October 31 - Young Witch

Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingrediants of our caldron.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.

~ William Shakespeare Macbeth

Happy Halloween!

I saved my favorite PDF from Tatyana DjeTa Lyashko's Halloween collection for last.

Overall I'm pleased with how it turned out, but there are a few things I would definitely do more efficiently next time. For example, I left drawing the face for last and it made it for some awkward hand positions and shakiness - I should have drawn it even before I attached the hair. I also would size the broom angle and legs a little better so she could stand more easily while holding onto the broom handle.

Thank you, Tatyana - these PDFs were fantastic and a pleasure to build for this holiday project!

It's a beautiful night to fly out for a spell

I got ninety nine problems but a witch ain't one

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October 30 - Audrey II

I've given you sunlight
I've given you rain
Looks like you're not happy
'Less I open a vein!
I'll give you a few drops
If that'll appease
Oh please-
Oh oh oh please-
Grow for me?

~ Little Shop of Horrors Grow For Me

Tatyana DjeTa Lyashko has another amazing design in her Halloween PDFs. I delayed building this until I had all the proper supplies assembled, and once again this a very educational experience and certainly pushed me to the edge of my abilities. I shouted out in dismay a few times while building it as things weren't coming together.

I am not complaining though, it really is a fantastic opportunity to practice things. Though I might understand a concept upon reading or first use, it takes a lot of applied practice to get the nuances of it. There are complications that I had to work through five times, and by the fifth time I was doing it quite well.

This was a gigantic balloon to suspend on just a small plant stem, I wouldn't have considered it possible without Tatyana's directions on how to defy gravity.

One more until Halloween!

Feed me, Seymour!	<<burp>>  What kid?
I tiptoed through his two lips...

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October 29 - G-g-g-ghost

Casper the friendly ghost
The friendliest ghost you know
Though grown ups might look in anger and fright
The children all love him so

~ Casper the Friendly Ghost

Here was another irresistible post by Buster Balloon.  The ghost reminds me of Caspers mean brothers - and is chock full of Buster-style.

This was a struggle to put together and took a number of attempts to figure out.  It was a great usage of all of my extra "bits and pieces" of balloons that were pulled out of my bags - but made for a few funny candy stripe faces, I included that picture as well.

I think I have overloaded the local Starbucks with all of these Halloween balloons!

It's a den, not a living room!	Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize
I'm the ghost of past chewed toys .. and I brought a buddy this time.

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October 28 - Chainsaw Bunny

Honey Bunny: I love you, Pumpkin.
Pumpkin: I love you, Honey Bunny.
Pumpkin: All right, everybody be cool, this is a robbery!
Honey Bunny: Any of you ****ing *****s move, and I'll execute every mother***ing last one of ya!

~ Pulp Fiction (NSFW link)

Tawney Bubbles appears on Buster Balloons Adorable DVD and shows us how to make this bunny.  What's so "Halloween" about a bunny? - a bunny with a chainsaw turning the tables and collecting lucky human feet is so metal my head is banging at the mere thought.

Though you can see the influence of Buster on her style, Tawney is very much her own twister and a good instructor.  You can also see from her personality that these two are an adorable couple, deserving of each other.

A shockwave hit the balloon and entertainment communities last night - Royal Sorell passed away suddenly. I wish I had the opportunity to meet him personally, I only know him through his reputation and the collective outpouring of emotions from those he has touched. He was a mentor, an entertainer, an innovator and an inspiration to countless people. The world is a poorer place for his passing. Royal Sorell December 30, 1958 - October 27, 2016

I have the perfect device if you sleep like a log ...	My grandfather is from Caerbannog
He's just chopping off the lucky left foot, you'll be all right.

October 27 - Crystal Ball

Who could have predicted Snapchat
would have the perfect filter?

"Serpents, and spiders, tail of a rat…
Call in the spirits, wherever they're at!
Rap on a table, it's time to respond…
Send us a message from somewhere beyond!
Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween...
Awaken the spirits with your tambourines!
Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond…
Let there be music from regions beyond!
Wizards and witches, wherever you dwell...
Give us a hint… by ringing a bell!"

~ Madame Leota's incantation

This was the next in the awesome group of PDFs Tatyana DjeTa Lyashko released for Halloween.

