What do you know about Communions? Here are some Creative Ideas and "Top Tips" for the Communion Season!

Anne Cahill-McGovern, created this beautiful
Communion centrepiece design using the
22" Elegant Greenery Deco Bubble with the
11" First Communion inside.

First Communion is seen as one of the holiest and most important occasions in a Roman Catholic's life. It is the first time that a person receives the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, which is the eating of consecrated bread and drinking of consecrated wine.
When a child experiences their First Holy Communion, it’s a major moment for themselves as well as their families. Like their Baptism, the day of First Communion is one that is filled with family, friends, and feasting after the sacred event has taken place.

Girls typically are adorned to look like little brides, wearing white gowns and veils, while boys wear their Sunday best or new suits and ties bought for the occasion.

Communion season is fast approaching, and as someone who knows very little about this very special occasion, I would like to know more! I'm curious about how communion celebrations vary from country to country, as well as how important the communion season is for trade within the balloon industry? 

My Angel's First Communion

Simple yet elegant, this beautiful design is perfect to celebrate any first communion.

Luc Bertrand, CBA, wAw Balloons in Vichte, Belgium

These adorable 14" Angel Boy and Angel Girls make a great addition to a Communion Centrepiece or arrangement.

I got some different perspectives from industry professionals, Luc Bertrand, CBA of WAW Balloons, Belgium, Tania Torre, CBA of Balloon Express Shop, Terme Vigliatore, Italy, and Anne Cahill McGovern,CBA of Elegant Balloons, Pearl River, New York, USA. It is clear why this celebration is a very important time for some balloon companies.

How important is a child’s first communion in your country?

Luc 

"It is extremely important in the Flemish area but somehow a bit less in the French-speaking part of Belgium. Not only First Communion, but Confirmation would be as important. As for balloons, we will sell for both occasions; albeit that the demand might be different. Then there would be the non-Christians - they want to throw in a party for their kids as well and call it something that can be translated into 'spring-party'.

Tania 

"For us in Italy, it is the most important religious event after the christening."

Anne

 "Communions are very important here in the US. It is a short period - 6 weeks starting the week after Easter. Over the years it has gotten a little crazy - little girls get their hair and nails done, and a top of the range dress can cost in excess of $500.00!  While communions don't tend to have the biggest budgets, they are very important to us and we have done very well over the years marketing to this area."

Communion designs can be totally on-trend with these beautiful
18" Golden Cross and Greenery Microfoil balloons and paired with the
11" First Communion Cross.

Beautiful Table Arrangement by Anne Cahill-McGovern

Can you describe a 'typical' communion celebration?

Luc

"Obviously there will be a celebration in church. This should be the most important moment of the day, but parents see the little kids dress, the party afterwards and the impression they will leave as more important. We call these parties 'the little weddings'.

Nowadays some priests try to boycott the party by having the celebration in church at a time that makes it impossible to organize a full party afterwards.

The party could be at home, a table in a restaurant or renting a whole venue. It all depends on how many guests are invited.

Tania

"The religious ceremony is in church; the party is celebrated in a restaurant with relatives and closest friends."

Anne

"Some people have parties at home but all the venues in my area are completely booked out nearly every weekend during communion season, except maybe Memorial Day weekend which seems to be the slower weekend for communions."

Happy Communion Flower
First communion in any language is a big deal for any little girl! And what better way to show it than with flowers!
 Luc Bertrand, CBA, wAw Balloons in Vichte, Belgium

How important is the communion season for your business?

Luc 

"This is the moment with the biggest sales of the year. From early in the morning we inflate so many balloons that we can barely see the ceiling of the shop any more! We have recently installed three large corral nets to help us to manage the orders better "

Tania

"For us, it's the most important event after the marriage and eighteenth birthday, especially if we consider that it is concentrated in one month only." 

Anne 

"Communion Season has always been a very important time for our business. We sometimes have as many as 20-30 communions added onto our regular schedule (bar mitzvahs, birthdays etc.) We know it is a short period and try to take as many as possible to make as much money as possible since the summers tend to be slower for us."

Here are some top tips to make communion season a success for your business.

Give your service plenty of promotion.

• Start your marketing campaign early, as most parties will already be in the planning stages.
• Find and join local Facebook Groups and Town pages in which you can promote your business. Many of these have a specific day that they allow local businesses to advertise, so check with the group admins.
• Visit your local Catholic Churches, see if you can leave some printed literature with photographs of your work that could be offered to families, or maybe offer a special discount Remember CANVA is a fantastic tool for creating professional looking printed literature.

Keep your designs simple and easy to transport

• Many of the parties will be relatively simple affairs that will just require bunches of helium-filled balloons to decorate a room or hall. Keeping your designs simple will enable you to sell multiple arrangements with ease.
• Make sure that you have ready to go - "Cash and Carry" designs available on the day. 

Show what you want to sell

• It is always a good idea to have a selection of designs to offer to clients. This is a great way to test your market and establish what customers are prepared to spend. Take a good photograph of each design to give you the opportunity to promote them in a professional way.

