Cupcake Theme Balloon Decoration Ideas!

Last week I attended the Spring Fair at the NEC Birmingham. Spring Fair is an annual B2B trade show where businesses go, and that includes many of the major high street and online retailers as well as small independent stores, to buy new and inspiring products to sell in their stores. The fair is not only balloon and party related, it covers an abundance of products from fashion to jewellery, cookware and thousands of other products! The next show will be from the 4th -7th February 2024, so don't forget to mark it in your diary if you are UK based! 

So what does this have to do with Cupcakes? Each year, for more years than I can actually remember, I have been given the amazing opportunity to create balloon designs for Qualatex Europe's windows at this trade event! Each year I am tasked with creating and designing displays that feature new balloons and products from scratch.

Balloon Cupcake by Sue Bowler, inspired by Dante Longhi

For my first window, I was asked to feature the new Birthday Ombrè Cupcake, a fabulous new 31" Microfoil balloon.

My Inspiration

Before I even touch a balloon, I start by creating a mood board; this helps me to get an idea of the balloons that I should feature within my displays. I use Canva to create my mood boards. I simply import the balloons and any images that I want to use to help me with my display. This is also a great way to show your clients your ideas when you are still in the development stages of your designs.

Cupcake Window Display Mood-Board 

I knew that Dante Longhi of Dream Factory Balloons in New Jersey, USA had designed and made balloon cupcakes, so this was my first stop, to find out the technique! Fortunately for me, Dante had filmed himself making the cupcake for the QCorner convention last year. 

To learn how to make Dante's 3-D Cupcake Sculpture watch the video below! 

Watching this video was invaluable as it helped me understand the technique that I needed to use. My next challenge was then to work out the balloon sizing, as my cupcake was much smaller than Dante's! I surprisingly worked out the sizing quite quickly and after only a few attempts my cupcake began to take shape! I cannot tell you how much fun I had creating this design and seeing it grow into the final result! 

Here are photos from each step of building the cupcake:

Base Layer

View looking into the Cupcake

Second Layer Added

Two Layers of Frosting added

And the final balloon added to fill in the top

Here is the final result and my window display!

I did actually make some changes to Dante's original design. I only use four rings, whereas Dante uses five. This helped me to reduce the size and height of the design to ensure that it was in proportion to the window space that I had available.

Balloon Cupcake by Sue Bowler - inspired by Dante Longhi

Window Display created by Sue Bowler for Qualatex Europe at Spring Fair 2023

If you are interested to learn how to make the smaller cupcake design, email me sue@bapiaonline.com and I will happily share the sizing, just follow the same construction techniques as shown in Dante's video above! 

A huge thank you to Dante for his incredible talent and for sharing this design! 

I will be sharing my other window displays over the next few weeks! 

Happy Ballooning! 

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Follow me @suebowler

Meet Donna Higgins, the ONLY actual Delegate at the recent Q Corner Convention!

Are you a Q Corner Rockstar? It has now been almost 5 weeks since the 3rd Q Corner Convention aired, with 78 continuous hours of virtual balloon education from more than 40 of the world's top balloon artists and training instructors. 

I expect that some of you have watched the previous Q Corner conventions. The first occurred during the early part of the pandemic, and I know it was greatly received from the Worldwide ballooning community... did you know that all the instructors gave their time for free to help others through the difficult times! 

Donna with Keith and Dom from Q Corner

The latest convention was a little different. In order to watch it, you needed to become a Q Corner Rockstar which requires a monthly subscription of only £4.99 per month... not much for some of the very best online ballooning education! 

Although this was a purely online convention, there was a team of instructors based at Q Corner HQ for the duration of the convention. This provided a variety of live, fun and exciting elements to the convention. In addition to this, one person was offered an exclusive opportunity to attend the convention as the only actual delegate, which was offered as a prize through UK's Balloon and Party Industry Alliance (BAPIA).

Today's post is an interview with Donna Higgins, the Sole owner of ‘Bird and Blossom Balloons’ and the only actual delegate at the Q Corner Convention! 

Q. It is not everyday that someone gets the opportunity to be the only actual delegate at a balloon convention. It would be great to hear about your experience. Maybe you could share a little bit about the convention and your involvement?

Ok, where do I start? The convention was an incredible non-stop experience from start to finish! The days consisted of being involved in the balloon build during the day, whilst also filming sessions throughout the day and evening.

I was pretty much hands on with all the artists throughout the whole four days. And, for me, that was the best way to use this unique experience, getting stuck in and not missing out on any chance to learn from the best!

I also found this really great for my self-esteem, as most of the techniques I was able to help with (albeit a little slower), and that was encouraging for me at this point in my career.

 

Donna with some of the Q Corner Team! Keith, Cam, Jim, Doctor Bob, Ishani, Donna, Kerry, Bex, Alessandro, and Lucy.

Q. What were your best bits and highlights?

 

Honestly I really loved it all, but one of my favourite parts (which surprised me) was getting involved in the filming! My first session was alongside Julie Dunham. I was so nervous, but she really made me feel at ease.  From that session on Keith & Dom had me roped in!

