Fun Party Theme Ideas for 2019

Choosing a good theme is probably one of the most difficult steps of party planning - it should be hip, fun and a little bit unique! 

Here are some of the top party ideas for 2019 to help you to plan these matchless parties!

Llama design by Alberto Falcone, CBA, of Balloon Lab.

Loveable Llamas! 

Who doesn’t love llamas, with their dreamy eyes and long eyelashes? A llama birthday party theme can be done in pretty pastels for a child's birthday, or bold and bright colours for a fiesta or Peruvian themed fling. 











Have you checked out the NEW FREE Ready-Made Social Media Posts?

At your request, Qualatex has begun creating simple social media posts using the latest Qualatex bouquets paired with fun headlines within the graphic. These designs make it easy to promote products with minimal effort on your part. Bookmark the Qualatex Social Media Posts Collection so you can refer back to them each time new products are released.

For a direct link to all the posts available - click HERE




I really love this NEW Llama Birthday Party 22" Bubble balloon.

Dinosaurs are back in town! 

Dinosaurs are a "timeless" birthday theme for boys and girls of all ages! 

Designed by Sam Jossie, CBA, Pioneer® Balloon Company, this fun but fearsome creation, entitled "Stomp on Over" design is the perfect centrepiece to any dinosaur-themed birthday celebration.

18" Birthday Colourful Dinosaurs

Fabulous Fiesta Party! 

Sombreros, tacos and nachos -  what’s not to love? A fiesta theme promises bold and vivid  colours, delicious food and festive music. 

Cam Woody, CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, KS, USA, shows us how to celebrate with flair with this vibrant  "Feliz Cumpleaños" design. 

Check out this "Hug Me?!" cactus design! What a great way to use 6" Quick Link balloons! Designed by Luc Bertrand, CBA, wAw Balloons in Vichte, Belgium.

41" "Sombrero"

Here are some more great NEW Qualatex products that are now available for you to style with this theme.

39" "Potted Cactus"

Turn a balloon up-side-down to get this fun and quirky "We’re Stuck on You!" design by Vadim Shushkanov, CBA, Moscow, Russia

18" "Birthday Cactuses"

11" Cactuses

Did you know that all these images are available to download on Qualatex.com? Inspire your customers today and show them how you can create their dream party with one of these exciting party ideas! Please note that some images are only available to QBN members.


To find out more on how you can become a QBN member and all the benefits - click HERE

Happy Ballooning! 

Sue
www.suebowler.com
#suebowler

So What's Hot for 2018? — Part 2

There are quite a few exciting new trends in the party world for 2018. Last week we looked at mermaids, the colour Purple Violet and the marble look. In this post, we will feature few more hot trends.

Design by Sue Bowler, CBA

What is there not to love about Magical Unicorns! These gorgeous Microfoil^® balloons are now available in both 14" and 38".

This trend has remained a firm favourite since 2017. If you check out #unicorn on Instagram showing more than 7m posts, you can see that this is a trend that appeals to both children and adults, so we should make sure our decor appeal to both.







I recently created a unicorn theme window display and took the opportunity to design something that had big visual impact. The Fashion SuperAgate^® are such fabulous balloons and work so well with the Unicorn theme. I also added in Chrome 260Q flowers and some gold confetti-filled balloons, both of which added richness and visual texture to the design.  

Display by Sue Bowler.

Here are a few more inspiring ideas working with the Magical Unicorn balloon.

Design by Luc Bertrand.

Luc Bertrand, CBA, of wAw Balloons in Vichte, Belgium created this "Cute and Quirky Unicorn" design using Quick Link Balloons^®.  He also added a cluster of Pink Violet RainbowAgates at the Unicorn's base and for its hands. I love how Luc has used 260Qs to create a rainbow style tail.

Display by Cam Woody.

Cam Woody, CBA, of Pioneer^® Balloon Company designed this beautiful "Unicorn and Magic Wands" balloon bouquet. 4" Stars on cups and sticks make the perfect magic wands and truly add value to this design.

