189 Issue 1 2017 NABAS The only independent trade association for the party & promotional balloon industry in the UK
NABAS The National Association of Balloon & Party Professionals - Helping You Take Your Business To A Higher Level
BALLOONIES
FROM YOUR COMMITTEE
BALLOONIES EDUCATE - PROMOTE - INFORM
Dear NABAS member,
There has never been a better time to be a member of NABAS, and there has never been a better time to be in the Balloon industry! I guess I will need to quantify both these statements for the doubters out there, so let's start with the easier one first: NABAS. As we fast approach our AGM (which I hope all of you will be attending), I'm delighted to report that our association is in great shape both financially and structurally. It's been a spectacular transformation going from zero to hero in a very short space of time. There isn't a day goes by without our receiving positive comments from both members and non members alike. When the previous Chairman John Lee asked me for 3 months of my time, I had no idea where this journey would take me. Sadly John passed away almost 2 years ago, so was unable to see the huge strides we have made. I know he could be a cantankerous so and so at times, but despite his foibles, he truly loved this industry and he was deeply passionate about NABAS and its members, and I know he would be proud of everyone that has helped rejuvenate our association. Quite possibly some of you reading this will be future committee members or Chairperson, and that’s why I believe every one of us has a duty of representing and promoting our association to the best of our ability. Sadly, there will always be those that sit back and wait for things to happen, or worse still some that do absolutely nothing and if that’s you, that’s absolutely fine, but you have never had a better opportunity to receive so much help and support from so many talented NABAS members. Which leads me on to:33 There has never been a better time to be in the Balloon Industry. OK some of you are taking a very sharp intake of breath and wondering how on earth I could make such a bold statement when so many of us struggle to make it from month to month. In fact with over 80% of new balloon businesses failing within 2 years, it could be argued that you have a point, BUT you don’t! Being Chairman and interacting with so many of you has been an amazing eye opener and allowed me to better understand the good, the bad and the ugly, and this is what I have consistently found. Most don’t have a business plan or worse, any clear idea of what they are trying to achieve or where they are going! They just go through the same daily routine. I want you to do this little test, I presume you are all aware of the BBC2 programme Dragons Den, it’s where the 5 millionaire entrepreneurs listen to various business pitches and decide whether they are worth investing in. I want the assertive dynamic business owner within you to imagine being a Dragon for just a moment, preferably not the Turkish one as he gets right up my nose! I now want you to have an outer body experience, preferably without the help of any substances, and listen to yourself asking the Dragons to invest in your business. So the pitch may go something like this “ Hello Dragons (except the Turkish one), my name is (fill in the blanks)3..., and I have a balloon business, last year I turned over £3.. and made a net profit of £33 My projections for the next three years are £33 I need an investment of £20,000 for 10% of my company so I can buy a Split Second Sizer, go to WBC, refit my shop, employ a marketing manager, buy new stock, build a website, pay rent rates and utilities, pay staff blah blah blah”. Now seamlessly switch back to being the Dragon. Would you honestly hand over £20,000 of your hard earned cash, confident without a shadow of doubt you would receive a return on your investment? Also understand that £20,000 for 10%, means the business is being valued at £200,000. Is your business worth £200,000 on the open market? If so, give me a call and let’s go for lunch ;-) One of my main goals while Chairman is to help you create a business that would get the “Dragons Investment”. So what’s holding you back and what’s the solution? For many it’s self-limiting beliefs. I have spoken with so many of you and quickly discover the immense talents you have, but despite this there is so much more you should and could be doing. If you truly want to grow, start interacting more with people and businesses that have achieved what you want to achieve. Success does leave clues, and sometimes just a little fine tuning makes the difference between obscurity and survival. Cont33..
