Part 2. The AeroPole™ System - some great tips from balloon expert David Taylor CBA

Dave Taylor - Mad Balloons, Sydney, Australia

This arch was created using 16” balloons and was commissioned by a local radio station, this arch used the complete 7 pole arch kit.

The AEROPOLE system is designed predominantly for large, often outdoor events.  Don't try and squish it into a small entry.  A four pole arch does put considerable stress on the poles, so don't do anything smaller.

When you have finished installing the AEROPOLE make sure you go and explain the system to your client.  Tell them that the system is brand new and is designed to be flexible, and give it a shake so they can see.  If you don't explain it you will likely get a panicked call from your client soon after exclaiming that your arch is "collapsing!"  If you think about it, they are used to seeing rigid frame arches, so how do they know about this new system unless you tell them.  Also they will be highly impressed that you have all the 'state of the art' equipment and technology.

Creating Air-Filled Arches and Columns using the AeroPole System™

Classic Decor is the foundation of balloon decorating and the art of balloon decorating started with  Garlands, Arches, Swags and Columns. It was actually Treb Heining (co inventor of the AeroPole System™) who pioneered the balloon decorating industry, using balloons for the first time on mass in the late 70's to transform large spaces using Classic Decor to decorate parties, corporate events and election campaigns! 

Photograph courtesy of Balloons & Party

Last week I had the opportunity to work with the new AeroPole System™ during a Classic Balloon Decor class that I was teaching in the UK and was very pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to use! 

World Cup Balloon Decor Inspiration

Wow, World Cup fever is everywhere! I don't think that you can go anywhere in England without seeing the St George flag and football paraphernalia!

Last month we invited members of our Qualatex Balloon Network (QBN) Facebook group to share their World Cup balloon design idea's, here is a short video that shows their great work!

Thank you to the following Balloon Artists & Balloon Companies who shared their pictures and designs.

Luc Bertrand CBA, WAW Balloons, Belgium.

Mike & Sara Harris, For Every Occasion, Rhyl, Wales.

Agnes Debremaeker, 't KADOSKE, Belgium.

Yves Germain CBA, Matouvu Henin Beautmont, France.

Pim Santhuizen CBA- De Ballonnerie, Netherlands.

Steven De Maesschalck CBA, Kleine Balloonnetjes, Belgium.

Jill Shortreed CBA, Charleston Balloon Company, New Jersey, USA.

Party Land Espana - Spain.

Cam Woody CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, USA.

Sunny Twist n Deco - France.

Sue Bowler CBA, Buckinghamshire, England.

Gallus Plus - Croatia.

Wishing everyone's teams great success in the World Cup, but remember there can only be one winner... who will that be??

Happy Ballooning!
Sue
www.suebowler.com

Releasing balloons at funerals and other poignant occasions.

Releasing balloons at funerals and other poignant occasions is a good way especially for a child to help with the understanding and feeling of saying goodbye to someone special.

'Balloon Fairies'

Recently there was a question posted on the QBN Facebook Group 

"I had a customer come in today wanting a heart or a star foil balloon for a funeral with the intention of releasing them after. I advised her against it and explained why but she insisted that she wanted them as it was a funeral for a child and it was the parents wish. What should I do"?

The Spring Contest... and the winners are!

101 fantastic designs were entered into our recent Facebook Qualatex Spring Deliveries & Balloon Gifts Contest!

For a design to qualify, balloon artists from all over the World were invited to submit a design or designs created by themselves that was inspired by 'Spring'. The design had to be given a creative name and the balloons used within the design had to be Qualatex.

1st Place Winner

'Spring is coming',
 by Colin Stewart of Stewarts Baskets and Balloons, Canada.

As with all contests there is an overall winner... the 'Best in Show'! Colin Stewarts stunning Butterfly sculpture is the worthy recipient of this award!

Colin's design is Classic Balloon Decor at it's best! Colin has created this beautiful air-filled Butterfly as a showpiece to highlight a spring theme in one of the many stores that he regularly decorates.

Colin's work is very precise with all his balloons perfectly sized, the colours that he has chosen to use are bright and vibrant, using the darker at the centre to create a strong focal point and bringing the lighter to the outer edge. His design demonstrates great rhythm as well as perfect unity, both the proportion and scale are perfect for it's surrounding!

