November 22 - Jojo Skellington

"Well done is better than well said."

~ Benjamin Franklin

Never have I ever ... Inflated a balloon by ear.

Today I'm thankful for Tobias Stengel (Tobi Twist).

Tobi, the human balloon pump, would have to drink for his signature move.  His short-form videos are fast, fun and full of those quick clever ideas that make me watch them on loop and take notes.

Tobi brings energy and joy into his builds - and he's putting in the work, it's no surprise the world is showing up to watch.

(view other Jack Skellington)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Tobi Twist:

November 21 - Hulk

"The smallest details make the biggest difference."

~ Richard Carlson

Today I'm thankful for Patrick Van De Ven.

I've always thought Patrick's designs had an ... elegance to them?  I remember seeing his Gonzo for the first time and how the world just kind of froze for three minutes while I devoured every detail.

His Little Guy technique is one of my favorite for "humanoids" (saying that makes me feel like a Martian), and is probably one of the clearer examples of how a balloon concept can be so universal.

Simple things.  Little things.  Important things - they're what make the design.

(view other Hulk)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Patrick Van De Ven:

November 20 - Cow

"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it."

~ Molière

Today I'm thankful for Matt Falloon.

Matt is to balloons what Ken Jennings is to Jeopardy.   Somehow the right person ended up doing the right thing at exactly the right time.

His lessons make you work: your fingers, your patience, your brain, your vocabulary... everything gets used.  They're finger-burners in the best way, the kind that leave you stronger for having survived them.

Like beating a Dark Souls boss ... 

   

(view other cow)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Matt Falloon:

November 19 - Longhorn Beetle Larva

"To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour."

~ William Blake
  Auguries of Innocence (1803)

It's one thing to be a master, it's another to lift us all by sharing the secrets behind the magic.

Today I'm thankful for Masayoshi Matsumoto (Isopresso Balloon).

Every piece they create is detailed and intentional, like it belongs in a field guide as a reference illustration or labelled with a museum placard.  

Their channel has probably been one of my favorite places to learn - half tutorial, half "how is that even possible?"

(view other insects)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Isopresso:

November 18 - Hats

"The earth has music for those who listen."

~ George Santayana

He took balloons around the world in the most inspiring way.

Today I'm thankful for Addi Somekh.

Addi is someone who has pushed past perceived boundaries, from his television series to his band to his world travels.  Looking at the images in his book, I'm both awed and inspired.  He's humble, kind, and spreading the love in every way possible.

A modern Johnny Latex-seed.

(view other hats)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Addi Somekh:

November 17 - Simon the Seaweed

"The details are not the details. They make the design."

~ Charles Eames

I always bring something to balloon conventions that people comment on with a little envy.

Today I'm thankful for Linda Truscheit.

Linda's creations are not only ridiculously adorable, but her staging and images of them are outstanding.  She's one of those rare people who puts the same care into everything she touches, from her balloons to the hand-made lanyard she once made for my pump.

That's the kind of artist she is: thoughtful, generous and unforgettable.

(view other monsters)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Linda Truscheit:

November 16 - Decomex Deep Yellow

Late last night I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took away my old man

~ Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell (1970)

As a parent, you understand that a birthday is really more of a celebration of your own accomplishment.  Kept them alive another year!

Today I'm thankful for my mom.

A violin concert when I was probably eleven years old, the first ones where it's all EEEEeeeeee EeeeEEEEEEE!  (And you're supposed to be playing C C?)  In the front row with a tape recorder - that's my mom.

Unconditional support and overwhelming love.   That's my mom.

The ability to find something hilarious (even if inappropriate!) in everything.  That's my mom.

Laughter.   That's my mom.   ❤️

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Decomex continues to impress with every single bag.  These balloons have a great feel, super spongey, nice deep color, they're not as soft as some other brands but they hit that sweet spot just perfectly.  My compliments to their chemist or something?

This is deep yellow.  Not to be that guy ... again, but "deep" as an adjective for color?   Can we dial in on actual colors before we start getting somber greens and sporty oranges?  The color is great, more on the darker side of yellow but not quite Marigold.  Kind of .. auuuuuugggh .. deep.

Overall impression of Decomex Deep Yellow - I love 'em.  I feel like I could build a raft and float away on them they are super sturdy, yet they don't suffer from being a stiff like a decor brand.  I wouldn't add them but I could see myself replacing the bright sunshine yellow with this.

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Other "color day" balloons:

November 15 - Infinity Gauntlet

"Normality is a paved road: it's comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it."

~ Vincent van Gogh

Wicked awesome and wicked smaht.

Today I'm thankful for Dan Staples.

Dan has made some really weird stuff.  I mean that as the highest compliment possible - game recognizes game!  

Dan is a great guy on top of being an incredible artist.  I feel like if we grew up in the same area, he'd be in my D&D campaign as a high level druid with some sort of "far-too-dangerous-to-be-tamed-but-the-rules-allow-for-it" pet.

I've been meaning to make this gauntlet for a while.  I imagine before they made the Infinity Gauntlet they made the 9999999 Repeating Gauntlet and someone asked the question, "what if we added 1 more?"

(view other Marvel things)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Dan Staples:

November 14 - Spongebob

"Creativity thrives on collaboration."

~ John Cleese

There are friends who cheer you on - and then there are friends who challenge you to level up.

Today I'm thankful for John Justice.

John is the kind of artist who brings something amazing to the table, grinning like it's just a Tuesday. 

He's an incredible artist and good friend - the kind who makes you want to dig deeper, try harder, and create something that makes him go "Whoa!... but it's just a Tuesday!"
(view other Spongebob themed designed)

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Other balloons by and inspired by John Justice:

November 13 - Flounder

"The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see."

~ Alexandra K. Trenfor

Somewhere in a classroom, a teacher is arranging the balloon the brought in to show off to the class.

Today I'm thankful for Mr. Boma.

A teacher by trade and an artist by passion, Mr. Boma shared a series of lessons on YouTube that are as thoughtful as they are fun.  There's something about the way he teaches - you can feel the classroom experience behind it, calm and certain.

I really appreciate that he includes the 'why' behind things - the thought behind the twist - that's where the real lessons hide.

(view other Little Mermaid)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Mr. Boma:

November 12 - Alligator

"The beginning is the most important part of the work."

~ Plato

Like all great stories, this one started with a pig and an alligator.

Today I'm thankful for Eric Weinstein.

A design inspired by Eric Weinstein's "Live Balloon" collection was what started this journey all those years ago. Eric collection of creatures was also where I kind of finally understood the value of balloon concept vs. a balloon design.  Following a design vs. making things.

... and just think how close the blog came to being called The Grinning Gator's Latex Factory!
(view other alligator)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Eric Weinstein:

November 11 - Briar Rose

"Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead."

~ Charles Bukowski

This is the greatest and best balloon in all the world.

Tribute.

Today I'm thankful for Shana Sharp.

If there is one balloon design that I've used more than any others, it has to be this cutie doll princess.  For a while, I carried tiny cards that said "Take me!" - tucked them into their hands and left them hiding in hotel lobbies and elevators while traveling for tech summits.  

Shana Sharp is a Shupershtar - quick/funny and just abshurdly creative.  Her Twitch show is a proving ground for the wonderfully weird, where bizarre requests turn into balloon brilliance.

,  

(view other princesses)

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Other balloons by and inspired by Shana Sharp: