I was working in a small restaurant on Sunday.   The diners were thin on the ground and so I thought "Goodie, fun time".  At the first table I was asked for an alien.  So I made one with the space helmet and the gas tank and a tube affair and a lazer gun and some buttons and things.  That set the sisters off.  "I bet you can't make the Slinky Dog from Toy Story" said one of the boy's sisters.  (Red rag do bull)  I had a go and it turned out great.  I did it by putting a 160 in a 260 because I didnt have anything to insert a balloon into something thinner.  The model turned out great and jaws fell.  The third little girl said she loved fairies and butterflies so could I make a fairy riding on the back of a butterfly.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven!  She duly received her desired sculpture and I was duly quizzed about my party plan and asked for a card.  I did stress that the models depend on the number of people etc.  Off to the next table where the challenges kept coming in.  In all I did 10 new designs or embellished current designs in the one sitting.  Would you believe it though? This was the first time in an age that I had come out without my camera!  I was so peed off .  I made it again yesterday.  this time I put a 160 balloon inside another 160 before inflating, to form the coil.  So you can pull the coil apart as much as you like and it will go back again like a real spring.  I havent tried shoving it off the top stair though!!! hehe  I was particularly pleased with the tail of all things.  It looks real neat the way it disappears into the back of the balloon without it being an apple twist.

Ok, I have to try this one. When I go to personal appointments (retina MD today) I usually take something to leave for the office staff. Let's see if I can make a slinky something. Thanks for the idea!

Hi Thelma, he's amazing, can i ask a couple of questions?

how do you get a 160 inside of another 160? I struggle enough sliding a 160 inside a 260

What is the head made from? Is this more experimenting with Geo Blossoms

And how did you manage to make the tail in that way with an apple/tulip twist?

Pete

I inflated one 160 balloon and then deflated it.  Then it was sladk enough to drop the other 160 balloon into it without even using a stick.

The head is made from a heart

The tail is attached to the inside of the balloon instead of the outside so there are no knots or bubbles and it sticks out straight.  Nice hey?

is the rear end a soft heart with the tail pushed in and secured via knot end of heart and then the back legs tied on to same knot? Got me baffled! Fab model though

I am sorry to be vague about this.  If you can be patient I am going to put the instructions for this method on one of my forthcoming cds.  I am doing a Christmas cd at the moment.  All other cd work has stopped for this.  If I can get it finished in time for the end of September I will put it up for sale but otherwise it will have to stay on file till next year.  I am being really naughty doing all these designs I keep putting on here because I should be getting on with the cd and I just keep getting ideas that I just have to do.  So my backlog is getting bigger and bigger.  I have designed a great Christmas fairy and a method of having it on a wall using suction.  But I promise to put a lot of techniques on a cd soon.  I might even do a cd just on techniques and effects.  I wonder if it would sell though??? hmmmmmm  See my problem.  I keep thinking of new things and you folks keep fuelling the fire.

you tease you! Never mind i just enjoy looking at your fab models! I may try that technique i suggested see if it works. If not i will have to try and persuade someone to buy me some cds!

well just sat down to play, and my method for attaching the tail in that fashion is inflate a heart let down, construct your tail with a good knot at end to attach to the heart, push the knot from top of deflated heart through the opening to partially turn inside out, allowing you to secure the knot of tail from inside of heart with a scrap of balloon or very small elastic band, make sure nice and tight and correct position. Turn heart right way round and partially inflate and tie nice and high to form the backside shape! And voila my solution i am sure there must be another way but until the cd comes out we will never know.!

Was there no picture of your effort?
Would be nice to see how others try to solve a problem.

Nice to see you working a way out.  I used a heart for the head and distorted it but only used a scrap of a 360 balloon for the bum.  I suppose a heart would give an interesting rear end though!!

Thelma, There's nothing like an interesting rear end

hi this is my dog butt effort!

Thanks for posting the picture as it's a very interesting way for doing the tail, the heart as Thelma said makes for a very interesting and authentic look for the rear end.

now now graham there wasnt a snigger or a little giggle was there? Lol yes its a very interesting piece of design and i am sure there are lots of uses for that technique.

Call it Thelma's arse twist..