Balloonies No. 189
Issue 1 2017
© NABAS - The Balloon Association 2014 Published by: NABAS The Balloon Association Ltd Katepwa House, Ashfield Park Avenue, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 5AX T: 01989 762204 Content Editor: NABAS Front cover: Image courtesy of Amy Fear Kreative Celebrations
NABAS Committee Paula Ardron-Gemmell, Angie George, Mitch Gilbert, Matthew Lewis, George Oustayiannis Secretariat Gill Hinton, Kate Walker, Hilary Pulsford
There are so many routes to market that simply didn’t exist when I started out. The power of email marketing is often overlooked and still one of the best and most cost effective business builders I know. If you fancy yourself as a TV star, stick a smart phone in front of your face and upload your brilliance to your very own You Tube channel or post on Facebook or any other social media platform. If you don’t like your face and you want your own radio station then just record you voice and create your own Podcast. If you see yourself as more of a writer, start blogging or better still, produce a small informative pamphlet or write a book highlighting your knowledge and expertise, which you can give to prospective clients. Never forget the power of direct mail. Some of us still like to receive real mail and respond far better to ink and paper. More importantly, your customer may delete or forget an email as it may not be relevant at the time, but a well worded letter or mail piece may be kept for future use. This is the most important of all, face to face contact. Be confident, but be yourself. People will always buy from people they like and relate to. That can often be more important than the price. Build a relationship and bond with your clients, and they will keep coming back for more! The bad news is no matter how much of yourself you give, not everyone is going to love you, harsh and sometimes painful but learn to understand when a relationship isn’t worth fighting for and focus on the ones that are. There is so much more I want to add, but I’ll save it for another time, in closing, when you're the business owner you're the last line of defense. Day in and day out your job is to put out fires and there's no one else to blame but yourself regardless of whose fault it 'actually' is .. If you want all the 'glory' that comes with being an entrepreneur you need to have the stomach to get punched in the mouth almost every day !!! Do you?? See You At The AGM George Oustayiannis Proud Chairman Of NABAS and Director Of GO International. George can be contacted via NABAS or by email: george@nabas.co.uk or by calling : 01438 745746.
NEW COMMITTEE MEMBER Paula Ardron-Gemmell, Pink Tree Parties I stumbled into balloons as a profession in September 2007 when my family returned from living in South Africa. Whilst living there, raising our two littlies, I not only got married to my lovely hubby, but also took a business course, as well as event planning diploma, with a view to doing ANYTHING except returning to an office based career. My background was accountancy and finance but I'd always loved the idea of being my own boss. Our return to the UK coincided with my best friend taking a career break so, after a visit to the Autumn Fair at the NEC she agreed to start up Pink Tree Parties with me. Hence we found a high street property and enrolled on Mitch's NABAS course. After 3 months of hard slog we opened the doors to our shop in January 2008. Over the years the industry has changed and we've had to adapt - we regularly attend training courses, keep up to date with industry trends and developments in social media. Now Amanda has returned to full time teaching, I've become the partner most passionate about balloons and their possibilities, I love the creativity involved in this industry. The balloon industry is unlike any I've known - it's so supportive of fellow professionals. I'm really proud to have been asked to join this committee so I can hopefully give a little back to other members.
Please note that inclusions of any inserts/adverts within Balloonies are paid-for advertisements and therefore members should not consider this action as an endorsement by NABAS of
NABAS Facebook page - Like it and use it to upload your designs and see industry related informa$on.
Follow us on Twi er @YOURNABAS
NABAS members have been doing some amazing jobs - just take a look over the following pages. If you have something that you want to share then do let the NABAS office know - info@nabas.co.uk - what better way to promote your work to show future clients than an article in your association's magazine.
Wonderful selec$on of 3( balloon dĂŠcor from Natalie Saunders of The Balloon Room - such impact!
Wonderful selec$on of themed balloon dĂŠcor by Natalie Saunders of The Balloon Room
Fabulous selec$on of Wedding Décor from Michelle & Sue Pe0t of Time 2 Celebrate who were exhibi$ng at Wedding Showcases with their first ever organic frame. Michelle & Sue received lots of favourable comments on these balloons.
Lovely square pack Cornish Flag by Jen Williams of Bespoke Balloon Design Sweet Sixteen by Toni Ives of Balloonz
Deligh:ul Christening balloons from Eilidh MacdonaldBudge CBA, Party Party - “Started with the client sending me a Pinterest photo to which I added the boys names! Next asked for a balloon in a box with a card to go to the prospec$ve godparents. Suggested a personalised message using the cameo. Went down a treat!”
