Hi guys,
Im new to columns...been playing with the modelling side much more.

My little girl is despret for me to make a peppa pig column for her and im dying to give it a go....

Ive watched and read quite a bit....so im happier enough with stands...and the basic concept on how to attatch them to the stand...

just a few questions i can fathom....


How do you get all the round balloons at the same size? is it literally by eye?

and can anyone point me in the right direction of the size ballons I would need to make a peppa column?

Thanks guys....sorry its a little wordy post.... I cant half talk! lol xx

Many thanks in advance xx

If using a hand pump you could count the strokes, OK with 5" balloons but not really for 11". Have two chairs back to back and inflate till the balloon touches both of the chairs. If you do a search they may be another thread on something similar. You could get a cardboard box and use a plate to mark and then cut out the required size hole or you can buy a plastic sizing unit if you are going to be making a few.

For "free standing columns" You Tube link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4toCttpmHI
For a more regular / longer lasting display you may need to start looking at stands / supports for the columns, ideas on this are also readily available to view on You Tube...
Hope this helps.

Buy a sizer from Qualatex. They have one rather like a dice with varying sized holes. That's the one I use.

The yellow box is the best £25ish you will ever spend for sizing

has lots of holes from 3" to 14"

We always inflate 11" balloons to 10" for columns
and 5" to max 4"

You can either use a pole and base (these days a very cheap on is the IKEA NOT lamp - an uplighter they sell at £5.10 at present)

or you can use a sand weight or cake board with holes drilled in the centre for smaller columns and Dacron, monofilament (fishing line) or 260;s tied together as your line

tie your balloons in twos (duplets) twist 2 sets together to make 4's (clusters) and stack them on top of each other

if using line tie it to your weight and pull it up through the middle and twist it round any 2 balloons in a figure 8 to hold each row to the one below press hard on the knots to keep it tight and solid   (if you go on to do your CBA you have to make one of these with 5 balloons per cluster and they throw it across the room to check it... but even that is not as bad as a child playing with it).. when you get to the top of your column tie off by pulling a loop of line round a balloon to make a knot

If using a pole... push your balloons through the pole between 2 balloons and twist them to lock them in place by the same 2 balloons changing place

For a peppa pig column you can do pink and red balloons bu tthey do not make a peppa pig head in foil supershapes so you have to make your own by super sizing a model one you create

Pam
xx

Awesome advice guys.....loads of help as usual....looking forward to giving it a go now.....Will post pics when.I'm.done...xx

Having looked at pictures of the NOT lamp, I am struggling to see what or how to use it. I've seen several finished products utilising the lamp and pvc pipe etc. Has someone got start to finish pictures of how to use a lamp like this or am I resigned to using a balloon arch kit?

Are there any taller lamps around that could be used to make walk through arches?

Pam and Paul run some basic décor classes that may be of help, I normally have a deco twisting day with the two day care and share events that I run as well.
I think you would need a flexible plastic pole to go between the two ikea poles to make the arch, but then décor is not my thing so I'm sure others could advise better.

Thanks, I really must try and get along to a balloon day!