balloon base

[OC FUN]

Hello All,
Its been a while but things in life are not as nuts now.  
Had a question for anyone who does deliverable.
What do you use as a base?  I was thinking of geos filled with water but am concern of the mess it will cause on someones desk rug or floor if it pops.  Does anyone use something different or is water the standard.

Thanks

[twistnaround]

Hello!
 
I deliver my balloon twisters - even the "lootles".  I, too, have a fear of the water in the geos.  I make a weight with the geo by taking two 5" rounds - put one inside the other, blow it up a bit, then let deflate.  I bought decorating sand cheap at the local craft store - I use a little funnel that came with my kid's aqua sand and fill the double stuff 5"  - but leave room so you can tie it. Tie the balloon - then I take a scrap balloon and tie around the nozzle and shove part of the nozzle and scrap balloon through the center of a geo.  You kind of push the sand weight into the geo balloon a bit so that it's flat on the bottom.  (sometimes I over fill the double stuffed 5" and then it's not flat- so a bit of trial and error) Wrap the scrap around the feet of the lootle.

The other way I do a base for a "lootle" is to blow up 3  - 5" round balloons.  Tie two of the them together - then tie the third into that.  Make another weight with the double stuff 5" round and use curling ribbon tied around the nozzle of the double stuff 5" then tie the ribbon into the balloons so that the weight is kind of snug up to the balloons.  Use the rest of the ribbon to wrap around the "lootles" feet.  I find 3 balloons allow the feet to point over each side of one of the 3 ballons so that it's a bit more even.  I found that my "lootle" leaned forward or backward with 4 balloons tied together.

If I need a base for something else - like an an elephant or something - then I use 4 balloons tied together.  If I want more heighth to it, I will do 4 balloons on top of 4 balloons (kind of like a very mini column). 

I hope that helps - there is a ballerina on 4 balloons and some people on geos on my website.  I haven't actually taken a picture of any of my balloon people on the 3 balloon base.  I just did one today but didn't take a picture.  If I do any soon I'll try to do that.

I hope that gives you some info.  The ways I do it seem to allow for deliveries to "stand" on desks nicely. Hope nothing was to confusing either! 

[jballoon]

For bigger deliveries a 16" geo with a triple stuffed 5" round in the center. Also, a CD base works for smaller displays.

[jillybilly1976]

Just to show a few - as follows...
Pic 1 - CD base
Pic 2 - 6 petal flower w/ 1 petal pointing up and wedged between the legs
Pic 3 - 4 double stuffed 5" rounds filled with water

[snurb]

I gave my two young sons an 11" double stuffed water weight where the balloons were about the size of a good sized plum and they were unable to burst it. they did their best, even jumped on it!!!

[mackerous]

According to Papa Balloons, geos are tough enough to be filled with water and thrown at walls without breaking. I tried it a bit and it seemed to hold up. Give it a shot.

[paladinNJ]

I've had my fair shares of GEOS leak. The method I prefer is to use salt in the GEO. I fill a 20 oz soda bottle about halfway with salt. I blow up one or two lobes of the GEO, then stretch the nozzle over the top of the bottle and pour in. Then I complete inflation and soften.  I can usually pick up about two lbs at the dollar store and this does about 3-4 bases.

[ms. cracker]

The cheapest filler after water is possibly playground sand. I got a huge bag for about $7 at a local toy store. It was enough to make 3 large fossil digs (like they have in kids museums) and I still have half the bag left over. It's very clean, I made the fossil things for my nieces. Guess I'll start using the leftovers for balloon bases to use it up!