Offer a variety of decor to allow for different budgets.

• Everyone is different, so we should ensure that we cater to the variety of tastes and trends. When you look a Pinterest and Instagram, you will see balloon decor can that varies from organic style decor to balloon bouquets. Some people still want a religious element to their child's event, whereas others have moved to more trending decor.

Use air-filled designs and Deco Bubbles

• Communion season is notoriously busy yet short. To maximise sales opportunities, make sure that you offer decor that can be prepared well in advance. 

A big thank you to Luc, Tania and Anne for their input and the invaluable tips!

Happy Ballooning!


Sue
www.suebowler.com
Follow me on Instagram @suebowler

If Asked, Would You Be Able to Name Your Favourite Balloon Design?

A few weeks ago, I was asked to name what I consider as my favourite ever balloon design, something of my own creation. After nearly thirty years of being in the balloon industry, that question stumped me. So before I tell you what mine and a few of my ballooning friend's favourites designs are, I would like you to think about what yours would be, and why?

Naming your favourite design is a little bit like publicly saying who your favourite child is, and that is exactly the problem my fellow "balloonies" had when I asked them! 

Elephant Sculpture by Chris Adamo

Here's what Chris Adamo, CBA, of Balloons Online in Sydney, Australia said;

"OMG it is so hard to decide on a favourite design but this is the first one that I thought of.

It was made to the exact proportions of an adult male African Bull Elephant. I actually saved the working drawings I used for proportions.

Why is this my favourite? I spent a long time researching how other elephants designs had been made with balloons, but I couldn't find anything that was made using a texture that seemed appropriate. Depending on the texture you are looking for, quick links and twisted balloons sometimes looks a little messy and draws focus away from the overall project. What I endeavoured to achieve in this project was a finish that was smooth and consistent, and the duplet square pack method created a finish that allowed the audience to see beyond the balloons and for a moment in time be transformed to a vintage circus"

Elephant Sculpture by Chris Adamo, CBA

Chris will be building a large balloon sculpture as part of the sculpture competition at BACI 2020 in Milan in March. I am very excited to see what he builds - of course I will report back! 

Cam Woody, CBA, of Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, USA, is a little like me, in that she struggled to find her absolute favourite. So she chose 4 designs! 

Flashy Flamingo Design by Cam Woody

Flashy Flamingo

"I love this one because it has so much personality. My friends, who aren’t fond of balloons, couldn’t resist these flamingos. It’s not a complicated design. My favorite designs are usually the ones that are the most simple to make. These flamingos only require a minimal amount of twisting to create a character that draws people to it and makes them smile." 

 Baby Shower Decor

Baby Shower Decor by Cam Woody

"I chose this shot because of the way it makes me feel. There are a lot of different details in the scene that make it special. I like how light and airy it feels with the clouds and the hot air balloons. I like the rhythm that the different textured balloons add. The difference in the way the Chrome, Pearls and Standard colors reflect the light in the room makes the photo feel light it’s breathing. And one of my favorite details in the shot is the hot air balloon cupcakes. Again because they were so easy. I hadn’t seen anything like this before and it seems like it should have been so obvious. I used washi tape for the stripes on the 5” balloon and attached the balloon to cake pop sticks and added little bows."

Elegant Hearts Column 

Elegant Heart Column by Cam Woody

"I like this column for several different reasons. First, the balloons look so elegant! The Chromes mixed with the Rose Gold and White come together to make this design radiate luxury. I created a tack weave in the center part of the column with the 260Qs, a technique that I don’t use often, but I’m so pleased that I did for this piece. The elegance of the design justified the extra time that it took to add this detail."

Sparkling Unicorn Smiles

"This design featured some of our newer balloons, which I love. I made white the primary color to keep the piece light and airy. The sheer white ribbon also adds to the ethereal atmosphere. The whimsical Unicorn and Unicorn Horns along with the fun saying on the 18” foil delivery the message and color for the design. And I added a few paper flowers for the final details. The piece feels like something out of a fairy tale, which is exactly what I was trying to achieve."

My final guest for this blog post is Luc Bertrand, CBA of WaW Balloons in Vichte, Belgium. Luc's designs vary from large sculptures to small retail designs, so I was intrigued to see which of his designs he would consider to be his favourite and why.

"In spring 2011, Qualatex introduced the numbers shapes and the 18” foil smile faces in different colours. 
As I was teaching at the JBAN convention in Japan I was asked to showcase both new products. I was allocated two “demo” time slots of 15 minutes each to show one design including these. Subsequently, I traveled to Japan with a design for the numbers and a design for the smiles in mind. 
On the day of the demonstration, I was informed that the timetable has changed and that I now had only one 15 minutes time slot! 
Realising I could not show and properly explain my two designs in such a short time, I knew I had to come up with a new design. I decided to combine both, positioned the number on a base and topped the number with a smile face, gave the character two arms to create emotion and the “Happy Numbers” were born! 

