Tag: helium balloons

DIY Balloon Decoration Ideas for Special Occasions

Balloon decorations are a fantastic way to add a splash of color and a festive atmosphere to any special occasion. Whether you’re planning a birthday party, wedding, baby shower, or any other celebration, balloons can be a cost-effective and versatile decorating option. In this post, we’ll explore some creative DIY balloon decoration ideas that you can easily replicate at home. Plus, we’ll share some tips on where to get helium for balloons.

Balloon Arches

Materials Needed:

  • Balloons in various colors and sizes
  • Balloon arch kit (available at most party supply stores)
  • Helium tank or helium-filled balloons
  • Ribbon or fishing line

Instructions:

  1. Inflate your balloons using a helium tank. If you don’t have a helium tank, you can purchase pre-filled helium balloons from a local party store.
  2. Tie the balloons onto the balloon arch frame, alternating colors and sizes to create a visually appealing pattern.
  3. Secure the balloons tightly to ensure they stay in place throughout your event.
  4. Add ribbon or greenery to the arch for an extra decorative touch.

Balloon Bouquets

Materials Needed:

  • Helium-filled balloons in various colors and sizes
  • Balloon weights
  • Curling ribbon

Instructions:

  1. Choose a color scheme that matches your event theme.
  2. Inflate the balloons with helium and tie them with curling ribbon.
  3. Group the balloons into bouquets of varying heights.
  4. Attach each bouquet to a balloon weight to keep them from floating away.
  5. Arrange the balloon bouquets around your venue as centerpieces or accent decorations.

Balloon Garland

Materials Needed:

  • Balloons in different sizes and colors
  • Balloon decorating strip
  • Helium tank (optional, for added floating effect)
  • Command hooks or tape for hanging

Instructions:

  1. Inflate your balloons with air or helium, depending on the desired look.
  2. Insert the balloon knots into the holes of the balloon decorating strip.
  3. Continue adding balloons until you reach the desired length.
  4. Hang the balloon garland using command hooks or tape.
  5. For a floating effect, use helium-filled balloons and let the garland drape naturally.

Balloon Centerpieces

Materials Needed:

  • Helium-filled balloons
  • Balloon weights
  • Decorative elements (such as flowers, ribbons, or lights)

Instructions:

  1. Inflate the balloons with helium and tie them with ribbon.
  2. Attach each balloon to a balloon weight.
  3. Place the balloon weights in the center of each table.
  4. Add decorative elements around the balloon weights to enhance the centerpiece.

Personalized Balloons

Materials Needed:

  • Helium-filled balloons
  • Permanent markers or vinyl stickers
  • Ribbon

Instructions:

  1. Inflate the balloons with helium.
  2. Use permanent markers or vinyl stickers to add personalized messages or designs to the balloons.
  3. Tie the balloons with ribbon and arrange them around your venue.

Where to Get Helium for Balloons

When it comes to filling your balloons with helium, you have a few options:

  1. Helium Tanks: You can purchase or rent helium tanks from party supply stores or online retailers. This option allows you to fill balloons at your convenience and is ideal for large events.
  2. Party Stores: Many party stores offer helium balloon inflation services. You can bring your balloons to the store and have them filled with helium for a fee.
  3. Helium Delivery Services: Some companies offer helium delivery services, bringing helium tanks directly to your event location. This is a convenient option if you need a large amount of helium and want to avoid the hassle of transportation.

Tips for Using Helium Balloons

  • Plan Ahead: Ensure you have enough helium to fill all your balloons. It’s always better to have a little extra than to run out mid-decorating.
  • Safety First: Follow safety guidelines when using helium tanks. Secure the tank properly and avoid inhaling helium, as it can be dangerous.
  • Timing: Inflate your balloons as close to the event time as possible to ensure they stay afloat throughout the celebration. Helium balloons typically last 12-24 hours, depending on the size and material.

With these DIY balloon decoration ideas and helium tips, you’re well on your way to creating a festive and memorable atmosphere for your special occasion. Happy decorating!

Tips for Outdoor Dining in Your Backyard

With a little imagination and a couple of picnic benches, your backyard can be the main venue for your some of your summertime activities. Being home with family can turn out to be one of the best things to come out of the pandemic, so much so that you found you really like spending time together. Here are some ideas for outdoor dining in your very own backyard.

1. Throwing Shade Can Be a Good Thing

With summertime around the corner, the sun will be shining its toasty rays down upon you very soon. Fun in the sun is good, but alternate time soaking up that vitamin D with some relaxing and rehydrating in the shade. Shelter from the heat can include an oversized umbrella, a gazebo, or an awning over your patio.

2. Time to Refill the Propane

When you make the list for your outdoor dining necessities, put a propane tank or cylinder near the top. It is one of the most cost effective and clean ways to cook. Propane comes in handy not only for grilling but for fire pits and heat lamps. Keeping your backyard warm with heat lamps or a fire pit when the evening starts to cool down will let your perfect day continue long after the little ones start to doze off

3. Helium Balloons and Water Activities

What kid doesn’t love colorful balloons? Round up a helium tank for your festivities and kids of all ages will be lining up to get their balloons. Backyard summertime favorites that pair well with outdoor dining include playing in the sprinklers, water balloon fights, and croquet. If your yard is big enough, there is a variety of inflatable water slides that your kids would probably love to play on anytime they want to.

