Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 14:13:16 -0500 (CDT) To: balloon@fooledya.com From: Mark Balzer Subject: Re: Bowling stuff? >Okay, I'll make fun of the flea market thing but in all honesty, I did >pretty good. Now I need some creative help..... > >This lady called me from the flea market and her father owns one of >our local bowling alleys. His birthday is this Monday and she wants me >to deliver something bowling-ish. > >I need a bowling thing.... maybe a ball (I can see one from a round 5" >with sharpie holes) but how about some pins? A few months ago there was a thread about this on the balloon stacker list. Check their archives for all the details, but I remember the best bowling ball being made from a Qualatex Super-agate balloon double stuffed into a second balloon which provided the ball color. Stick 3 black circles (stickers or construction paper) on for the finger holes. I really like Freda's idea of making pins from a bee body balloon blown up all the way. I think I'll play with that tonight. Maybe put a small apple twist at the bottom of the pins and use that to suction cup them to a base so that they will stand upright? Creative diameter shaping (thinning) may also be done by stretching the balloon while inflating. Also, try using some colored PVC electrical tape to keep the diameter small in the neck region of the pin. I'll bet Adrienne will suggest weaving a pin. Her varying-diameter woven 260 vases are awesome. While it probably won't fly for your application, junked (real) pins may be obtained from bowling alleys. (I remember this tip from a Cub Scout tour to a fire station many years ago... the firemen used old bowling pins as knock-off wrenches on their chrome wingnuts so as not to damage the chrome, and they got the pins free at the bowling alley.) Mark o Balloon HQ The most complete collection of balloon info on the web _/ \_ http://www.fooledya.com/balloon/index.html