Happy Number by Luc Bertrand

I started teaching the design worldwide and soon pictures started to pop up everywhere with my creation. A bit later, I start adding other faces on the numbers and now 'Happy Pigs', 'Angry Cows', 'Wondering Giraffes', Winning Lions', 'Waving Frogs', and many more soon appear.
Then I started to hear dazzling numbers when delegates told me how many "Happy Number" they sell a month, a week, a day! Gratitude is great but knowing how my design resulted in such huge sales for my colleagues worldwide will always be my biggest reward. 

Happy Numbers by Luc Bertrand

9 years later, they are still a top design. I was teaching abroad only yesterday. During the break a lady came over and showed me the picture of a happy number (not my picture) on her cell phone. Little did she know it was my original design. She then asked me kindly if I was able to explain “such design”.
Therefore, when you ask me what my favourite design is, I must go for the Happy Numbers.

• a simple concept

• easy to reproduce when knowing the right techniques.

• 2 arms giving the character all kind of expressions and emotions,

• a gift that must have made numerous of thousands happy.

• long lasting air filled design

• a definite money maker,

• a timeless design that will be alive and kicking for many years to come!

And now it's my turn! Like everyone else I really struggled with choosing my favourite design. I wavered between two solid options. Should it be my first place winner from many years ago at IBAC 13 that helped me to boost my International profile, not to mention my ballooning and teaching career?  On the other hand, should it be a design that has excited me the most more recently? I have chosen the latter, as I have always enjoyed and thrived to create something a little bit different, which is exactly what I did last year for a client for their Great Gatsby event in London. I knew that I wanted to create a column, but also add something unusual. After spending a little time researching the Gatsby Theme, watching the film and referencing Art Deco style, I made a simple sketch in my note pad. I then turned my sketch into a digital image that I was able to show my client. 

Gold Column Sculpture by Sue Bowler

On the right is my digital image with the final result (shown side-by-side), made from Gold Chrome balloons and complimented with 3' and Deco Bubble confetti-filled balloons! 

Whilst I was making these Gold Column Sculptures on-site at the venue, I could not believe the number of compliments that I received from the hotel staff, the event organisers and general passersby! It was so exciting to hear all the positive comments and exclamations of "we've never seen such beautiful balloons!" 
A week after the Gatsby event, I attended the Qualatex Event in Mexico and decided to share the design with the delegates. I made a few changes and added a few new elements - once again I was greeted with an overwhelming positive response. 

Since this event, I have used the same style of frame to make an elegant organic style wedding design. 

We are so used to strong vertical lines with balloons that by using soft curves often feels more natural, organic and playful. I have also found that creating a curving line rather than a straight adds volume, giving the appearance of a bigger or more voluminous design.

I have loved seeing the designs selected by Chris, Cam, and Luc. I truly admire their work and styles, and have really enjoyed compiling their testimonies and getting their perspectives.

Have you decided what your favourite design is? Considering this aspect is an important reason to acknowledge our personal success is it can help us continue to achieve. If we reflect back on what worked well and why, we can often repeat the process and hence continue to benefit repeatedly. 

Happy Ballooning!

Sue

www.suebowler.com

@suebowler

You've Been Framed - Luc Bertrand, CBA, Shares his Linear Photo Frame Perfect for New Years Parties!

Once again, Luc Bertrand, CBA, of WaW Balloons in Vichte, Belgium has very kindly shared one of his designs with the readers of the Very Best™️ Balloon Blog! Who would have thought it would be so simple to use the Northstar Balloons™️ L letters to make this quick and original photo frame! 

Step 1.

You will need:

 2 - 34" Northstar Letter L - available in Gold, Silver, Magenta, Blue and Rose Gold.

Glue Dots & Stretch^® Balloon Tape 

5" Qualatex^® Latex Balloons and other finishing accessories 

Attach two corners with the shown tabs using any kind of glue dot. Luc likes to use Premium Balloon Accessories^® Double-Sided Tape Dots #33156 - available through some Qualatex Distributors. Luc   then re-enforces this connection with Stretchy Balloon Tape on the tip of the balloon.

Step 2.

Slide a VERY loose 4-balloon cluster of 5" latex balloons inflated to approximately 4" in-between the two foils in both of the connected corners.

Make a loose triplet of three organically sized 5" balloons and wrap these around the two most external balloons from the first cluster. This keeps the first cluster in place and gives an “organic” touch.  Voila! - that is the basic frame shape!

Style as desired 

• Add the date or year to the  top - such as New Years 2020!
• Add someone's initials - this could be for a wedding, anniversary, Valentine's Day or other personal event.
• The frame can be filled with a message 18” foil as shown below.
• Be creative... add your own style and detailing! 

When using the small 16” letter, these can be used to make a base for an air-filled design - Luc used this concept for his fairy design below.

Once again, a huge thank you to Luc for sharing one of his brilliant design concepts with the Very Best Balloon Blog! 

Happy Ballooning!

Sue

www.suebowler.com

#suebowler

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