Congratulations Colin on a truly great design!

Have you got World Cup fever?

Soccer Buddy by Sue Bowler CBA

The days are counting down to the 2014 World Cup and although I am not a particular fan of football/soccer I know that it will become a huge part of our lives for the next month or so!

Could you design the decor for one of the biggest parties in the balloon Industry? That's exactly what Alexandra & Ellie Ventura did and they share their experience with the Very Best Balloon Blog!

In 2012, yes that long ago, the World Balloon Convention set a challenge to the Worlds balloon community inviting artists to create WBC 2014 decor for the Lobby, the Thursday Night Costume Party and the Final Night Grand Gala, by entering the WBC 2014 Decor Design Competition, 'the opportunity to design your dream decor using UNLIMITED Qualatex balloons and a full staff to help realise your vision!'

Alexandra Ventura CBA with Chelsea Gaspard, Pioneer Balloon Companies
 Marketing Communications Director.

Sisters and business parters Alexandra and Ellie Ventura of Pacha Balloon Creations in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada rose to that challenge and were awarded the opportunity to create this years Thursday Night Costume Party decor 'WBC Rocks the World'.

To create decor on a grand scale is no mean feat especially when you are creating a party for the biggest balloon convention in the World! I invited Alexandra to share her experience with the Very Best Balloon Blog!

'Contracts or Service Agreements' as a small business do we really need them?

I wonder how many of us keep telling ourselves that we need to start supplying contracts when we take on decor and event work but have yet to do it?

Contracts sound very formal, however, putting your agreements in writing (between you and your clients) keeps your business relationships in good standing and potentially out of court! 

Contracts can be given a variety of titles; including: supply agreements, services agreements, service contracts, supply contracts, contract of work and just about any other permutation of these words and more!

Often a contract is formed once you have finalised all the details with your client, it could be that you have had face to face and site meetings, phone calls or a number of emails, but there comes a point when it needs to be summarised and collated into a formal document, thus creating a contract between you and your client.

Firstly you should create all of your documents on your company letter headed paper, if you are planning on emailing documents such as contracts and invoices, there are many free templates that will allow you to create your own, once you have spent the time creating your letterhead remember to save it as a template so that you can find it easily for the next time.

I am unsure of the legalities worldwide but in the UK there are legal requirements for business letterheads;

Sole trader business guidelines

If you are a sole trader you can trade under your own name or you can choose a different business name. If you choose a business name that is not your own name, you must include your own name and the business address on all letterheads and order forms.

Partnership business guidelines

If you are a partnership business your letterheads, order forms, receipts and even invoices must include the names of all partners and the address of the main office. If there are many partners then it is also acceptable to state where a list of partners may be found.

Limited company guidelines

If your company is trading as a limited company the letterhead and order form stationery (whether printed or electronic versions) must include:

• Your full registered company name
• The company registration number and place of registration
• The company registered address and the address of its place of business, if different
• There is no need to include the names of the directors on the letterhead for a limited company, but if you choose to name directors all directors must be named

Most letterheads also include a telephone and fax number, a url for the business’ website and an email address.

Contract content

• Client name, address & contact numbers, if you have been dealing with someone specific make sure that you include their name as well as the company if relevant.
• The date.
• Project/Work Title.
• Project/Work Description.
• Event Venue including address.
• Event Name and Event date.
• Installation date and time. If you have agreed a specific access time with the venue/organiser or preparation area, include this within your contract, stating any named parties such as the 'banqueting manager' or 'shopping mall deputy manager's' name if that's who you agreed these with.
• Removal of Installation. If you are 'striking' the event, state the date and time when this will take place. If you are not required to go back to remove the decor after the event, I would recommend stating; 

The client is responsible for the removal of all provided decor and please note: 

Foil balloons may conduct electricity. Do not release helium filled foil balloons outdoors or use near overhead power lines. 

Foil balloons are non biodegradable and therefore should be disposed of carefully with general household waste. 

Latex Balloons, Warning! Children under eight years can choke or suffocate on un-inflated or broken balloons. Adult supervision required. Keep un-inflated balloons from children. Discard broken balloons at once.  

• Pricing. I would recommend listing what this includes - this could include headings (not actual items) such as 'materials', 'Preparation of balloons', 'inflation and Installation', 'Delivery'', and 'removal of Installation' this will ensure that both parties know exactly what is included within the price and more importantly what's not included * see below regarding 'ownership of materials'.

