book.

 Shiny!

Chris Harris had sent me two of the last four I needed....

So now I'm just down to #36. From what I hear, dayf has it on the way. I can't wait. I just might finish this sucker in 2010. Awesome.