4. Formal Dining Outdoors to Make Any Day Special

Pick up the fancy linen tablecloth and napkins that you forgot were at the dry cleaners and break out your equivalent of ooh-la-la silver and china that your family uses for special occasions. Eating al fresco can be as decadent as dining at a fine restaurant. You don’t have to spend a fortune to dine in style.

5. Keep the Bugs Away

Bugs like to congregate wherever there is food, so put bug spray on everyone ahead of time. Citronella candles will also help to keep the bugs at bay and allow you to enjoy your friends and family without continually slapping away the irritating insects.

For ideas on more fun ways to enjoy time with your family, see other posts on this blog. There are plenty of ways to make memories together without even leaving home.

Back to Normal for St Patrick’s Day: Tips for Celebrating in 2022

With a pandemic raging, the last couple of years have been some of the strangest in modern times. From school and work closures to the banning of large gatherings, people have not been able to socialize and have fun!

With people getting back to work and school, what better way to get back into the swing of things than to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

Parades are a traditional way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Boston’s traditional St. Patrick’s Day parade is back for 2022 on March 20th at 1:00 pm.

If you can’t make it to the parade, why not do a celebration of your own? Here are a few things you can do!

Take It Outside

Invite some guests for a backyard BBQ. Don’t forget to make sure you have a full propane tank for your grill! If you want to serve traditional Irish food, make some corned beef and cabbage or beef stew. It’s also fun to make as many green foods as you can, like green soda bread, cookies, cupcakes, candy, etc. Serve a great Irish beer like Guinness and your St Paddy’s party would be perfect! Make sure to have some digestive aids on hand for the next morning!

Green Balloons

Helium balloons are always a crowd-pleaser. Get yourself a helium tank and some green balloons for the St. Patrick’s Day decorations. Attach the green balloons to the mailbox, a post in the yard, and even in the house.

Balloons always create a festive atmosphere and once the party guests arrive, don’t forget to play some Irish music.

Have a Park Party for the Kids

Kids always love to play on the swings and slides at the park. Even if you’re not Irish, you can still load up on some green snacks and drinks, bring a few green balloons, and dress yourself and your kids in green tee shirts for an impromptu St. Patrick’s Day party at the park playground.

While the kids rest after playing, pass the snacks around and tell them the story of St Patrick:

St. Patrick lived during the fifth century and is the patron saint of Ireland. Although he was born in Roman Britain, he was captured and taken as a slave to Ireland. The Catholic Church credits St. Patrick with bringing Christianity to Ireland.

There are several legends surrounding St. Patrick. One of the most well-known is how he taught the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of the Shamrock (Irish Clover).

When is St. Patrick’s Day? People celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th — the day of St. Patrick’s death. Although the celebration falls in Lent, the Church waives the requirement for abstinence from meat if the day falls on a Friday.

Amid the not-so-perfect weather of March, St. Patrick’s Day offers a fun respite from the dreary days of the pandemic. Do take advantage of it!

Planning a Wedding? Don’t Forget These Steps

Planning a wedding can seem like a really big task. But if you start early and stay organized, you can put together a truly memorable event. You’ll need to call florists, taste cake, and find a caterer. In all of your planning, though, make sure you don’t forget these small but important steps.

1. Make plans to clean and preserve your wedding dress.

When the wedding is over, you’ll want to preserve your wedding dress. Wedding dress preservation is not only a way to preserve the memories of a life time, you can also wear it again if you ever renew your vows, or you can pass it down to a daughter or friend one day.
Before being preserved, your dress will need to be cleaned by professional dry cleaners. They’ll remove any makeup stains, cake marks, and other spots before they get a chance to set in. Once clean, your dress can be preserved in a specialized box. Your shoes and gloves can be preserved, too, if you wish.

2. Opt for an outdoor wedding with helium balloons.

This year, especially, planning an indoor wedding can be challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related regulations. So, consider choosing an outdoor wedding instead.
You can make it a really unique experience with helium balloons! For a large number of balloons, you will need a helium tank or helium cylinder to fill them, and don’t be afraid to get creative. You can have some basic balloons in your wedding colors, but also some vinyl balloons printed with the bride and groom’s favorite cartoon characters or your favorite musical instruments.

3. Remind guests to get vaccinated.

With COVID-19 still around, you want to make sure your guests are as safe and protected as possible. About a month before your wedding, reach out to guests and remind them to get vaccinated. Consider sending them the information for a local pharmacy that is offering vaccines. And don’t forget to be vaccinated yourself!

4. Pack a kit for the limo ride.

Take a few minutes to put together a kit you can carry with you in the limousine. Bring with you essentials like Tylenol, Band Aids, chap stick, lotion, and facial tissue. Having these items on-hand will alleviate a lot of worry and inconvenience on your big day.Planning a wedding is a lot of work. Make sure you don’t skip the steps above, and don’t forget to pause, take a deep breath, and remember you’re about to marry the love of your life. Congratulations and best wishes!!