August 10 - The Harvest Dancer

Mushrooms don't grow simply because of the rain.

Every autumn, when the rains have softened the earth, the Harvest Dancer returns.

With each pirouette, hidden threads beneath the soil awaken. Tiny caps push through the forest floor in widening circles.

Graceful steps coax clusters of mushrooms up through the moss, as if called to the dance in its wake.

By dawn, the Harvest Dancer has vanished without leaving a footprint, while the forest floor bears the only proof of the celebration.

This is a color day BONUS balloon!
Celetex Coffee

August 9 - Celetex Coffee

One more cup of coffee for the road
One more cup of coffee 'fore I go
To the valley below

~ Bob Dylan - One More Cup of Coffee

Coffee is one of the few Celetex bags that I purchased when looking to fill the new color gaps in my kit.  

I delayed using these and finally did so rather reluctantly, based on my first experiences with the balloon brand - these were much better than I expected.   They have a decent pliability and durability - but I would still add that there is less friction than other balloons.  

Your miles may vary - this may be good or bad depending on what you're doing.  I personally don't like the "fwip" of a pinch twist undoing itself, but less friction means less potential fractures at the joints ... 

Overall impression of Celetex Coffee - pretty good, pretty pretty good.  Not the right one though.

Other color day balloons:

August 7 - Wile E. Coyote

"What's in a name?
That which we call a rose /
By any other name would smell as sweet."

~ William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

I am not sure why we don't just call him 'Wile'.  

How many other Wile's do you need to know before you feel a need to differentiate?   

Which Wile?  The coyote one.  Which coyote one?  E.

This week's lesson again comes from Dave Brenn's Patreon, where last week he showed this in anticipation of the new movie out soon.     

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Other balloons by and/or inspired by Dave Brenn:

August 6 - Frog

"Time's fun when you're having flies."

~ A Dad (presumably)

I would never profess to having my act together, only .. more together than it used to be.

I first made these frogs back in March of 2016.  This was well before I was doing any image editing, but would painstakingly caption images with puns and one-liners - because THAT'S entertainment! 

... yup.  

Looking back, it's fun to see the progress - not just in the balloons, but in everything.  

I wonder what it will look like when I finally get my act together?

(view other frogs)

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Other balloons by and/or inspired by Eric Weinstein:

August 5 - Butterfly

"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough."

~ Rabindranath Tagore

Certainly there would be a few engineering challenges to solve, but really we're just talking about a scalability issue. 

Butterfly swarm - possibly the coolest way to travel.

"Is Jerry late ... again?!
"..."
"Jerry?"
* Jerry arrives in fluttery magnificence *

* gets promotion * 

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This butterfly is one of the more recent member videos and a new design to practice from the Isopresso collection.  

I can see this structure being used for building a variety of flutterbys.  These were my first attempts and I have a feeling I'll be making a few more before I call myself finished here.  

(view other butterfly)

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Other balloons by or inspired by Isopresso:

August 4 - Rust Orange Dawg

"Dance like no one is watching."

~ A bumper sticker

I get it.  Dance for yourself.   Dance freely.  It's good stuff.

But also ... 

Dance like it's the spring equinox and the gods are deciding whether the crops should come in this year.

Dance like you're the vessel and trying to summon an exotic sea nymph.

Dance like your ancestors came to see the show but are sitting up in the cheap seats.

Don't just do it without fear.

Do it with magnificent, unreasonable enthusiasm.

This is a color day BONUS balloon!
Decomex Rust Orange

August 3 - Johnny the Red

I'll tell you the tale of Johnny the Red,
He laughed while roped in the gallows, it's said.
The judge wanted pleading, the crowd wanted dread.
Heave on there me laddies, heave on!

With silver and threats from each whispering tongue,
They begged for his secret before he was hung,
He answered with laughter and never once sung.
Heave on there me laddies, heave on!

For Johnny had taken the governor's chest,
While soldiers searched east, the sailors searched west.
But no map could bring them the end of their quest.
Heave on there me laddies, heave on!

With one coin given to each child born in fear,
And one to each widow who'd shed bitter tears.
The kingdom possessed what they'd searched for for years.
Heave on there me laddies, heave on!

So they rifled his pockets, while a woman bought bread,
And another lit candles where darkness once spread.
Now lift up a cup to the life he once led,
And heave on there me laddies, heave on!

This is a color day BONUS balloon!
Decomex Rust Orange