Favorite things to gift away or receive

babblingfreak · Post by **babblingfreak** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 9:23 pm

I am curious what people either:

A. Would most appreciate being gifted on the playa

or

B. Enjoyed gifting the most on the playa

thanks

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 5:40 pm

I always like receiving anything that was hand made by the person giving it to me. I have a box of trinkets that were given to me each year and those are the ones I cherish the most.

It's also great to receive things with either the year on them, the theme name, a picture of the man, and if possible the name or email of the person that gave them to me, so I can send them a thank you off playa.

As far as what I enjoy gifting, I love gifting delicious ice cold chai lattes because I love feeding people and it's just a blast to give out something that people enjoy so much, and totally don't expect.

Hope this helps - Chai

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 7:00 pm

A. A well-timed spritz from someone's misting bottle is ALWAYS welcomed. Chocolate — real chocolate — is another perennial fav.

About midweek last year, my next-door neighbour in camp announced that she was having a facial party with the invited invited to bring whatever lotions, niceties and suchlike to contribute. We sat in the shade, moisturizing, defoliating, witch-hazeling and foot massaging for two hours that afternoon. She welcomed each of us with a clean towel dampened with ice water. I felt like a new Wolf and smiled for the rest of the day — needless to say, that was probably the best gift I'd received all week

B: I generally just carry odds 'n ends — some useful, some handmade, some bought but funky-kitschy-cool — and give them out as inspired. When I run out of trinkets I just do something cool and funny or thought-provoking. To me, the ideal Playa gift is a Playa moment. Trinkets can be lost, passed on, swiped or broken: a story never can.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 7:51 pm

To me, the ideal Playa gift is a Playa moment

Very well said!

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 9:02 pm

Well a moment is all it'd take if someone gifted me a Pilatus PC-21 trainer so I could crop dust the Chupacabra camp with a little patchouli. Would settle for a PC-12 in a pinch.

http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/3_train ... t_pc21.htm

foamin' at the mouth · Post by **foamin' at the mouth** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 12:12 pm

My friend did something for the guests of our camp that was ingenious and seemed to delight all of them. We had a lingerie party --you know, show up in your best negligee and imbibe in homemade infused Vodka cocktails (infusions supplied by another camp member).

If you didn't show up in lingerie you were strongly encourged to use a loaner from our lovely selection collected over several weeks at thrifts stores and garage sales for this purpose. An ad hoc changing room would be marshalled in the manner of three of our lovely hostesses encircling you with a curtain as you changed.

Anyhow, Michael attached a thermal printer(think video still printer or what you get when you get an ultrasound) to his digital camera and took a picture of everyone of our guests in their finery. Then he gave a copy to each of them and printed one for our camp, which we pinned up on wire so all could enjoy throughout the event.

I'm editing this to add that I think he just used a standard xlr cable to connect the printer to the camera. And to say that the lovliest thing is that our camp has some 200 black and white images of the people we met at the party. We all got to look them over again when we camped together last month.

billvaxman · Post by **billvaxman** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 4:27 pm

Last year (2003) was my 2nd burn. I wanted to be more of a participant this year than my first (when I was pretty much a goggle eyed newbie observer) so, besides volunteering at PlayInfo I wanted to come up with something I could GIFT to people.

I've always wanted to try my hand at molding something... So... I made up a design... created and original with FIMO clay... over-baked it, which was good because it got flatter and more level.. and then started making latex molds of it.

I got pretty good at the latex molds... but they take so long. So I learned how to make silicone molds... damn, that was simple. My wfie thought I was crazy, but I was having too much fun and learning so much. It was all new to me.

Then I got plastic resin and started molding these things. Clear plastic dups of my oringal .. okay.. cool. Then I started experimenting with dyes, sparkles, powders, inclusions... I went nuts!!!!

By the time I was done I had almost 1,000 teardrop shaped pendants - shaped like a flame and the man on them. They also had the year on them, which was probably the hardest thing to make happen.
I dremel drilled them all and strung them into pendants.

