Showing posts with label Planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Planning. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Round Picnic Table Plans - Planning a Round Table For Outdoor Living

A round picnic table can be a great choice for a smaller family. You can even scale it larger to seat more people. Also, round tables are attractive and add some pizazz to your outdoor living space. However, if you plan on making this sort of table, you need to know that you are in for some additional work.

Round tables are slightly harder to make than the traditional rectangular picnic table. You will need to do a lot more measuring and cutting. Instead of each piece being the same size, you'll have two of each different size. The larger the table, the more pieces you will need. And the more pieces you use, the more opportunities for mistakes. Also, the traditional picnic bench may not work as well with a round table. You'll either need to make or buy chairs.

However, there are a few advantages to a round table. It's easy to make this sort of table adjustable. It also looks attractive with an umbrella. If your wife wants a more upscale look, this can be the type of table to meet her needs. To make a truly attractive table, you can even use some more expensive wood like cedar or redwood.

To make this project, I would suggest you get a good set of plans. Plans will help you to build the table correctly on the first try. A good set will give you an exact list of materials that you need, as well as walk you through how to build the table step by step. The best plans will also not use woodworking terminology that you may not understand, but will explain everything so that anyone can build the table.

I would recommend you get a set of plans that contain several options for your picnic table. That way, if your wife changes her mind after you've already bought plans, you still have some options left for you. If you can find a set that covers a lot of different projects, then you could be set for life! Just imagine, being able to find plans to make whatever you want from one packet. If you start getting good at woodworking, you could even turn it into a small business.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Planning Your Company Picnic

Congratulations on being selected to organize the Annual Company Picnic this year!
Truly an honor and opportunity! It is also a very large responsibility!

Just think of it, you have the chance to shine in the eyes of your peers by organizing a company event that will be long remembered by all of your coworkers. You will be well respected for all of your hard work and who knows, you may impress your boss so much that he gives you a promotion or a big fat bonus.

On the other hand, if you screw this up, then, well, I'm sure you can imagine.

People around the water cooler will stop talking and glare at you when you walk by. Somehow you'll keep missing the memos and will be left out of the weekly meetings. Lunchtime will become very lonely and you'll soon end up eating at your desk from a brown paper sack in solitude and despair, pondering why you ever agreed to organize such a sacred thing as the Company Picnic. It will be a sad lonely time for you if you screw this up.

Not too pleasant of a thought to think about, is it?

Not to fear though, with a little knowledge and some good planning you'll give them a picnic that won't soon be forgotten!

Even if you're a small company with only a few employees these tips will help in planning your company picnic. The only real difference is the amount of invites. The planning remains the same no matter how many guests will be attending.

But where do you start?

First off, you have a few things to figure out such as, the Number of Guests, Budget, Location, Date and Time, Picnic Theme, Food, Entertainment, and Prizes.

You'll also need to think about, invitations, liability insurance, transportation, and cleanup.

Now is probably a good time to do some Q&A and begin your preliminary lists.

We'll start off by asking a few "need to know" questions:



What is the Estimated Number of Guests?

If employee family members are invited you will have to do some research. Your PR department may be able to give you the overall head count for employees and family. Handing out invitations with a response request of amount of family members that will attend will give you an accurate count. This way you won't have wasted food, or even worse, not enough food!


What is the available Budget?

Logically, this is a major factor in the planning of your picnic. You must know how much money you have to spend in order to do much planning. In many cases you may be required to submit a proposal to your boss containing your overall plans with picnic theme, picnic location, estimated costs, etc. You may also be required to submit several versions of this proposal with varying themes and expenses.


When is the Date of the Company Picnic?

Will it be held in the spring, summer or fall? Hopefully it won't be held in the winter time. At least not in a location where it's below 65 degrees. People won't stay very long if it's cold.
Discounted park rental rates are often available in non peak months



What will the Picnic Theme be?

Will the theme be based upon the company? Will it be a BBQ style picnic? Perhaps a seasonal type of theme? I once attended a company picnic that had a medieval type of theme. The park that was rented contained medieval scenery complete with a 20 foot plastic dragon and a miniature golf course. It was simply the best company picnic that I had ever attended! If you're not too sure upon your picnic theme one idea would be to poll your coworkers by giving them a selection of themes to choose from. Tally up the votes and you have your theme. Another idea would be to set out a "Picnic Theme Suggestion Box" in a frequented area of the company or if you have a company intranet get your webmaster to post your poll on the company Bulletin Board.
See what the masses want. You may get some good ideas along with appreciation from your coworkers for letting them have some input into this company event.


