I was invited to a christening

Community Laser Talk
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I confess that the idea behind this topic is to generate curiosity and the thought “So what? But let’s see what comes out of this.” :innocent:

Basically, I’m looking for ideas because none of what I’ve found fits what I’m looking for.

I was invited to the christening of the children of some good friends of mine, and although we haven’t been together for very long, they remember to invite me.

I would like to return the kind gesture with a gift (one for each child, possibly personalized with their name), but I’m lack of ideas (All I can think about is: You’re too old for this). :laughing:
From what I’ve researched online, what I find tends to be geared towards godparents, parents, or souvenirs to give to guests.

Considering what I can currently work with, which is; plywood, canvas, EVA foam, painted tile, slate, cardboard, and anodized aluminum. Does anyone have any out-of-the-box ideas for a modern and original offering? Acrylic and glass are an option, but I prefer to set them aside due to lack of experience and unsatisfactory results.

A simple photo holder is too simple, and I want something more elaborate. I’ve considered a photo album in plywood, however, the way to attach the various “sheets” to the cover in a functional way has discouraged me.

So… HELP! Can someone lend a small hand? (the children also have very small hands) :innocent: :blush:
Thank you very much in advance!

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Check here:

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You can also make a book like with 2 sheets of plywood and their name/graphics on the “book cover”.

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Thank you very much for the quick response.
So, at a glance, you could use a CD case lying down as a photo album.

I’ll keep looking for ideas!

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Hi @Kuth

A slightly different idea: what about a small Calder-inspired hanging mobile?

You could cut lightweight shapes from 3mm ply — animals, stars, moons, clouds, leaves, little boats, etc. — and suspend them from bent wire or thin dowel. Each child could have their name worked into one of the shapes, or a small engraved plaque at the top.
Check out the art library downloads, too.

It could be more of a keepsake for the parents than a toy for the children, so I’d treat it as a decorative item rather than something a baby should handle. Small parts, string, wire, paint/finish, and chewability all need caution if it might be within reach.

The nice thing is that it can be quite modern without being overly “christening gift” themed, and it suits a diode laser well. You could also make it as a flat-pack kit: the parts cut in ply with little bridges/tabs, so the parents pop them out and assemble it.

My partner makes simple hanging “kits” and they go down well with older children and adults.

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Mechanical toys, very nice. :heart:

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You’re getting right into my head. :wink:
I forgot to mention that I’m looking for something that won’t just be put away in a box a week later.
I want something, I’d say decorative, but that involves the family. That’s where the idea of ​​the photo album comes from.
Obviously, there can be gifts more dedicated to children, and I say children because although I haven’t been with my friends for a few years, I’d say the youngest “baby” is about 2 years old. But I strongly agree with your opinion about the danger of small parts that may not be suitable for children. It’s something that greatly influences my decision.
Thank you for the suggestions, which align with my intention. :+1:

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I’d upvote Dominic’s idea

“A slightly different idea: what about a small Calder-inspired hanging mobile?”.

If you could stretch to include a presentation box with engraved details it would be pretty special.

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These are out-of-the-ordinary ideas that I am indeed looking for. :slightly_smiling_face:
But I have to admit that Calder’s suggestion confuses me. I don’t know if it’s my neurons that have never valued art much, but I confess that I’m having difficulty understanding the concept. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:
I read the Wikipedia link, which ended up confusing me even more.
The idea seems to be within what I intend, but I will try to explain my difficulty.
What is supposed to be presented/shown?
I had the impression that this would be something to make an exhibition or memories of past moments. In that case, I would have to try to replicate photos on canvas or plywood, and we don’t have that many photos together. (I’ve never been much of a photo person myself.)
If this is correct, it’s something that will include the family, but what exactly will I offer? Empty spaces where they can put photos or souvenirs? I don’t know if I’m managing to convey my difficulty, but that’s not your fault.

Are you able to elaborate on Calder’s idea, which has left me quite curious?

Thank you for your patience! :blush:

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Agreed! Those are a bit arty and sophisticated. I would imagine a basic ‘Hanging Mobile’ like two clothes hangers joined in the middle (forming an X, and with only one hook that they will hang from).

Strings hang down from the Four points of the X and laser cut silhouettes-shapes (animals, leafs, fish, birds etc etc) can then be attached to the strings.

A search for “Hanging mobile for children” will give you a good idea of design or complexity.

It’s all about Balance, Simplicity, Color and how the material is finished.

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Yes.

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I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a piece by artist Alexander Calder at JFK airport, and I’ve also seen miniature versions of it for sale at high-end craft places.

I just think they’re more interesting than traditional hanging mobiles for kids, because of how they are weighted and move. I interpreted your question as wanting something less obvious; this, to me, is it.

It involves shapes, imagination, balance, and engineering, but on a delicate, smaller scale. Cutting and bending wire isn’t hard, and tying a string is also not so difficult. These abstract shapes could be replaced with shapes more personal to your project or mimicked and engraved/etched.

I linked partway through the artist’s page so that, with one click, it linked to the mobile itself rather than just the artist profile. For me, a Wikipedia link was a better place to land you than simply pasting a picture, because I don’t want to encourage someone to just copy something they see in a picture, but to understand that a person made it and created the art.

Our software makes it very easy to just copy and trace things, which, to be honest, I think is a little sad. We can create things too, drawing our own files and shapes, inspired by and crediting creators. I didn’t want the artist’s work to get lost in the explanation.

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If you’ll forgive me projecting, this is exactly what I imagined you wouldn’t want. :sweat_smile:

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Yes indeed there is a huge difference, I see it now ‘after morning coffee’. Turning and rocking would definitely get young neurons firing..It certainly got my older neurons working!

Would the wire need to be high tensile (if that’s the correct term) to allow some bowing but not losing shape.

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Rose
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One for each child with their name?

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I don’t think so, it wouldn’t want to be floppy. An old coat hanger would probably do, to keep to that theme :joy:

I wonder if you could use 3D printer filament.

I’m rapidly talking myself into a project build, aren’t I? It would be good for me to do this on my diode laser, as a CO2 laser engineer, I need the practice on the smaller machines.

I was looking again at the picture above

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and to highlight one side, you could actually cut the shape here, if you notice there is only a very small connection between the “yoke” part of the hanger and the “tree” part (I am now making up technical terms for this design).

Something like this

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Which I made very quickly with the draw lines tool. No doubt some thought and experimentation would be needed with the size of the “leaves” and their angles and the “branch” shapes and their angles.

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I suppose there’s no set rule, but I notice there are equal number of leafs (6) in each area of the left branching side of the piece and (4) on each side of the right branch.

‘S’ Hook and linked ‘O’ rings used.

I have not worked with acrylic or metal yet and have no knowledge of 3d print materials but keeping in mind the original gift idea…and my skill’s level and also in my case, what would be available locally, I am thinking about lengths of Wooden dowling - Fishing line and Swivel’s - plywood or a nice strip of hardwood (Mahogany, Ash etc etc of various tones and grain.and a food safe finishing coat.

If a notch were cut out of the shapes the bowling would glue in there quite nicely.

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So, @Dominic, now I’m clearer and I recognize that it’s an idea to be taken seriously. :+1:

The concept is very much aligned with what I’m looking for. I just need to adapt the idea to two things:

1 - The youngest child will already be 2 years old.

2 - I want something that won’t be put in a drawer soon.

3 - I want to include the whole family.

4 - I intend to make an identical offer for each child.

(That’s how things get complicated… What were “2 things” became 4.) :grin:

@Ronsa
Your idea of ​​inserting the name into the plant’s stem is giving me ideas…
However, this type of gift is one that will be put in a drawer after a very short time.

It’s something I would opt for, simply because it’s customizable for each child, but I will only use it as a last resort.

Thank you for the suggestion.

Now,
Based on the suggestions, it would be interesting to create a ceiling lamp, for example. Something I’ve never done and I’m still thinking about how…
I also don’t know why, but the idea of ​​a photo album keeps lingering in my mind, especially in a time when everything is digital.
People don’t sit on the couch with photo albums anymore, at most they use a tablet or their own cell phone to show photos.

Anyway, I’m “studying” the materials I can work with and trying to imagine how to reach a point of balance. So that when hanging, it doesn’t all literally hang on a single line of piled-up “junk”.
Maybe I don’t have to complicate things, make something that balances itself using two fixing points…
For now I have two possibilities in mind, using plywood (which I can laser cut) or acrylic which I can cut with a router, making a cardboard template from which the cut will be made.

My biggest concern is whether the main structure where the decorations will be hung will start to twist/bend over time under the weight of the decorations. I need to carefully assess the mass of the decorations before starting the project.
:thinking:

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Não esquecer os Regulamentos e as Regras Técnicas em Portugal:

Os aparelhos de iluminação apenas podem ser suspensos pelos condutores de alimentação quando a sua massa não exceder 0,5 kg

e na Casa-de-Banho não podem ser suspensos pelo cabo de alimentação.

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Wow!!! What a great reminder!!!

The safety rules hadn’t even crossed my mind!!!

Well observed! Thanks for the heads-up!!!

Even better translated into Portuguese!!!
:100:

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Luis

Just a rough idea put together quick.

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The design is simple enough and could be done to any style or size. You could also from a height, have more objects on each string and have a spiraling effect.

For the appreciation of a two year old, I would keep it colourful, recognisable, and not confusing or intimidating…the horse example could be quite confusing to a young child.

The theme could be altered for older children or adults…like a long spiral of dolphins and suitable colours if they happen to live by the sea or if that’s in their interest. That will also delay its being put back in the box!

The Calder mobile is a bit more complex but still do-able. I think it’s about assembling each beam with whatever you want to have at each end and then discover the pivot point (however many parts are set to the left side, must be counter balanced by size and weight on the right side) with or without tilt angle.

The whole thing should be pretty light and easily held by the fixing to wall or ceiling (bracket or boom for wall and hook for ceiling..removable for dusting).

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Currently, many ideas are vying for priority in my head with the suggestions that have been given. :blush:
@Pete.IRL
Your suggestion about spacers/spreader may (or will) be very useful. :+1:

Since I want something lightweight but at the same time minimally robust so that it doesn’t bend over time, I’m developing ideas to play with the dimensions and thickness of materials in order to make the whole assembly balanced.
Acrylic was something I had considered for the structure, but I’m about to abandon the idea because if it breaks, in a children’s play or for any other reason, there may be sharp points and cutting edges where they could get hurt.

It’s interesting how new suggestions are taking their place in this project. Even more interesting is that I’m able to foresee where to put them all.

I didn’t imagine this topic would be as useful as it is!

Thank you!

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