We all have our own ways of doing things when it comes to working with balloons. We learn in different ways and develop our own technique along the way. Over the past 30 years, I have learned many great techniques and some fabulous tips and tricks that have made my life much easier and my balloon designs look even better. But as I always say, I am still learning, and I love it when I see something exciting and new!
Today, I would like to share with you a few more tips and tricks that may help you develop your own techniques!
Our first trick is from Tina Giunta of Shivoo Balloons in Melbourne, Australia. In the video below, Tina shares her own technique for making 11" confetti-filled balloons. If I am honest, I have always been very wary of making confetti balloons using 11" balloons; however Tina's amazing homemade applicator makes it so very quick and easy!
Every day, I see more and more dećor that incorporate chains of precision bubbles within the design, such as this baby design shown on the right, with the bubbles wrapped around the pole. Adding small details to a design can really increase its value, but the cost to you can be minimal.
Decor Menus - Streamline sales with a decor menu.
Decor menus are a helpful, multi-use tool allows customers to see your most popular and profitable balloon offerings in one place.
Ideal for websites, Decor Menus can also help weed out price shoppers (customers who are looking for the lowest price), leaving you more time to spend with serious clients.
More importantly, a Decor Menu can help to streamline your sales process by letting you feature the designs you want your customers to see. The visual aspect for decor menus cannot be understated. Customers can look at your menus and see the designs they want and the correct name for it. If you take the guesswork out of the buying process, customers can tell you exactly what they want to know, and they will know what they are getting.
Just because Decor Menus display standardised designs, it does not mean your creativity is limited. In fact, designs on your menu can be shown in conjunction with your project galleries and create multiple variations of decor your customers like.
A huge thank you to David Mahoney from Balloons Everyday in Dallas, Texas, USA., for sharing two of his pricing guides.
If this is something that you are unsure how to make, then you will be pleased to know that Rachel Porter, CBA, of Balloon Clip Art, of Balloon Splendor in Bothell, Washington, USA., has created many templates that you can purchase for a nominal fee from her Etsy shop. There are five different styles to choose from and many variations with each style!
Rachel also has a Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/balloonartclipart. This is a closed group, so you will need to apply to join, you just have to show evidence of your Ballooning Facebook Page or Instagram account to verify that you are an authentic balloon company.
Thank you to Tina Giunta, Q Corner, David Mahoney and Rachel Porter for sharing and contributing to this post!
Each 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 find the process quite easy, but not always, and so planning is especially essential for me. I start by creating a design board. I want to be sure that the ideas I imagined will be functional as well as pretty. I often use this same technique when I am proposing a design to a client, and have found that it really helps them to get a good understanding of what they will get. Below is the design/mood board that I made when working on this window. It helped me see how the balloon would look with a crescent moon shape and garlands. Although I did not re-create exactly what I had originally designed, I really did not deviate too far - that's pretty unusual!
The ability to be able to download images directly from the Qualatex website in a png format (clear background) has made designing so much easier. I simply download all the balloons that I want to feature and then play around building shapes. If you are working on Columns, Arches or balloon walls, you can use Chris Adamo's fabulous design tool that will help you to produce good look design images every time! Designing the crescent moon was fairly simple. I import shapes into a Word or Pages document and build the shape that I am looking to make, add circles and fill them with the colours that I want to use.
Making the design
The display was created from two main elements - the crescent moon and the air-filled garlands. Using air-filled balloons in window displays is the key to longevity. The garlands are extremely long lasting and could be easily stored and re-used for a future display. The crescent moon has a limited life but to ensure that it looked its best for the entire show, I double-stuff all the latex balloons or treat with hi-float.
The crescent moon frame was made from a length of 6mm aluminium rod bend into a crescent moon shape. I actually used one of my hoops from another display as a template to ensure that I had a good curve. I secured the frame to a NOT base, which worked perfectly for this design. If you look at the finished design you will note that the base is white. I like to spray my bases with a white, quick-drying floral paint when I am creating pastel and light-coloured designs.
Colour
To achieve the beautiful pastel blue that has been used for the Baby Boy Blue Stripes balloon, I double-stuffed Caribbean Blue with either White or Pearl White on top. Using both whites and mixing them into the design gave a subtle change in texture, some of the balloons looked a little more shiny whilst others had a subtle softness.
I also added a few under-inflated 11" Chrome Gold and some Gold Confetti-filled balloons too! If you are wondering what the tiny gold balloons are, they are a mix of small gold baubles and the inflated tips of 260Q Gold Chrome balloons! Excepting the 11" Chrome Gold balloons and the 260Q bubbles, all the other balloons are 5" inflated to different sizes.
Air-Filled Garlands
Making the garlands takes a little time, but the effort is truly worth it! My garlands were made from 4" Metallic Gold Stars, 9" & 18" "Baby Boy Blue Stripe" balloons. These were all air-filled and heat sealed as required. Each balloon was connected together using a very fine monofilament line. The finishing touch was to decorate each balloon with a tiny hand-made satin ribbon bow - it's the finishing touches that makes the difference!
