Showing posts with label Luc Bertrand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luc Bertrand. Show all posts

Monday, August 22, 2022

Balloon Basics - Qualatex Bubble Balloon™

Qualatex® Bubble Balloons are a balloon made from stretchable plastic, making it unusual and eye-catching. Unlike a Microfoil® balloon, it is inflated until all the creases at the seams disappear, giving it the look of a  beach ball, and making it attractive from every angle.

Bubble Balloons are non-allergenic, making them an ideal for hospital gifts and deliveries. They do not oxidise* and floating times are mainly measured in weeks rather than days.

This stunning Bubble Balloon design was created by Zoe Adam-Jones, CBA
of Jaz Trading, Gold Coast, Australia.
To make this design Zoe has use the beautiful 24" Wedding Floral Deco Bubble #18628


Single Bubbles
These stunning balloons are available in 22", and will float for approximately 2-4 weeks.
They come in a diverse range of designs including licensed characters, birthday, milestones and age, new baby, and other special occasion. They are extremely versatile and can be used in balloon bouquets, centrepieces and even to make fun little character designs.

Birthday Lit Candles

  • Size and shape: 22" Round
  • Package item #: 16658



Bright Smile Face Stand-Up
This Bubble Balloon stand-up is sturdy design
perfect for delivery or cash-and-carry.




These balloons are simple and elegant, with 3-D designs that look beautiful from any angle. They have self-sealing valves and come with a pre-attached ribbon.



















To find out how to inflate a Qualatex Bubble Balloon correctly, view the short clip below.

 



Double Bubbles

24" "Baby Blue Bear"
U.S. Patent No. 6,758,715

These 24" balloons certainly have the "how did they do that" wow factor, displaying a balloon inside a balloon creating a magical showstopper! They feature self-sealing valves and come with pre-attached ribbons. The inflating is done in three steps:
  • Inflate a small puff of helium through the "A" valve, you can use an Auto-Foil outlet for this.
  • Now go to valve "B", using an Auto-Foil outlet, fully inflate the inner balloon.
  • Now go back to the "A" valve, using a latex outlet, gently inflate the outer balloon until all the creases have been removed. 
If you find that the inner balloon looks like it has gone down a little, this is likely due to a pressure change within the outer balloon. To puff the inner balloon back to its original state, I recommend that you use a small hand-pump or pocket pump to add just a few puffs of air, and not to attempt adding additional helium, as it is difficult to measure accurately how much you will need and you can easily burst the inner balloon.

To find out how to inflate a Qualatex Double Bubble Balloon correctly, view the short clip below. 
 


Deco Bubbles
These are probably one of my favourite balloons. They are perfect for so many different occasions with endless creative possibilities! This unvalved balloon is available in both 20" and 24", with floating times of 7-10 days for the 20" and 3-5 weeks for the 24". The different floating times are subject to the type and amount of balloons that you add to a Deco Bubble. Once filled and fully inflated, they should be closed using a 160Q or 260Q balloon. Deco Bubbles are available in clear 20" and 24", in addition to 24" printed designs.

Below is a selection of techniques taught by Lucy Hennessy, CBA and Julie Dunham, CBA of Pioneer Europe, from the recent Qualatex Bubble Tour in the UK. If you are based in the UK, there are more dates available for this tour - just click on the link below https://europe.qualatex.com/en-gb/events/q-bubble-tour/

11" Agate inside Bubble Balloon

260Q and 7" Chrome Balloons inside a Bubble Balloon that has been personalised.

Gold Glitter Flakes inside a Bubble Balloon



Personalising Deco Bubbles
Deco Bubbles are perfect for personalising. Add a name, a special birthday or a cheeky message: anything goes! 









Luc Bertrand, CBA of WaW Balloons, Vichte, Belgium has made a great video that shows clearly how to inflate and tie a Deco Bubble.

 


Bubbles Helium Guide
Over or under-inflating Bubbles can decrease float times, so follow the package instructions to inflate correctly and achieve the best float times. Actual flying times also depend on temperature and atmospheric conditions. Deco Bubble float times vary if other types of balloons are placed inside. Giving accurate gas capacities is almost impossible, as everyone inflates their balloons slightly differently. Personally, I only inflate a Bubble Balloon to the point at which all the creases disappear, however, if I am adding tassels or tulle to a Bubble Balloon, I might add in a little more helium or balloon gas to give it greater floating capacity.  As I already mentioned,  giving accurate capacities is not easy, but I used my Dual Split-Second Sizer to help me measure the volume of helium that is used to inflate the 20" and 24" Deco Bubbles and found that a 20" Deco Bubble took approximately 1 cu.ft. - 0.0282 of helium or balloon gas and the 24" took approximately 1.5 cu.ft - 0.0425 mof helium or balloon gas.
Here are the suggested average number of Bubble Balloons inflated from a 3.6m3 tank.
  • 22" Single Bubbles 90-130
  • 24" Double Bubbles 85-105
For me, Bubbles Balloons are a truly magical balloon in every way! For decorators and retailers, the Deco Bubbles are just fabulous! They look so elegant and can be prepared several days in advance of an event, giving you more time to work on other event decor that cannot be prepared in advance. Decor Bubbles are so versatile, they can be filled with latex balloons, Microfoil balloons, confetti and even feathers! Bubble Balloons are long lasting, vibrant and fun! 

