From balloon-request@cvs.rochester.edu Sun Feb 11 11:57:29 1996 id AA27471; Sun, 11 Feb 96 11:53:53 EST Message-Id: <199602111653.JAA13502@usr4.primenet.com> To: Balloon Modelling Subject: Base Date: Sun, 11 Feb 96 09:59:04 -0500 From: "Powers, Clyde & Arlene" -- [ From: Powers, Clyde & Arlene * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] -- I have been out of town for a week and haven't caught up on all of the mail, but if it is still timely, the best base I have found is a Geo. Take a Hi bounce ball and put it into a heart or four inch round balloon (uninflated), then tie the balloon with the ball in it to the inflated balloon at the knot , then push the ball through the hole of an inflated Geo. This makes a great base, it is weighted and balanced. If you just run the balloon through the geo hole and tie to the Geo knot without the ball, the balloons usually list to one side. I can't take credit for this idea, Lindy, who is on this list, taught the technique to me. My favorite Valentine balloon is the heart with a teddy bear on it, which I learned from T. Myers. It is in one of their books. If I make one, that is usually all I make for the rest of the day. A bear on a flower goes over well also. Yummy's 350 bear on a heart should go over well. Dann asked for instructions for the basketball hoop hat. Thought others would be interested, so will post. It requires three 260's, I also make a basketball with an orange four inch round, and a hi bounce ball. Start with a 260, inflate leaving a one half inch tail, measure the head for a hat, and make a feather hat. Take the second 260, inflate leaving a one half inch tail, lock twist a one inch bubble onto the hat at the opposite end from the feather. lock twist the feather and the 260 together about one inch from the end of the feather. This leaves you with a triangle with half of a 260 sticking out from it. Take the leftover 260 and form it into a loop , or basket, lock twist it. For the back board, take the third 260, inflate leaving a one inch tail, twist a six inch bubble, then a one inch bubble. Ear twist the one inch bubble. Repeat this at the other end of the balloon. You end up with a six inch bubble, an ear twist, a long bubble, an ear twist and a six inch bubble.Twist a one inch bubble at each end, and lock twist together, this makes a backboard, Attach the backboard to the hat, where the hoop is formed by twisting the small bubbles together. Then just straighten the whole thing up. Insert a Hi bounce ball in the four inch orange balloon, inflate, tie off and draw basketball lines on it. The kids, love playing with this. The hat can be worn or set on the table and they make baskets. The ball gives it some weight, but makes it squirrelly enough to make it challenging. If you don't want to carry four inch rounds, you can make a basketball with a 260, but it isn't as fun. If you don't carry Hi bounce balls with you, roll up a sugar packet or sweetener packet and put it in the four inch balloon for a 'Sweet shot". This balloon hat goes over great in basketball season, especially during playoffs. Wally, Lindy and I worked this up together at some of out lunch Jam sessions. Lindy and Wally make this into a toy by leaving off the hat part, attaching two or three uninflated clear 260's to the ball and hoop. The kids try to get the ball through the hoop. Sorry this turned out to be an epic! Arleenie