• Payment Terms. Deposit and payment of final balance - how much is the deposit, when is it due, is it a refundable or non-refundable deposit? When is the balance due, make sure that you clearly state a date. 

Many professionals suggest taking a down-payment or deposit of up to 50% before the start of any project, and collecting the balance by the day of completion, before turning over any goods or services to your client. 

• Cancellation/ Force Majeure (unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract). What is your cancellation policy? Many companies will have cancellation fee's and terms that relates to the amount of notice given. These could read like this;

• All requests for cancellations and/or transfers must be received in writing.
• Changes will become effective on the date of written confirmation being received.
• Event cancelled less than ** days prior to the event will be subject to a **% cancellation fee.

Ensure that your terms are fair and balanced, you cannot expect your customer to pay excessive cancellation charges and loss of up-front payments if good notice is given, contracts cannot be unbalanced, that means that they cannot weight heavily in your favour, as in it's not OK to state that a customer cannot cancel an order without giving a minimum of 6 weeks notice, but you can cancel an order within 24 hours!

Other things that can also be included within your contracts:

• Ownership of materials; This will cover any hire/rental items that may be included as part of the event. It is important that client is aware of all rental items and how these items will be collected or if the client is responsible for the return of the items?  A return by date and any charges that the client may incur for lost or damaged items should also be included. 

•  Design change and bad weather policy; Weather can play a major factor especially when creating decor for outside events. I would recommend adding any agreed changes or that decor could be subject to change in the event of bad weather.

Finally, when you email or send your 'contract of work' to your client I would also include your invoice (including full details of payment terms and how you want to be paid), a copy of your public liability insurance document (anyone who offers services such as event decor, face painting, candy carts or other party supplies should have public liability insurance cover) and risk assessment. I am unsure if risk assessments are a legal requirement for everyone, however many clients will request that you submit a risk assessment.

I have create a sample 'Contract of Work' letter, to show you how easy it is to create a contract between you and your customers, you could easily create something like this as a template, making it quick and simple every time!

 Example 'Contract of Work' letter.

I hope this helps? The business side of running a business can be very daunting sometimes, however, a contract is vital for your own protection, you never know when you might need it!
To learn more about the business side of a balloon business and much more why not join the Qualatex balloon Network, for more details on this program click here!

Happy Ballooning!


Sue
 www.suebowler.com
  
For more information regarding writing contracts visit: http://www.businessballs.com/service_agreements_contracts_templates.htm

For Public Liability cover in the UK contact the Balloon and Party Industry Alliance www.bapiaonline.com

Tricks of the Trade - a few great tips and ideas for balloon artists!

I would like to start this blog by giving a big 'shout-out' to all our QBN Facebook members! Face book Groups are an amazing way to bring people together and create a strong community for like-minded people who have the same passion, and the great thing about the QBN Group is the way that our members help and support each other whether it's a design problem or motivational issue, there are plenty who regularly jump in and freely offer their help!

A few years ago the group collectively created a list of their favourite ballooning tips, their tricks of the trade, I have selected some of these to share with the Very Best Balloon Blog!

Tricks of the Trade 

1. To prevent static on your ribbon, wet your scissors before using them to curl the ribbon. (Dip the tip of your scissors in water).

2. When you finish something off with wide ribbon and you use two lengths together, remember to turn one around so they fall nice and do not stick to each other.

3. When the valve of a foil balloon does not easily open, then do not damage the valve by sticking in something thick like a straw. Use something thin and flat. You will have the best result with a florist wire folded in two. Hold the valve between two fingers and gently slide in the wire with the folded side. This should go very smoothly without ruining the valve. 

4. In the winter and on cold days, make sure that your latex balloons are not cold (if they feel hard to the touch). Warm them up by putting them in a warm place to soften up, a clothes dryer works very well!

5. If you want to add a 'raisin' or bead inside a foil or bubble balloon, do not push the 'raisin' or bead through the balloon's valve, position it at the entrance of the valve and then using a hand pump, gently pump a little air and this will send the 'raisin' or bead inside the foil... without any damage to the valve! You could also consider in buying a NicoLoon Tool for working with raisins in every type of balloon - once you get to know it well - it will save you a lot of time fumbling inside a foil for instance. You find it at Nikoloon.com

6. Remember not to refill foils in cold weather. If you fill them in a warm place and transport say a bouquet to a customer in your van and think that they have gone down and refill them in the cold van  - then you get a big problem when you deliver. (the helium will expand in the heat and then they will pop).

7. To cut feather boas with less mess, part the feathers where you intend to cut and spray with Aqua Net hair spray, seal ends with a dot of hot glue.

8. Use Clik-Clik magnets to organize precut ribbons - double knot when tying on makes a perfect dispenser when you need one of each color. Most sheet rock corners are magnetic - great to grab and use in the van for on the go !

9.  When I go on a job site visit (prior to the event of course) I make certain to take all of my measurements, find out where all of the plugs are, where the best place is to unload and set up.  I also take my click click magnets to see if they will stick to the ceiling but if the ceiling is high I have trouble seeing the ring on the magnet and sometimes it takes a while to get the magnet down so now I tie a long piece of dacron arch line onto the magnet ring so I can quickly pull it down.

10. If you get a cut in a foil balloon, use the Stretchy Balloon tape to seal it up.

11. When I go on a site visit, I bring my cell phone and try to take pics from every angle. Often I find that I need to know a detail I didnt think about, and I can refer to my phone (for ex. if they want to change a location of something, or I need to see rigging points, etc.). I also bring a notebook and my laser ruler (one of my favorite toys!). I measure everything with that!

12. Save your old/broken foils to use later... you can cover your balloon weights with them, looks nicer than a latex sandbag ;)

13. When transporting helium filled balloon arrangements, we use empty paper tubes to wrap the long ribbons around then using the Premium clips, we clip them to keep the ribbons short where they don't entangle with the other balloons during transport, then as we deliver them inside, we simply unclip and they are tangle free.

14. If you are creating a design where you want to stick foil balloons together, you have to try Click- Click's AMAZING Stretchy Balloon Tape! It may appear expensive, but you use only the smallest amount and it's so so strong!

www.conwinonline.com

15. Conwin grip tabs become amazingly strong when you heat the glue part, I use a hair dryer and then stick them on to the balloon I am working with!

These are great tips! If you have any that you would like to add we would love to hear them and I will add them to the QBN Groups list!

If you are a QBN Member or CBA and have not yet requested to join the group please come along and join us today, we truly are a friendly bunch! 

(To qualify as a QBN member you must have completed the QBN Balloon Basics Kit and passed the online test with a score of 80% or higher, you will then be sent your exclusive QBN membership number).

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Qualatex/

If you would like to know how to become a QBN member click HERE

Happy Ballooning!

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Sue's Wedding Album!

As the most important day of the bride and grooms life it is essential that as a professional event decorator we are able to design a wedding day to remember!

Elegant Entrance Decor - designed and created by Sue Bowler CBA

I have been designing and creating wedding decor for many years. When I exhibited at my first wedding fair I made some very silly errors. Rather than working with an elegant and fairly neutral colour palette to create my display decor, I overwhelmed my potential clients with every balloon colour that Qualatex offered, which as you can imagine did not make for a very pretty display!

If you would like any tips on how to prepare for Wedding Fairs I have written 3 blogs on the subject:

Zany Zebra Party Animal - a quick and easy design that is perfect for children and children's parties!

I love to create something that takes me only a matter of a few minutes to make! 

This adorable Zebra took me less than 5 minutes and by using the Premium Balloon Accessories Candy Bouquet weight at the base we can truly add value to our design. 

Simply fill the weight with sweets and candy and we have now created the perfect gift or party favour!

Zany Zebra Party Animal - design created by Sue Bowler CBA

Have you ever wondered what it is like to take part in a competition? Part 3 continues our fantastic journey with more great personal stories and a little insight as to what a 'twister' can gain from attending WBC!

I am very excited to introduce my next two contributors Bram Parola from Belgium and Jill Shortreed from South Carolina, USA.

We're going to start with Bram Parola, Bram's competition experience was very different from our other contributors,  his adventure did not take place in the competition room, in fact he had not planned to compete at WBC until he entered the Jam Room!

 Bram Parola - Ballonplooien.net

Bram Parola

Have you ever wondered what it is like to take part in a competition? Part 2 continues our journey with more great personal stories and experiences from WBC 2014

Competitions are a quintessential element of any balloon convention, the opportunity to see balloon artistry at it's very best! 

