Drumroll Please

*hot coffee, bagel with jalepeno cream cheese, and a box of kleenex and a card and now ready for a new post on cards over coffee*

*starts to type, wipes nose as little under the weather, takes a sip, now keeps typing*

Snow sums up how yesterday went. The weather reports told us possibly 1-3 inches total and didn't even have us in the "watch" section of the state for bigger amounts.

 

Well roughly 6-8 inches later, the roads were slick, schools were closed, and my wife hitched a ride to work.

It was a fun one cleaning off the cars, sidewalk and deck with the heavy wet white stuff.
 

Once again, the only great thing about snow other than having a white Christmas, is the scenery.

Drumroll please......

*takes a sip to soothe the throat*

With the weather being like this, it just furthers my holiday spirit for this time of year. If the snow comes down heavy after Christmas, that's a different feeling. One that can't be typed into words or you may have to hide the children from reading this blog.

With that being said, I recently had a custom card mailed to me for my Chevy Chase collection from @Clarkes1_1Cards.

Drumroll Please!!

 

This one fits perfectly in my Chevy Chase and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation collection. I tried to capture the shine of this card the best I could with my lightbox. But, it's much better looking in person.

I will have to set this up with the rest of my collection and maybe do a post on all of it at some point during my holiday card season.

*takes a sip, covers cough, takes a bite of bagel then another sip before finishing up today's post*

If you liked my custom card, @Clarkes1_1Cards does others as well for sports and non-sports or even ones for yourself. If you are interested, just contact him via Twitter or as you newbies call it, X.

Thanks again @Clarkes1_1Cards for the card!

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday. I am going to take a nap to feel better.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Hats And Sweaters

*sits down, takes a sip, has a stack of cards and is ready for the next holiday card season post*

Today marks Day three of the holiday season. So far, I have only adventured outside the house once into stores and already regret doing so. They weren't quite as packed as I expected, but it still wasn't fun waiting in line even at the self-checkout with one item.

ONE ITEM. 

If that item hadn't been coffee related, I would have left. But nonetheless I stood and waited then ran out the door faster than Speedy Gonzales minus the yellow sombrero.....and the speed. Didn't I mention how I drink decaf now? But, if that had been me six years ago when I was all caffeine, I could have ran it.

*takes another sip, stomach growls, starts to think of something for breakfast. for some reason, tacos came to mind*

To me you can't talk about the holiday card season if you don't mention Ugly Sweater and Santa Hats swatches. 

You simply can't.

These cards are some of my favorite cards of the holiday season as they can produce some pretty unique swatches for some of the cards. I know many who have read my blog in the past know that I have been and still am chasing the Donruss Holiday Rookie Sweaters sets for football. This set chase is a long process that has taken me years to try to complete and I have come a long way with them.

But, I needed a break on and off with them which led to me finding other Ugly Sweater cards and even Santa Hat relics. Which I added because they are simply as cool as coffee.

Here is my current Santa Hat collection,

 

(my favorite of the bunch)

(you don't say many Tom Savage cards are cool, but this one definitely is)

And now onto my "other" Ugly Sweater cards,

\

(yeah, two of the same but different relics)

I hope to add more to these collections at some point. But, I really need to finish up those Donruss Rookie Sweater sets first. Some I am only a couple away from....well that's until Panini pumps out 2023.

Here is a look at my needs, ones on the way and finished sets if you are curious.

2020 Donruss Rookie Sweater Football

2021 Donruss Rookie Sweater Football

2022 Donruss Rookie Sweater Football

Note:these are all up-to-date!

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I am not sure how many more year's companies will make specific holiday products for, but I hope they continue and continue to pump out more Ugly Sweater and Santa Hat cards because they have this blogger all-in on them.

Hope everyone has a warm coffee filled Sunday!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Just Let It Flow

*sits down, has coffee ready and a card in hand, let's get this Christmas party started*

Today kicks off my holiday card season that I mentioned in my Black Friday post as we are officially one month from Christmas today.

Seems crazy doesn't it?

I wasn't quite sure how I was going to approach this as I went back and forth multiple times with myself, that's how I do all of my blog game planning and personal decisions, and finally just decided it's best not to plan it and just let it flow out.

No need to plan on special phrases, catchy titles or segments, just let the cards post and the words just get typed.

*takes a sip*

Today's post isn't a long one, it's simply just pleading for some assistance.

 

If any of you have any of these collecting dust in your house or in your trade pile, I would be strongly interested. I only own three in my collection, Ivan Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr and Mark McGwire. I would love to add any others from football or baseball I don't have.

I think these are some of the coolest Christmas cards out there. Not that Topps hasn't put a good effort in what they have done recently with their holiday products, but these are just simply at the top.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

As always, comment below if you have any or just simply send me an email at sportcardcollectors@hotmail.com and let me know there.

Hope everyone has a great Saturday. Be safe out there as I know stores and roads will be packed with shoppers.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

It's The Christmas Season!

*digs out the peppermint mocha creamer, coffee is ready, pours it in, smells the holiday scent from it, gets ready to start today's post*

To me, Black Friday is the kickoff to the holiday season.

So today is my kickoff to the Christmas Card season on Cards Over Coffee where I will spend today until Christmas sharing some of my Christmas card collection. There will be no other card posts in-between that aren't holiday related.

Hope you're ready, especially those of you who may be Scrooges. Those are Christmas' version of Karen.

Just enjoy the sleigh ride and the cards....and the coffee.