I had tried to build this last week, but faced some frustrations and quit early. These PDFs are all full of complicated techniques, a masters course in balloon art.  This was definitely a challenge to complete, but "Sometimes you have to shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars."  I know I learned a lot while building this, and if I were to build something similar to this again I would do it with much more ease.

For one, I know to be more careful when attaching things using glue.  I had bit of a catastrophe right at the end of building this, while attaching the first ball, it popped and took out a finger.  (I should have predicted that ..)  Once I attached the new digit, I took an insurance picture before trying again more carefully.

I was also a bit disappointed to find how short lived the flashing light was, only about 5 hours until it looked like it was just flashing red.  I rarely use them, but I should probably do some tests comparing the brightness/flash over time with some different lights I have.

If you like it put a ring on it	The numbers for tomorrow's lottery are ...
Some days I'm small, and others I'm a medium.

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October 26 - Patrick's Zombie

With their tanks and their bombs
And their bombs and their guns
In your head, In your head they are cryin'

In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie, Hey, hey
What's in your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie

~ The Cranberries Zombie

When I first started this blog I created a spreadsheet of the various balloon designs I wanted to build; the DVDs and downloadables that I had purchased, the YouTube clips that caught my eye, the bi-weekly webinars, images that I've seen posted and stuff I had learned at conventions.

Instead of shrinking, the list keeps getting bigger - and this month is a perfect example of why.  So many people are sharing their Halloween designs and I'm like a kid in a candy store (apropos for this time of year I suppose).  I'm saving much of them to my inspiration folders to attempt myself.

Patrick Van de Ven posted this little gem just yesterday and I couldn't resist attempting it.  I played around with the colors while learning the form, but I think he made a great choice with the pale blue. Green looks like Frankenstein's monster and blush looks a little odd.  I felt like I had underinflated things in the first build (above), but it ended up being my favorite - smaller = cuter in so many balloons.

One of my biggest learning experiences in this balloon was with the use of the grey marker.  It's more of a 'darkener' than a true color.  It worked great to provide the spots and more definition to the sunken eyes.

Zom A and Zom B	I love a woman with brains.
Fighting these plants is pretty much a no-brainer

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October 25 - Mummy

Look mummy, there's an aeroplane up in the sky

Did-did-did-did you see the frightened ones?
Did-did-did-did you hear the falling bombs?
Did-did-did-did you ever wonder why we had to run for shelter when the promise of a brave new world unfurled beneath a clear blue sky?

~ Pink Floyd Goodbye Blue Sky

Okay okay okay okay.

Okay.

One more Buster Balloon before I try to go on to other things. I couldn't resist attempting to build his mummy. It's so simple, yet it's so amazing.

This speaks to the next level ballooning that Buster does.  Not overly complex, but so stylized and so unique - the kind of balloon art that makes you smack yourself saying "why didn't I think of that!?"  Thinking in the simplest terms a mummy is "angry wrapped in gauze", and that's exactly what he pulls off to great effect.

Taking my mummy to the theater	Heiroglyphics?  I write in cursive.
... now was that 3 lefts and one right? .. or ..

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October 24 - Creature from the Black Lagoon

Ain't it hard to stumble
And land in some muddy lagoon
Especially when it's nine below zero
And three o'clock in the afternoon

~ Bob Dylan Outlaw Blues

I make no promises that this will be the last Buster Balloon image this month - I can't help myself.  He exists on a higher plane of balloon art, he doesn't just twist balloons - he operates in latex. He is to latex what Willie Wonka is to chocolate, and also similarly enough, Halloween is obviously one of his favorite holidays - he's tearing it up with his month long daily project.

This Creature is one that he did early on in the month, it took a couple attempts but I think I got the design pretty close, mounting the legs is a bit weird, and I ended up with a funny looking tukas. It's a bit hard to tell how things are put together behind. Maybe creature got back?

Thanks (again!) Buster!

Creature from the Black & White Lagoon	Fish are friends, not food. People, people are food.
There's certainly something fishy going on...