For delegates & Instructors attending, the public visiting and those who see the photographs posted on Facebook and in Balloon Images magazine, we are in awe of what we see! Balloons that come to life and take on the form of an amazing sculpture, beautiful dresses and hats, inspiring centrepieces and deliveries and columns unlike you have ever seen before, there is no end to the creativity and exciting techniques demonstrated.

For those who enter the competitions, they have had months of planning and preparation and in many cases they have also worked hard to secure a team of willing balloon artists who's help is invaluable to assist the designer/s to build their vision!

Mike & Sara Harris have very kindly shared their WBC 2014 competition journey...

Mike & Sara Harris - For Every Occasion, Rhyl, Wales

Sara & Mike Harris

At WBC 2014 we entered the Large Sculpture Competition and the Balloon Column Competition.

We were persuaded (or rather Mike was!) by Michelle Comerford from Pioneer Europe during an alcohol infused conversation at BACI 2013!!  I was then informed on his return what ‘we’ had agreed to do!!

Part 1. Have you ever wondered what it's like to take part in a competition? Here's what some of our WBC competitors say...

Have you ever thought about entering an industry competition but for one reason or another decided not to?

As both a past competitor and occasional judge I am extremely passionate about competitions, I believe that everyone in the balloon industry benefit greatly from the skills, creativity & diversity demonstrated by those who take part in each of the categories!

So what does it take to enter a competition? 

On my return from the World Balloon Convention, I asked if anyone who had taken part in any of the competitions would be happy to share their experience with The Very Best Balloon Blog and I was overwhelmed by the response that I received! 

Teri Stokes - Happy Heart, Kingwood, Texas

Teri Stokes with her winning medal and award! Congratulations to Teri!

No Bake Cupcakes! A fun and easy display that will certainly get your customers talking!

Recently I created a display of balloon 'cupcakes' to add into a window display that I designed for Qualatex at this years Spring Fair.

Hello Kitty Display created by
Sue Bowler CBA

The aim of the display was to attract attention to the display and the new Qualatex balloons being featured, but it also stimulated many conversations with potential customers looking at the displays... how much better to open a conversation with "they're really fun, and calorie free"! Rather than with the usual "can I help you" opening line!

With Mothers Day and Easter fast approaching, it's time to get creative and make some exciting and fun displays to promote these great events!

To make the cupcakes is really very easy and with beautiful cake cases and cardboard display stands you can re-create this lovely display in just a few minutes!

Easy Step by Step on how to create a 5-Balloon Cluster Garland...

I know that when I first started making garlands especially when using 5-balloon clusters I use to get into a bit of a pickle, trying to hold down the balloons, keep the balloons flat and getting the garland tight enough, so that it did not just fall apart or pop out of shape!

So, here is a very easy step by step clip that will show you how you can do it and take away all the stress!

How to create your own Facebook cover photo using PicMonkey Photo Editor

Creating a good image for our business is vital to social media success! 

Our Facebook page is our showroom, window or portfolio and is not a market place like ebay!

Creating the right image can be achieved through your cover photo! I created the above cover photo yesterday to see what reaction it got and I was very impressed at how many positive comments I received!

What's your favourite number... fantastic sellable designs for all ages!

Birthdays, Anniversaries and other milestone and memorable dates are the perfect opportunity to create something just a little bit different and unique!

I am sure that many of you remember the wonderful 2012 design that Luc Bertrand CBA, WAW Balloons, shared with the balloon community to celebrate the new year! 

Boost your sales by combining gifts and Qualatex® balloons.

Combining gifts and Qualatex^® balloons was my challenge for the 2014 Spring Fair Stage demonstrations! It was a great opportunity for me to look at different ways to incorporate balloons with everyday items that are sold in gift stores.

We started by selecting a variety of gift products such as candles in a presentation glass container, a lovely gift for Mothers Day or Birthdays, we also found cute children's mug, an item that many gift stores sell, and a decorative boxed glass that was perfect for a milestone birthday!

So here was my challenge, how could I create something that incorporated the gift within my design to create a whole piece rather than just adding a bunch of balloons?

'Your store window is your face'... some great window display advice from Doctor Bob BALLOONS UNLIMITED

You should never underestimate the power of a great display, whether a store window or exhibition!

