Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 23:54:17 -0400
From: B & E Glenday <glenday@sympatico.ca>
To: Balloon List <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: mass reply to Bouquet in a Basket

    Thanks to all of you who sent me personal notes about my first
basket o' balloons. I thought I'd reply to the group about all the
questions since many were repeated by a few of those who sent me kind
replies.
    The most common question was a request for the instructions for the
basket. Sadly, I can't share instructions for this simple basket,
because I totally improvised it. As I recall, I started with the bottom
square...1" bubble 3" bubble, 1" pinch, 3" bubble etc...linking the last
3" bubble to the first 1" and pinch twisting the first 1". The remiander
of the balloon became the next vertical bit, and however much of the
next level of the basket (a slightly larger square) I could get out of
the balloon. I just kept adding bits where I needed them and popping
bits where I didn't... I probably used about 2 and a half 260's. That's
the best I can do to describe it! It's kind of like the stew you made
without a recipe that everyone loved at the dinner party... no chance of
making that again exactly the same way!!!
    To keep it upright, I tried pennies tucked into each bottom pinch
twist, but it still didn't quite stand up. I settled for the old "lean
it on something" approach, which seemed to work fine. It seems like it
would be a real challenge to get it to stand independently without some
sort of help to wieght it down.
    And yes, the recipient *loved* it! I had perfect timing too, because
when I arrived with the bouquet the store owner was standing right there
at the service desk. In fact he saw the bouquet (which stood about 3"
tall) first, and asked me who it was for. The recipient was standing
with her back to me, helping a customer, and she turned when I announced
loudly "It's for Linda, for helping me out on Friday." She beamed, he
looked amazed, everyone was smiles... She told me I'd made her day, and
I said, "Well. now we are even, since you made mine on Friday" <sigh> A
really great balloon moment!
    I couldn't resist a little creative marketing, however, as I did
attach a business card to the bouquet. Was that tacky?

Thanks again for all your words of encouragement.

Elizabeth
Melodie the Clown
AND now also known as: Ms Liz the Twistin' Wiz (Ms. Liz for short!)