Richard Adams, CBA, Balloontas$c
Selec$on of designs from Annabel Grange of Bu eries and Bows
Recent photo shoot at Lytham Hall with balloon dĂŠcor by Pink Tree Par$es
NABAS INSURANCE The NABAS combined liability policy offers greatly enhanced cover compared to other insurers. The NABAS scheme has evolved substantially and continues to be reviewed and enhanced every year, ensuring that it remains relevant with current practices. The areas in RED below show the additional benefits NABAS members receive compared to alternative industry providers: NABAS CORE INSURANCE COVER Covers members for the following business description: The practice of selling, hiring, decorating, sculpting & displaying balloons and allied products and flowers including exploding balloons, Chinese confetti bursts, flutter fetti, table centre pieces with candles (with & without balloons), celebration cakes and Christmas trees as part of decorations (provided Christmas trees are erected outdoors) excluding all other special effects. Additional miscellaneous activities also covered are listed below:
•
Hiring of catering utensils including plate warmers, table cloths, chair covers, starlight backdrops, LED uplighters, temporary dance floors and chocolate fountain machines
•
Provision of “slight of hand” magic and juggling entertainment (excludes hazardous tricks involving powder flashes, knives and the like)
• • •
Hiring of sky-guy signs
•
Use of, Hire and/or Supply of helium & nitrogen gas bottles and the use of associated pressure regulators or compressors/electric inflators for the purpose of inflating balloons
• • • • • • • •
Manufacture/Retail of dress jewellery
• • • • • • • • • • •
Provision of clothes parties
Hair Beading and Face Painting** Operation of unmanned concession stalls within bona fide retail centres for the purposes of selling goods listed in above business description
Manufacture/Retail of printed ribbons Fancy Dress Hire Organising of themed children’s parties Teaching/training in respect to NABAS related courses Supply of decorated cakes for parties and functions Supply of candy buffets & fun casinos Provision of Glitter Tattoos – Excluding facial work and subject to the use of products specifically designed for the purposes of glitter tattoos Provision of Nappy Cakes Tarot Reading Supply & Release of sky lanterns Retail of fancy goods at trade fairs and markets Provision of gift wrapping service Use of decorative mannequins, red carpet, battery floor lights, rope and pole barrier etc. at venues Provision of favour tree Provision of bespoke stationary Provision of themed photo booths Provision of tombola , hoopla and ice cream tricycle at private events (excluding use on the public roads and highways)
Covers & Indemnity Limits: Public Liability Products Liability Employers Liability Professional Indemnity Commercial Legal Expenses
£5,000,000 £5,000,000 £10,000,000 £100,000 £100,000
Territorial Limits
UK & EU
Policy Excess
Public Liability - £250
Default Employee Limit
10
NORTH WEST TRAINING DAY REVIEW A DELEGATES EXPERIENCE I just wanted to share my experience of the Northwest Training Day on 20th March with you3 When this training day came up I was thrilled. I’m always looking to learn and improve my skills and the content looked great. It got even better when I realised that some of the best/most experienced NABAS members would be teaching. I had to go! 3.until I realised it was all the way up t north! I don’t know how but I seemed to have totally missed the great big ***NORTHWEST*** wording in the title(!) Moving on3.Being the keen person I am I “googled” the location as had no idea where Wilmslow (said in the voice of George) was! Turns out it’s a 540mile round trip from my house in Cornwall! Not ideal but then a little proclaimers song came to mind with it being 500+ miles (I’m sure you know the one), and it was decided. I’m going, but I’m not walking, I’ll drive! I decided to travel up the evening before so I didn’t have to get up ridiculously early. I stayed in a nearby hotel and as I didn’t have any plans I decided to meet the others for a meal in the pub. I’ve never met any of these people before. Daunting? Slightly! Nevertheless I literally walked in the pub and it was quiet except for this table hidden around the corner towards the back. I walked towards the waiter and before I could open my mouth he said ‘are you with them?’ Pointing at the sort of table you would normally avoid! Without thinking I just said ‘yeah why not’, some of them did look familiar. I went to the table and Introduced myself. Angie sat me down and introduced everyone. She made me feel so welcome and in no time at all I felt like I was sitting with friends. The conversation was 3well you had to be there! The next morning I turned up at the venue and Matt was outside wandering. He must have recognised me as he waited to show me in which I thought was rather quite nice. When I went into the room, I saw some familiar faces from the night before so after being embarrassed by someone shouting out ‘that’s the one from Cornwall’ I went and sat down. To begin with George welcomed us all and mentioned a few exciting things that are planned