When I got there I had a BLAST giving these out. I'd walk up to people and just HAND out... (I eventually learned that I had to warn people not to try and eat them... they looked like candy)... I got SMILES, HUGS, some gifts back... but mostly I loved the looks on peoples faces when out of the blue, someone hands them a gift.(':shock:') [One woman was riding her bike when I pulled up next to her and asked if she could ride with one hand.. then I held it out and managed to give it to her without stopping... I also gave them out to people walking in the dark with NO LIGHT - along with a couple of light sticks - One of these, a group of 3 people, came from Australia and New Zealand - I LOVE these people because, while talking we accidently dropped something, and they all 3 went "OH NO.. MOOP!!!" Nice]

I loved knowing that I was giving people a peice of Burning Man they could take home. I also LEARNED so much making these things. Now I have a whole new artistic talent I can draw on for other things.

I plan on doing it again this year... Need a new design... Can't wait to hear the theme... And maybe I make a couple of thousand now that I have the technique down... (My wife is going to kill me.. lol.. oh well).(':lol:')

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:28 am

Inspiring Enthusiasm! I'm working on casting some gifties from aluminum, and discovered that you can make good casting negatives for mediums like resin from Duroc's Wood Putty, which be El Cheapo and rock hard but workable...big can for TWO BUCKS, mix like plaster....
I haven't played much with resin because of the cost- any Tip or Tricks?

billvaxman · Post by **billvaxman** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 10:53 am

No.. as I said, I'm still learning how to do this. I have problems with the resin staying "tacky" for quite some time. I've tried various ratios of resin to catalyst and still it's always tacky.

Yeah, the silicon is a little expensive, but it's so easy to work with and insanely flexible. My original had undercuts, so I needed something flexible, but will keep that wood putty in mind next time I'm casting concrete stepping stones (used plaster for that before).

Here's one thing I was thinking.... When I wore one of my pendants around at night I taped a mini-light stick to it to make it glow. It looked so good I was thinking of incorporating something in the next design to actually hold a mini light stick (you know, the 1 inch jobs). That would be mega-cool if I managed to do it right.

I tried to make my casting fit the theme, but when I put angel wings on the man the design became too large to wear. So I went with a teardrop shaped flame symbol.

Can't wait to find out the next theme... and figure out what I can do with it.

What are you casting? How do you manage to work with aluminum? You have a funace at home, or is this a seperate workshop? Married? Wife think your insane yet?j(':lol:')

If I can find a good picture I'll post what I did.

Oh, one other tip. Be sure to drop by the ARTERY and give them samples of what you do. I imagine they will set up a museum of this stuff some day - Can't wait to see it..

billvaxman · Post by **billvaxman** » Fri Nov 21, 2003 1:00 am

This is one of the things I was talking about above....

<IMG SRC="http://www.billntom.com/bm2003/gifts/view3.jpg" ALT="Resin Pendant" ALIGN="TOP" BORDER="0" width="200" height="300">
 
And here's a table full of them "curing"
 
<IMG SRC="http://www.billntom.com/bm2003/gifts/view5.jpg" ALT="Resin Dry" ALIGN="TOP" BORDER="0" width="400" height="300">

NaughtySnowAngel · Post by **NaughtySnowAngel** » Fri Nov 21, 2003 7:43 am

Wow! Those pendants are incredible!

I am preparing for my very first burn (when ever I say that Madonna's "Like a Virgin" pops into my head)....I already have people to camp with (good ole' burning man vets!!!) They are helping with all the what to bring/what not to bring stuff.....but I am an anal retentive snow angel and am searching for the perfect little cercee to give out.

I am an artist, painting 1,000 mini canvas' would be doable, but how practical would this be to hand out on the playa? No everyone would have a place to put their mini canvas.....so then I was thinking of making some beaded bracelets (is this lame??)..thus they can be put on and not have to worry about where to put them.

Thoughts/comments/etc. needed.....plus anyone else have any ideas? I want to participate, and not simply be a voyuer at my first burn. Plus it will be a long winter here in the midwest and a good art project making 1,000+ of anything should fit the bill! Because once spring hits I will not want to sit around the houser manufacturing anything....I will want to be tearing up the trails or out enjoying the sunshine in some other way!

Any help will be appreciated!