What will be the Location of the Company Picnic?

The selection of the location will depend upon a couple of factors. If you have a large amount of people that will attend the event then a park with only a couple of picnic tables will not suffice.
You will need an area that can adequately contain the amount of guests. You will also want to try and locate an area that is relevant to your picnic theme. A tropical picnic theme may not work very well at a medieval miniature golf course. A beach area on a lake or ocean would be more appropriate for this. Many company picnics are held at amusement parks such as Six Flags. Special discounts can often be obtained for large groups along with private picnic area reservations. You will have to research your local area and make a few phone calls when seeking your picnic location.
If possible an area with shelter from the weather is desirable. This way if it rains on your parade you can continue the festivities in a dry location. Large open air tents can be rented to provide protection from the sun along with keeping everyone dry in the case of rain. Look in the phone book under "Party Rentals". There is a good chance there is a location nearby.


What type of food will be served?

Here again budget plays a major role. If you have only $10 per person to spend on food, rib eye steaks may not be a wise idea. You will also want to vary your selection of foods for various appetites. Vegetarian and vegan choices should be included along with kosher foods. It's always better to be safe than sorry. You can always have the affair catered if budget permits. Many companies exist that specialize in catering company picnics. You can find caters for a very small amount of guests up to thousands of guests. A catered affair also gives a nice professional atmosphere. Trust me, the cost of a caterer is well worth the time and hassle saved. If you're going to prepare the food yourself then you will need people and facilities to do this. It may get a bit overwhelming if you're out there flipping burgers for 600 people. You will want to try and find some volunteers to chip in part of their picnic day to help you out. Perhaps put up a volunteer signup sheet on the company bulletin board. Even if you cook everything at home and bring it to the picnic you will still need help with transporting, serving and cleanup. You will also need to ensure that you have grills and stoves available for your use at your picnic location if you plan on cooking. Large BBQ grills and stoves can be rented at many places. Hint; Propane grills are much easier to work with and a lot less messy than charcoal grills are. Some parks may not let you bring in your own grills so be sure and check with them when researching your picnic location.


What type of Entertainment will you have?

Quality entertainment is a key element in a fun, successful company picnic. If all your picnic contains is food, once the eating is over everyone will soon be gone. If your company picnic is to be held at an amusement park then most of the battle is won. If not, then renting a band or a D.J. works very well. Everyone loves music, and if it's a good band then all the better. You will want to check references when considering a band or D.J. At the very least go and watch their performance. Plan some games such as volleyball and Frisbee Golf if the area permits. Many people enjoy horseshoes and yard darts also. Keep kids in mind when planning your games. Rope off areas where items such as horseshoes and yard darts are tossed. Nothing ruins a picnic faster than having to remove a yard dart from a 10 year olds head. Give away gifts and prizes. By holding a drawing near the end of the picnic people are more likely to hang around to see if they win anything. Prizes can range from restaurant gift cards to Bahamas Cruises. Nothing adds excitement quite the way winning a 5 day Bahamas cruise does.


Are there any legal issues?

Check with the company lawyer to see if you will need to take out any sort of liability insurance. If someone gets hurt, such as a yard dart stuck in their head, you will want to be sure that you are covered. Some parks such as Six Flags may provide this type of insurance. Check with your PR Department also to see if the company's existing insurance policy will cover such events.

This should give you a good start on planning your company picnic. Use your imagination and at hand resources during your planning. Don't try and do everything yourself. Many people will be willing to help you out just for the asking. Delegate tasks to your volunteers where their strengths lie. If they're an accountant, assign them to the budget plan. Ask for and listen to their input also. Two heads are often better than one after all.

Make lots of lists. Categorize your lists and then break them down into smaller lists. Keep records of even the smallest things. You can even make a list of your lists and whom you have assigned them to. Check off completed items as you do them. This will ensure that every detail has been dealt with and nothing overlooked.

By organizing in this way and paying attention to detail your company picnic will run smoothly and is certain to be a big success. You'll be greeted at the water cooler with a smile come Monday morning and not hissed at as you walk down the halls. In fact your shoulders may well get bruised from all of the pats on the back that you will get. The next thing you know you may have an office on the top floor with a desk bigger than your kitchen table with a window view overlooking the bay. The boss popping in to see if you're up for lunch this afternoon and if you will be able to attend the cruise that is being organized in your honor.

