June 6 - Dory

Just keep swimming ..
Just keep swimming ..
Just keep swimming ..
~ Dory Finding Pablo Nemo

I loved Finding Nemo, it released when my oldest was only 3 and counts as one of the BIG Disney movies in their lives and mine. What better story could there be than a dad who would take on the ocean and not one but THREE sharks to save his son, Marlin is me.

Finding Dory should release in just under 2 weeks - I've never built a Dory, I thought this would be a good time to learn!

Ryan Lavallee released this as his first downloadable tutorial.  I like it, easily built and instantly recognizable - just a couple balloons and some scraps.  ... and a Geo.  I was able to build the second from memory without a second watch.

Clownfish are one of the few salt water fish successfully bred in captivity, so when Nemo released in 2003 and everyone rushed to build an aquarium, the world ecology wasn't impacted the way it could be by this movie.  Blue Tangs must be caught in the wild, it is a beautiful fish, for many of them these are their final days of freedom.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, ...

Dory's Classmates
"PuuuuuuUUUUuuUuurrrrplllllllle PiIIIIIIiiiiiiiiig"? -- You know I don't speak whale!

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Other posts with Ryan's designs:


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June 6 - Dory

Just keep swimming ..
Just keep swimming ..
~ Dory Finding Harpo Nemo

I loved Finding Nemo, it released when my oldest was only 3 and counts as one of the BIG Disney movies in their lives and mine. What better story could there be than a dad who would take on the ocean and not one but THREE sharks to save his son, Marlin is me.

Finding Dory should release in just under 2 weeks - I've never built a Dory, I thought this would be a good time to learn!

Dan Staples shared this with us on YouTube, easily built and instantly recognizable - just a couple balloons and some scraps.  I was able to build the second from memory without a second watch.

Clownfish are one of the few salt water fish successfully bred in captivity, so when Nemo released in 2003 and everyone rushed to build an aquarium, the world ecology wasn't impacted the way it could be by this movie.  Blue Tangs must be caught in the wild, it is a beautiful fish, for many of them these are their final days of freedom.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, ...

Dory's Classmates
"Le Cochon Violet"? -- but what does it mean?

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Other posts with Dan's designs:


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June 5 - Instagram Logo

Rise above three twist balloon dogs,
No fat clowns in cheap wigs here!
Raise the bar, improve our artform,
It's the Balloon Blast Video Show!

It's the Balloon Blast Video Show!
It's the Balloon Blast Video Show!
With Scott Tripp and Sam Cremeens!
    CREMEEENS!

Season four of the Balloon Blast Video Show just launched!

This season they are changing the intro to include other clips while the song plays, today we were entertained (?) by a crowned Sam doing a dance that I can only describe as a white mans giggledy-twist.  #keepingitweird

Scott does most of the on-camera legwork in this episode, his creations are sometimes those oddball requests that you would never think of building until someone in your line asked for it - and this time is no exception, we are shown how to make an Instagram hat/bracelet and selfie stick.  #awesomegoatee  

Sam, sporting a (hopefully) unique and very comfortable looking bubble-gum pink bowling shirt with Mr. Sam stenciled on the pocket, reviews a few items including Ken Shute's pump gear bag.  #stencilguy

Note that this is Instagram's old logo, just last month they changed from the one we all know and love to some new rainbow colored line drawing because they are introducing a new line of apps and they want some sort of synergy.   ... ... ...  #legomylogo

Milligram, Instagram, Kilogram	I just got my InstaGoPro camera
First, let me take a selfie...

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Other posts with Scott's designs:


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June 4 - School Bus

Cruisin' on down Main Street
You're relaxed and feelin' good
Next thing that you know you're seein'
Octopus in the neighborhood!
Surfin' on a sound wave
Swingin' through the stars
Take a left at your intestine
Take your second right past Mars.
On The Magic School Bus!
~ Magic School Bus Intro (link)

When I told my oldest son that I was going to make a bus for Bernard for the last day of school, despite being immersed in his after school ritual of phone worship, looked up and said "Bernard?  Really?  He's cool."  before getting distracted by a ping or a pong and returning to his reverie.

