Balloons are the rage! They are no longer just a single helium balloon on a string! They are focal point backdrops for parties, weddings, photos, graduations and on and on. I made my first balloon garland for a bridal shower last summer and I am sort of addicted!
One thing I learned from a balloon artist 15 years ago, is that not all balloons are created equal and you tend to get what you pay for. She recommended Qualatex balloons as they truly hold their air and do not easily pop when filling or tying. But the first few times I was creating balloon decor for events, I was volunteering for my child’s elementary school, so I had a tiny budget. I bought balloons from the dollar store, Hobby Lobby, and Michaels. As I was blowing them up and tying them, MANY balloons came with holes, popped when blowing them up, they were so difficult to tie so I could not use them or deflated within a few hours. Most of the time I have hundreds of balloons and I blow them up the night before, so I need them to hold their air. I also ordered cheaper balloons online, and I had similar results. I have learned that I need to know who MANUFACTURERS the actual balloon. I now shop by balloon brand.
So I recently conducted an experiment to see how long I could keep recycling some balloons before they completely deflated or popped. I used clear balloons, white pearl , white balloons, and gold balloons. I attached them to a balloon strip. I even added gold glitter to 15 of the balloons.
Here are my findings:
I initially blew up the balloons for garland #1, the week of April 13 for a 30th birthday. For garland #2, the only change I made is that I swapped out the gold mylar “30” balloon for a “13” balloon. My dog turned 13 and I thought it would be a fun photo prop (yup, I spoil my pup)! Two weeks later I completely reconfigured the balloons for garland #3 for a graduation party backdrop. The garland was removed from the backdrop at the end of the graduation party, tossed in the air, used as a photo prop. Next, it landed on my garage floor for a week, then traveled 5 hours in the back of my van and was used as garland #5 and #6 on May 4. Sure a couple balloons popped, several deflated, but the original Qualatex balloons lasted almost a MONTH!
May you have as much fun creating your own balloon accessories!
Brigitte Baer, Baer Design Studio