DangerMouse · Post by **DangerMouse** » Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:49 am

Umm, turn the canvasses into little scrolls with cords so they can hold them around their necks?

billvaxman · Post by **billvaxman** » Fri Nov 21, 2003 1:18 pm

Snow Angel....
Here the thing... A tiny bit of thinking outside the box and your canvas idea works great. I found that when people gift me things I like to hang them in places OTHER than where one might think. Braclets go on my camel-back. Small plastic toys go on my hat.
Just cause something is a "painting" doesn't mean it has to hang on a wall.
If I were taking that route.. I'd make canvas "strips"... say 2.5 inches wide.. and 7-10 inches long... Paint em in an interesting abstract (perhaps "to theme") and then BLOCK print the man on that background.
Then I'd hang em all over my camel back, bike, clothes, etc.... and give em out to people I met. They'd move with the wind while I walked. Cool looking on the playa.. and on the fridge when you get home (call me corny, but I like hanging my stuff around the house to remind me of my times in the desert).
Love your idea.. hope I find you there !!!!

Something else I did with my gifts.. was to leave them as "found" objects. I'd lay one down and walk away... which made a nice find for someone. I like NOT knowing who all left with them...

Oh.. another thought. One of the other thing I played with was STENCILS and BLEACH to make designs on colored cloth. Worked okay with a sponge.. but worked GREAT with my airbrush. You might want to combine mediums (block printing, bleach, paint) to make your "manufacturing" process go faster - I never intended to make 1,000 of my things.. but just got so into it that by the time I finished.. there they were. And I had so much fun doing it - and isn't that really the point.

Wheeee... am I rambling?

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Nov 21, 2003 10:03 pm

Billvaxman- Those are very beautiful, such a work of art! Great job!

Snow Angel- I was thinking about your talent, you might want to try to find some "slap Bracelts" like these http://www.partypalooza.com/IndItems/Sl ... celet.html
to paint on (these are a little expensive, but I'm sure you could find some in bulk for cheap). There you go- Wearable art! I also had some success with Shrinky Dinks, but stringing them on necklaces and bracelets got too tedious for me. Hope this helps- Chai Guy

Zulegoona · Post by **Zulegoona** » Fri Nov 21, 2003 11:30 pm

Billvaxman

I've used a light over spray of crystal clear lacquer on some polyester resin casts I've done with some success. It seems like even if you mix the catalyst strong enough the mixture goes hypothermic and starts smoking it's still tacky. There is probably some jell-coat additive that might cure the problem, but the place I buy the resin even sell the regular spray can lacquer like you'd find in any hardware store as "the" solution. so you might give it a try.

Your stuff looks great by the way.

NaughtySnowAngel · Post by **NaughtySnowAngel** » Sat Nov 22, 2003 4:42 am

OOOoooooooooooooooooo Thanks for all the fab ideas!

I think one of the best things about burning man kin is that you can throw something at them and you will be 100 different responses back and they are all different!

It is so incredible to have such a vivid and colorful sounding board!

I love the slap bracelet idea! But that idea has snowballed into another idea, which has then gone and rolled off the other side of the mountain. I think I am on the right track.....but please keep the ideas coming, you may just inspire another person!

Concept2w · Post by **Concept2w** » Sat Nov 22, 2003 10:07 pm

I`ve got many of thoses nice rings...

They are actually leather rings... I`ve snever been fond of metallic rings as they kinda pinch and hurt and stuff, I do work a lot with my hands.

Once I bought one of thoses leather rings, they are smooth, well decorated, thin and flexible. Now I can`t get em off as I barely notice i`m wearing em. Sometimes I wear one in each fingers. They make great gifts as you might meet a lot of new friends. I haven`t seen any of thoses rings anywhere else, but hey, i'm not into tribal jewlery that much, but it looks definitively nice.

I did like em much, and everyone which i gave one liked it, as they told me. So, what do you think of them?

Note: sorry for mispelling, English isn`t my native language.

sammykins · Post by **sammykins** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 2:24 pm

here's an idea, on larger gifts (masks, mini spray bottles, decorated whatnot) you put the normal year and design, and your e-mail adress, easy way to give out newly found buddies a way to contact you without toting paper and pens around. Give em to strangers if you want random fun outside of BM, wutchya think?

Juju · Post by **Juju** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 4:38 pm

I've made shrinky-dink necklaces, tie-dye shirts, and iron-on shirts as gifts in the past few years, but I like the idea of a playa gift being more than just a trinket. In 2002 my friend and I made up coupons for "burning manicures" and toted all our polish & trappings out. We didn't get all that many people in the first few days, but the time spent just relaxing and having a chat with someone while you're grooming them is so valuable and makes for great one-on-on experiences.

