From: "Julie McKerracher" <jjmckmanna@nidlink.com>
To: <SeamoreTheClown@aol.com>, <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: Re: Monkey sculpture
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000 18:54:58 -0800

> does any one know how to make a monkey on a palm tree?? or just a monkey??
or
> just a palm tree?

I make a Palm Tree Hat and have put a monkey on it on occasion.  This is my
first time for giving directions, so bear with me!  All measurements are
approximate- I have never actually taken out a ruler and measured- I just
"eyeball" it.

For the Palm Tree Hat, you need one brown 260 inflated with about 4"
uninflated.  Size it around the person's head and lock twist the knot into
the other side where it overlaps  (just like you were making a basic
one-balloon hat- you end up with a big loop).  Make a 1" ear twist next, to
hold the straight part up for a trunk.
Next, take a green 260 and inflate, again leaving about 4" uninflated.  Make
about a 4" loop twist, followed by 3 more 4" loop twists.  Don't sweat it if
they are not all exactly the same size- I have never had anyone notice.  Use
the remaining air to make a 1" bubble to secure the palm fronds in place.
Adjust the palm fronds (loop twists) so that it looks like a green flower,
with a green bubble middle and a few inches of tail left.  Take the leftover
uninflated part of the brown trunk and pull it through the middle of the
fronds and twist it all around the fronds in and out and all around to
secure it to the trunk.  Voila!  I hope that was clear.  Ask for more
instructions if I was only confusing.

As for the monkey- Blow up a 260 (I usually use red or orange) about the
same as a teddy bear, I make the exact same head as a teddy bear, a 1"
bubble neck, 2 1/2" (or as small as you can make them and have them fit
aound the trunk) bubble legs- put one on either side of palm trunk and lock
twist.  Make the body fairly small- 2-3".   Make 2 more 2 1/2" legs, again
put on either side of trunk.  In order to twist the legs in place you will
have to bring the tail between the body and the trunk, back around and
between the body and the trunk again.  Curve the tail up.  I always scrimp
on the legs and body so there is a nice long monkey tail left over.

I suppose another option for a monkey (although I haven't tried it) would be
to make a monley like I described out of a 160 and not put it around the
trunk- put the tail through one of the fold twists of a palm frond and twist
it around and through again to secure it- a monkey hanging by it's tail!

This sculpture is not a very quick one, so when I twist for a line I only
offer a Palm Tree, no monkey, and it's pretty popular on it's own.

Hope that makes sense.

Sic "air" ly,
Robin "Daisy from Idaho" Mckerracher