Design Tips

SPECIAL DESIGN TRICKS USING HI-FLOAT

Instructions for floral arrangement by Gary Wells
Instructions for confetti balloon arrangement by Jan Iiams
Treating heart-shaped, Geo Blossum® and Geo Donut® balloons
Treating pearlized and metallic balloons
Food coloring balloons
Confetti on inside of clear balloons
Confetti on outside of balloons
Spider web balloons
Double-stuffed and gumball balloons

When treating balloons to decorate large areas such as reception halls, shopping centers, etc. it is always a good idea to test a few balloons beforehand in the actual location where the decorations will be in order to determine the actual floating life under these conditions of humidity, temperature, etc.

In hot, humid weather many problems can be avoided if the air conditioning system can be left on while the decorations are up. If this is not possible, at least make sure the air-conditioning is on for the first few hours after the decorations are finished. This will speed drying and will give a much longer floating life.

Instructions for Floral Arrangement by Gary Wells
as seen in Flowers & Florists' Review

" HI-FLOAT is to balloons what preservatives are to flowers. It makes them hold up longer and creates a higher quality image."- Gary Wells, CBA & AIFD, Premiere Designs, Grand Rapids, MI

Ingredients:

ULTRA HI-FLOAT
6 Liatrus
2 stems Kiss Proff Lily
5 hot pink carnations
2 hot pink roses
2 stems purple Mateumoto asters
8 5-inch pearl purple latex balloons
2 11-inch pearl purple latex balloons
1 floral container

Tools:

#8 copper wire
ribbon
wire cutters
needle nose-pliers
spray paint can
floral foam
helium
nitrogen or air

Instructions:

Choose a container. It needs to be a simple container so it doesn't compete with the design elements.
Secure the floral foam into the container.
Take the #8 copper wire:
1. Cut pieces about 4 ft.
2. Using the spray paint can, wrap the wire tight around the can until half of the wire is coiled
3. Remove the paint can and shape as desired
4. Use needle-nose pliers to make the coil smaller
Inflate 5-inch balloon with air or nitrogen to desired size and form a coil to encase the balloon.
Cut the remaining end to desired length and make a “u” with the end of the wire going into the foam. This keeps the wire from turning in the foam.
Insert the “u” end into the foam.
Wrap a separate 4-inch piece of wire around the container and allow it to coil.
Complete floral design as desired.
Using ULTRA HI-FLOAT, inflate the 11-inch balloons with helium.
Hand-tie the balloons, attach ribbon, and tie the ribbon to the wire.

Instructions for Confetti Balloon Arrangement by Jan Iiams
as seen in Balloons & Parties magazine

" What excites me is the way HI-FLOAT lets me add a touch of magic to my designs, with enhanced color, dazzling texture, and delightful visual accents."
- Jan Iiams, CBA, Conwin Inc., Los Angeles, CA

Ingredients:

Regular HI-FLOAT
1 16-inch onyx black latex balloon
1 11-inch onyx black latex balloon
1 9-inch onyx black latex balloon
1 5-inch onyx black latex balloon
3 cup & sticks
1 floral container
small block of floral foam
gold tulle ribbon
gold #9 fabric ribbon
gold confetti
several floral picks

Tools:

low temp glue gun
1 straw
scissors
helium
nitrogen or air

Instructions:

Secure the floral foam into the container with a glue gun.
Place the 16-inch balloon onto a straw and dip the balloon into a cup of Regular HI-FLOAT. Be sure to coat the balloon up to the point where the neck will be tied, but not the entire neck so it will be dry and easier to tie.
Let the excess HI-FLOAT drip back into the cup, and check for spots that are not coated well before you inflate the balloon with helium.
Inflate with helium. As you inflate, the HI-FLOAT will stop dripping.
Quickly tie the balloon and tether with curling ribbon. By hand, sprinkle gold confetti onto the wet surface. You'll have to work quickly because the HI-FLOAT dries fast!
Tie #9 gold ribbon in a loop or bow under the balloon and using a floral pick or pin, firmly secure the tail in the floral foam.
Use the same method as above with smaller latex balloons but before inflating, roll the HI-FLOAT coated balloons in gold confetti and then underinflate them with nitrogen or air for a beautiful random pattern.
Knot and place the balloons on cups and sticks and insert them as shown into the foam. Place the larger balloons at the base and smaller sizes higher in the arrangement for a placement that follows the principles and elements of design.
To finish, cover the exposed foam with loops of gold tulle and gold #9 ribbon which are secured with a glue gun or floral picks directly into the foam.
The added drama of texture and color in this long lasting arrangement will impress clients in every category from bridal to corporate. This fabulous combination of low cost elements and high-perceived value will mean lots of extra profits for your business.