This year we built two giant fixtures at the front of our camp and painted them with instructions to take a gift or leave a gift. Those were the (oddly enough) most interactive things about our camp, and all our campmates would peek into them daily to see what people were gifting, plus restock with goodies of our own. I scored a pair of boxers!

The neatest thing I saw was an entire box full of sunscreen packets, which had been customized by pasting large labels on the front. I wish I'd brought some home, but they went like hotcakes!

pic of the takeagift-leavagift

billvaxman · Post by **billvaxman** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 5:13 pm

Hey Juju,
I found your "Take a gift - Leave a gift" kiosk and thought it was a GREAT IDEA (Next to Bad Idea Theater!!!). Once I found it I stopped by every night to put a few of my necklaces into the slots, and grab one of something that I might gift again later. It was nice to think of someone coming along later and getting one of my things at random - without me ever knowing who it was (I loved the mystery of it).
It was fun to see what people were leaving there. I also dropped off glow sticks, figuring people could use em.
I'll be looking for your Take/Leave again in the future.
Thanks for putting it up !!!

Angry Butterfly · Post by **Angry Butterfly** » Thu Dec 25, 2003 4:46 pm

I saw a number of take a gift leave a gift, and they were very useful. I got a really nice dust mask. I would love one of those necklaces, they were beautiful. I have abunch of ideas for next year, providing my dremmel gets repaired and i get some leather working tools. I might bring a few sets of my practice poi again, but they are a really big gift.

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:46 am

I loved those take a gift, leave a gift things. I only found two, the one on 3:00 plaza and one off on the other side of Center Camp on like Dogma or something. But I picked up useful things there.

I also enjoyed the alters all over--since I give away my glass gator beads, I would just leave them on the alters without comment or taking anything.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:48 pm

I like gifting ammo.

Ammo for poetry. - specifically haiku.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 6:24 pm

I didn't quite bring enough ice cream last year as I was new the whole dry ice thing, but I'll bring a bunch this year. 50 pounds of dry ice ($20) kept my 100 qt cooler frozen for about 6 days of careful use. People were SERIOUSLY psyched to get ice cream on Friday and Saturday even though it was unseasonably cool last year.

Glow bracelets and such are good to get, you can never have enough of those at night.

Any sort of small trinkets that fit in a pocket are nice. Thanks to whoever made those clear bead things with the pictures of the burn underneath! Stay away from anything cumbersome that takes effort to haul back home.

I'd love to figure out some way to melt down those plastic water jugs and make something out of them...

Tiara · Post by **Tiara** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:41 am

>>Any sort of small trinkets that fit in a pocket are nice.

. . . assuming that someone has pockets

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 11:09 am

<<. . . assuming that someone has pockets>>

Tis true! Perhaps "small trinkets that fit in a pocket and can be attached to the body in some way" would be better.

Bulky trinkets that can't be consumed or used on the spot are nobody's friend

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 12:58 pm

Tiara wrote:>>Any sort of small trinkets that fit in a pocket are nice.

. . . assuming that someone has pockets

Actually, I've thought of gifting "pockets." Printing a logo on a small canvas bag, perhaps. My boss gave all the admin types these great (although possibly made by exploited labor) little chinese silk purses in the forms of robes originally made for wearing your cell phone around your neck. Different colors and embroidery designs. If I could find 250 of them cheap I could pass them out to until I get bored of people without pockets. OR maybe something in a juju bag to hang on your loinsloth. (I know, loincloth, I just like how that turned out.)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 1:01 pm

praise

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 4:50 pm

billvaxman wrote: And here's a table full of them "curing"
 
<IMG SRC="http://www.billntom.com/bm2003/gifts/view5.jpg" ALT="Resin Dry" ALIGN="TOP" BORDER="0" width="400" height="300">

Talk about your demented Jello nightmares. . .

(she says in admiration.)

enthropic · Post by **enthropic** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 9:11 pm

My cru and I collect, mine, ect... crystals. people light up, and most would return the next day with all kinds of stuff. It was a high point of 03's experience.. That and that one night..?..?

Favorite things to gift away or receive

Favorite things to gift away or receive

I had a BLAST gifting...

Tips and Tricks...

1,000 Canvases to hang...

gift idea

Take a gift - Leave a gift

Ice cream!

Crystals