Make a Balloon Animal

Visit my gallery page to find instructions for all balloons previously posted.

May Flowers?

If April flowers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? My cousin posed that question to me when I was about ten years old. The answer, of course is PILGRIMS!. So this month's sculpture is the Mayflower, or any other square-rigged single masted sailing ship. It requires two balloons for the ship's body and one each for the mast and sail.
Inflate the two body balloons leaving about a 1 inch uninflated tail. Release a little air to soften them before tying. In one balloon twist off a 6 inch bubble for the bowsprit in the tail end, and lock the knot of the other balloon into the twist. In the second balloon twist off a 12 inch bubble for the side rail followed by a 3 inch. Twist a 12 inch bubble in the first balloon and lock twist it to the end of the 3 inch.
Make another 3 inch bubble in the second balloon and lock it to the opposite end of the first 3 inch. These form the transom. Curve the remainder of both balloons underneath for the hull and lock the ends to the base of the bowsprit. You may want to put a pinch twist here to keep the bowsprit in position. Squeeze the air in the bowsprit out to the end to make it narrower and tapered.
Inflate the mast balloon leaving a 1 inch tail. Twist a 1 inch, 6 inch, 3 inch, and another 6 inch and 1 inch in the knot end. Position the 3 inch bubble across the beam of the deck about half way back and lock both ends to the siderails. Bring the ends of the 6 inch bubbles together above the deck to form the ratlines, with the rest of the balloon for the mast. Pinch twist the two 1 inch bubbles at the base of the mast to help hold it upright.
Inflate the sail balloon leaving about a 1 inch tail. Twist a 1 inch bubble and lock it to the mast about 12 inches above the base.
Twist a 6 inch, 12 inch, 6 inch and lock the last twist to the base of the mast. This forms one side of the sail. Repeat on the opposite side and secure the end to the top of the mast with a final 1 inch. A pinch twist in the 1 inch bubbles gives a more finished look.
May flowers remind us of the new life that is ours in Christ. The Mayflower brought the pilgrims to America so that they could worship Christ according to their convictions, without the pressure to conform to the politically correct government-sponsored religion of their former home. Click Here for more information about the Christian faith that was so important to the pilgrims.



According to Web Counter you are visitor number

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, the wallpaper is a stereogram!