Jan's design tip: The first time you use the dipping method, keep a damp cloth handy for drips and sticky fingers. You'll find with just a little practice and experience however, that you won't need much clean up after creating signature designs with this delightful technique.

Treating heart-shaped, Geo Blossum® and Geo Donut® balloons

Heart-shaped, Geo Blossum® and Geo Donut® balloons normally float for a much shorter time than round balloons. To get the maximum floating life with these balloons use the following method:

Step 1. Inflate the balloon fully with air to stretch it, then deflate it entirely.

Step 2. Inject ULTRA HI-FLOAT using the white clip for 11- inch balloons, 16 - Geo Donuts®, and 16-inch GEo Blossoms®, or the blue clip for 17-inch heart shaped balloons.
Note: If the balloon is not floating when first inflated add less HI-FLOAT. You may need to only push the pump down 3/4 of the way, especially when treating Geo Blossoms®.

Step 3. Rub the balloon to spread the ULTRA HI-FLOAT around.

Step 4. Inflate the balloon as large as possible with helium and hand-tie.

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Treating pearlized and metallic balloons

Pearlized and metallic balloons float about a third less time than regular colored balloons. To get the maximum floating life possible use one of the following methods:

Method 1. Inject the ULTRA HI-FLOAT into the balloon the day before it is to be inflated, using the correct pump clip. Rub the balloon in the normal manner to spread the ULTRA HI-FLOAT around when it is injected into the balloon. Treat several balloons in this manner and then gather them together by placing a rubber band around their necks to keep the ULTRA HI-FLOAT from drying out. The next day briefly rub the balloon a second time and then inflate with helium.

Method 2. (Will give about the same increase in floating time as above.) Inflate the balloon with air to stretch it. Then deflate the balloon, treat it with ULTRA HI-FLOAT in the normal manner, and inflate with helium.

Food coloring balloons

Try this technique to make some beautiful marbleized balloons that resemble dyed Easter eggs as shown below.

Use the white clip on the pump to add SUPER HI-FLOAT or ULTRA HI-FLOAT to the inside of 11-inch white latex balloons. Next, add two or three drops of food coloring to the balloon such as red, yellow, or blue. At first try just one color per balloon. Rub the outside of the balloon to mix the food coloring and HI-FLOAT and to spread it around. Then inflate the balloon with air or helium in the usual manner.

FOOD COLORING BALLOON ARRANGEMENT

If you don't like the color pattern, deflate the balloon, rub it some more, and then reinflate it to get a different pattern. No two are alike!

For a more elegant look use pearlized white balloons instead of plain white.

You will be surprised at the beauty of these custom colored balloons. By blending you can make any color you want. The colors will darken slightly on drying. If “runs” form use slightly less HI-FLOAT. For variation, use clear balloons instead of white ones and add a little glitter for added sparkle. Or, use with pastel colored balloons to achieve many beautiful colors.

Confetti on inside of clear balloons

The very festive and eye-catching arrangement shown below can be made by putting colored foil confetti in balloons as follows. Add SUPER HI-FLOAT or ULTRA HI-FLOAT to 16-inch clear balloon using the blue pump restriction clip. Rub the outside of the balloon in the usual manner to spread the coating over the inside surface. Then blow a puff of air into the balloon so the sides are not touching.