And to think, all of this just from planning the Annual Company Picnic.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Kid Picnic Table Plans - Planning For Your Kids' Picnic

A while ago, I decided to build a picnic table for my kids. Although I would like to say I did it well, I didn't. I attempted to make the table without any kid picnic table plans, thinking "how hard can it be?" It was harder than I expected, with the results being unusable, to say the least. From then on, I've decided to use woodworking plans in any project I undertake.

When you go to build a kid's picnic table, there are a few factors you need to consider. You would think it would be easier since it's basically an adult table scaled down, but it's not. You have to decide on the type of table you want to build, then the material and the plans you want to use, before you finally get to the building of it.

First, when planning your kid's table, decide what sort of shape you want to make it. A square or rectangular one is generally the easiest. Circular or octagonal tables require a lot more cutting. For kids, I'd recommend making the Benches attached. They are flexible enough to be in and out easily, and all the desks against tipping or knocking each other over. You might have a place for a beach umbrella in the middle, or you can just plan on the implementation of the road somewhere in the shade.

Next, select the desired material. treated pine is certainly the least expensive, but it is also the least durable. The best wood for outdoor use are redwood and cedar. They cost a bit 'but they have more natural oilsenable them to keep their shape and color in all sorts of weather.

After you know what style of table you want, you can get kid picnic table plans to make it. Make sure that the plans are written by someone who's fluent in English. Also, it's helpful to have both written instructions and illustrations. You may want to consider how knowledgeable you are in woodworking. If a jig confuses you, you'll probably want something to explain the basics of woodworking as well.

I would recommend getting a set of plans, as opposed to one specific kid picnic table plan. A set will allow you to change your mind about what you want to do. Also, if you can get a set that contains a variety of woodworking projects, you can have a ton of go to ideas at your fingertips for gifts and projects. If you get good enough at woodworking, you could even turn those plans into your own home business!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Planning a wedding weekend of Labor Day

The long weekend and mild temperatures make Labor Day a popular time to marry. These tips will help you pull out your Labour Day weekend

Labor Day weekend wedding - things considered:

Plan Early - Labor Day Weekend is a popular time to get married soon, so local ceremony and reception venue to book. Be sure to save your settings as soon as possible.

Mind Your Room - a three-day weekend, this may allowlong-distance guests to visit without time off, but remember that most people make Labor Day plans well in advance. Combine that with more expensive flights and accommodation and overcrowded roads and airports, and you have a potentially nightmarish situation for your guests. Be sure to inform your guests of Labor Day's event in advance and help them, providing the block of rooms at a budget hotel. Consider some leg work to find cheaper rates for your guests and alarmoffers a potential.

All in the details - Labor Day Wedding Ideas

Invitations & Stationery

Add a picnic theme - such as slippers, picnic basket, or insects (cute ones - like ladybugs, dragonflies and bumblebees) to your stationery suite

Add a subtle patriotic motif - add a small flag or a silver star embossed.

Location
Get outdoors - usually mild weather makes Labor Day is the perfect time,planning an outdoor wedding.
Stationery

Color Palette -

- Red, white and blue - the obvious choice. The key is to avoid turning a subtle and elegant in a colorful tribute to former glory.

- Black and silver - a sophisticated take patriotic mood.

Waving the flag - in this sense, we can accent your day with American flags, but do not overdo it.

Go casual - Labor Day weekend weddings are an informalInstallation plan a barbecue in the garden. Think checkered table covers, benches and tables.

Flowers

seasonal flowers - Labour Day in use through the summer and fall and fall flowers and summer flowers can.

Stephanotis - small white flowers look like stars, which makes them the perfect choice for a patriotic mood.

Menu
Spark the grill - serve traditional Labor Day weekend picnic and barbecue farelike barbecue, hamburgers and potato salad.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Covered picnic table plans - Planning for the sun

If you think a picnic table covered, what do you think? For me, I see a table with shade come to the center. Other people can figure out a table under a shed or even a shady tree. Make your vision becomes reality, you will need a plan. Or, more precisely, a covered picnic table plans.

Every time I put a table covered, I immediately thought of the store bought versions, where the roof passes through the center. It did not takeseems to make it difficult at first. After all, if you know how to build a normal table, you could just put a hole in the center and an umbrella?

