We Can Bearly Wait Baby Shower Part 2
The day of the event was finally here and I was NERVOUS. I wanted everything to be perfect for my very deserving friends and this was about to test my skills for certain. I did my best to stay on top of my to do lists and check lists to ensure everything was taken care of on time. This is where my strengths as a teacher comes in because I certainly know how to prioritize my time! The night before I began my balloon prep, too nervous to record myself for instagram content. It’s funny how starting a small business automatically means becoming a social media influencer at the same time!
To begin I organized my balloons, Sempertex Fashion Coffee, Kalisan Standard White Sand, Kalisan Standard Hazelnut. I started with creating the center pieces, blowing up dupes of each color to 7in sizes. I combined my dupes from each of the 3 colors, creating bunches of 6. I was then able to plop these right on top of the wooden dowels that were hot glued into 12in round wood pieces purchased from Amazon. I decided to place all 10 of my bunches into a large mattress bag to transport them easily. This made transporting them in the rain and wind much safer. I then moved on to blowing up my clusters of (6) 9in balloons. I used 8 of each cluster of 6 in all 3 colors. I then blew up dupes of each color in 7ins. I use these to add dimension during the building process. I again packaged these balloons in mattress bags by size to stay organized. Finally I used a hand pump to blow up 2in balloons to make into clusters of 4. I then attach those clusters of 4 together to make chains. My small filler balloons get packed up into trash bags and are ready to go for transport!
After loading the U-haul with the help of my amazing parents, I made my way from East Northport to the Bronx. We were expecting pretty bad wind and rains so I was beyond thankful for an easy trip into the city. I double parked when I arrived at the venue and was again beyond grateful that the hall let us start unpacking 20 minutes early! My dad always taught me never to waste a minute, and I was able to unload the truck with the help of a friend who was tasked with passing everything down to me AND parking the U-haul once we were done. She definitely got unpaid employee (who never applied in the first place) of the month for that one!
Once inside I was able to delegate smaller tasks of setting up the precut flowers, frames, and stationary to more help that arrived, This allowed me to focus on the balloons! I set up the backdrop first and this is where I made my first mistake, I forgot to secure it to the wall before attaching my balloons. Now this worked out in a moment, but in the long run made my display less stable. I began attaching my 9in clusters of 6 to the foam board using rubber bands and clamp clips. I made sure to step back and look at the bigger picture as I added these clusters. Now my second mistake was forgetting my step stool, so I had to lay the foam boards down flat to get the balloons attached at the top. Like I said before not anchoring ended up working out, but in an ideal world the foam boards get anchored before balloons go on AND you remember you step stool so you can reach those top balloons. I worked attaching more clusters of 9in balloons to help make the water fall effect come through the double arch. Once I got all of my 9in clusters in place I began adding in 7in clusters to add dimension and cover holes. I then began blowing up 18in balloons and attached them to the design using rubber bands. The trick is to attach the rubber band as you tie the balloon! I again made sure to step back after each placement to ensure it wasn’t too symmetrical and instead looked like the balloons were flowing onto each other. My final step was to add in my chains of 2in balloon clusters, filling in any gaps and adding shape where needed. I was able to place to letter blocks directly onto the ground, and placed Levi the bear on top. I secured Levi the bear with a rubber band attached to his zipper. I corrected my earlier mistake and anchored the display to the wall and called it! I always give myself a cutoff because I could play around with the balloons forever, never knowing when to stop!
Once the balloon arch was completed I was able to perfect the last minute details, but was overall beyond impressed with the friends who came to help me execute my vision. It truly takes a village and my village showed up! We put the favors shelf up, the seating chart in place, and added in picture frames for detail. My favorite part of the evening happened when I got to quick change and get ready in the bathroom before guests arrived. The life of a balloon artist knows this all too well!
It is always hard for me to receive compliments but tonight I tried my best to soak in the well wishes, and positive words surrounding the decor. It was easy to be in a good mood surrounded by such love and joy celebrating the parents to be. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to do this for them, and Im so relieved it went well and looked rich!
