Sporty Decor- football

10.2.14- 

It's that time of the year!  Whether you love it, like it or tolerate it it's football season!  Now a days it seems like it's on everyday or night of the week.  I LoVE it!  Part of the reason I do is that I have been around football my whole life, literally.  Do you remember the movie, Remember the Titans & the cute little girl that is always with her Dad, going to games, practices & drawing up plays?  Well.... that was me growing up.  My Dad was always involved with coaching football at our local high school, Sky View.  So I knew all the players, their positions, the plays & of coarse all the cheers from the cheerleaders too. I spent countless hours in the stands, at practices & on the football field when I was younger.  So it's no surprise that I would love to celebrate this time of year & bring sports into my home decor. 

As much as I get a love of sports from my Dad, he got it from his dad, my Grandpa Hall.  I have always loved this picture of my Grandpa.  Isn't it the coolest?  He played football back in the day & this was a picture taken for his Preston High yearbook.  I wanted to enlarge it & put it out for all to see.  I checked out Tiny Prints & it couldn't have been easier to upload, order & print this vintage photo onto canvas & have it shipped right to my home.  When I got it & opened the box I was so pleased with the quality of the print, the sharpness of the image & the great color even though it was a very old photo.  I immediately found a place for it to display.  

Come inside our home, I'm opening up my decorating play book & showing you how to create some winning looks in your home this football season. 

I used my Tiny Prints canvas photo & other sports themed items to recreate a Sporty Decor feel in our home.  This is great if you have kids playing football, you're a college football fan, NFL fan or even just to get excited for the week leading up to the Super Bowl {I mean what's more American?} One thing I always tell people, when they ask me decorating advice or about my style, is look around & ask yourself. 

1) what am I passionate about?

       2) what do I already have in my home I could use? 

3) what personal photographs could I use?

If you follow those 3 things it will always feel personal & authentic to you & your space.  I like to try incorporate those elements into any space I decorate. 

 Here is a perfect example of what I'm talking about.  I love chalkboards & have a bunch of them,  so I grabbed a piece of chalk & drew a play.  Old School vintage feel, I love it!  I also have lots of vintage trophies lying around so I grabbed all the football themed ones I had & set them out too.  This is a photograph of my Dad, #61, when he was an offensive lineman at BYU.  Incorporated what I love, what I have & personal photos.  CheCK! 

{I had to call up my Dad & have him talk me through drawing up this play. Great Daddy/Daughter moment!}  

-Two of my favorite men in my life, Grandpa Hall & my Dad doing what they love- 

A side shot of my vintage football display.  Fun using an old trophy to stick in a well used, worn leather football to place on the corner.  Great way to book end it all.  One thing I love about that football {& others you'll see later} is that they came out of my HS where my Dad coached for more than 30+ years & was the Athletic Director for 17 years.  

It's safe to say that my new favorite thing to collect is pennants.  I'm smitten with them!  Some are vintage some are new but I've told myself that whatever I get they have to come from somewhere I've been.  It's been such a fun collection to start & I'm excited to see how many more I find.  I made this garland just by pinning the pennants to a piece of fabric.  Loved the way it turned out! As you can see more vintage trophies hanging out in the background.  Love to mix & match them all together, too cool not to.  They are not just for white elephant gifts anymore people.  Grab them & hang onto them, I'm telling you!  You'll find a way to use them. 

 I've always wanted to have a sports vibe in our downstairs family room. Mainly because this is where we all huddle around on Saturday afternoons to watch football, week nights to watch basketball & cheer for our favorite teams through out the year.  {Go BYU & DUKE}  I have to start collecting some stars too because I have quite the little Dallas Cowboys fan in our house too. 

Since we love to watch & have season tickets to all the BYU home games I thought it would be fun to write down their entire schedule & put it out on display for all to see. Important that we schedule our calendars so we don't miss a thing. You know, priorities!  

Just have to give a shout out to my Dad. I took him a bunch of chalkboards, from my collection, & he drew plays on all of them for me.  I love that he actually wrote out what the play was called, he still remembers.  These are treasures for me to have out.  So many wonderful memories of him coaching, letting me tag along, Friday nights watching football with my family & cheering on the Bobcats.  

One more place I love to decorate is the stair ledge by our stairs.  I have shared this space many times with you over the years.  Thought the picture of my Grandpa looked great here too tucked in between chalkboards of all shapes, sizes & colors bookended by more trophies.  A great spot leading down to our family room where we all gather to watch sports as a family. 

With a few basic things you can create any kind of winning kind look. Be sure to incorporate what you love, what you collect, photographs & you'll always come out on top.  Hope this has inspired you. More on Sporty Decor coming soon. 

I can't help it, so much to share! 

{M}