such as the 30th Anniversary in November which I am so looking forward to! Then Matt began. Now, I have a handy husband that I always get to build stuff for me but ANYONE can do what Matt showed us. Like everything, its easy when you know how! And very cost effective which is an absolute bonus. Seeing how someone else does it just makes you feel so much more confident that you are doing it right! It’s all the little tips and tricks that make the training days so worthwhile. Once the frame was built he got us doing organic. I’ve done quite a few organic bits because I just love it but again it reinforced that ‘I am doing it right’ 3and I still picked up a couple of tips that will really make my designs better than any of my competitors that aren’t doing any further training! The lovely Paula was up next. Being her first time teaching on a NABAS course I have to say she was brilliant! She was just as you would expect, genuinely nervous and just like any of us. An everyday person demonstrating her way of doing things. Personally I’ve never had trouble with tying bubbles but quite a few people in the room did and Paula gave them the confidence and knowledge to do it. I picked up a few really great tips on different things you can do with bubbles as well. This part of the day was where I personally learnt the most. Last but not least was Mitch. I did meet Mitch once before when I went to the Amscan day. Really lovely guy but I must say I was rather surprised (in a good way) at his ideas for reducing costs. It just goes to show you shouldn’t judge a balloon weight by its cover! He gave us some very good tips and I’ve already been in contact with a few local trades to see if I can reduce my stand costs! He also showed us the square pack wall which I already knew (see image of the Cornish flag we did on page 5). It’s a great method to know though and the design possibilities are endless. What was really great was his method on how to make the shaped frames. SO SIMPLE WHEN YOU KNOW HOW! The whole day was as hands on as you wanted it to be. Even though I already knew a few of the methods being taught, I learnt a great deal more that will make my work so much easier and cost effective! The Closed Facebook Group is brilliant but actually meeting everyone that attended was a fantastic bonus! It’s like meeting your long lost family and seeing the effort our committee put into the association and the passion they have is inspiring and it makes me feel proud to be a part of it and to strive to do better, and be better so thank you! I love it and I want more! Was it worth travelling 540miles for? Totally! I’m so glad I went and I would definitely encourage anyone to go to the training days even if you think you know the methods being taught because the knowledge and experience of these people is priceless! Jen Williams, Bespoke Balloon Design
NORTH WEST TRAINING DAY REVIEW A TEACHERS EXPERIENCE As I'm sure most of you know, I made my training debut on the Northern course and I'm very grateful to the committee for giving me the opportunity. Meeting some of the delegates the night before over dinner was lovely, putting faces to names from our Closed Facebook Group and having a laugh was wonderful, and this continued the following day on the course as everyone else arrived. Seeing so many friendly, supportive faces of people that I chat to online, made standing at the front of the room so much easier. Although I wasn't actually nervous about the content I was teaching (as I create deco bubble balloons every day) I must have been suffering from stage fright as damp palms sabotaged my static-generating ability on the day! But it was a good lesson learnt - if you're struggling to make the confetti stick inside a balloon then bear in mind you may be too hot!! I've been a member of NABAS for nine years and the change over the past 18 months is so noticeable. The committee and members interact so well and there's such a wealth of knowledge that is shared between everyone at these events, it's now like being part of an extended family. We had members travelling on the day from Scotland, Cornwall and the Isle of Man which was brilliant - can't wait to see everyone at the AGM in June now. Paula Ardron-Gemmell, Pink Tree Parties
"A fantastic event, very informative, excellently experienced trainers and a really great bunch of people. Well worth the long trip for the event." Michelle Murphy, Beautiful Balloons Ltd, Isle of Man Preceding me were Matt’s organic frame and Paula’s “Bubbles”, which was her first appearance as a NABAS instructor. They were both tremendous and hard acts to follow. It was my intention to introduce two different perspectives; inexpensive materials to aid in balloon structuring and square packing: ♦ Using materials to build stands to keep your materials costs down; (bamboo, pvc, and cutting boards for example). Also screwing L brackets onto wooden bases and applying the pole to the L bracket to make for a great standing base to put your balloon column onto.
♦
The square pack method, created by Steve Smith, to allow a balloon column to interlock with another balloon column. These look square as opposed to round.