 

I got to learn alongside the amazing Doctor Bob and Keith while having such a good laugh at the same time. (I mean their jokes were terrible, but it turns out I’m also a good actress, and I perfected the fake laugh!).

 

Working alongside Lucy Hennessy while filming was also an incredible experience! Her creative brain is just full of awesome little tricks, that I’m sure she didn’t even realise I was watching and picking up constantly!

 

Donna with Cam Woody

 

Donna with Alessandro Patané

Doctor Bob, Donna and Keith Stirman

 

Q. What do you feel that you gained by being part of this event?

 

The opportunity to be so hands-on alongside professionals who have worked in the industry for so many years is incomparable to anything else I will get to experience at such an early stage in my career.

 

From learning alongside the wonderful (and sweetest man around) Alessandro Patanté, whose talent is unreal and his experience in the Italian market is something I would not get the opportunity to learn about in Northern Ireland. His creative brain is astounding!

 

Even being in the room with Cam Woody was amazing, watching her technique for balloon hugs and sellable designs that I can use daily was so great for me! Her neat adaptable designs and her lovely modest manner was just so lovely to be around! We had such fun.

 

Doctor Bob had me hooked from the beginning. Word got out I was a twister (I mean I’m a very new twister, but I guess I can do it) and we struck a wee balloon twisting bond! I watched him like a hawk and the session we all had together was really helpful for me!

 

Kerry Ferguson was not only so fun to be around, but she trusted me to build those walls alongside her! And I’m so glad she did, as I have never yet had the experience or opportunity to work on such a large build. These classic décor walls were one of the things I really wanted to be a part of. The impact was so incredible to me.

 

And then my experience with Bex from Blow it with Bex was so incredibly helpful. Her knowledge of social media, the organic world and general business was really great for me to be around. As a young business owner, to see how she has grown so fast in such a short period of time is really encouraging.

  

Donna with Bex Phelps 

 

Q. For someone who knows nothing about the convention, how would you describe it to them, and why should they sign up? (Yes, you can still watch the whole convention at your leisure, and you will also get access to thousands of hours of ballooning education as part of your Rockstar membership, to sign up visit https://www.youtube.com/c/QCornerShow/join)

 

These conventions are days of pure ballooning fun.  All the instructors have a wealth of knowledge, and you can go back to watch all of the sessions over and over again, which I do often! The sessions are from incredible instructors from all over the world in every technique within the industry.

 

I would encourage anyone to sign up to be a Q Corner Rockstar.  I personally find it such a great resource for development and learning, tan here are so many detailed step-by-step tutorials and business advice all in one place!

 

Keith & Dom are fantastic hosts, fun to watch and their ability to come up with things on the spot is a skill not everyone has.  I found that admirable, as I know I can talk, but those guys were on another level!

 

 

Q. Tell me a bit about you, your balloon business, how long you’ve been working with balloons!

 

Well, hello! My name is Donna, and I am the sole owner of ‘Bird and Blossom Balloons’.  My business is based in a small town called Ballyclare in Northern Ireland. I currently work from home, which fits around my little family of four. My stock however is beginning to outgrow my current workspace due to business growth, and I am excited to see what the future holds! 

I cannot really pinpoint the moment I discovered my love for balloons or the reason why.  It happened around the summer of 2021 pushing me to start my business and ‘see how it goes’. Since then I have slowly built up my business dealing with balloon décor of all kinds including: air-filled, helium, twisting and lots of other fun new skills I have trained in. I recently celebrated my first year in business in September 2022, and have been really blown away by the response by my local customers.

 

The most incredible thing I have learnt about the industry so far is how friendly and encouraging people are.  I have travelled to England to attend courses and have made some truly great strong friendships!  I could honestly say the balloon world is definitely where I belong! 

A huge thank you to Donna for taking part in this interview and for sharing her amazing and unique experience with us all! 

If you have never attended a balloon event whether online or in person, it is truly the best way to grow your knowledge and experience and to learn some fanatic designs, skills and techniques! 

Happy ballooning, and don't forget to become a Q Corner Rockstar! 

 

Sue

www.suebowler.com
Follow me @suebowler

 

 

 

 

Do we consider the risk factors of running a balloon business?

Running a balloon company or being a balloon artist may not seem risky at first. However, in case things don't go as planned, remember that it's your livelihood or business that will be affected. Rest assured, much of it boils down to common sense. Taking care of health and safety is just one aspect of effectively managing a business.

In the UK, the law applies to all businesses, large or small. If you’re self-employed or an employer then you are responsible for the health and safety of your business. The law is in place to make sure you have a safe working environment and cut down the risk of you, your staff (if you have any) or your customers getting ill or injured. 

You must consider and manage any risks both where you work or that may come in connection with what you do. 

This is a straightforward process known as ‘risk assessment.' It involves thinking about what you do in your business that could harm people – you, your staff (if you have them) or your customers – and what you’re going to do to try to prevent it from happening. 