*takes another sip hoping that no scrooge is getting upset right now*

*takes another sip*

Black Friday isn't what it used to be. It used to kick off on Thanksgiving night where you would have to arrive to stores in-person by 7pm to score some deals and then every hour after.

Nowadays, stores put "deals" (deals are no longer deals like they once were) online for weeks and then actual in-store Black Friday is on Friday as stores close Thanksgiving night now. 

So, no more lines or people fighting over the last Tickle Me Elmo at midnight.

I only ever attempted Thanksgiving night Black Friday twice just to say I did so. This picture was the view in front of me at the back of our local Walmart store in 2013 waiting two and a half hours to get checked out with my small cart of deals.

This was also my last time going and I think you can see why.

It was an experience I won't ever forget, take that as both bad and good. The good, Dunkin is inside of my Walmart. The bad, fighting people off to get into line and stay in it without being pushed over and them trying to spill my coffee.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

Black Friday is a thing of the past for me. I do most of my shopping all year long and grab deals when I can. I find it's the better way to shop and you can find better deals that way.

Believe me, give it a try.

Since I haven't posted a card yet for this post, let's kick off the Christmas card season,

Here is a 2015 Panini Black Friday Santa Claus found in their Black Friday packs. I picked this up last year I believe in a trade.

There will be plenty more cards like this to be seen.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

If you are out shopping today, please make sure to stay safe! The world has turned into a sad, scary place. Also, there are a lot of bad drivers out there when there is a lot of traffic. I am not one if you ask me, though my wife will tell you differently. I just want to say she is wrong and hopefully not reading that I said that as I don't want to kick off the Christmas season on the couch.

Hope everyone enjoys the magic of this season on Cards Over Coffee. There will be plenty more Christmas, Christmas Cards, and coffee on here to come. Not that anyone is surprised by the coffee (maybe some hot cocoa mixed in as well).

Have a great Friday.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Thanksgiving 2023

Today is more than turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, though those are amazing, it's about family, friends and being thankful for everything big or small.

There is a lot in my life I am very thankful for. I am thankful for waking up this morning, a roof over my head, food on my table, enough money to cover my bills, my family, a forgiving God, friends from afar (you guys know who you are), and for the hobby and the hobby blessings I have received. I am also thankful for blogging that has brought me many opportunities in the hobby I never would have experienced otherwise. 

Lastly, I am thankful for you guys, the readers for coming by and reading my ramblings. and having a cup of coffee with me.

And it wouldn't be Cards Over Coffee if I wasn't thankful for coffee as well. Had to toss that in.

I hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving today. Enjoy family, food and football.

In comments, let me know what you are thankful for and tell me your favorite food for Thanksgiving.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Frozen

*takes a sip on this frozen cold morning. this could be a more than one cup kind of morning*

Before I move on with today's post, I want to reassure you that the blog title is not about me singing Let It Go. Nobody wants to hear that song and especially me singing it.

*takes a sip to try and keep warm*

I know my last few posts haven't really been "Cards" Over Coffee, but I can reassure you some form of coffee was involved (including last night's late-night post when I had a slice of mocha bread) in non-card posts and that we should be going back to some cards soon.

In the meantime, I am trying to be as creative as possible to keep this blog going.

*takes a sip*

This morning marks the coldest morning we have had this fall at 9 degrees. The only positive part about low temps are the pictures I can take. 

Standing up taking a picture.

I took this one on the ground from the grass up angle.

Roses aren't looking rosey today. 

My flower bed wasn't very pleased.

The side of my wooden clothesline.

My lilac trees weren't pleased.

 

My windshield before I started the car to defrost it.

It was definitely a cold one out there this morning but thankfully there is coffee to keep me warm.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I do have a plan for future cards and coffee posts after Thanksgiving which you will read about on Friday. Hopefully it will be cards most of you haven't seen yet since they are already coming from my current collection.

Have a great Tuesday and stay warm!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Where Did They Go?

As I sit here tonight, without coffee because it's a little late even for this coffee loving blogger, I have spent the last two hours cleaning out my email since Google claims it was full, when I have kept it cleaned out.

Or thought I did.

Upon deleting as many emails as Hillary Clinton, I noticed some of those blogger comment email notifications in the mix that you get when someone leaves a comment on your blog. Before deleting them, I read some of them for nostalgia's sake. As I read on, I started to see names of commentors I haven't seen comment in many years that used to all of the time.

Which led me to wonder, Where Did They Go?

Names like,

• Madmax,
• SumoMenkoman 
• Collecting Cutch 
• P-Town Tom
• C.erne33 
• Kyle Herring 
• Twitch 
• Trevor P 
• Scribbled Ink 
• Julie Owens 
• Tony Burbs 
• Madding 
• CommishBob 
• Daniel
• GCA 
• JayrCards 
• Trevor Gaffney
• aa8a5804-8a87-11e2-ad83-000bcdcb8a73 (always an odd name, but used to comment a lot)

I am not sure if they all retired from blogging, gave up reading my blog or ran out of time to comment. Whatever the reason, I miss seeing their thoughts, but just hoping overall they are all doing well.

*finishes up thoughts on how to close tonight's post*

*yawn*

It's about time I head to bed, almost 11pm where I am, and I am not a night owl like Night Owl. Yes Greg, I am talking about you :)

I did finish cleaning up my email inbox and hopefully have it cleaned up enough for a while, though I didn't mind taking the stroll down memory lane tonight.

Hope everyone has a great night's sleep and for those of you that still comment, thank you.

*yawn*

*big yawn*

*Coffee Card Blogger Out....like literally*