The students on the day were able to have a hands-on on all subjects which they will be able to implement towards their balloon business. Mitch Gilbert, Rainbow Balloons
SAVE THE DATES MONDAY 26th JUNE 2017 NABAS AGM The Maudsley, 190 Allesley Old Road, Coventry CV5 8GJ Training Day will cover everything needed to be a Full NABAS member, Cost of training day £25. SUNDAY 26th & MONDAY 27th NOVEMBER 2017 NABAS 30th ANNIVERSARY Full details to be announced in due course
LOGO MERCHANDISE NABAS has negotiated a print service for members for logo wear - please see below for the different options:
Make your NABAS profile on the NABAS website work for you and get more work out of NABAS Your industry is very competitive and don’t forget that your fellow members are also your competition Each of you has a profile on the NABAS website and recently we have noticed that more of you are now adding images, social media and selecting additional categories to add in the search criteria. Which from a potential clients point of view will make you stand out from the crowd. The current available categories are below. Whichever one you choose as your first category, that will be the icon that will indicate where you are on the map. Balloon Modeller / Twister
Fancy Dress Costumes
Dance Floors
Manufacturer
Decor / Delivery
Photo Booths
Entertainer / Parties
Printer
Event Decorator
Retail
Florist
Wholesaler
Next to consider is images, these can be in the following formats: gif, jpeg, jpg, png each image can be a maximum size of 2MB. We advise that you use different images from different jobs to give the clients an idea of the range of your portfolio. (Please ensure the images are of your own work and you have the right to use them) Then you can also add words which can describe you, your business, portfolio and experience.
ADVERT Twirlz Balloon Tails: Add a decora$ve touch with Anagram’s new Twirlz range of balloon tails available from Amscan. They are suitable to use with Orbz, SuperShapes and 24” latex balloons and are available in a variety of different colours.
Rose Gold Balloons: Amscan has an exci$ng collec$on of foils perfect for crea$ng stunning balloon decora$ons available in this year’s ho est colour trend; Rose Gold. Formats include Orbz, Cubez and Diamondz, plus SuperShape numbers, standard and Mini Shape. Selected items are in stock now.
Amscan Interna$onal Ltd, 01908 288500, www.amscan.co.uk
FOR SALE Balloon domain website Address www.BalloonsUK.com
£995 Call 07958 632633
BALLOON RELEASE - CODE OF CONDUCT There have been a number of cases recently of balloons being released with strings/ribbons attached, some of which have made the national press. We would remind members that as a professional body all members should adhere to the Code of Conduct.
In light of the unfair and adverse publicity, it is crucial that as a NABAS member you fully understand and abide by our Code of Conduct if undertaking a balloon release. Failure to do so may invalidate your insurance and your membership to our association. We must always lead by example, and there really is no excuse for releasing anything other than biodegradable material. A member failing to abide by our code of conduct is both irresponsible and devalues the credibility of our association. You can download the Code of Conduct from the NABAS website: http://www.nabas.co.uk/about-balloons/#codeConduct
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR BALLOON RELEASES NABAS is very aware of its responsibilities to the environment. This Code of Conduct was produced to formalise the principles for balloon releases, which have long been the standard for the Industry. It is extremely important that everyone adheres to this code in the interest of safeguarding the environment. 1. Only natural latex rubber balloons will be used for Releases: Latex, being an organic product degrades naturally in the environment. Balloons made of any material other than latex and in particular foil balloons should not be used for Releases. It is forbidden to use balloons containing any metallic pigment eg:silver, gold etc. 2. All components used in balloon releases must be biodegradable: Balloons must be hand tied; plastic valves should not be used. Any attached labels must be of paper, preferably recycled. 3. Only helium gas should be used to inflate the balloons: Helium is an inert lighter-than-air gas. As the balloon rises, the gas expands until eventually the balloon bursts producing small fragments, which aid decomposition. 4. No ribbons or strings must be attached to the balloons: Ribbons and strings represent a potential problem and must never be used in balloon releases. Labels should be attached via the hand tied balloon knot. 5. Balloons must always be launched singly: Single balloons disperse easily and quickly. They must never be tied together in bunches for balloon releases. 6. Full approval must be obtained from the relevant authorities: Releases exceeding 5000 balloons should not take place unless they have been cleared in advance with all relevant air traffic and local authorities. The Authorities must be notified in writing at least 28 days prior to the release. 7. Maximum balloon size: Balloons larger than 12“ cannot be released. 8. All balloons sold near balloon releases must be weighted: Any balloons sold in the vicinity of a balloon release must be sold with a weight attached to ensure they cannot escape. Foil Balloons must never be released. Latex balloons with a plastic valve and ribbon must also be weighted. Environmental Responsibility We strongly recommend that only a small balloon release should be attempted without professional assistance. Only natural latex rubber balloons will be used for releases and maximum balloon size should be no more than 12�. Small being defined as anything up to 1000 balloons. This guidance is designed to minimise the risk of any potential danger to animals, sea creatures and the general environment. We do not support or recommend the release of foil balloons or any other nonbiodegradable materials. All components used in a release must be biodegradable, with balloons being hand tied and released individually. NO ribbons or strings must be attached to the balloons being released.