Let's look at a few examples of potential hazards in the work place or when working onsite;

• Slips, trips and falls - ensuring that we keep floor areas clear. Remember any balloon shining products can make the floor slippery.
• Tools - keep tools tidy and clear tool boxes away so that they don’t become a trip hazard when working onsite.
• Ladders - ensure that ladders are in good condition and that they are fit for purpose. ALWAYS ensure that ladders are positioned in the safest way to complete the task.
• Electricity and cables - ensure that all equipment works properly and that electrical equipment is serviced and tested by someone with the correct skills and qualifications. Ensure that any electrical cables are not a trip hazard.
• Lifting and carrying - ensure that loads are not too big and use a trolly when possible to move loads around more easily.
• Balloons - Child and Pet Precautions: Balloons are not a toy. Uninflated or burst balloons can present a choking hazard and should never be left with children under the age of eight without supervision. Store balloons away from pets to ensure that they cannot get themselves tangled with balloon ribbons or accidentally ingest popped balloons or their decorative contents such as confetti, feathers, or other materials. If a balloon pops, clear away any broken balloons and any decorative contents (if applicable) immediately.
• Balloons and Allergies - most balloons are made of natural rubber latex and may cause allergies. Keep a sharp eye out for symptoms in case of allergies and seek immediate help.
• Helium- Inhaling helium can be dangerous and it is NEVER recommended. It can deprive your body of oxygen and can result in a fatality.

How do you relay important and relevant information to your customers?

Care Cards & Balloon Care Guide

Giving your customers information on preventative and risk reduction measures, along with how to care for their balloons can truly help, especially if something goes wrong! 

I often see posts on Facebook where someone asks for advice on how to deal with a customer who has complained about a bad balloon experience. These situations can often be avoided if we the clients are supplied with a "Care Card" or a "Balloon Fact Sheet" at the time of purchase or when we are installing balloons for a client.

There are many things that we can include on our "Care Cards" or a "Enjoy your Balloons" fact sheet. I would recommend that you choose those that are most relevant to the types of balloons, and or decor that you are supplying.

Here are some more great tips that you can share with your customers and on your website.

1. Balloons and Temperature: Don't leave balloons in a hot car - helium expands in the heat and this could cause your balloons to pop! We recommend that you use air conditioning in your vehicle when transporting balloons on a hot day. If balloons get rained on and start to droop, don't worry – they'll float again when dry. When helium-filled balloons are taken into the cold, they will temporarily deflate and will re-inflate again when warm. 

2. RISK Balloons - Child and Pet Precautions: Balloons are not a toy. Uninflated or burst balloons can present a choking hazard and should never be left with children under the age of eight without supervision. Store balloons away from pets to ensure that they cannot get themselves tangled with balloon ribbons or accidentally ingest popped balloons or their decorative contents such as confetti, feathers, or other materials. If a balloon pops, clear away any broken balloons and decorative contents (if applicable) immediately.

3. Balloons and the Environment: At the end of a balloon's life, cut the end of the balloon with scissors to remove any air or balloon gas, then dispose of it in the bin. NEVER release balloons into the environment. ALL released balloons become litter. They can get caught up in trees or power lines. Remember - Don't Let Go, & Pin It and Bin It 😊

4. RISK Balloons and Allergies: Most balloons are made of natural rubber latex and may cause allergies. Please look out for symptoms in case of allergies and seek immediate help.

5. RISK Inhalation of helium: Inhaling helium can be dangerous and it is not recommended. It can deprive your body of oxygen and can result in a fatality.

6. Balloons and Ceilings: Lights, paint textures, irregular surfaces and even static can all pop balloons. If you are planning on placing your balloons on a ceiling, ensure that you test it first.

7. Latex balloons and Oxidization: Clear balloons become cloudy quickly when exposed to heat and sunshine. Coloured balloons will take on a velvety, matte appearance.

8. Balloons can Pop: While we use the highest quality balloons and take every precaution necessary with your balloons to ensure they last through your event, once the balloons leave our door or we have left the venue, they are out of our control.

You can certainly go into more detail if you plan to publish this information on your website. You could cover more information regarding balloons, different weather conditions, the environment and how to dispose of balloon weights - especially if they are filled with water or sand!

It is becoming standard practice for a venue to ask event vendors to provide risk assessments along with proof of their business liability insurance prior to working in a venue. Without either of these they will not permit you to work.

Writing a risk assessment involves identifying potential hazards, what the risk is and measures that you take to prevent or reduce any potential risk.

Here is an example of a simple Risk Assessment Chart with an example.

This is a Risk Matrix which gives you a guide to RISK Values.

To learn how to write a risk assessment check out my post Risk Assessments & Method Statements - https://theverybestballoonblog.blogspot.com/search?q=risk+assessment

It is very important that we don't bury our heads in the sand when it comes to potential risks and that we learn to manage and control those risks in a professional manner. Many balloon businesses also offer prop hire and accessories that bring their own risks! It is essential that a balloon business carries a comprehensive Public Liability insurance and if a company employs staff they are required to carry Employee Liability insurance too! In the UK, I recommend www.BAPIAonline.com, who are an Independent Trade Organisation for the Balloon & Party industry! 

Happy Ballooning! 

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Follow me @suebowler