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The first creation is a ladybug, which is based on a design that I learned from one of Don Caldwell's DVDs.
Start with a red 260, a yellow 160, and a 5" round white. Inflate the red 260 to about 12 inches, the yellow 160 to 2 inches, and the 5" round to a size somewhere between a golf ball and baseball. Do the following to create the base:
I usually make a knot after the last pinch twist, and then wrap the remainder of the balloon around the opposite pinch twist. Split the 5" round, and then wrap it around one of the pinch twists
Now split the 160 bubble into two equal pieces and tie it in the middle. Wrap it around the eyes. To finish, draw the eyes and a big smile, and add some dots to the side
Using a 260 white for the base, you can also make a swan. To make the head and wings, you'll need a 160 black and 160 white. For the head and wings, first take the white 160 and do a three-bubble roll through, or parrot twist. Now using the black 160 make the beak by making a one-inch bubble followed by a half-inch bubble, and then twist them together. Make two very small bubbles for the eyes, and then twist them together. Discard the rest. Note that you can also make the beak and eyes separately, but I wanted to ensure a tight fit between the beak and head and am always looking for ways to save time. Twist the eyes between the three-bubble parrot twist and adjust so that the beak is flush with the head.
Follow with a small pinch twist behind the head. Make a 3-4 inch bubble and wrap it around one of the pinch twists on the white 260. Make a three-inch bubble and then a two-inch bubble, and then wrap it around the opposite pinch twist on the white 260. Make another three-inch bubble and two-inch bubble, and wrap it around the first pinch twist.