It would be the size of the roof is and how your board is designed so dependent. In order to adequately support the umbrella, there will be a sort of reinforcement to the insertion point. Furthermore, the large screen, the bigger table and more stable, it needs to be. Look for the roof with concerns aboutwhere it is overthrown by the slightest breeze. You also want to be able to anchor or tie in the shade, so it does not blow away.

Fortunately, it should not be difficult if you intend to table legislation picnic blanket. The plans show how the right should make a point of attachment to the weight of a large shadow, without tilt and someone thought to create a support wounded. Also, easy to read. If your technical skills are not professional level, goodSet of plans also should explain how to perform certain tasks, instead of assuming you know what a miter and spline joint.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

The Perfect Patio Party Planning

When summer arrives, the terrace is the ideal place to entertain and have a barbecue. Many wonder, however, what they set up their terrace, so that its parts are a success.

Firstly, it has a table and comfortable chairs on their balconies. Even if they are large picnic tables, have, make sure that banks are not attached table. For some people it is very difficult for them physically removed from the benches attached. InAlso, just because the chairs in the open air, does not mean to be uncomfortable. Be nice to your guests.

A terrace, of course, also be a barbecue and maybe a cooler or small refrigerator. The grid is used would be tasty food like burgers and cook the ribs, and the refrigerant can be used for guests to have a beverage of your choice. For a gift, I propose a large selection of patio drinks at parties, but also serves as a "specialty" that could be afavorite recipe or maybe just something that fits with the theme of the party. Your guests will appreciate the thought.

Oh, and if possible, a small shed on. If it rains or when the bugs are disturbing your guests, your guests can stay in and you can put the flaps down. Lighting, holiday lights also can be transmitted around the treetops. Enhance the atmosphere and contribute further to the party during the evening.

The games can be played with your guests, and in yourBackyard want to set up a volleyball net may have a baseball bat and a ball or frisbee. Do not forget the glass boxes and bowls, if you have them! At the tables, it can be card games such as Phase One and 10 and games like checkers and chess.

Finally, music has always improved the atmosphere and mood. Consider your guests' tastes, not playing anything too loud or vulgar, and you can have fun too. Oh yes, one more thing I forgot ... no matter whatoccurs, have fun and enjoy your time together and your guests!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Planning a Wedding Western country

Want to leave the marriage better? Want to be ground a little 'added more spice to your life? cowboy hats and cowboy boots, what better way to celebrate then break out some good old country music, fashion, shoes and your step! Remember that traditional marriage with a white dress and tuxedo, we have a rodeo!

Everyone is dressed for the wedding in their favorite jeans and cowboy hat. Even our marriage is a cowgirl ensemble dressing room. Our weddingWalking down the aisle to some Hank Williams Jr. and the first dance as a couple married, the couple has not seen a Westerner in two phases, and the rest of the group joins in. Everyone laughs and have a good old time. Arrange so that guests can ride ponies in addition to the Bronco to a fake bull that can guide their luck in the test. Professionals can be hired for the cattle to a real show for our guests by testing their luck in some abseiling, or to be placed on ashow horse. Perhaps the auction to auction tricks also some funny nicknames. There is no end to where this could go Rodeo!

Picnic tables and barbecue are perfect for after our wedding. Hale stacked bales to keep snacks, drinks and food in a buffet. Rhinestone Horseshoe Keychain Favors are perfect for our wedding. Forget the expensive dishes, take a beer and a plastic plate and dig in! Each table can be littleeconomic favors that guests can keep. Apple-shaped candles are placed on the table. Use cowboy hats on the table and the center pieces used to hold flowers or small snacks like your favorite brand of chips. An area can be deleted, where you dance the night dancing her two step or line dance. Maybe a radio DJ or just a good work environment can be set. Sunflower irrigation can also be viewed on for fun and can be filled with candy, peppermint or nuts for guests.The establishment of a small stand, sweet apples, popcorn, cotton candy and is used would be a fun idea for guests at your wedding fun for adults and children to be!

You can also get a beer stand playing with a TV, what your guests enjoy more, or maybe some music videos of your favorite sports country singers. You can purchase this wedding Rodeo Everything you want. Take your guests for a life one day and throw in some countries. Nobody saidthat a marriage had become a conventional use, so you know that if the country is, what you want, then do it! Have fun go nuts, stop cowboy hat and cowboy boots, and get a small country!