For more inspiration when working with Bubble Balloons check out this great video with Kerry Ferguson, CBA of Qualatex, Europe.



Happy Ballooning!

Sue

*Oxidation - Whenever you inflate a latex balloon, you immediately subject it to oxidation, it is just a fact of atmospheric physics. Latex balloons will become cloudy and take on a velvety appearance. To prevent balloons oxidising during delivery, store and transport the balloons in a clear plastic bag. You can also use products such a Balloon Shine™  that will help to prevent oxidation and add a long-lasting sparkle to your balloons. Bubbles Balloons do not require the use of Balloon Shine or HI-SHINE, as these balloons do not oxidise.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

A Very Merry Christmas from Luc Bertrand CBA

Over the years, Luc Bertrand, CBA of WaWballoons in Vichte, Belgium has kindly created and shared a number of amazing designs with the Very Best Balloon Blog so that we can share them with the 'balloon community.' This year he has generously shared his updates to his wonderful QuickLink 'Santa' mural that he made a few years ago! 



Medium Santa Head

This is probably my favourite variation! I definitely need to make one of these! 


Small Santa Head




If you would like to learn how to make the original version - Large Santa Head, click HERE or visit

A huge thank you once again to Luc for sharing his fabulous balloon art with us all! 

Happy Ballooning! 

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Follow me on Instagram @suebowler

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Welcome Back to School - Balloon Decòr to Bring Smiles to those Returning to School


Back to School Decor by Balloons by Paris Party
Back to School Decòr - Balloons by Paris Party in Paris, Texas, USA.

For many children returning to school, starting nursery or Kindergarten it can be an exciting time, a new era in their school life chapter. But this may not be the case for all. Due to the global pandemic, a significant number of children will have been away from the school environment for many month and there will be those children who will be feeling anxious or even frightened. 

Schools and their dedicated teachers will be working hard to ensure that the children feel confident and comfortable to return, especially with all the new procedures that they will need to follow to ensure everyone's safely. 

Back to School is a major business for many retailers - school uniforms, creative stationary and fancy lunch boxes are part of the merchandise that is important in this time.

As balloon professionals we can offer other ways to bring a little fun and excitement to a child's first day back at school, helping to make it a happy and memorable experience!

Balloons at Home

In most households, there is a mandatory first day of school photo, usually taken outside the house on the doorstep. However, this year, families are looking to make this occasion even more special! Offering 'Back to School' balloon decor and arrangements will certainly bring a smile to any child or teenager's face, and make them feel super special too! 

Amy Broadley of Balloonies Falkirk, in Scotland, has had great success offering beautifully decorated Bubbles to her customers when their children returned to school earlier this month.


Personalised Balloon by Amy Broadley of Balloonies Falkirk, in Scotland,

Personalised Balloons by Amy Broadley of Balloonies Falkirk, in Scotland,


Qualatex® Deco Bubble Balloons™️ are the perfect balloons to create magical and memorable personalised balloons. They are extremely versatile, giving you the ability to add beautiful coloured 5" balloons inside... along with many other things too! Personalising balloons make them especially meaningful to the recipient.


Qualatex Chrome 20" Star Balloons are also perfect for personalising! Available in:

Chrome Silver

Chrome Gold

Chrome Mauve

Chrome Purple

Chrome Blue

Chrome Green





To learn how to apply vinyl easily to a Bubble Balloon, watch Chris Adamo's helpful step-by-step video below.


Welcome Back to School - Balloon Decòr

A simple yet effective dècor option is greeting the children back to school with fabulous 'Welcome Back' balloon decòr. We all know that balloons create a sense of excitement and expectation when attending an event or party, so the same would definitely apply at school too! 

Luc Bertrand, CBA, of WaW Balloons in Vichte, Belgium shares some of his Back to School inspiration using a combination of Qualatex and Northstar Balloons.

Northstar Balloons A-B-C with Emoticon Winking Display by Luc Bertrand
For Northstar Balloons Product Selection, Colours and Codes Click HERE



Back to School Design by Luc Bertrand, of WaW Balloons in Vitchte, Belgium
'Back to School' Pencils and ABC Blocks by Luc Bertrand 

Check out Luc's video. Part 1. Luc demonstrates how to make the mosaic balloon box and how he spray paints the foil letter balloons.



