July 16 - Jojo Dog

"The bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth will ever be."

~ Konrad Lorenz

You give a proper name - sometimes even spur-of-the-moment - when adopting an animal. "What do you think, guys? 'Arlo'? Arlo it is!"

But after enough time together, you realize you're greeting your dog with a cheerful "Mister Sweet! Mister Sweet!" in a ridiculous character voice.

This is their true name.
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The dog form is one of Tobi Twist's Jojo Cuties collection with probably the toughest ears to match so far, you want to get a wide-to-thin stretch on a 160, so probably best to do all that manipulation before they are added to the structure.

(view other dogs or jojos)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Tobi Twist:

July 15 - Jojo Cat

"As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat."

~ Ellen Perry Berkeley

A certain amount of cat hair in my food is just a fact of life at this point.

I don't push them off the counter. I let them take an interested sniff from what I eat. I realize I am the problem.

Worth it.

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The tiger is one of Tobi Twists's Jojo Cuties, I thought "big cat" and a lion might work as well but ended up going for smaller ears because of the mane.

(view other tigers, lions or jojos

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Other balloons by and inspired by Tobi Twist:

July 14 - Jojo Cow

"Never kick a cow chip on a hot day."

~ Will Rogers

A cow's eye is like an elephant's, deep and serene - they look at you is if they know secrets and are politely chewing them over.

A cow's moo is like an elephant's trumpet, just softer and closer to a sigh - similar sound played through a shorter, squishier tube.

A cow's poo, though, definitely not like an elephant's.  It's an undignified mushy splat.  It's what a "blapppfffpptrrrt" sound might look like.  

It is ... most definitely NOT ... a pie.

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This cow form is one of the Jojo Cuties instructions for Tobi Twist's instructions.  

(view other cows or jojos

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Other balloons by and inspired by Tobi Twist:

July 13 - Gemar Pink

I couldn't find quiet, I went out in the rain
I was just soakin' my head to unrattle my brain
Somebody said you disappeared in a crowd
I didn't understand then, I don't understand now

~ The National - Pink Rabbits

Gemar Pink and Baby Pink are fairly different color tones (see the chart for comparison) - pink is delicate, where baby pink is a bit more .. fleshy?  Kind of the reverse of what I would imagine - I've always assumed a "baby" version to be the more delicate of the colors.

I chose this color next mainly to try and contrast the frustrating experience I had with Tuftex pink.  I can easily say in contrast, the five year old stock of Gemar balloons were a pleasure to work with.  

In the spirit of challenge, I will try to target 100 balloons where it makes sense and there is time.  50 is good exercise, 100 is a workout.

I used some to practice making spirals.  There's a knack for inflating while allowing it to unweave from your finger without any kinks tightly that I haven't really ever paid much attention to.  

Overall assessment, Gemar pink have the great elasticity I associate with the brand.  Even after five years box storage, these held up with almost no issues.  I definitely prefer the brighter, bubblegummy tone of the standard pink over the more "wormy" look of the baby pink.

These had some of the under-powdered stickiness that doesn't work well with how tightly I tend to wrap my color bundles and make them questionable to inflate.  I would chalk some of this up to age, but I experienced similar results with the new colors bags too.

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Other "color day" balloons:

July 12 - Owl

"A wise old owl sat on an oak;
the more he saw the less he spoke."

~ Nursery rhyme

With eyes big as moons and heads that turn just far enough to see -everything-, owls have always been the quiet librarians of the night.  They watch.

They see your midnight snack trips, your questionable 2am purchases, your late night online gaming obsession.

Still, they keep your secret, "who?" Exactly.

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This design is one Isopresso showed a while ago that I've had earmarked to build forever ... which occurred yesterday.  

(view other birds or specifically owls)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Isopresso:

July 11 - Thing

"Your hands are the messengers of your heart."

~ Maria Montessori

Darren showed us his Thing in a recent Bling Bling Jam webinar.

... wait.

Darren's Thing looks just like ... 

... hold on.  Let me explain.

Darren Mortiboy (@mrtwisterballoons) shared his "Thing from the Addams Family" design this last Bling Bling Jam webinar. 

Darren is a balloon modeler/artist based in from Northern Ireland with incredible skill and some amazing instructions and innovative tutorials.