Next add about one-third of a cup of chopped foil or other soft confetti into the balloon through a canning funnel. You can make this confetti by cutting up some old foil balloons which have popped, or you may buy it already chopped from several distributors. Then inflate the balloon with helium to about the size of a grapefruit. Shake it vigorously to spread the confetti uniformly around inside the balloon.

Finally, inflate the balloon the rest of the way with helium and tie it with rainbow curling ribbon. Attach several of these balloons to a bottle of jellybeans for a really colorful arrangement.

The key to getting the confetti uniformly spread over the inside of the balloon without forming "clumps" is to avoid rubbing the balloon after the confetti is added. Instead, inflate the balloon slightly and shake it.

This same technique can be used to put sparkling glitter inside the balloon.

Note: It is always a good idea when working with confetti to wear protective eye wear.

CONFETTI ON INSIDE OF CLEAR BALLOON

Confetti on outside of balloons

Note: Always use regular HI-FLOAT for coating the outside of balloons.

To make balloons with confetti on the outside as shown in below place the balloon to be coated on a pencil as shown in Figure 7 and dip it into a glass of pure HI-FLOAT. Withdraw the balloon and let it drain a couple of minutes.

As you inflate the balloon it will stop dripping. The outside coating of HI-FLOAT will remain wet and sticky for about twenty minutes. You can sprinkle confetti or glitter on the outside of the balloon during this time. Be careful not to use too much or the balloon will get heavy and will not float.

Since the balloon is still wet you will need to be careful to tie it without touching the sides and you will want to keep it from touching other balloons for about a half an hour.

Warning: Air-filled balloons having an external coating of HI-FLOAT must be kept in an air-conditioned location in hot weather. Exposure to heat and/or high humidity can cause the balloon to burst or deflate prematurely.

CONFETTI ON OUTSIDE OF BALLOON

Spider web balloons

SPIDER WEB BALLOON

For a really great item at Halloween make some clear balloons with spiders and webs inside as above.

First inject a little less than the usual amount of HI-FLOAT in a 11-inch clear balloon and rub it around to coat the inside. Next put a small rubber spider in the balloon. Then inflate the balloon to about 75% of the full-size with air, and seal it with a plastic disk or clip. Let dry overnight. Place the balloon out in the open where there is good air circulation. It must be very dry in order to form the spider web.

The next day remove the clip and deflate the balloon. Hold it by the stem and the top as shown in Figure 14 and stretch it a few times to separate the dry film from the wall of the balloon. Then slowly inflate it with helium. When it gets to about full size the HI-FLOAT film will separate from the wall in several places and hang inside the balloon to form a spider web. If the coating does not separate, deflate the balloon, stretch it a couple of more times and reinflate it.

This takes a little practice, but once you've mastered it almost every balloon turns out beautifully.

Since the HI-FLOAT coating inside the balloon is no longer intact, the balloon will not have an extended floating life. A long lasting product can be made by inflating the balloon with air instead of helium and putting it on a cup and stick. Use the dilute coating technique on the outside to keep it from oxidizing. It should last for weeks.

Double-stuffed and gumball balloons

To increase the floating time of a double stuffed balloon (an 11-inch colored balloon inside a 16-inch clear balloon) or a gumball balloon (several 5-inch colored balloons inside a 16-inch clear balloon) use the following method:

Step 1. Treat the inside of the 16-inch clear balloon with ULTRA HI-FLOAT using the yellow clip. Inflate the balloon with helium and seal with a plastic clip or disc.

Step 2. Allow the balloon to dry for at least twenty-four hours. Then remove the clip, only letting a little helium escape. Insert the smaller 5-inch balloons or the 11-inch balloon. Replace any lost helium and hand-tie the 16-inch balloon. Note: the ULTRA HI-FLOAT should be completely dry inside the 16-inch balloon before inserting smaller balloons.

The HI-FLOAT Co., Inc.
13025 Middletown Industrial Blvd.
Louisville, KY 40223

E-mail: info@hi-float.com

(502) 244-0984
1-800-57-FLOAT (573-5628)