In Part 2. Luc demonstrates how to make pencils with balloons and demonstrates 2 different distortion techniques to make the tips.


In Part 3. Luc explains how to make an ABC yard art design.



"Welcome Back"School decòr by Infante Creations Balloon Decor

"Welcome Back" School decòr by Infante Creations Balloon Decor

Making decòr to match school colours is definitely a great way to make it even more enticing to the schools! 

Balloons by Paris Party in Paris, Texas, created these fun and vibrant Balloon Columns. I'm a little bit in love with the Apple and Inchworm column - perfect for juniors and younger pupils.

Back to School Balloons by Balloons by Paris Party in Paris,

Avital & Nir Schechter of Balonir in Israel believe that there is no better way to open the school year than with joyful and colourful balloon designs that will welcome the children when they arrive at the entrance of the school institutions. They have created a fabulous range of decor (see below) that will definitely bring smiles to the children's faces.

Back to School Balloon Wall by Avital & Nir Schechter of Balonir in Israel
'Welcome Back' Balloon Wall by Avital & Nir Schechter

Vibrant Rainbow Entrance Arch by Avital & Nir Schechter of Balonir in Israel
Avital Schechter, CBA & Nir Schechter, CBA, with one of their beautiful school entrance arches.



Welcome Back to School Balloon Wall by Avital & Nir Schechter of Balonir in Israel
'Welcome Back' Balloon Wall by Avital and Nir Schechter

Balloon Mosaic™️ & Balloon Mosaic Frames

Balloon Mosaic style of decor is very popular and definitely on-trend. These 'Back to School' frames are simply perfect. Their diversity allows them to be used as part of a display, or maybe used in a Balloon Wall or Balloon Arch design. The fabulous letters shown in the photograph below are 16" Northstar Balloons painted with Colorshot General Purpose Spray Paint, to attain these wonderful vibrant colours.

Back to School Decor by Creative Heart Studio
The Pencil Balloon Mosaic Digital Design Template is available to purchase click HERE for a direct link or visit www.creativeheartstudio.com

School Colouring Pencil Decor by Creative Heart Studio
Crayon Balloon Mosaic Digital Design Template available from
Creative Heart Studio.com

Giving a child a balloon on the day that they start or return to school is a simple way to get their year off to a happy start. It creates a fresh start for a new academic year! Even more, decorating schools with welcoming balloon decor may become a popular annual event, and one that would definitely be worth preparing for and marketing every year.

And let us not forget the teachers! It will also be a strange and challenging time for them also. So how about showing teachers thanks and appreciation for being dedicated to their job, without doubt they will love being remembered! 

Cam Woody designed this heartfelt 'Thank You' design with added messages and cool little touches all neatly presented in a little wooden crate.



While there are many schools that have already returned to school, there are still those who are still on summer breaks or in lockdown, so hopefully there will still be opportunities!

Happy ballooning everyone! 

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Follow me on Instagram @suebowler












Wednesday, August 12, 2020

2020 - On-Trend Bright, Beautiful and Very Colourful Rainbow Decor

Rainbows are the symbol of hope in many cultures, and during this pandemic, they have taken on that same meaningfulness. I don't think there has ever been a time when I have seen so many beautiful rainbow arches and other creative rainbow-themed decor displayed on social media.

The rainbow theme continues to trend, and now seems like the perfect time to share some inspiring decor! 

Rainbow and Unicorn Decor by Sue Bowler
Qualatex® Chrome™️ Rainbow Arch by Sue Bowler


Balloon Arches are the obvious choice when it comes to making rainbow dècor, and the best part is there is an abundance of different styles of arches that you can make! 


Sunshine Smile Face Rainbow Arch
Sunshine Smile Face Rainbow Arch by Cam Woody, CBA,
Pioneer Balloon Company

If you would like to learn how to make this 6-balloon Spiral Arch - click HERE to download the full instructions.

Here is another very artistic Rainbow Balloon Arch. Karoline Massey of Bewitched Parties, in Lancashire, UK, made this display.

Rainbow Arch

Have you been watching Happy Hour with Cam & Eve? This is a weekly Facebook Live show that is hosted on Mr Q's Facebook Page on TUESDAY's at 1 pm (CST)?



Here is a selection of rainbow theme designs that Cam Woody & Eve Antonello have made during one of their shows. To see this episode and learn how to make these designs, check out the video below.Rainbow Design

Rainbow Balloon Design by Cam Woody

Rainbow Column Design by Eve Antonello
Eve displays the NEW "Rainbow" Microfoil as the Column topper for her 


Luc Bertrand, CBA, of WaW Balloons, in Vichte, Belgium shows us a simple, yet effective QuickLink® Rainbow Arch with a Bubble Balloon® focal feature. This would be a prefect display to decorate a table.
Rainbow Arch by Luc Bertrand

How about a Rainbow Column? Dominic Cassidy, CBA and Keith Stirman, CBA, The Boys from Q Corner, Durham, UK, have created this pretty pastel Rainbow Column that compliments the "Radiant Rainbow" Microfoil balloon perfectly! 