It's honestly occurring to me with some shock that I haven't showcased any of his designs on this blog before now.  He will be teaching at this years Bling Bling Jam, so that will certainly change and I'm looking forward to those classes. 

He seems like the kind of guy you could make fast friends with, someone who will whisper something hilariously inappropriate to you at the perfect time leaving you in trouble for giggling.

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Other balloons by and inspired by Darren Mortiboy (this space will grow):

July 10 - Train

'Cause out on the edge of darkness
There rides a peace train
Oh, peace train take this country
Come take me home again

~ Yusuf / Cat Stevens Peace Train

Chooo chooo!  bling-bling-bling-bling-bling-bling-bling-bling-bling!

This is a design shared at a recent Bling Bling Jam webinar for a line work modular train by Cecilia Ladyballoons - @alpacaglobo on IG.

Cecilia is probably the happiest person you will ever have the pleasure of learning from.  She loves what she does, you can't help but feel that joy radiate through every moment you spend watching.

Everyone jump upon the Peace Train!

(view other trains)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Cecilia Ladyballoons:

July 9 - Jojo Mallard

"There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: one is roots, the other is wings."

~ Hodding Carter

The mother mallard watched her little yellow ducky paddling circles in the pond.

She knew his feathers would change one day, and that bright little yellow boy would give way to new colors.  Change is, after all, inevitable.  

But that was a long while off, and for today, she would just enjoy the time with her little bouncing ball of sunshine.

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I was playing around with accessorizing the little ducky form from the Tobi Twist Jojo Cuties, and ended up making a couple mallard and then Daffy Duck.  

(view other ducks or jojos)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Tobi Twist:

July 8 - Jojo Ducky

"it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are."

~ e.e. cummings

The little ducky wondered why his feathers were so bright yellow, while his mother's were so different.

She said he was bright like the sun. She said it was because he was the happiest little ducky in the pond.

Would he stay this sunny forever? He didn't know - but as long as she was by his side, he supposed that was a good enough an answer for now.

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These little ducky's were part of the Tobi Twist Jojo Cuties collection - I'm really appreciating the way he creates his eyes, not only is it quicker but slight inconsistencies between the pupils are not as ... offensive? as long as the angles are similar.


(view other ducks or jojos)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Tobi Twist:

July 7 - Jojo Elephant

"What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family."

~ Mother Teresa

Deep and thoughtful eyes

Move like quiet mountains.

They wait for the slowest.

They protect the weakest.

They remember.

I try to.

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This was another Tobi Twist Jojo Cuties from the collection, I love that he attempted one of the biggest land animals with the smallest technique.  

I ended up making one with a fat 360 body that seemed to keep everything in better matching proportions, at least from the side view ... hmmm ... I should have taken pictures of the side view.

(view other elephants or jojos)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Tobi Twist:

July 6 - Tuftex Pink

You could be my flamingo
'Cause pink is the new kinda lingo

~ Aerosmith - Pink

It's important to remember that every color is a chemical formula - something + latex.  Ideally that something only changes the color and nothing else.  Sometimes the formula might need to vary depending on the different size and thicknesses of balloons.

Whatever formula the used with Tuftex Pink is not good.  These were two new bags, pink and baby pink, purchased like a month ago - and were both so maddeningly fragile.   You could feel the thinness when inflating, things would pop with just the barest friction.  Even as careful as you can be, you still need to twist something into a pinch twist at times and this was a crap shoot.   

I'm including a color comparison of the various pinks - overall pinks seem to be highly varied between the companies and span a wide range of "something between white and red".

Overall assessment of Tuftex Pink ... I do not like them.   Way too fragile, even new/fresh.  I won't be using them again. 

 

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Other "color day" balloons:

July 5 - Jojo Sheep

"You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once."

~ Amarillo Slim

Every year, there is that one sheep who draws the short straw and becomes the first shorn of the season. A naked party guest at a wooly masquerade ball, trying not to make eye contact with anyone still fluffy.

Living the dream, but it's that one where you show up naked at school.

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This sheep is from the Tobi Twist Jojo Cuties collection, I ended up building it with a fluffier body, I think it worked well the way the eyes are built.
 
(view other sheep or jojos)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Tobi Twist: