Sue Bowler: The Balloon Expert

When I first started in the world of balloons there was a distinct difference between a balloon decorator and a twister and never did the twain meet!  However over the years, there has been an increasing overlap between these two worlds in the form of deco-twisting. The term "deco twisting" was first coined in the late 90's by several artists who displayed twisted elements in their balloon decor. However, deco twisting only really started to become popular with balloon artists and customers from around 2010. Ten+ years on, it is more popular than ever, especially when you look at all the detailed Marquee Balloon designs that are extremely popular today where there is always the addition of fabulously twisted details!   Elegant Balloon Marquee Design by  Balloons For Everything in Chicago, IL, US.

Weddings are back on the agenda!  With that I mind, I felt that this is probably a good time to start talking about weddings again  and bring some inspiration to our brides! Organic-style decor remains a favourite for weddings with moon gate arches, Infinity arches, and round arbors (or wreaths, depending on the name you refer to them as). These dreamy, full moon shaped arches have been the hottest ballooning trend for quite a while now. They really add that wow factor with their graceful shape and delicate nature - their uses are endless. Moon gates make a pretty epic backdrop that can be used as a top table backdrop, a gorgeous photo booth backdrop or for framing the cake table. Elegant Wedding Wreath Designer name:  I nstagram User @balloonilicious Moon Gate Arch by Sue Bowler I made the Moon Gate Arch as featured above. I designed it as part of a display for the Qualatex Trade Booth at Spring Fair 2020. I made the frame using aluminium rods, and I created...

There is something simply enchanting about Unicorns and Fairies! It is such a magical theme when it comes to creating decor! This magical idea is perfect for birthdays, new baby celebrations and baby showers too! I am not traditionally a lover of outside decor, primarily because of all the problems that you can incur when putting balloons outside , (I will revisit this later in my post.) However, there are also many benefits when creating a fairy theme party outside! It's all about setting the scene and outdoor space that will allow us the opportunity to find the perfect setting!  Sculptured Balloon Number by Sue Bowler, CBA. During the pandemic I created decor for my Granddaughters 5th birthday, due to COVID restrictions, we had to have an outside party, and to be honest it was absolutely perfect as the extra space allowed me to be a little more creative. Unicorn Column by Sue Bowler Garden Decor by Sue Bowler If you would like to learn how to make the Air-Filled freestanding Unic...

How much should you charge? Being creative is fun, but working out how much to sell our work for is not quite so exciting! I have written a number of blog posts on this subject, but with many new people joining the world of balloons, I felt that this was a good time to revisit this topic!  I regularly see posts on Facebook asking for help with pricing and I know from my own experience that understanding how to cost your work is probably one of the more difficult aspects of running a balloon business. However, it is o ne of the most fundamental things you need to have at least a basic understanding of before you set up any business. Get it right the first time, and you’re well on your way to having a successful business. Get it wrong and you’ll either not make enough money to survive or you’ll be too expensive for your customers. If an item is readily available at a variety of outlets, such as a carton of milk or a weighted helium -filled 18” foil balloon, then it wil...