Rainbow Column by The Boys from Q Corner
Here is another idea using the "Radiant Rainbow' Microfoil balloon, with an added smile face on this appealing 646Q Column.
Qualatex Rainbow Column
Carolynn Haymen, of POP! Designs and Creations LLC, creates her trendy Rainbow Column using a combination of QuickLinks and 260Q's! 

Carolynn Haymen, of POP! Designs and Creations LLC, creates her trendy Rainbow Column using a combination of QuickLinks and 260Q's!

How about this gorgeous 30th birthday display? Zahraa Jaward, CBA, of Forever Balloon Boutique, Beirut, Lebanon, shares her truly beautiful Rainbow Hoop, another truly inspiring way to incorporate the rainbow theme into a design.
Zahraa Jaward, CBA, of Forever Balloon Boutique, Beirut, Lebanon, shares her truly beautiful Rainbow Hoop
Did you know that Qualatex has even launched some fabulous new rainbow theme balloons? 

24" "Rainbow Clouds"
#13036
Front View

24" "Rainbow Clouds"
#13036
Side View



22" Birthday Bright Rainbow
Stripes
#13037


And finally, if you are looking for a little bit of a boost in your social media posts, check out the fabulous FREE resources in the Marketing Materials section on the Qualatex website.

Here is an example of one of the ready-made rainbow theme posts and images available for you to use.

Qualatex Social Media Posts




I hope this has provided you a with some fun new ideas for this exciting and colourful theme! 

Happy Ballooning!

Sue
Follow me on Instagram @suebowler


Friday, April 17, 2020

Q Corner Convention Additional Information from Chun-Lin, Sung and Luc Bertrand, CBA

Since the Q Corner Convention, a number of the instructors have very kindly shared additional information to further supplement their classes, including photographs, class notes and materials lists. To make it easier for everyone to find for future reference, I have documented these, along with their class video, in a series of blog posts that I will publish over the next few weeks.


Chun-Lin, Sung - @BuskerJames
From Taichung, Taiwan.
Class Title: Maillestrom is a storm shape of ring's combination. 
"It looks really gorgeous with Chrome and metal color balloons."



"I thank Soo Chin for the invitation to be one of instructor in Q Corner Convention.I have received many thanks from balloon artists from around the world, who made 'Maillestrom' and tagged me immediately! Because of an audio problem, I was unable to show you the variation of Maillestrom. So, I would like to explain here: Based on Maillestrom design that I taught, the center structure which called Mobius ball could link to other Mobius balls. This linking method is called the Moorish Rose Weave. You can see the tutorial by visiting  https://chainmail101.com/moorish-rose or click HERE. The Materials that you will need is in the picture's description. The length of Mobius ball's ring is 80cm, and the silver ball in the center is five pumps size. With Qualatex Chrome Colors, you can also make fine art! Again, thanks for your watching, and see you next time in Q Corner. This is Chun-Lin, Sung from Taiwan, stay safe and be healthy, Cheers!"

Product List to make the Maillestrom


(1) 260Q Chrome Mauve
(1) 260Q Chrome Copper 
(1) 260Q Chrome Gold 
(1) 260Q Chrome Green
(1) 260Q Chrome Blue
(1) 260Q Chrome Purple
(6) 260Q Chrome Silver
(6) 160Q Black
(1) 350Q Silver
(1) 350Q Black


If you missed Chun-Lin, Sung's class, just click on the video below! The video starts at the beginning of his class.





Luc Bertrand, Cba of WaW Balloons in Vichte, Belgium.
Class Title: New Techniques for Flower Designs
"Spring is in the air, but be it summer, autumn or winter, everybody loves to see flowers! Flower are great eye-catchers in any design, whether for private parties or corporate events. Luc will start off with showing a new way of integrating flower patterns and geo blossoms in classic decor. This technique can be used in pedestals and columns up to arches. Then, Luc will show a rather unusual way of making a flower-base that can be made small or big, resulting in a whole range of possibilities. Centrepiece, gift, large arrangement, column or arch? Discover them in this session."
These are the slides that Luc shared during his class:








Here are some of the designs that have been made by viewers of Luc's class that have been shared on social media! 



If you missed Luc's class, just click on the video below! The video starts at the beginning of his class.




A huge thank you to both Chun-Lin and Luc for the great additional information! If you make any of the designs that were shown in the Q Corner Convention, make sure to place   #QCornerconvention on your post so we can see your amazing creations!
Happy ballooning!

Sue
www.suebowler.com
Follow me on Instagram @suebowler