Designing a Santa Hat Inlay Kit

This is a picture of the wreath I built last year for the Boise Festival of Trees. Not bad for a first attempt at building a wreath, or in other words I thought it turned out pretty cool... Yeah... that's my Daughter, she turned out pretty cool too!!!


For the wreath being built this year I'm using AmbersBear as the main focal point of the wreath hanger. Because it's Christmas I decided to put a Santa Hat on the inlay too. I found this AWESOME piece of burled hard maple that should make a pretty cool hanger.


I needed to design a Santa Hat that will fit on the Bear and look good too! I've been wanting to add accessories to AmbersBear for awhile so I thought why not now?

The only way to see if you like a design is to build a prototype. I built this AmbersBear a year or so ago and just had it hanging around so it became my Rev 1 prototype!


Using the alignment transparency I positioned Santa Hat inlay on the head of the Bear. Then I marked the edges of the transparency so I could align the template on the base material. Once I placed the Layer 1 template on the base material I traced the circular alignment marks, from the template, onto the base material. I use the circles inside the template for alignment because sometimes during the manufacturing process the edges of the template get a little wonky.


Using double side tape I affixed the template to the base material and routed out the Layer 1 void. This where the red part of the Santa Hat is going to be placed.


Using the same Layer 1 template I cut the inlay from a piece of Red Heart I had laying around and then glued it into the void.


After letting the glue cure for a few minutes, I affixed the Layer 2 template to the base material using the circular alignment marks as my guide. Then I routed out the the Layer 2 void.


I decided to use an epoxy with glitter to fill the Layer 2 voids. As soon as the resign dries I'll sand it down and finish the prototype. I don't really like my first attempt at building a Santa Hat so there will be a Rev 2. But isn't that the way it goes with woodworking? Try something if you like it replicate it, if not improve it!

I'm thinking I need to make the brim of the hat a little more curved and a little wider. What do you think? What would you do to make the Santa Hat fit AmberBear's head? Thanks in advance for the help!!!