November 3 - The Garden

"There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are."

~ Fred Rogers

Meeting the right person at the right time can change your world in the most beautiful way.

Today I'm thankful for Helen Budinger - my first balloon friend and someone I'm always thinking of when I consider why I do what I do.

She told me that what I made didn't have to be perfect to be loved.  

... and neither do you.   ❤️

(view other rainbows)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Helen Budinger:

June 19 - Rainbow Flowers Kanesan

"Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light."

~ Theodore Roethke

I know I JUST made a rainbow flower, but Balloon Art Kanesan made such a cool one and kind of achieved the (what I had thought was) impossible.

Technically 7-petal flowers are at the very extent of tightness, they work great as a base - even if you lose a petal or even two, they still look like a flower. A 9-petal flower is like raising an auction bid by an amount that shocks the crowd.

A couple smart ideas that kind of come together to make this work.  My first attempt (as always) was a bit wonky, but not irredeemable by grouping the petals the right way.  It was a rough draft but as I look at it now - I like the sort of triangular face grouping the smaller color sections together.

(view other rainbows or flowers)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Balloon Art Kanesan:

June 18 - Rainbow TOSHI

"Strength lies in differences, not in similarities."

~ Stephen R. Covey

A rainbow is typically a delicate thing.  A little bit of magic after a storm, only visible if you happen to look the right way at just the right time.

Not this one.

Balloon Artist TOSHI demonstrated how to weave this brick of a rainbow together on his channel. and it's solid.  Double sided, with a blue-sky back - I wonder how this would work as a pool floaty ... I built from the red down and made the purple/blue section slightly smaller than I should.  The fushia/light blue feels like the smallest chain to easily make, it probably would have been best to establish that size and work up from there.

🌈

(view other rainbows)

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Other balloons by and inspired by TOSHI:

June 16 - Rainbow Fuusen

"Every single person, no matter who they are, has the right to be themselves."

~ Jazz Jennings

June should be full of rainbows, and not just because of the weather. 

It's a symbol that radiates joy when it lands, magical despite the science.

... and such a bright/fun thing to build.  It's the easiest cheat to match colors beautifully --- "all of them, please". 😁

So whether you're marching, reflecting, celebrating or just surviving this month - this one's for you. 

🌈

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This was inspired by Fuusen Aikoukai - #66 on his YouTube channel.  I made my cloud a bit small to fit the rays and it's lollipopping a bit.  

    

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(view other rainbows)

April 22 - Rainbow

Mother Earth Mother Earth
so glad that you gave birth
there is life in all I see
there is life in Everything (Everything)
Everyday in an Earthday
celebrating her birthday (birthday)
Rainbows and butterflies
Green Mountains and Blue skies

~ Paul Izak, Mother Earth (click!)

Happy Earth Day!

It seems almost paradoxical that this year we are probably doing better for Earth than on any previous Earth Day organized event.  Keeping home, going on nature walks, working in the garden. 

This balloon design is one taught by Song Junlin (fusen_zero), slightly modified to be more inclusive.

June 4 - Rainbow

“Yellow is the colour of the sun.
Blue is the colour of the sky.
Green is the colour of grass.
Brown is the colour of your eyes.
Black is the colour of the night.
Orange is the colour of truth.
Red is the colour of love.
And...
Rainbow is the colour of you.”

~ Anthony T. Hincks

There are places I go nowadays where I don't dare show up without balloons! (unless I have a serious excuse.)  It's in stark contrast to the shyness when I first bring balloon art some place, when I know people really like it - I do my best to make something nice.

Well I forgot.  It was about 11 pm the night and I was going to the dentist in the morning.  I needed to come up with something quick!  I wracked my brain for something toothy, the rain was pounding on the roof - which was the spark of this idea.

Sometimes it's hard to place credit for the inspiration when it is a design that has been used a lot or there are multiple and varied versions of it posted online.  But the first time I saw something like this, was when I met Helen Budinger at Florida Super Jam, and it's only by her example and encouragement that I began giving out random balloon gifts to begin with.  

🌈Thank you, Helen! 💗

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Other posts with Helen's designs:

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