Rainbows are still trending! According to Instagram, it has over 21m posts! It is often linked with the unicorn theme and therefore works perfectly together for party decor.

Rainbow Arch by Sue Bowler - design by Dante Longhi, CBA.

This beautiful rainbow arch was inspired by Dante Longhi. We are currently teaching this design in our "What's Hot Right Now" course around the UK and Europe. It's such a fabulous design to make. The end result is stunning! 

Here are two more rainbow style arches to inspire us and our customers.

Not strictly a rainbow, but the use of colours in this fabulous arch could easily represent a rainbow. This arch was created by Eve Antonello, CBA of Pioneer Balloon Company, Edward Muñoz, CBA, of burton and BURTON in Athens, GA, USA, and Silvia Santos, CBA, of Party Planet in Pompano Beach, FL, USA. This stunning entrance arch was part of the decor created by this fabulous trio for the "100 Years of Celebration" party held at Pioneer's headquarters in Wichita, KS, USA.

"Sunshine Smile Face Rainbow Arch" - I Love this 6-balloon rainbow cluster arch by Cam Woody. 
It truly is a beautiful rainbow with a cloud nestled just off centre. There are full downloadable instructions for QBN Members. Just click HERE!

And finally, Rose Gold - another trend that just keeps on growing! 

Rose Gold became the metallic colour of the year in 2016, and you might have noticed that this colour is still everywhere! Fashion, make-up, accessories, jewellery, of course, and also for party and wedding décor, too! 

Chris Adamo, CBA, of Balloons Online in Sydney, Australia, recently posted this fabulous design on the Qualatex Facebook Group. Chris said, "When Rose gold meets Qualatex chrome silver. A perfect pair in time for Valentine's Day." I also think that this would make a great pairing for weddings, too! 
If you would like tips on how to put a foil balloon inside a Deco Bubble click HERE

Rose Gold and Silver Chrome Balloons design by Chris Adamo.

Derek Wong, CBA, of Twisted Inflations in Ontario, Canada shows us how the Rose Gold 260Q looks perfect as a beautiful rose. 

Rose Gold Rose by Derek Wong.

I have really enjoyed adding Rose Gold to my designs. This colour blends beautifully with shades of Pink and Ivory. If you would like to know how to make this fabulous centrepiece and a range of beautiful wedding decor, make sure that you attend my Fabulous Wedding Decor for the Modern Bride class at WBC next month!

Design by Sue Bowler, CBA.

We have some fabulous additions to the Rose Gold range for 2018! Here is a direct link to all the Rose Gold product range - click HERE. Below are some of the latest additions!

Rose Gold Crescent Moons - 9" and 35"
Rose Gold Starpoints - 20" and 40"
Rose Gold Tapers - 13", 27" and 38"
Rose Gold Numbers from Zero to Number Nine

I am very excited about working with some of this year's newest trends and am very much look forward to seeing some of your fabulous on-trend designs posted on Facebook!


Happy ballooning!


Sue
www.suebowler.com

Fabulous Air-Filled Bubble Garland by Cam Woody, CBA.

Air-Filled Bubble Garland by Cam Woody, CBA of Pioneer^® Balloon Company.

Have you tried out the new 12" Air-Filled Bubbles yet? These balloons are all the fun of a Bubble Balloon^® but in a smaller size! Sold in packs of 10, they are perfect for air-filled store displays, point-of-sale purchases, and can be used for fun decor accents. 

Follow these simple steps to create perfect Air Bubbles.

Step 1. Remove Bubble from foil packaging. If you do not intend to inflate all 10 Air Bubbles at the same time, I recommend that you reseal the packet using your heat sealer or place into a zip-lock bag to prevent the Bubbles from drying out.

Step 2. Inflate Air Bubble using a hand pump until the balloon is fully inflated and has no wrinkles at the edges.

Step 3. Using a heat sealer, seal the Bubble. I like to start close to the opening of the balloon, rather than higher nearer the actual balloon. This gives me the opportunity to try again if it fails the first time. The heat sealer needs to be set to a low temperature. I recommend starting on setting 2. You may need to adjust slightly, either way depending on your own heat sealer.

Watch the short video below to see how to inflate and heat seal the 12" Air-Bubble.

If you do not have a heat sealer, you can still work with these wonderful balloons! Simply inflate an 11" latex balloon inside! The video below will show you how.



Here is a fabulous idea from Cam Woody, CBA, who shows us how to create this wonderful air-filled Bubble Garland that will last a very long time! Perfect for window displays, long lasting decor, and outside decor too!

• Air-inflate and heat seal all the Bubble balloons that you need for your Garland.
• Roll up the neck of each of the Bubble balloons with curling ribbon, then curl gently to create soft curls.
• Connect each Bubble together using a small piece of Clik-Clik™ Stretchy Balloon Tape. This tape is exceptionally strong and will hold the balloons together really well. 

• Create connection points at each end of the Garland, once again using Stretchy Balloon Tape and ribbon which will enable you to position your Garland.

I love this Garland. It's fun, strong and very long-lasting! Congratulations Cam on an awesome design idea! 

12" Bubbles are available in a variety of different prints, so you can easily adapt the Garland to suit different occasions or themes. Check out the range by clicking HERE.

Happy Ballooning!


Sue
www.suebowler.com

A Few Tips When Designing And Making Centrepieces.

Beautiful bat mitzvah centrepiece design by Tanya Joselowsky, CBA, of The Pop, and working with Gideon's Functions and Flowers, Johannesburg, South Africa.

What is a centrepiece?

 Design by Cam Woody, CBA,
Pioneer® Balloon Company

By definition, a centrepiece is a display that can be placed in the centre of a dining table. It helps to set the theme of the event and brings extra decoration to a room.

Just consider all the ways a well-designed centrepiece can contribute to your client's event space:

- Will be the centre of attention at the dinner table— guests have no choice but to spend most of the event gazing at the centrepieces!
- Creates a visual atmosphere that sets the mood for the event
- Ties together the theme of the event and helps bring it to life
- Acts as icebreakers for guests at events with assigned seating
- Provides an opportunity for individual expression
- Can be souvenirs for guests
Leaves a lasting impression—good, or otherwise!

Tina Giunta, CBA, of Shivoo Balloons in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, creates two fabulous complimentary centrepiece designs that work perfectly on this rectangular table.

Mixing Tall and Low Centrepieces - and those all important height rules.

There’s nothing worse than walking into a reception space that feels empty or under-decorated. Mixing short and tall centrepieces will help make a space feel vibrant and full.

For tall centrepieces, the added height helps to fill up a room. Just be careful to use them appropriately—you don’t want to block the line of sight for guests. You can put tall centrepieces on tables with less traffic (i.e., gift or buffet tables), or make sure guests can see through the centre of the design. Conversely, short centerpieces are great for accommodating conversation amongst the guests. You’ll want to make sure the centrepieces are low enough that seated guests can see over the top. As a general guideline, you’ll want to start your tall elements 24” (60.96 cm) from the table or higher, and 14" (35.56 cm) or lower is the maximum height for your short elements (the floral industry recommends a 12" height rule for a low centrepiece). When adding helium filled balloons to a centrepiece, ribbon is not considered a visual barrier; be sure to follow the 24" rule. Equally, when using products such as the Lomey Pedestal System or Plexipole, these also do not affect the visual line rule due to the fact that they are made from a clear perspex.

Centrepiece using the Lomey System

Don't Forget About the Shape of the Table

When designing centrepieces, you need to consider the shape of the tables at the venue. The most common shapes you’ll come across are round, square, and rectangular. Each shape will have its own considerations:

Round: This table suits a single centrepiece. You can definitely use tall centrepieces since the circular shape makes it easier to look around to the other guests. 

Square: Square tables have more space in the centre than other shapes. Design a more substantial arrangement to utilise this space and keep the table from looking empty.

Rectangular: A single centrepiece on a rectangular table will look lonely. Aim for multiple centrepieces (i.e., a larger middle centrepiece with smaller arrangements on each end). Keep them narrow to avoid crowding the table since you need to leave space for the place settings.

And remember that your centrepiece arrangement should be proportional to the size of the table.

The Design

When designing a centrepiece, we need to ensure that we create perfect harmony; ensuring that all the elements within the design give a sense of oneness or wholeness and that they look like they all belong together. Every element used should complement one and other and not compete for attention! 

To find out more about Unity and Harmony, check out my post - Part 6 Beginners Guide to the Elements and Principles of Design - Unity & Harmony

Fantasy Flower 
centrepiece design
by Sue Bowler, CBA.





If you would like to know more about Fantasy Flowers, check out my post - The Art of Fantasy Flowers.

I hope that some of you find this post helpful. I love to design and create centrepieces using different techniques and textures within my designs.  I would like to thank the very talented Tanya Joselowsky, Tina Giunta, and Cam Woody for allowing me to share their beautiful centrepiece designs with the Very Best Balloon Blog!

Happy Ballooning!

Sue
www.suebowler.com

Setting The Scene with Fabulous Balloon Arches.

Design by David Saker, CBA.

As a balloon decorator, Balloon Arches are a big part of our everyday business. David Saker, CBA, of Balloon.co.uk, regularly sells multiple Garland Arches for sporting events such as this recent cycle race that was held at Windsor Racecourse in the U.K. David was commissioned to build fifteen Arches to mark the start and finishing line of the race. Each Arch was built using the AeröPole System, a fantastic system for creating air-filled Arches that still gives the free moving appearance of a helium-filled Arch, and is perfect for outdoor events!

Arches are such a fabulous way to set the scene, bringing attention and colour to an event. When used outdoors, they work fabulously well for sporting events, the opening of new stores, and to indicate where an event is happening! Indoors, they are often used for entrance decor, welcoming and greeting guests as they arrive at their function. For theme events and parties, they can create a big statement and are often used as backdrops and photo opportunities.

The great thing about Arches is that we can make them in so many different ways. Here are some great examples of balloon Arches that have been "embellished" — which is to be made more interesting by adding extra decorative detail, which is something that I love to do with my Arch designs.

"Flower Embellished Arch."
Design by Sue Bowler, CBA.

This Arch is very elegant, and perfect for formal black tie events. The pattern created by the placement of the red latex balloons creates a wavy, asymmetrical line that shows perfect rhythm and motion within the design. The use of the Qualatex^® Taper balloon flowers adds a whole new dimension to this Arch using Microfoil^®  balloons and shape, as there is a huge contrast between the roundness of the latex balloons versus the pointedness of the Tapers.

"Colourful Candy Suprise."
Designed by Cam Woody, CBA.

When I first saw this Arch it was love at first sight, and I could not wait to have the opportunity to make one myself! Making an Arch solely out of Microfoil balloons is challenging. Firstly, you need to step out of your comfort zone of the formal placing and sizing of latex balloons, much like the organic style decor we see much of today, but there is also the technical issue of securing the balloons to the frame. 

"Game-Winning Goal."

This is another version of an all Microfoil balloon Arch! Once again, this design has a huge visual impact by using a range of Stars 36", 20", and 9" Stars and the 36", 18" and 9" Soccer Ball round.

Mickey Mouse Polka Dot Arch
Designed by Cam Woody, CBA.

Who could not adore this fabulous Mickey Mouse-inspired Arch! Cam has used one of my favourite latex balloons, 11" Polka Dots to add fun and excitement to this awesome Arch! I expect you're wondering how the 3' balloon is so neatly placed in the centre of the Arch? A little bit of balloon magic, of course!