Basic Colour Theory & Elements and Principles of Design In all aspects of design there are basic agreed ideas which have been proven to be more pleasurable to the complex jungle of our minds. These elements and principles of design follow through from graphic design, artwork, to interior design right through to balloon displays. They aren’t hard and fast though, other elements can come into play and affect the overall design, however once you understand the basics rules you can use this to quickly and easily create pleasing displays which create the greatest impact. There are seven Elements of Design: line, shape, colour, value, form, texture, and space – these are things you can touch and see. The Principles of Design are the unity of all these elements to create a design using intangible aspects of the design: balance, unity, emphasis, movement and rhythm, proportion and scale, and harmony – they are what make the piece pleasing to the eye. The principles of design represent how the balloon artist uses the elements to create the most visually pleasing effect and to help convey their vision. Line: Lines can be anything in a design from straight point to point, to circuitous and flowing – but it is the path you want the eye to follow as it views the display. Shape: there are three basic shapes – geometric (triangle, circle, square etc), abstract (irregular, graphics, icons, etc) and natural (leaves, people, animals etc) Colour: a very powerful element - colour can affect our moods and change our perception of the environment. Some colours are warm and active (red, orange) whereas others are cool and passive (blue, green) Different colours add visual weight to designs too. See Colour theory for detail. Value: is how dark or light an area appears – gradients are a great way to add visual value, use value to emphasise areas, lead the eye along a line or create depth and light. Form: the size and dimensions of the design – height, width and depth - create focal points with differing sizes of balloons and accents Texture: the surface of the objects used, this can relate to the finishes of the balloons (pearlised, jewel-tone, printed) and also to the additional décor used – ribbons, organza, weights, feathers, etc – texture is a great way to add interest and unify a design. Space: one of the most overlooked elements – the voids around and spaces within a design. These separate different elements, create focal points, rest the eye from too much stimulation and is the blank canvas to frame your décor.
Colour theory: Colour is the most powerful element of designs. The colours you choose to use and put together can affect your mood into one of positivity, or of peace, or fun or of melancholy. By choosing the correct colours you can create the ambience required to fulfil your customers’ requirements. The colour wheel has many adaptations but the most widely used is a 12-colour wheel which can be subdivided into three categories: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary. Primary colours are red, yellow and blue; Secondary colours are those made by mixing the primary colours – orange, green and purple; Tertiary colours are created by mixing primary and secondary colours to create a further 6. Colours are then broken down into the following: Hue – the 12 pure colours on the colour wheel are hues, to which you can add black, white and grey Tint – adding white to a pure hue (eg, pink is a tint of the hue red) Tone – adding grey to a pure hue (eg rose is a tone of hue red) Shade – adding black to a pure hue (eg burgundy is a shade of hue red) When creating balloon displays it’s important to know your colour harmonies so you’re confident that you are putting the right colours together for the most pleasing effect. There are four basic harmonies: Monochrome – consists of one hue and it’s various tints, shades and tones which can produce a gradient value (eg pale blue, sapphire blue and midnight blue) Complementary – colours that are directly opposite on the colour wheel such as purple and yellow Analogous – uses colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel – but be careful to have enough contrast in them Triadic – uses colours evenly spaced on the colour wheel (so every 4th colour), this produces a vibrant colour combination. Visual Weight: this is a powerful concept that