The Display
The window space is quite small, so to make the best of the space, I use a layering technique to ensure that each element stands out in its own right. The long garland with the 18" balloon at the base was positioned towards the front of the window. The crescent moon was centred and slightly angled, and the shorter garland was positioned towards the back of the window. This gave the display a visual balance as well as the opportunity to see each of the elements very clearly for every position. The gold glitter balloons added an elegant twist to the design and reflected the confetti that is printed on the balloons.
Tips and Tricks
Here are two very short video clips that will show you how to make the mini 260Q Bubbles and how to make 5" Confetti-Filled balloons using Hi-Float, both of these techniques I used for the crescent moon design.
Getting both window and in-store displays right are critical for the success of a business. They are the opportunity to show your brand and to promote products or seasonal themes.
Everyone loves the Qualatex® "Confetti Dots" Deco Bubbles! They are a fabulous addition to the Qualatex Bubble range.
As we all know, confetti balloons are extremely popular and are perfect for so many different occasions! I love to make confetti-filled Bubbles, especially when I have a specific colour request, or if I am matching decor that I have made. However, these "Confetti Dots" Bubbles are so quick and easy to use and make a fabulous addition to balloon arrangements. I created this fun, air-filled centrepiece using the Plexipoles System that has been designed specifically for balloon professionals to make centrepiece designs. PlexiPoles are made from a high-quality acrylic and plexiglass product. The flat base, and elegant clear design of the poles are simply perfect for the job! To complement the "Pink Confetti Dot" Bubble, I used a range of Pink 5" and 11" latex balloons and added some Silver Chrome and Grey balloons, too - I felt that this would bring a little bit of sophistication to my design and that fabulous shine that Chrome balloons always do! For those of you who are wondering how I have 5" Silver Chrome balloons, they are in fact 11" Silver Chrome with a 5" balloon inside to help create the right size and shape. Since writing this post, we now have 7" Chrome balloons which are perfect for centrepieces! However, the 11" trick is a great one to use when you don't have a 5" option. I used some pink dot cellophane to bring a little texture to my design. Firstly, the cellophane was a perfect match and it can be easily made into "picks" that can be carefully inserted into the gaps between the balloons. The easiest way to make the "picks" is to cut your cellophane or tissue into squares, then use a balloon straw to find the centre of the square and give it a little twist. I like to glue my picks into place when I add them to my design to ensure that they don't fall out. I also added a few tiny balloons, which I felt gave a little more detail to what is fundamentally a very simple design. The tiny balloons are simply the tips of 260Qs that I have inflated and secured using glue dots. If you are wondering what I have used on the pole, it is a small length of cellophane that I have wrapped around.
Printed cellophane is very popular and quite easy to find. I recommend using your favourite search engine and type "Polka Dot Cellophane." Here are some more fabulous design ideas using these wonderfully vibrant and versatile balloons.
Rainbow Confetti Thanks
A great job deserves this delivery of The Very Best™ Balloons topped with a “Colorful Confetti Dots” Bubble!
Designer name: Eve Antonello, CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, KS, USA
Perfect for Personalisation! Design by Amy Broadley of Balloonies Falkirk, Scotland.
"Celebrate in Style" Design by Sue Bowler, CBA, of BalloonArt By Sue Bowler.
I love this personalised "Pink Confetti Dots" Deco Bubble balloon - I also love the eye-catching video that LaylaRai created to show it off to their customers! This balloon and video were made by Events By LaylaRai in Stanford Le Hope, England.
Here is another great design that was made by Ben Escalante, of Deco Globos, in Xalapa, Mexico. The "Colourful Confetti Dots" are perfect for this birthday balloon, with added tassels and a complementary base.
And finally, this beautiful Baby Boy Confetti Bubbles and Clouds by Cam Woody, CBA, of Pioneer Balloon Company. Cam has complemented her balloon arrangement with the 11" "Oh Baby" latex balloon inside the Bubble. This Deco Bubble balloon has been designed with a clear central window to allow any message latex balloon to be seen easily.
These balloons are available from your Qualatex Distributors, so don't delay, and make sure to add them to your design range - your customers will love them!
Mermaid display created by Sue Bowler, CBA. #mermaids #mermaidparty #mermaidstyle
There are quite a few exciting new trends in the party world for 2018. I will feature as many as I can over the next couple of weeks.
Let's start with mermaids! Some say that mermaids are the new unicorn, but unicorns are still trending, too!
The new Qualatex®38" "Enchanting Mermaid" Microfoil® will definitely be a top-selling balloon!
Jewel Tone with Chrome Balloons inside. Balloons by Luc Bertand, CBA.
