When it comes to decorating, having the right tools is crucial for achieving the perfect look. Whether you're setting up a stunning arch for a wedding, securing brackets for a display, or using chains and clips to enhance your decor, understanding the various nuts and bolts available can make all the difference.
Let's dive into some of the essential tools you'll need for your decorating endeavors:
- Balloon Weights
- Curling Ribbon
- Cutters/Clippers
- Heat Sealer for Foil Mylar Balloons that are not self sealing
- Frames/Brackets/Arches/Rods/Sticks/Poles
- Columns/Spheres/Stands/Boxes
- Balloon Sizers-ensuring uniform sizes of balloons
- Glue Dots/Stickers-attach balloons to each other/frames/ceilings etc
- Drop Nets
- Enhancers-Hi Shine/Hi-Float
Chains: Chains can add a unique touch to your balloon decor. They can be used to suspend elements from above or to create interesting patterns. They are effective at connecting one section to another, and giving your display shape and form. Make sure to choose chains that are both durable and visually appealing to enhance your overall design.
Clips: Clips are perfect for attaching lightweight accessories to your balloon decorations. They can be used to secure fabric, paper, or other materials to your structures without causing damage. Look for clips that are easy to use and blend seamlessly with your decor.
Clamps: Clamps are essential for holding items securely in place during your decorating process. They can be particularly useful when working with larger pieces or when you need an extra hand. Choose clamps that are easy to adjust and provide a strong grip.
Pumps: If your decorating involves inflatables or other items that require air, a reliable pump is a must-have. Look for pumps that are efficient and easy to use, ensuring that your decorations are ready to impress in no time.
Arches: Arches can create a beautiful focal point in any setting. To ensure stability and elegance, you'll need sturdy brackets and clamps. These will be the skeleton of your balloon display, helping secure your arch in place, allowing you to add draped flowers, fabric, or lights effortlessly.
Brackets: Brackets are versatile tools that can support a variety of balloon decorations. Whether you're hanging on a frame or on a wall, adding lights, creating a back drop or other decorative elements, the right brackets will provide the strength and support needed to keep everything in place.
🎈 Balloon Displays 101: How to Create Picture-Perfect Arches 🎈
Dreaming of a stunning balloon arch that looks straight off your inspo board? Here’s how to nail it:
Choose Quality Balloons – Invest in high-quality balloons for better shape, color, and longer-lasting displays.
Mix Sizes & Textures – Combine large and small balloons with glossy, matte, or metallic finishes for a professional, dimensional look.
Use a Balloon Strip or Frame – These tools keep your arch sturdy and perfectly curved—no guesswork required!
Stick to a Color Palette – Pick 2-4 complementary colors to match your party’s theme and keep it polished.
Fill the Gaps – Use mini balloons or greenery to cover any empty spots and make your arch look lush and full.
With a little patience (and a lot of balloons), your arch will be Instagram-ready in no time!
#PartySkool #BalloonArchTips #DIYPartyDecor
The following is a detailed collection of excerpts from Michelle’s Seven Secrets for Creating “Stop ‘Em In Their Tracks” Balloon Displays
click the link to visit the entire post of step by step instructional videos, photos, and text on decorating with balloons from a true Balloon Event Professional.
🎈TIP #1: Do not Over-Inflate the Balloons
If you notice your balloon has become more of a light-bulb shape then there’s only one thing to do - STOP! This means your balloon is inflated and is more likely to pop because the rubber latex is so stretched out. When this happens, the air will displace into the neck of the balloon which creates a bulge and makes it tricky to tie and even tricker to thread onto the decorating strip. If you feel your balloons are a little over-inflated, just release some air before tying and then push against your tummy to soften and round the shape.
🎈TIP #2: When you start your garland,
you’ll be placing balloons in every hole to keep your garland nice and tight. As you move along the strip, you’ll need to skip a few holes here and there or the garland will be too tight and balloons will start popping out. The key is just to skip a few holes and then start to thread your balloons into every 3-5 holes instead of every hole. Just make sure your garland doesn’t get too loose or you’ll end up with a gappy garland.
Our best advice to avoid this is to take your time and step back to look at your garland every 10 or so balloons to make sure it’s not looking gappy - trust us when we say you’ll notice straight away if it is!
🎈TIP #3: Add Mini Balloons
We see from time to time a garland without the mini balloons applied and it breaks my heart! Your mini balloons are provided in the kit for a reason, and it’s an important one!
Once you’ve threaded all of your regular size balloons onto the decorating strip, the bulk of your garland is done. However, once you pop it up onto the stand/wall you’ll need to pop on the mini balloons using the glue dots provided. It’s a quick and easy job but it makes a world of difference to the final look of the garland. Not only does it plug any gaps that may appear, but it adds another dimension of size, depth and sophistication!
🎈TIP #4: Control Size with Inflation
You may be able to better achieve the look you want while saving some $$$ by just buying one or two balloon sizes of each color (rather than 3 to 5 sizes of the same color). Create variety of sizes by just controlling how much you inflate them. I often purchase just 10″ or 12″ balloons and vary the size by the amount of air I use. Then for extra fun I’ll also order a few extra-extra large 16″-32″ balloons to add to mix as well
🎈TIP #5: DO NOT try to blow up all these balloons by mouth 🤪 Yikes – you’ll pass out for sure!!! Mini Balloon compressors are inexpensive and much-much quieter than a big compressor.
🎈The best technique I’ve found is to fill the balloons ALL the way full, then let some air out before tying them off. This technique stretches out the balloon material making it more squishy so they won’t pop as easily. It’s a bit like stretching your muscles before a workout. Stretching them makes them more loose and pliable so they don’t get over strained. Same concept.
🎈They pop easily when they’re all the way full. Take note that balloons will expand or contract with fluctuations in temperature. If your display is going to be outside in the sun, or in a warmer place than where they were originally blown up they may begin popping in the middle of your event if they are over filled!
🎈Also, when balloons are not over-full they will snug up to each other more easily for a better looking display. As an added bonus – less full balloons also have a more rounded, prettier shape!
🎈TIP #6: Tie 2 Balloons Together into a Little Cluster of 2
Tying your balloons together in little clusters of 2’s and then twisting them into groups of 4’s will save you SO much time. More importantly, this will also make building your structure a 1,000 times easier
🎈 Blow up one balloon, don’t tie it off yet! Hold it pinched between your fingers while you blow up a second balloon. Honestly, this little bit can be the trickiest part of the whole endeavor!
💥BONUS PRO-TIP 💥
Let a little air out of each balloon before you tie them up. I’ve discovered that the structure will come together so much more nicely by inflating the balloons so that in each set of 4, two balloons are a bit smaller and two balloons are a bit bigger – you’ll see why in a bit. Once you have both balloons the size you want them to be, tie them together to hold the air in and also to combine the two balloons into one little bundle.
This part is little tricky at first, but with a little practice you’ll get the hang of it.
🎈TIP #7: Twist Clusters of 2 into Clusters of 4
Next take two of the bundles of 2 balloons and twist them around each other to make a bigger cluster of 4 balloons!
Take one of your bundles of 4 balloons and tie the cord securely to the center of the balloon bundle, the center where all the knots are.
🎈 Next take another bundle of 4, pulling the cord tight and pushing the balloons down snuggly into each-other, wrap the loose end of the cord around the balloons in a figure 8 like motion, this will secure the balloons together.
🎈 Keep adding bundles of 4 in whatever color combination you prefer until you get the length you want.
🎈TIP #8: If you prefer a more organic, asymmetrical swag then twist and move the cord around to create the shape and effect you want. One of the nice things about using a cord is, once the swag base is constructed, you’ll be able to twist and move the balloons around to get the look you want as you hang it to a wall or structure. Note that the shape can be manipulated and modified as you hang the display.
🎈TIP #9: If you are going to move your balloon display to another location; instead of building the structure on one single, long cord – you can build the balloons in shorter sections and just tie-off each section. Leave a longer bit of cord on the end of each section for combining the sections when ready. This will make it all easier and more manageable to move.
You can combine all the shorter sections together into one long one when you get it all to your event venue. To attach the sections together you’ll just use the length of cord that you left long at the end of each section, using the same figure 8 wrapping method.
first hang and shape the main structure of balloons on cord BEFORE I begin adding any extra clusters, extra-large balloons or any other embellishments.
🎈TIP #10: Hang your balloon display one of two ways
I first hang and shape the main structure of balloons on cord BEFORE I begin adding any extra clusters, extra-large balloons or any other embellishments.
🎈To hang on a vertical wall
When hanging the balloons on the wall or a flat surface I use upside down metal hinged command hooks and long, skinny, un-inflated ”clown balloons.”
I shape my balloon displays using strategically placed (and upside down) metal hinged Command Hooks. Tying a long thin “clown balloon” to the hook and then the other end of the clown balloon to the main cord inside the balloon structure.
🎈I typically use several hooks along the area I’m installing the balloon display to create the shape and drape I want.
💥PRO-TIP 💥
I’ve found that the metal hinged Command Hooks work the very best. I hang them upside down because this creates tension between the hook and the wall which helps prevent the balloon from slipping off the hook.
🎈 To Hang On a Free Standing Arch
I place two poles into two sturdy umbrella stands. This way I can space them at whatever distance I want. Sometimes I use an adjustable and easy to store horizontal pole HERE across the top. Often times I shape the balloons freely, depending on the effect I’m going for. I attach them from one vertical pole to the other with no horizontal rod between them.
To attach the string of balloons to the metal stand I typically just twist balloons around the poles in strategic places to create the shape I desire. Or, occasionally I also use the long thin clown balloons. Tie one to the center cord and then to the bars of the metal stand.
🎈TIP #11: Add Balloon “scrunchies” to create dimension with different sized clusters
This one happens to be my very favorite balloon display discovery!!! Thanks to my friend and creative buddy Shelly! @shellygoldberg
🎈Blow-up and create bundles of 4 balloons just like you learned above, This time blow the balloons much smaller or use small, 5” balloons – about the size of a grapefruit.
🎈 Get some long skinny balloons, I call them “clown balloons.” You know, the ones that clowns use to make balloon animals? Preferably use colors close to the colors of your balloon display, or use clear clown balloons.
I usually cut the long skinny clown balloons in half. I rarely need a full balloon for this.
🎈 Tie a mini balloon bundle of 4 to both ends of the clown balloon.
🎈 Create clusters where you want them by wrapping the bundled clown balloons through your main swag. Because of the elasticity of the clown balloon, you can manipulate the balloon clusters where and how you want them! Brilliant!!!
🎈TIP #12: Build Your Balloon Swags or Balloon Arches on a Long Thin Cord
First things first, ditch those little plastic strips that come in the kit for hooking the balloons to . . . This cord method is SO much easier, and looks so much better!
🎈 I prefer to use a long thin rope or a strand of curling ribbon to build my balloon displays onto.
Warning; I also DO NOT recommend using the curling ribbon or cord that sometimes comes in a balloon kit. I’ve learned from very sad experience that they are thin and cheaply made and break super easy. No one wants our balloon displays falling apart in the middle of our event! It’s not worth the risk. I highly recommend purchasing a long spool of quality curling ribbon or use a thin cord or rope.
💥PRO-TIP 💥
This is the reason I suggested in the first steps to blow up 2 balloons a bit smaller and 2 balloons a bit bigger in your bundles of 4. And also another reason you won’t want your balloons blown up all the way tight. When the balloons are all big, all the same size and all tight so they don’t have any squishiness to them, so they won’t sung into each-other as well and then you’ll have lots of unsightly little gaps where you can see the cord 😬 You don’t want that!
🎈TIP#13: Add in a Few EXTRA Large balloons
I love the look of just a few 16″ or even up to 32″ balloons scattered through the display. I use two methods for doing this.
Method 1 – Before tying the knot into the large balloon, place a large, very stretchy rubber-band into the knot. Now we can just slip the rubber-band over another balloon anywhere we want a big, wow factor balloon to go.
Method 2 – Tie one end of a “clown balloon” to the large balloon. Now tie the other end of the “clown balloon to a cluster of 2-4 mini balloons. Then wrap this “balloon scrunchy” into the main structure, manipulating the balloons into the places you want them.
🎈TIP #14: Add Another Line of Balloons to Create More Drama with More Dimension
To add “more,” (because I don’t ever mind being “extra” 😉) I often add additional “legs” to a balloon swag. This way I can pile or puddle balloons in different directions.
🎈TIP #15-How Many Balloons to Buy?
How may balloons you’ll need is obviously totally dependent on how large of a display you want to create. For a typical balloon display I shoot for about 450-500 balloons.
However the “right” number of balloons varies so much, based on what your creating. How over the top are you planning to be? I’ve created ultra large displays that had literally thousands of balloons in them.
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