Sue Bowler: The Balloon Expert

My collection of Balloon Images™ magazines goes back as far as 1990! I have every issue from November/December 1990 to the last printed issue, October/November/ December 2018 - wow, an impressive twenty eight year collection! This fantastic free resource from Qualatex has helped me each and every day in my ballooning career. In my earlier days, it was an absolute life-line: we had no internet, YouTube or any of the other incredible resources that are available today. Even today it continues to be a fabulous source of knowledge and inspiration! In January 2019, Balloon Images became an online publication and as much as I will miss my Images magazine dropping through the door, I am happy that Pioneer Balloon Company made this decision.  As a QBN member, I have had access to the digital version of Images for quite a while. I find it quicker and easier to search through the magazines online, rather than trying to find the relevant hard copy in my large stack of ma...

E ach year, I have the privilege to design the window displays for the Qualatex trade stand at Spring Fair, NEC, Birmingham, U.K . It truly is a job that I love doing, although challenging, I find that I can really allow my creative juices to flow! Baby Boy Window Display by Sue Bowler. CBA. Designing a window display is definitely worth pre-planning. Otherwise, you can end up filling a space without really knowing what you are trying to achieve. My role at Spring Fair is to showcase a range of new Qualatex balloon designs in a way that makes them look exciting and striking.  Probably one of my favourite displays this year was the "Baby" window. I love the NEW "Baby Stripes" balloons; the beautiful pastels with gold and white are so elegant and completely on-trend! 18" "Baby Boy Blue Stripes" also available in 9". 18" "Baby Girl Pink Stripes" also available in 9". Designing my displays Sometimes I...

T he start of the year is always a very busy time in Europe with the Spielwaremesse - Nuremberg Toy Fair, Germany and the Spring Fair, N.E.C., Birmingham, U.K. This year saw both stands take on an "Out of this World" space theme with the stand decor designed and create by Luc Bertrand, CBA , Fiona Fisher, CBA, and Federico Onida, CBA .  Nuremberg Toy Fair Decor by Luc Bertrand Spring Fair Decor by Fiona Fisher and Federico Onida The trade fairs are a fabulous opportunity for customers both existing and new to see the full range of balloons, party ware and accessories that  Qualatex ®  sells- there is nothing better than to be able see all the products close-up, you cannot always fully appreciate how fabulous they look in real life!  The truly remarkable artist Alberto Falcone,  CBA,   also waved his magic wand over the Qualatex stand at Spring Fair, creating some wonderful displays that without doubt will inspire so many! It's amazing when ...

G reenery decor at weddings looks classic and chic. At this year's Spring Fair  at the NEC, Birmingham, U.K., I had the opportunity to show a few decor ideas, using some of the newest products from Qualatex ®  that I believe will excite and inspire 2019 brides!  Shades of green worked really well with the beautiful new "Graceful Swan" balloon. I used a selection of double-stuffed custom coloured latex balloons to create the organic style decor that framed the design. To achieve the colours of balloons that appear in this design I used: Outer balloon colours : White, Pearl White, Pearl Ivory and Ivory Silk  Inner balloon colours: Green, Spring Green, Pearl Forest and Wintergreen. I also included a few Qualatex 11" Chrome Green and the fabulous NEW 11" Tropical Greenery latex balloons, both of which added an exciting new visual texture - I also double-stuffed some of the Tropical Greenery balloons with Ivory Silk and Spring Gr...