Doctor Bob - BALLOONS UNLIMITED

Last Christmas many of us were completely wowed by the Christmas window display that was created by Bob Armstrong CBA and his team at Dr Bob BALLOONS UNLIMITED in BARRY, WALES.

Christmas Window display
by Doctor Bob BALLOONS UNLIMITE
The window was filled with a magical selection of balloons, everything from a Tin Solder, Christmas tree's, Elves, snowmen and of course Santa Claus! I can imagine small children with their parents peering through to see all the beautiful displays... a true winter wonderland of excitement!

But these displays are not merely to create a display, each and every item on display is something that can be purchased by their customers, what a fantastic way to show off your skills!

An opportunity to take a 5 minute tour around the Qualatex Stand at the 2014 Spring Fair.

I cannot exactly remember how many years I have been part of the Qualatex Spring Fair crew, but it is quite a few now and I have enjoyed each and every one of them!

www.SPRINGFAIR.com

For a number of years I have been invited to create the designs for the window displays, which is a huge honour for me as well as a massive challenge... what can I make to show off the new range of Qualatex balloons at their Very Best? I was pretty lucky this year as most of the theme's were totally 'up my street', very feminine, I even think that my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle was a pretty version!

Inside Out and Upside Down... the versatility of a Qualatex Geo Blossom!

'Love Stack' - A great design for Valentines
Created by Sue Bowler CBA

Here is my newest design idea for Valentines Day, I have named it 'Love Stack' (designs are easier to sell when you name them). The name Love Stack is a play on that very famous song 'Love Shack' (baby love shack) by the B52's - you'll be humming that all day now...

It uses Qualatex Geo Blossoms in a different way (which I know some of you do this already), but this is my first time for a while and I have enjoyed re-visiting this technique!

So for those of you who have not used the inside-out method here's how simple it is!

Geo Blossom Flower Assortment

He's from France, his design style is awesome and he's teaching at the World Balloon Convention...it is my pleasure to introduce Monsieur Jose Luthman!

Design Created
By Jose Luthman CBA

Many of you will already know Jose (pronounced Jo-ze), especially balloon artists from around  Europe as he has been an instructor in France, for a number of years, teaching at a variety of different balloon events including ABC (Sunny Twist) and Qualatex Events around France, at the Qualatex Event in Oxford in 2012 and at BACI last year! I am sure that you will have seen a selection of his work in Balloon Images Magazine or posted in the Qualatex Facebook Group?

Stylish, elegant and creative are probably the best words that I can find to describe Jose's balloon 'art', maybe it is true that the French really do have that 'chic' edge when it comes to design?

This will be Jose's first time teaching at the World Balloon Convention (WBC) so I took this opportunity to ask Jose a few questions about his forthcoming experience!

Yes it's time to get ready for Valentines 2014!

'Monkey Love' - Design by Sue Bowler CBA

I wonder why most people leave buying their Valentines Day gifts to the last minute? Maybe it's just human nature or because people are still in a post Christmas recovery mode or maybe it's because they have no idea what they should buy?

Valentines day is a strangely funny celebration as it means different things to different people...maybe a person has been in a long term relationship and the word 'love' is a familiar saying, however, there are those who's relationships are nowhere near using that word (LOVE) and they certainly don't want to send or give anything that is remotely soppy!

I love you Script Modern # 29133

Happy New Year...and welcome to 2014!

I hope that you had a very productive 'ballooning' Christmas and New Years eve, and even managed to fit in and enjoy some family time over the holiday period! 

Looking at the Qualatex Facebook Groups it appears that many of you were busy creating some awesome Christmas and New Years decor, which is fantastic, congratulations to you all!

Before I start working on a heap of 2014 projects (which is always very exciting), I would like to take a quick look back Christmas 2013!

Starpoint & Taper Wall - by Sue Bowler CBA

I personally had a very busy time leading up to Christmas working with my husband John. As many of you will know, BAPIA -- the Balloon and Party Industry Alliance, took on the fantastic task of organising balloon decor for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital annual Christmas parties, held for all the sick children and their families. 
In 2 days the GOSH team and their many volunteers hosted 4 parties with over 2000 children and adults attending, along with a whole host of well known UK celebrities... so a great opportunity to show balloons at their very best!