Bernard drives the bus for our school.  Always with a ready smile and wave, happy to chat with the enthusiastic toddler, he's been the audience to my morning farewells as I hang backpacks, sports bags, instruments and science projects on my boys and send them tottering towards school and bus.  We've shared a laugh when I have to reel them back in for sneaking off without that farewell kiss.

When I handed the School Bus to him, I did my typical apologetic mumble whenever I bring someone a random balloon gift "Here is ...  I .. -- this is for you.  Thanks." with an awkward smile.  But what I meant to say was "thank you, Bernard - for keeping my son safe for three years, that makes you a freaking rock star in my book".

Next year is going to be very different as I drop kids off at a different school ...

Our school bus is white with blue stripes, but unfortunately I only took one quick picture (above) before heading in that morning.   I've wanted to try out the Brenion Rumble Truck design for a while, but I probably should have practiced some of the earlier models and started with something a little less "artworky".

I am looking forward to building the normal Rumble Trucks!

More like a cool bus!

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Other posts with David's designs:


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June 3 - D'lish Donut

“It's like doughnut holes. Whether you take a doughnut hole as a blank space or as an entity unto itself is a purely metaphysical question and does not affect the taste of the doughnut one bit.”
~ Haruki Murakami

Today is "National Doughnut Day".  My initial thoughts were this is a gluttonous, Hallmark, American gross (yet delicious) holiday - from the Wiki:

National Doughnut Day started in 1938 as a fund raiser for Chicago's The Salvation Army. Their goal was to help the needy during the Great Depression, and to honor The Salvation Army "Lassies" of World War I, who served doughnuts to soldiers.

Let me eat my words fried and lightly dusted with powdered sugar please.

D'lish Donut is another 'entity' from John Justice's recent Shopkin release from Twisters Cookbook.  I'm so glad this was one of the downloads, it's such a bizarre shape to try and pull off but John does an amazing job.  

According to the Shopkins Wiki - this is from Season One, it's hobby is golf because it's always trying to get a hole in one.  (ba-dum-tish!)  The chocolate one is the variant.

Cole, Lester & Al

"Your friend was D'lish ... "

Other posts with John's designs:


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June 2 - Simba

Oh yes, the past can hurt,
But the way I see it, you can either
run from it or learn from it.
~ Rafiki

Today is graduation day:

Both of my boys are at a transitional point, my oldest is moving on to high school after being part of the Montessori school system for over 10 years, while my youngest is heading to middle school.  My little goofy goobers are turning into fine young men, one day they will be sitting with their young cubs looking at the stars and talking about the great kings that came before.

(Has any Dad ever watched that scene with dry eyes?  Not this guy ...)

Simba is the first creation from Eric Weinstein's PDF Live Balloons #7 - this is a nice big fat display piece with a prideful chubby chest.  It's not a very complicated build but the effect is powerful with something this size.

I like this style of back leg - but I'm not sure I care for the back feet coming out from the center point.  On future builds I might set them out a bit from the body.  Also, with double pinch twists at the bottom, you can tell from the bottom image - he's looking a little "male"  ...

I would never bite you ...	... but a Tiger Woods.
Everything the light touches is our kingdom ...

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June 1 - Orangutan

Now don't try to kid me, Man Cub
I made a deal with you
What I desire is Man's Red Fire
To make my dream come true
Now give me the secret, Man Cub
Come on, clue me what to do
Give me the power of Man's Red Flower
So I can be like you.
~ King Louie - The Jungle Book

I bought this PDF from Patrick Van De Ven right when it released and just recently had opportunity to make it again.

Patrick's designs that he creates for Balloon Magic magazine are fantastic, but I believe the designs that he spends the time to craft and sell himself are even better.  Although it looks similar in some respects to a gorilla from the magazine, this one is not only easier to build but also has a greater potential for "playability with form" if that makes any sort of sense.

This design, however, marks the last design I was allowed to bring to my sons school.  After attending Florida Super Jam last year, I thought to bring a balloon sculpture to our school on Mondays for the front office, this was probably the 5th I had brought in? -- and despite what everyone was saying about enjoying them, I got an email to cease-and-desist - that they are a choking hazard.  ... Crushed ... I didn't even want to walk into the front office for a long while.

Orangutans	Yellogutans
Not sure if pigs morphing to Orangutan, or Orangutan morphing to pigs...	Let's do this!

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