too much ballooning?

So, who out there started with face painting and then decided to add on balloons?

That's what I did.. but now I get a lot of ballooning gigs(because if Ryan is unavailable, he recommends me.) It's not that I don't enjoy the work and extra money, but sometimes I find myself doing balloons more so than face painting, and I start to miss the painting. It's really frustrating sometimes, because fp was why I started doing all of this and now I don't really get to do it that often!

Anyone else have have this problem?

Not yet, but then I have only been ballooning for about a month. But, I admit that I almost like doing the balloons more because there's nothing to set up. Just put on your balloon apron, and go. But, I am amazed at how "physical" the ballooning is and that I sweat doing it.

Good and bad to both though. If you miss the painting, try and convert the customer to both face painting and balloons. Though, the couple of times I have done both, it has been a lot of work.

I got into ballooning after face painting. I actually enjoy balloon twisting a lot - and when I first started I became addicted!!!!

Balloon twisting has come in useful as a back-up for me. I was booked to do face painting at a Christmas party last year, and because of bad weather, hardly anyone turned up. I was there for 2 hours, with about 15 children, so I ended up face painting and doing balloons (I only took my balloons just in case there was time). I was glad that I had them, as I would not have felt comfortable just sitting there doing anything.

I really need to learn some and now I have to. I am contracted to teach at a camp this summer and said I can do balloons. lol nothing like lighting a fire under your own butt- that being said I need some quick easy ones I can teach the kids -any ideas? or videos you can point me in the direction of?

I'm very much a grass is greener kind of girl...haha. Most of my parties (like 98%) are fp AND bt, and I'm happy and 'balanced'. Events are usually one or the other, and whatever I end up doing - I wish I could do some of the other. Haha.

Magic - youtube! balloon animals (Michael), balloon1 twister (David). Lots of basics up there!

Also go to the library, I learnt most of my balloons through books from the library, and YouTube.

thanks- what is the cutest simpliest balloon you do?

Hmm...I thought I had a pic of super easy stick monsters up, but I can't find it...I'll take a look later!

Bee:

Hippo:

...ok, the bee isn't coming up. I will try to figure this out later!

for the basics, go to www.balloon-animals.com and try to get all the one balloon designs well enough that you can twist them in your sleep. Then you can start adding in some of the 2 and 3 balloon designs.

I actually started with balloons because my mentor clown needed another twister but had plenty of painters... funny thing is, she calls me more for painting now than balloons. Most of the time she actually doesn't like that I like to do some 2 or 3 balloon designs because she prefers to keep it to one balloon things as much as possible. Oh well.

I can *almost* empathize with you Ashley. I don't get many calls for ballooning but when I do I cringe b/c I want ballooning as an "addition" not as an "only".

I decided to change my mind about how I learn and offer new skills after reading this blog post:

The Long Slide

This is how I was feeling about my business, spot on. I have decided to skip offering balloons live and have instead decided to offer them as an add-on service if they are looking for the extra "oomph".

Same goes for Henna- its sooooo amazing but I am going to sell the supplies I bought and just admire from a distance. I need to streamline!!

~Michelle Heffner

Just ordered some balloons as my step-daughters wanted to help when they visit. So now, I have to learn in order to teach them! lol

I started with face painting almost 2 years ago. My "balloon confidence" is still growing. I am not fast yet for "in the trenches" work ...... and I know that FACE AND BODY PAINTING is my true love.

Hence, I do not advertise the twisting yet on my website or card. I do mention if they ask I can do some or bring some premade balloons and facepaint onsite. I have also made enough network contacts that do twisting as their mainstay if I need to refer out.

I totally get the stream lining thing but I really want to pick up as much work as possible and I am trying to build as many skills as possible. My son usually does balloons for me but I want to know so if he can't make a gig I'm not stuck. Who knows maybe I'll get hooked on this too -ordered balloons tonight.