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October 23 - Reaper

All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain, we can be like they are
Come on baby, don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly, don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man

~ Blue Öyster Cult (Don't Fear) The Reaper

Once again I explore the genius of Buster Balloon. This was another design that he shared during his 31 days of Halloween creations, and when waiting for my youngest to finish his dance lesson I tried to recreate from memory. That's why the first lacks a full skull, but I actually like the hooded effect the robe gives.

When home I was able to review his images and make a couple other attempts, adding the skull and eye sockets.  Now that I look again though I realize there are still a few things I'm still missing... Buster, always imitated, never duplicated.

I'm really enjoying setting these balloons into scenes!

I'm meeting a hairstylist later, she's going to have a brush with death.	I don't love the job ... but it's a living.
Want to play kick the bucket?

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October 22 - Cthulhu

An artists sketch

“That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons even death may die.”

~ H.P Lovecraft

It was 1928 when H.P. Lovecraft first mentioned Cthulhu in his story in "Call of Cthulhu".  Described as one of the Great Old Ones, an uncomprehendable entity - to look upon him would drive you insane.  He is said to be dead but dreaming in the city of Ry'leh, sunken deep within the Pacific Ocean.

... when he wakes he will devour the world.

This design was one of Buster Balloon's in his 31 days of horror - once I saw it I had to build it.  It's obvious that Buster has stared into the black abyss and embraced the madness, his designs are just that good.

Pikathulu awakens	Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
Cthulhu story bro..

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October 21 - Tatyana's Pumpkin

Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see.

~ Linus The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

This was one I almost gave up on.

Tatyana DjeTa Lyashko must have an incredible amount of patience and/or an extremely soft touch. The process of getting the little bumps in this pumpkin that caused me to cry out in frustration and fear. As I was moving them into position, occasionally (*often* until I adjusted some things) it would explode and little beans would fly everywhere. I'm still finding them throughout my room.

The design looks amazing and was once again is like taking a masters course in balloon art. Tatyana is really wonderful and her advanced creations push you to create things beyond your skill. I still have a few more from her Halloween set to do - I'm both excited and terrified.

Sincerely, pick me!	One number I dislike - 3.14159265359....
Still no trick-or-treaters ... hmmm ...

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October 20 - Zombie Hand

“Blood is really warm,
it's like drinking hot chocolate
but with more screaming.”

~ Ryan Mecum Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry for Your...Brains

Buster Balloon shared this zombie hand creation in his DVD Frightening Fashions.

I really love the rest of the forearm bone sticking out, such a cool idea - and with the "blood" it makes for added creepiness. This is a fantastic (and handy) design that I'm sure I will be using in our Halloween decor now and in the future.

Buster is also doing his own 31 days of Halloween balloon-a-day spooktacular. His sense of design and professional photography skills are something to strive for, I should pick through his list for a few designs to attempt to copy!

... Every hand needs a one to hold on to, Don't need to be no strong hand ....	Hand sum ... = 3
I'm in good hands..

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October 19 - Werewolf

“What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary. ”

~ George Bailey It's a Wonderful Life

Sam Cremeens created this werewolf last year for the Patreon's of the Balloon Blast Show (link).

Someone a while back posted something to the effect of "Is all you get a bonus video for being a Patreon?" ... The reason you are a Patreon is much more than the extra goodies you can get. The Balloon Blast show has been an inspirational and free resource for so many balloon artists for years, being a Patreon supporter allows them to purchase better equipment to make better content. It encourages them to keep carrying on with more shows and demonstrates the value you have found. As recipients of Patreon support, Sam an Scott have been more than generous - even skipping charges on some episodes when they felt it shouldn't be applied.

But if you want to ignore that and reduce it down to what you get.  Fine - yes, that's all you get (plus a thanks in the credits of each show). But even that, however, is well worth it. These videos are high quality unique and creative instructions that will never be released elsewhere all for less than you probably spent on that sandwich you ended up throwing half of away because they put mayonnaise on it.

This is the second time I've built this werewolf (the first immediately after receiving the video). It was given to the activity desk at my gym to replace the scarecrow I gave them early last week. There is a tendency when you bring random-acts-of-balloons somewhere to keep them on display far too long, so now I'm in a vicious cycle of updating to avoid anything becoming too wilted and an eyesore for me!

Bark at the moon	Handsome guy ... being held by me.
When you suggested mooning someone ...

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