Workplace Art Suggestions.
August 3, 2007 4:54 PM Subscribe
My coworker has been away for a few weeks. He has a white tennis ball sitting on his desk, and I would like to "dress it up" as a surprise when he comes back in a week or so. Ideas?
My coworker has been taking a class in Colombia for three weeks, and when he comes back I want him to find a little surprise. He has a white tennis ball sitting on his desk, that he likes to bounce when he's thinking out a problem. I thought it would be fun to do something with it. I thought of hiding it, or having a scavenger hunt, but dismissed that as too dorky. Other ideas:
*Turning it into a pig or dog with construction paper
*Wrapping it up with yellow, red, and blue ribbons for the Colombian flag
That's it, I am a little stuck. I thought I'd see what creativity I could find within the HiveMind. I don't want to damage the thing, put too much work into this, or do anything too too craftsy (i don't sew or anything). I'm not crazy about any of these ideas, so suggestions are very welcome.
My coworker has been taking a class in Colombia for three weeks, and when he comes back I want him to find a little surprise. He has a white tennis ball sitting on his desk, that he likes to bounce when he's thinking out a problem. I thought it would be fun to do something with it. I thought of hiding it, or having a scavenger hunt, but dismissed that as too dorky. Other ideas:
*Turning it into a pig or dog with construction paper
*Wrapping it up with yellow, red, and blue ribbons for the Colombian flag
That's it, I am a little stuck. I thought I'd see what creativity I could find within the HiveMind. I don't want to damage the thing, put too much work into this, or do anything too too craftsy (i don't sew or anything). I'm not crazy about any of these ideas, so suggestions are very welcome.
Response by poster: Jamaro, he's in Colombia, the country, not Columbia, the university. Just to clarify.
posted by sweetkid at 5:08 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by sweetkid at 5:08 PM on August 3, 2007
Turn it into snowman with a ping-pong ball and a white marble, chinese checker, or gumball.
posted by dersins at 5:09 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by dersins at 5:09 PM on August 3, 2007
I'm sure that his tennis ball misses him dearly.
Tennis ball could hold a bouquet of flowers, have small tennis ball sized tissues crumpled up at its "feet", maybe a small note - "You've been seeing other tennis balls, haven't you??!"
posted by idiotfactory at 5:13 PM on August 3, 2007 [5 favorites]
Tennis ball could hold a bouquet of flowers, have small tennis ball sized tissues crumpled up at its "feet", maybe a small note - "You've been seeing other tennis balls, haven't you??!"
posted by idiotfactory at 5:13 PM on August 3, 2007 [5 favorites]
Spray it with light tan paint, as if it had also been in Colombia, and also gotten a tan. Be sure to mask off the place where the ball's sunglasses prevented tanning.
posted by davejay at 5:24 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by davejay at 5:24 PM on August 3, 2007
Hide tennis ball.
Find photo of tennis star that includes him/her with a tennis ball. Print in black and white if yellow is a problem. Maybe something like this?
Sign photo "I couldn't wait for you any longer...I hope you wish us the very best." Or something else along those lines.
Put in mail so it gets a postmark and arrives innocuously on coworker's desk before coworker's return.
posted by gnomeloaf at 5:26 PM on August 3, 2007
Find photo of tennis star that includes him/her with a tennis ball. Print in black and white if yellow is a problem. Maybe something like this?
Sign photo "I couldn't wait for you any longer...I hope you wish us the very best." Or something else along those lines.
Put in mail so it gets a postmark and arrives innocuously on coworker's desk before coworker's return.
posted by gnomeloaf at 5:26 PM on August 3, 2007
Doh, I like idiotfactory's idea better...the tennis ball spurned!
posted by gnomeloaf at 5:28 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by gnomeloaf at 5:28 PM on August 3, 2007
"White" + "Colombia" + "tennis ball." There's gotta be a cocaine gag somewhere in this.
posted by ericb at 5:34 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by ericb at 5:34 PM on August 3, 2007
Response by poster: Oh, cocaine jokes will make him mad. He's a nice boy.
posted by sweetkid at 5:37 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by sweetkid at 5:37 PM on August 3, 2007
Get a ball of yellow wool to make a mullet wig. Get some wide elastic to make a little headband to hold it in place.
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 5:40 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 5:40 PM on August 3, 2007
The thing that comes to mind is looking at what people do to dress up their Nabaztags...
Doll/tennis-ball-sized eyeglasses can be found at any "Michaels" or similar big craft store.
posted by kmennie at 5:48 PM on August 3, 2007
Doll/tennis-ball-sized eyeglasses can be found at any "Michaels" or similar big craft store.
posted by kmennie at 5:48 PM on August 3, 2007
Ransom note, clearly.
And then start sending the ball to various MeFites around the world.
Who will then take pictures of the tennis ball, and send them (anonymously, natch) to your co-worker.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:55 PM on August 3, 2007 [6 favorites]
And then start sending the ball to various MeFites around the world.