allows designs to be created comprising of balance, symmetry, visual hierarchy and harmony. It focuses the eye on key elements of the design and can ensure the display doesn’t visually appear top heavy and unbalanced. Within design the heavier weights at the bottom add stability and grounding to the display, however with balloons you may want to cap the top of the design with a heavier colour – when doing this it’s usually best to balance it with either a heavy colour at the bottom too, or by many lighter balloons underneath to “support” the weight. Some aspects of visual weight is obvious, where a larger object appears heavier than a small one, however in colour it’s a bit trickier. Colours have various tints, tones and shades which affect it’s perceived weight. The more saturated (bold) the colour the heavier we perceive it to be, this is also true of darker colours. Generally colours are agreed to be weighted as follows: Heaviest to lightest: Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow Principles of design: Every design should include the basic principles – proportion, scale, balance, rhythm, emphasis and unity Proportion is the visual weight and size of every element within the display to ensure that they are complementary to every other element (eg, arms on a body being in proportion to the body) Scale is how that design sits within its surrounding space. You don’t want to use an 11” balloons in a huge ballroom as the scale of the space requires larger balloons and displays. Balance is the visual stability of the display and how level and equal a design looks. It’s where visual weight of the colours come into play as when larger or darker colours are placed at the bottom of centre of a design it looks more stable and balanced. Symmetry also plays a part of balance, so if you’re designing a piece you need to consider whether formal symmetry is important or whether to create an interesting asymmetrical feature – both are acceptable providing they’re balanced correctly. Rhythm and movement is how to guide your eye to a key area whilst keeping the design interesting and flowing, so your eye isn’t trapped at this point. The design should flow and interest the eye, by using colours, variations in sizes or repetition of pattern. Emphasis is the key focal point of the design – not always relevant to balloons as you may wish the whole design to stand as a unified rhythmic design, but if you are having a focus then you must consider minimising or toning down the other elements to emphasise the key area. Unity is the coming together of all the elements and principles to create a complete design that is appealing, appropriate and unified. It’s the result of a job well done. Paula Ardron-Gemmell, Pink Tree Parties
NEW MEMBERS 3916 John Penn Apac / Kaleidoscope Party Leicestershire LE7 7NL 0116 230 2555 3917 Chris Horne Amscan International Ltd Milton Keynes MK10 0DA 01908 288579 3918 Michelle Murphy Beautiful Balloons Ltd Douglas Isle of Man IM2 3NL 07624 451 533 3919 Vanessa Collins Elegance Balloon Décor Chester Cheshire CH3 5YB 07929 356 860 3920 Natalie McWilliam Kabloom Balloons & Party Supplies East Kilbride Lanarkshire G74 3PA 07547 740654
3922 Melanie Howard Balloon Artworks Ripley Derbyshire DE5 3EA 07903 910729
3927 Lisa Denman Celebrate by Lisa St Neots Cambridgeshire PE19 6AY 07837 001299
3932 Alanna Dyer Props PhotoBooths Newport Gwent NP19 0DP 07783 403099
3923 Sandra Brooks Clown Around Colwyn Bay North Wales LL29 7PP 01492 531008
3928 Michael Goodwin Events & Presents Doncaster DN7 5AA 07412 061935
3933 Kimberley Patchett Kimberley's Kreations Dartmouth Devon TQ6 9JW 07747 120892
3924 Louise Bermingham Fairytale Rentals Morecambe Lancashire LA3 3EZ 07399 452448 3925 Donna Chorley More than B'loons Stanstead Abbotts Hertfordshire SG12 8AS 07946 141970 3926 Sandra McKeon Ab Fab Balloons Co Dublin, Ireland +3531876128466
3929 Julie Green Essential Balloons Ebford, Devon EX3 0QT 07979 506727 3930 Rebekah Compton Sky’s The Limit Balloons Ware Hertfordshire SG12 9TN 07908 781350 3931 Claire Dring Forget Me Not Rochdale Lancashire OL11 2SP 07725 408742
3934 Amanda Berry Love and Wishes Balloons Carshalton Surrey SM5 2PB 07862 251594 3935 Laura Haickel The Balloon Works Kew Surrey TW9 2EQ 020 8948 8157
