Hi everyone,

I need to make 40 balloon men who can each stand up.

The body is very simple, basically a 2 x 360 version of the basic David Grist body that can also be made with one 260 (the one often used for Aliens).

Does anyone have a quick but effective base that would make the body free-standing?

Thanks,
Martin.

Martin, the answer is simple if you have any cds you dont mind using. Take a 10 or 11" round balloon and plate the lip of the balloon through the hold in the cd. Make sure the lip comes out onto the shiney side and not the side with the writing or lable on. Then inflate the round balloon. Put the round balloon down on the floor and push the cd down onto it whilst slowly releasing the air. Make sure the cd pushes down evenly so the balloon will curl over the cd as it goes down. If you do it right you will have a base with an inflated lip and the lip knot coming out of the middle will be your anchor. I am sorry I cannot post any picture at the moment. I hope I will have a laptop soon that I can put all my programms onto and get working again. When that happens I will try to remember to do the photos of this. It is very neat and an ideal base for a free standing model or a table decoration. With all those free cds that come in the newspapers it is a great way to put them to some use. Hope this helps.

Fantastic Thelma... thanks!

It sounds just the job and I will try it tonight and post my results (assuming success )

M.

If I have not made it clear and it does not work, just let me know. I will fun through it with you online. (Assuming we are both online at the same time.)

Love this base... 30 seconds to make and looks great!

I have photos but had a problem transferring them; will add tomorrow.

Thanks again Thelma!

t was my pleasure. I use this base so much. with the shiney side up it is a really nice touch too. Just make sure you don't put an inappropriate cd in the balloon!!!!!!!!!

An extra tip
after you have let the air out of the balloon to make the base. You can then blow a little air back into it and it will bulgs upwards to make the top of a toadstool. Then attach a 360 balloon to it and make three pinchtwists to stablise it. Then make another base but do not re-inflate it. decide how long you want the stem of the toadstool to me and twist the 360 at this point and wrap the base in at this point. make another three pinchtwist to stabalise the toadstool and remove the remaining 360 balloon. You can add flowers to the base or a figure sitting on the toadstool. anything really. i would post photos but i have to get my laptop up and running - yes i got my laptop back. someone is coming round tonight to get my programms on for me. whippee!

So Thelma, Do you talk from experience here!

Hi Graham

I decided to add the toadstoop instructions to my post and was editing it. that confused me when i posted it and saw yor reply. Actually i don't possess any offensive cds - very boring i know. but i know what some of you blokes are like. Idid put a backstreet boys cd in a balloon once.

Cheers Thelma. I have just had a go and it makes a fab base for either a model or bouquet and I shall be using it to attach the pony to that I am going to anchor my daughters balloon bouquet for her birthday.

be careful Yvonne on the wieght you need to hold your balloon down, you may need to add some extra weight to the cd if you are looking to float a few helium filled balloons from it. You can do this with water, sand, lead weights or even commercially sold balloon weights, Test it it first, you dont want it floating away.

I am going to have a go at the cd got lots of them sitting round all used and no longer needed and blanks are so cheap these days, can even buy multi-coloured.

Other ways of holding aif filled characters are

2 x 4" (5" inflated to 4") tied together, + 2 more tied together then twisted round each other to hold in place - models can be tied into the knots and if you need more weight ordinary balloons weights or lead weights or even balloons filed with sand or water to the underneath.

Or use inflated 6" Geo blossom (sorry graham) push end through hole in centre and tie to knot of Geo, this will also hold water if you need extra weight, but be careful.

Or if they are just men characters I have also seen on many characters - a balloon twisted into a figure 8 to the required size for feet, if you want them bigger add a small round balloon into the loop to give a fuller size.

Pam