Who will then take pictures of the tennis ball, and send them (anonymously, natch) to your co-worker.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:55 PM on August 3, 2007 [6 favorites]
glue it to his desk.
posted by blue_beetle at 6:15 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by blue_beetle at 6:15 PM on August 3, 2007
Precisely, niles.
The best part is, you can incorporate some of the other stuff--the tennis player, for example. Not to mention the comedic potential for a tennisballian version of Stockholm Syndrome...
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:18 PM on August 3, 2007
The best part is, you can incorporate some of the other stuff--the tennis player, for example. Not to mention the comedic potential for a tennisballian version of Stockholm Syndrome...
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:18 PM on August 3, 2007
Who will then take pictures of the tennis ball, and send them (anonymously, natch) to your co-worker.
Possibly with a little note, of the "Wish you were here" variety.
If that's too much, the tux.
posted by yohko at 6:27 PM on August 3, 2007
Possibly with a little note, of the "Wish you were here" variety.
If that's too much, the tux.
posted by yohko at 6:27 PM on August 3, 2007
velcro (aka 'hook and loop') dots - you can stick or glue all sorts of small things to the dots and then use the hooks to non-destructively attach them to the fuzzy ball.
Velcro dots can be found in craft stores, large drug stores, stationary stores, etc.
Use some dots to fix it to his desk.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:47 PM on August 3, 2007
Velcro dots can be found in craft stores, large drug stores, stationary stores, etc.
Use some dots to fix it to his desk.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:47 PM on August 3, 2007
I wouldn't actually color or glue the ball. White tennis balls are increasingly rare -- there's even a site dedicated to them!
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 7:06 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 7:06 PM on August 3, 2007
Response by poster: Yeah, my goal is mostly to dress it up, not mail it or alter it in any way, including gluing. I know it's a free ball he got as part of a Pedigree dog food promotion, but if I mailed it away he would think I was really weird. I mean, that's a little too weird for him.
posted by sweetkid at 7:11 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by sweetkid at 7:11 PM on August 3, 2007
But the point is that he doesn't know you did it. And hey, it'll get to see the world!
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:18 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:18 PM on August 3, 2007
Response by poster: He'll know I did it. No one else would touch his tennis ball.
posted by sweetkid at 8:06 PM on August 3, 2007
posted by sweetkid at 8:06 PM on August 3, 2007
I like the tennis ball babies idea.
However, it seems like most mini tennis balls are two-toned, not just solid colored (as they're dog toys.)
buuuuuuuuuut....
here are mini-balls in solid colors for pretty cheap. I imagine your local petsmart or equivalent may also have them. Just spray paint the not yellow ones white.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 10:47 PM on August 3, 2007
However, it seems like most mini tennis balls are two-toned, not just solid colored (as they're dog toys.)
buuuuuuuuuut....
here are mini-balls in solid colors for pretty cheap. I imagine your local petsmart or equivalent may also have them. Just spray paint the not yellow ones white.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 10:47 PM on August 3, 2007
Just a thought -- you'll probably want to make/get a stand for the ball, if it doesn't have one already, to assure that it will stay in its correct position (i.e., to keep the ball from rolling over, especially if you put weight on top). A small bowl of rice or other small granular thing will work, or a wood base with three nails or tacks sticking out of the top.
If you go to a party supply store, or search online better than I (doll accessories?), you may be able to find a tiny hat to put on the ball. Then you can choose whether to decorate the hat or not.
You could also make something out of an old sock, maybe -- a cozy for the ball. Just cut a band about 2" wide, fold the edges under and sew them. Make sure the sock is an appropriate size first. Choose a colorful sock for best effect. You could sew on beads if you're especially ambitious.
Then, my dear, there's the whole wonderful world of felt. And scotch tape.
posted by amtho at 11:24 PM on August 3, 2007
If you go to a party supply store, or search online better than I (doll accessories?), you may be able to find a tiny hat to put on the ball. Then you can choose whether to decorate the hat or not.
You could also make something out of an old sock, maybe -- a cozy for the ball. Just cut a band about 2" wide, fold the edges under and sew them. Make sure the sock is an appropriate size first. Choose a colorful sock for best effect. You could sew on beads if you're especially ambitious.
Then, my dear, there's the whole wonderful world of felt. And scotch tape.
posted by amtho at 11:24 PM on August 3, 2007
It's been a tragic year for Colombian hostages. I wouldn't do any mock kidnappings, myself.
posted by dhartung at 12:12 AM on August 4, 2007
posted by dhartung at 12:12 AM on August 4, 2007
Somehow (hypodermic needle?) put a small hole in it and fill with water; seal hole. Ball will have mysteriously gained a lot of weight.
posted by Kevin S at 3:54 AM on August 4, 2007
posted by Kevin S at 3:54 AM on August 4, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
Find some small yellow and white balls and put them near the two larger ones.
When he comes back to the office, give him a cigar for his newborns.
posted by skwillz at 5:02 PM on August 3, 2007 [17 favorites]