NABAS APPROVED TEACHERS Yvonne Baynes Balloonery by Yvonne Tel: 01986 788316 yvonb@tiscali.co.uk Courses Provided: NABAS Level 1& 2 Area Covered: East Anglia
Angie George Capel Manor Tel: 08456 122 122 angie.george@capel.ac.uk Courses Provided: NABAS Level 1 & 2 Area Covered: Hertfordshire, Essex & South East
Jane Lee International Balloon Academy Tel: 01908 605960 / 07903 073606 www.international-balloon-academy.co.uk janelee49@me.com Courses Provided: NABAS Level 1 & 2; Basics & Beyond; Varied Master Classes Area Covered: Milton Keynes & beyond
Rita Kyriacou CBA Marguerite's Academy of Balloon Artistry Tel: 01279 639508 www.marguerites-academy.co.uk ritakyriacou@btinternet.com Courses Provided: NABAS Level 1& 2; Wedding
Mitch Gilbert CBA Rainbow Balloons Tel: 01625 585910 www.rainbowballoons.co.uk info@rainbowballoons.me.uk Courses Provided: NABAS Level 1& 2; Advanced level; 260’s Course; Balloon Drops Area Covered: Cheshire, NW England, N Wales
Mary George Gretna Green Creations Tel: 01709 818636 www.gretnagreencreations.co.uk info@gretnagreencreations.co.uk Courses Provided: NABAS Level 1 & 2
Area Covered: Hertfordshire, Essex & South East
Area Covered: Yorkshire and the North East
WHOLESALERS, MANUFACTURERS & PRINTERS AIR PRODUCTS 2 Millennium Gate, Westmere Drive Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 6AP T:0800 389 02 02
DELIGHTS DIRECT Unit 4 Tallow Way, Fairhills Road Irlam, Manchester M44 6RJ T: 0333 900 9000 F:0161 776 1144
apukinfo@airproducts.com www.airproducts.co.uk
stuartw@delightsdirect.co.uk www.delightsdirect.co.uk
AMSCAN INTERNATIONAL LTD Brudenell Drive, Brinklow, Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK10 0DA T:01908 288579
FOLKDEAN LTD Unit 2 Lydney Harbour Estate, Lydney Gloucestershire GL15 4EJ T:01594 841545 F:01594 844 577
sales@amscan-uk.co.uk www.amscan.co.uk
sales@folkdean.co.uk www.folkdean.co.uk
APAC / KALEIDOSCOPE PARTY Loughbrough Road, Rothley, Leicestershire, LE7 7NL T:0116 230 2555
GO INTERNATIONAL (UK) LTD Unit 15, The IO Centre, Arlington Business Park, Whittle Way, Stevenage SG1 2BD T:01438 745746 F:01438 745747
john@apacpackaging.com www.apacpackaging.com
george@gointernational.co.uk www.gointernational.co.uk
B-LOONY LTD Buck House Sunnyside Road Chesham, Bucks HP5 2AR T:01494 774 376 F:01494 791268
HOUSE PARTI 20 Mandervell Road, Oadby Industrial Estate, Oadby, Leicestershire LE2 5LQ T:0116 271 0100 F:0116 271 0300
balloons@b-loony.co.uk www.b-loony.co.uk
sales@houseparti.com www.houseparti.com
BALLOON MARKET Unit 4, Lulworth Business Centre Nutwood Way, Totton, Southampton, Hampshire SO40 3WW T:033 33 704 777
NEVITI Unit 9 Lane End Industrial Park Lane End, High Wycombe HP14 3BY T: 0845 6381358
info@balloonmarket.co.uk www.balloonmarket.co.uk
info@cscimports.com www.neviti.com
BALLOON SUPPLY & DISTRIBUTION Unit1B. Woodside House, Woodside Park, Catteshall Lane, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1LG T:01483 808121 F:01483 808 141
NORTHSTAR BALLOONS Southampton, Hampshire SO19 0HL T: 07469 890714
sales@balloonsupply.co.uk www.balloonsupply.co.uk
nthompson@northstarballoons.com www.northstarballoons.eu
BALLOONS AROUND SCOTLAND 100 Carnegie Road, Hillington Ind Est Glasgow G52 4JZ T:0141 882 8107 F:0141 882 9925
OAKTREE UK LTD 66 James Carter Road Industrial Estate Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 7DE T:01638 716655 F:01638 711211
sales@balloonsaroundscotland.com www.balloonsaroundscotland.co.uk
sales@oaktreeuk.com www.oaktreeuk.com
BALLOONZ 12 Coltsfoot Close, Wildern Gate, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 4UN T: 01489790893
PREMIUM BALLOON ACCESSORIES PO Box 352 Sharon Centre, Ohio 44274 USA T: 00 1 330 239 4547
sales@balloonz.co.uk
info@coolaire.com www.premiumballoon.com
www.balloonz.co.uk
BELBAL UK Broadgate House, Church Street , Deeping St James, Peterborough, Lincolnshire PE6 8HD T:01778 343 445 F:01778 347 230
info@belbaluk.co.uk
www.belbaluk.co.uk
BOC LTD The Priestly Centre, 10 Priestly Road The Surrey Research Park, Guilford Surrey GU2 7XY T:01483 244035
www.bocballoongas.co.uk = Indicates
print service offered
TALKING BALLOONS McGregor’s Way, Turnoaks Business Park Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 2WB T:01246 270555 F:01246 270566
sales@talkingballoons.com www.talkingballoons.com VIBORG BALLON A/S Gortlervej 7 DK8800 Viborg DENMARK T:00 45 866 21200
bini@viborg-ballon.dk www.viborg-ballon.dk