Bar Mitzvah Centerpieces with hockey theme...

Hockey Centerpieces  Step-by-step pg.1  Step-by-step pg.2  Finished Project

HOCKEY THEME CENTERPIECES - Let's get started with the construction.

My concept was this...Create a base that resembled a hockey rink. Then stand up two hockey sticks to form a type of crossing pattern. Inside that cross, elevate a hockey puck. Put curly stuff around the base, a few of those sparkler things and call it a day. Yeah, right!

A jig, using scrap plywood, was made to place the sticks in the same position and angle they will be on the centerpiece. This allows for the holes to be drilled precisely in the same place on every centerpiece. There is no need to measure each stick. Taking the time to create the jigs was well worth it as it allowed 28 sticks to be drilled identically and precisely.

A jig is placed over the stick and locked in place with the wood blocks. A hole is drilled for the connecting plastic bushing that will join the two sticks together. The black piece that you see on the drillbit is a stop so that I do not drill completely through the stick. There is also a jig for drilling two holes at the bottom of the stick. This is for mounting it to the base.

Here is the plastic bushing in place. The other stick will be joined to the plastic bushing and the cross is formed. The holes you see at the very top of the stick came that way from the manufacturer. They had no use in the project.

Here you can see the hockey sticks in the jig at the exact angle they'll be installed to the base below. Every centerpiece had a New Jersey Devils stick with an opposing team's stick opposite it.

Setting the sticks aside for a bit, it's time to create the base. A 13" Styrofoam disc creates the ice. A hole was drilled in the center for the candle. The ice rink has a red line. Notice the roofing clips secured into the Styrofoam and siliconed in place. A black ribbon is placed around the side of the ice rink. The candle flickers and is battery operated. A cardboard template was made to indicate the locations of the red ribbon, the roofing clips and the center hole.

It's now time to secure the sticks to the base. The two small holes previously drilled in every stick allows two screws be set, wedging the stick onto the roofing clip. A roofing clip holds two sheets of plywood together. The bottom half of the slip shown is pushed into the Styrofoam and siliconed in place.

Making the Hockey Centerpieces - continued

Regardless of your project, if you're replicating a part, it might be worth the time to create a template or jig. This saves having to constantly measure throughout the project on every item.

The key to being creative is the ability to think outside the box. Use your imagination. Don't limit yourself to what your local craft store carries. If you have an idea, search for the product to make that idea a reality. Sometimes, it's found in the most unusual places.

If things are not working out, put it away and come back to it. Don't frustrate yourself. A few hours of a day away from it can make a world of difference in relocating your creative talents.

 

 

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