"Derby" Awards

Here is a project I just finished for my IIDA (International Interior Design Association) Kayak Regatta charity function. This year we decided on a derby theme and we needed 8 awards. Not having a lot of money, yet still wanting professional looking awards, is a challenge we face every year.

I decided to take our Kentucky Derby theme to the limits this time and found decorative (yet pretty weighty) horseshoes on Amazon.com for a set of 10 for $30. Taking those and mounting them on painted plaques (about $3 a piece for the plaques, paint was $5 total) and you see my creation below! totaling about $60!

The part that may be a little more difficult for some, maybe not all, was the printing on "sticky backs." We used these all the time in school, and although I use the product less today in my professional practice, I still find uses for them all the time in my crafting! It is basically a clear printable sheet of sticker that you just design, print, and stick it to pretty much anything.

Project Steps:

1. Sand plaques smooth and then paint edges of plaques, horseshoes, and numbers their respective gold, silver, and bronze colors. Then paint the flat top of the plaques white. Use several coats.
2. Next, design and print your event name, sponsors, logos, etc. on sticky back sheets and cut to size while making sure the horseshoes and numbers will fit on the plaque as well.
3.  Now you glue the horseshoes and number to the plaques (I used a combination of Elmer's and Super Glue), stick on the sticky back design, and voila! You have an award.

I got so wrapped up in loving this project that I made one for my friend's Kentucky Derby party too. The little label holders are Martha Stewart brand from Staples. :)