CANstruction Build Day!

Today was build day for CANstruction.  I've gone and admired the 'canstructures' several times over the years, but this time I volunteered to be on B&V's team!  I met a girl who works in the Federal Division at a Happy Hour several months ago.  We've since become friends, and she runs the CANstruction team.  

It's a pretty involved process.  First we came up with design options, chose one, had it approved by the committee, then have to plan out the cans for the design.  Each can has a color, size and shape that all has to be taken into consideration in the design.  Trips to the store to see what's available and what options would be and to measure and count cans.  Plus, there are rules.  The label has to be shown, extra points for 'healthy' cans of food, etc.  You are allowed certain non-food items, but at a minimum, and you are allowed to use tape to secure cans.  All of the food is purchased by money raised at work and afterwards the cans are donated to Harvester's, a local food bank.  

A guy on the team puts the design into a computer program that plans out the placement of each individual can.  He prints plans, elevations, isometrics...then we all stack according to this plan. 

The cans that each team ordered were all delivered on huge pallets to the build site.

Everything has to be finished within 8 hours and no more than 5 people can be working on the site at a time.  We worked in shifts.

See those stalks of corn over there?  Made out of cans of fancy green beans and hominy plus packets of lime drink mix (for the leaves)?  Those will forever be known as my very first objects I built out of cans of food!  

Our cow

One of our pigs that were in a 'mud pile'

And the finished product.  The title is 'Combining our love for Harvester's'.  Since there's a combine coming out of the barn.  I guess one of the guys that's been on this team for years has been wanting to do a combine.  Well, this was your year, buddy!  

Here are some of the other canstructures that were being built:

I guess there had to be an Olympic-themed one.  This is the front...

and the back...

Hungry, hungry hippo!

Penguin on ice

This was Iron Man.  This team was working right next to us.  The eyes light up and a recording plays from iron man.  

I think this is an elephant with a ball

okaaaay.

And of course a minion.

All of these CANstructures will be on display for about the next month at the Ward Parkway Mall.  I loved it, finally the architect at BV got to do something architecty!  I'll definitely do it again next year!