Could Anyone Help with Ideas for Breaking the Ice?

14 years ago

Hello.

This might be my very first post here, but I do "visit" y'all often (sounds much more pleasant than the sinister, "lurk", yes?).

I am planning a surprise birthday trip for my long time SO. His family and mine will be meeting for the very first time (hard to believe, after so many years) and I thought it would be a nice way to break any ice and foster family relationships if we were to complete a garden junk project together.

You have such tremendous ideas and talents on this forum and I so hope you can help come up with an idea or two for a suitable project! Fair warning: Your thinking caps will be put to heavy use. Are you ready for a challenge? If so, here are the limitations:

1. All of us will be travelling, some via air, so the project can't be too heavy or large or frightfully fragile (bowling balls and glass totems would be a no go).

2. It's a surprise for my darlin', so I can't bring much, if anything, in the way of supplies. A special tube of glue would be fine and maybe my one glue gun.

3. Everything for the project would need to be easily found in a small town. Think less-than-fully-stocked hardware store versus a Michael's.

4. There will be about 20 of us, all adults, about 50/50 gender mix, so the project should steer clear of anything too kiddie/cute-sie.

5. The projects would need to be completed in 2 or 3 days.

6. The trip is my treat and will about max out my resources, so supplies need to be fairly inexpensive as well as readily available. For example, I can bring my glue gun, but couldn't spring for glue guns for all. ("Waiter, a round of glue guns for me and my men!").

Whew. Has anyone seen the show, Dinner Impossible? This is beginning to look like Project Impossible.

The good news: We'll be on the Oregon coast, so shells, pebbles and other beach-y stuff will be plentiful and free. Two of us are professional artists (photographers) and at least one more is immensely talented, so if there is a tricky step or two, the "pro's" should be able to handle it.

Okay, that's about it. Any takers? Pretty please with a sweet pea on top?

Rain

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Comments (7)

textilejo
14 years ago
I don't know if this is something you might be interested in. I went to the Bahamas a few years ago and I wanted to make a little something for the other couple we went with.

I found this wooden cheese tray at the dollar store. I painted it and then decorated it with things from the trip. It has the date painted on along with coins, ticket stubs and other little things from the trip. The flamingo was added for the trip to the zoo:-) The rope at the top makes a nifty way to display the plaque.

{{gwi:137583}}

You could make several of them with items from your visit and exchange them. You could tell each family group that they had to send their plaque to the next family every summer as a reminder of the trip.

Just a suggestion. My sister lives in Portland Oregon and I have been to visit her several times. It is a beautiful place almost as beautiful as Nova Scotia, LOL

Good luck with the surprise party!
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desertrat1
14 years ago
Rain,
WEll, welcome to the group. I guess, according to my 14 yr,. old son, that you would be referred to as the "Newb" because you are new in appearance (but not in the lurking part). Humm, I like Jo's idea too. Mine would be similar in that I would just use found shells, rocks, and wood from teh beach. Then because two of you are professional photographers, take lots of pictures of everyone. Make prints all of the same size like a 5 X 7 or 4 X 6, make sure to get those size frames/mattes, and also some glue....then everyone decorat their own frame (or everyone could swap) and then have their photo in their frame....That way everyone gets to remember a special memory of when y'all met. My other idea BEFORE that was windchimes made from found items at the beach.
Hope that helps....
Love, Jules
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lizzardly
14 years ago
How about a scavenger hunt for supplies. Why not come up with a project that involves inexpensive items that can be found nearly everywhere. Exploring local shops is almost always one of the best parts of every trip for me. Then once everything has been gathered you could assemble. Everyone would have the memory of not only what was made, but also the hunt for individual parts & peices.
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concretenprimroses
14 years ago
Hi Rain!
I like your user name and also the fact that you are a person who can get a bunch of folks to do a project together.

I like the windchime with found objects idea, you could just buy fishing line for everyone. You might make one at home or print some pics to get people going. If you can find some bolts and washers or such to mix in (used-cheap at home?) that could add a masculine and or musical element.

Another idea is to decorate plastic pots with found beach objects. They could be transported home in a suitcase if they were not too big and stuffed with socks or something. Once you get to your destination you could ask at a garden place if they have any used ones you could buy cheap. You would need to buy a few squeeze tubes of GE Silicone ii for windows and doors - clear for everyone to share.
Check to see if there is a freecycle for your destination to see if anyone is giving away any interesting materials.
You could give people more than one option.
What ever you do be sure to take pics and post them here! I can't wait to see what you come up with.
Have fun.
Kathy
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goldilocs
14 years ago
Ok now, this doesn't include "making" anything but could be alot of fun for all. Bring a deck of cards with you and a bunch of paper bags. Then, as everyone is enjoying their vacation and going around site seeing, their job is to find the most ugly object they can find or the funniest object (your choice). Everyone puts their "object" in a paper bag and you "swap" them using the cards (low to high). Each person has to put the piece they end up with in a prominent place in their home (where all visitors can see it) and display it for one year! It can be a hoot!
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blameitontherain
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for the welcome. Grand ideas, all! I especially appreciate your taking the time to consider the specific parameters of "The Challenge" as well as to come up with additional ways to break the ice.

Love the memory plaque you made for your friends, Textilejo (and what love you must have for your sister, making such a giant trip several times - wow!).

Our celebratory weekend isn't until the end of June, so if anyone has more ideas, I'm all ears -- er, eyes.

Rain
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ogremom
14 years ago
I like the idea of picture frames with shells, etc. And a picture frame doesn't take up much space.

One idea would be to ask everyone to bring an "ingredient" for whatever project you opt to do. Even if you decideed to do something like a totem, everyone bringing a piece wpuldn't be too much, and the final item could be shipped home.

If you opted to do the supplies scavenger hunt on site, try to get people to play "The Tacky Game." The idea is to find the tackiest object. Since almost everyone has digital cameras on their phones, have people take pictures of the tackiest item. In a small group, winner buys drinks (usually a coke in our group). Maybe for a larger group, some white elephant prize would be appropriate.

Good luck!
Ogre Mom
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Could Anyone Help with Ideas for Breaking the Ice?

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textilejo

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Could Anyone Help with Ideas for Breaking the Ice?

Comments (7)

textilejo

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