I recently created a display using some of the fabulous new Chrome Balloons™. I used Chrome Blue and Chrome Purple. I also double stuffed Chrome Silver inside Jewel Teal, Sapphire Blue, and Quartz Purple to create the fabulously rich colours as displayed in the photograph above. I also added a few Gold confetti-filled Balloons, too, that helped to create the very sparkly base. Here are some fabulous double-stuffed Chrome balloons that Luc Bertrand recently made - the colours and metallic look are simply stunning!
Here are some of the Qualatex range that I think will work really well for this theme.
A. 38" "Enchanting Mermaid"
B. 18" "Happy Birthday Mermaid"
C. 11" Chrome Blue
D. 11" Chrome Purple
E. 11" Chrome Gold
F. 11" Caribbean Blue
G. 38" "Merry Mermaid"
H. 18" "Birthday Mermaids"
I. 18" Rachel Ellen Age Five
Mermaid Polka Dots
Sea-world theme arch created by Sue Bowler and team!
I love to create sea-world theme decor; we have so many fabulous balloons to use within our designs. The addition of the mermaid, confetti-filled Diamond Clear, and Chrome Balloons will be fabulous!
Another 2018 trend is anything with PANTONE Color of the Year -
Ultra Violet!
This ultra cool colour is guaranteed to be used at events this year, especially weddings.
11" Chrome Purple
I think that the new Chrome Purple will be absolutely perfect for this colour theme. These balloons offer a rich texture, reflective surface, and a truly radiant colour.
Wedding Decor by Sue Bowler
Photo courtesy of Markinternational.info
My third trend for 2018 is marble —marbled decor and marbled wedding cakes, too!
Qualatex® SuperAgates come in nine fabulous colours in both 11" and 30" balloons! Agates are often used in organic style decor to add visual texture and movement.
Elegant Black & White Decor by Sue Bowler.
I used 30" Black SuperAgates as part of the decor that I created for the Pioneer Balloon Company 100th Anniversary Dinner. They looked so elegant paired with Black & White Polka Dots, White, and Silver confetti-filled 36" balloons, creating a fabulous monochromatic colour scheme decor.
Watch out for my next blog where we will look at even more exciting trends for 2018!
Happy New Year to you all! I hope that you had a productive and profitable Christmas and New Year! I thought that I would start the year by sharing one of my own Christmas experiences.
For the past few years, I have had the privilege of working with Ali Welsh to design and decorate a Christmas party in one of London's top hotels. Each year the theme has been very different, with this year being 70's Disco.
Ali Welsh Events Ltd. Balloons by Sue Bowler, CBA Quick Link Disco Design by Mike Hurst CBA
When I started to design the party, my first two thoughts were — "Mirror Balls" and the word "DISCO"!
I usually start my design process by surfing the Internet for inspiration and found this image. I thought that this would be perfect for the stage decor. I felt that the style of letters would look good made from Qualatex® Quick Link Balloons™. They would have a great visual impact and be light enough to hang. The only problem I faced was that I had no idea how to make them! It was at this point I called a good friend and expert, Mike Hurst, CBA, of Red's Balloons and Party in Brackley, England. Last year, Mike developed and ran a course teaching how to make numbers using Quick Links, and I really liked his style, so Mike was the perfect person for me to ask to design the letters for me.
I spent an afternoon with Mike at his shop learning how to make the letters and to see how they would look. As you can see they were pretty huge, but I knew that they would need to be big to have the impact that I was looking for. Mike will be releasing an online "NUMBERS" course later this year that will show you how to create all the numbers using this fabulous technique. He assures me that he will be starting on his letters course soon!
"Disco" Stage Decor
To re-create the Mirror Ball look was a little easier! We made one hundred and fifteen "Mirror Ball" centrepieces!
3' Confetti Balloons with Neon Tails Photograph by Nicci Rene
Each balloon was prepared with Hi-Float and then filled with square-cut silver confetti — we used approximately 60 grams of confetti in each balloon.
Photograph by Nicci Rene
The balloons look fabulous grouped together before we put them out on the tables!
Photograph by Nicci Rene
For the lower ceiling areas, we made an air-filled Bubble Balloon® version that worked perfectly!
Photograph by Nicci Rene
One of my favourite foils is the Holographic Stars! These always look so fabulous when used for decor, but this was the first opportunity that I have had to use all the colours for the same job and they looked amazing!
This is a short promotional video created by Peter Lane Creative Studio on behalf of Ali Welsh events. It shows the magical transformation of the ballroom - we did it in less than two hours!
I would like to say a huge "Thank you!" to my amazing team who worked so hard — and made quite a lot of mess, too!
"The Confetti Queens" - Nicci Rene - Nathalie Saunders - Kerry Ferguson - Debbie Magill "The Quick Link Disco Kids" - Stuart Davies and Aimee Smith "The Base Boys" - John Bowler and Jim Magill
"The Bubble Girl" - Sue Bowler "The Finisher" - Dee White
I hope that you have enjoyed a little look at how our day went! Did I have any sleepless nights before the event? Yes, of course! Did I have that sicky feeling all day in my stomach? Always!
