Big Game Prep!

Of course, you know that this week is Super Bowl Sunday!  We don't have a party here (it's a school night!), but that doesn't mean that we can't celebrate. And with any celebration comes decorations.  So I decided to get a head start on my projects and created this for my game day tablescape.

This goal post will be the centerpiece of my tablescape on Sunday and some tailgate spreads next fall. There are several of these, with directions, on Pinterest, but building mine was more trial and error than anything. I also spent a lot of time in my local home improvement stores and learned more about PVC pipe than I ever thought I would need to know! 

Tailgate Goalposts

• 60 inches of Plumbing PVC pipe (the white pipes, not the gray ones) 1/2 inch in diameter.  I found 24" lengths at my local store (I bought three), they also had longer pieces.  You can also use a larger diameter pipe.  
• 2  1/2 inch elbow couplers (or the diameter of your pipe)
• 1  1/2 inch T coupler (or the diameter of your pipe)
• 2   1/2 inch bushings (optional, for end caps) 
• The other two round things in the picture- I am sorry, I don't know what they are called. I told you it was trial and error!  I found them while digging around in the plumbing PVC section, but there were no labels on them!   
• Yellow or white spray paint
• Spray Primer (optional) 

1. Cut or have cut (some stores will cut it for you) the pipe as follows: 

           2 18 inch pieces

           2 6 inch pieces 

           1 12 inch piece

       If I were to do this again, I think that I would cut the pieces smaller: 2 twelve inch and 3          six inch pieces.  

      2.  Assemble as pictured below. I did not glue my goal post. It makes it easier to store,       but definitely flimsier than it would be if I had glued the pieces together. If you want to           glue yours together there are several adhesives in the home improvements stores that         are designed to adhere PVC. Usually they are right near the pipes. I can also attest that       a hot glue gun works.  I used one to piece together the stand. 

        3.  Paint each piece. If your pipe has print on it, like mine did, then you may want to               prime it first. You may note from the picture above that I painted then assembled- big             mistake! Cutting it damaged the paint and I had to put another coat on after I put it                 together. 

Here is a sneak peek at my tablescape.  The "tablecloth" is made of three grass green mats I found at the dollar store and taped together with duct tape on the back.  The striping is white masking tape and the letters for touchdown were made on my Cricut. The pennants were also made with my Cricut, but you can also cut the triangles yourself (see measurements on diagram below).  The "stitches" on my "footballs" are simply 1/4 inch strips of paper cut to size. 

I hope you will come back on Sunday to see the final tablescape and what delicious treats we serve on it (along with a recipe or two!). 

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Cynthia