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Instructions for
Stretch & Company's
"T-Rex"
By Stretch The Balloon Dude

This is a really cute T-Rex that is large enough to be impressive, but still small and fast enough for restaurants, birthday parties and other events where you can spend 2 - 3 minutes per sculpture.
For This Sculpture You Will Need:
1 - 160
1 - 260
1 - 360
1 - 5" Round

Instructions:

1. Start by inflating the 260 and 360 leaving about a 4-inch tail. Inflate about half of the 160 and inflate the 5-inch round to about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter and trim the nozzle very close to the inflated portion of the balloon.

2. Take the 360 and make to soft 4 inch bubbles at the nozzle end and then twist the knot into the base of the second bubble. Tuck the knot through the two bubbles to secure it in place.

3. Grab the two bubbles and twist them into 2 fold twists by squeezing the twist at the end of the two bubbles until it meets the twist at the opposite ends of the bubbles. Twist the two folded bubbles in opposite directions to secure them in place.

4. Make two more 4 inch bubbles and lock the end of the second bubble into the middle of the 2 fold twists to form a lock twist. This will be the head of your dinosaur. The fold twists are the cheeks and the lock twist is mouth.

5. Make a 1 1/2 inch bubble followed by a small round bubble and then make the small round bubble into a pinch (ear) twist. This will be where you connect his arms after you make them.

6. Make a 2 - 3 inch bubble followed by another small round bubble and then make the small round bubble into a pinch (ear) twist. This will be where you connect his legs after you make them.

7. Take the 5 inch round and twist into two bubbles of equal size making sure to capture the knot in the twist. Grab you dinosaur and twist the eyes onto the head by pushing them up from under the bottom of his jaws and then bringing them up to the top of his head where the cheeks and jaws meet. Twist them around once to lock them in place and then turn the cheeks so that each eye rests in the fold of the cheek.

8. Take the 160 and twist two 1 to 1 1/2 inch bubbles on the nozzle end and then twist the knot into the twist at the end of the second bubble forming a lock twist. Tuck the knot through the two bubbles to secure it in place.

9. Make a mall round bubble at the base of the lock twist and then make it into a pinch (ear) twist. Make a second round bubble and make it into a pinch (ear) twist as well. Position the two pinch twists on opposite sides of the balloon forming one of the dinosaur's hands.

10. Make about a 6 or 7-inch bubble followed by a small round bubble and then make the round bubble into a pinch (ear) twist. Make another small round bubble and make it a pinch (ear) twist. Position these 2 pinch (ear) twists on opposite sides of the balloon.

11. Now make two bubbles the same size as the fingers on the first hand you made in step 8 and then lock the end of the second bubble into the 2 pinch (ear) twists to lock it in place and complete your second hand. Pop of the excess balloon and secure the end by wrapping it around the 2 pinch (ear) twists several times. You have now completed your dinosaur arms.

12. Divide the long bubble in the middle of the arms and divide it into 2 equal bubbles and then attach your arms to your dinosaur by twisting them into the pinch twist on his body that is closest to his head. Bring them around to the front of the body and lock them in place by twisting them around each other once.

13. Take your 260 and twist a 3/4-inch bubble on the nozzle end followed by a small round bubble. Make the small bubble into a pinch (ear) twist.

14. Twist a 2-inch bubble, a 1 1/2 inch bubble and another 2 inch bubble and then form these bubbles into a foot by twisting the end of the last bubble into the pinch twist. Position the pinch twist on the bottom of the foot with the 3 bubbles on one side and the 3/4-inch bubble you made in step 13 on the other side.

15. Make a 2 1/2 inch bubble followed by a small round bubble and then make the small bubble into a pinch (ear) twist forming one of your dinosaur’s knees. Make two 2 1/2 to 3 inch bubbles followed by another small round bubble and then make the small round bubble into a pinch (ear) twist forming his second knee. You can release the twist between the two knees and re-twist it later when you attach the legs to the body.

16. Make another 2 1/2 inch bubble followed by a small round bubble and then make the small bubble into a pinch twist. Take the remaining balloon and make 4 bubbles that will form your second foot. You will have to gauge the size of the bubbles so that you get a long bubble, a smaller bubble, another long bubble and a small round bubble. This will be your second foot and it may not be exactly the same size as your first foot depending on how much bubble you have left. Twist the base of the small round bubble around the pinch twist to complete your second foot.

17. Divide the long bubble in the middle of the two legs into two equal bubbles and then twist this point into the second pinch (ear) twist on the dinosaur body and then wrap them legs around the dinosaur and lock them in place by twisting them around each other.

18. Straighten up your arms and legs, add artwork and you now have a T-Rex.

Wendell Clendennen, a.k.a. Stretch the Balloon Dude, has been twisting tubes of latex into fun and zany shapes since 1989. Since then he has developed a unique style that combines a slightly twisted view of life with an eye for detail. Stretch has taught at conventions and seminars across the US, including being the featured lecturer for T Jam on the Road 2006 and repeat appearances at Summer Balloon Camp and Twist and Shout. Together, Stretch and Mrs. Stretch host G.O.T. Balloons, the monthly balloon jam in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas that has been meeting regularly since April of 2003. www.stretchc.com

ALWAYS
CLOWNING

Instructions for
Zany Janie's
"Twisted Ski Cap"
By Jane Driscoll


What You Will Need:
1 - 160 balloon inflated to15”
12 - 160 balloons assorted colors inflated to 23”
1 - Clamp
4 - 160s for spiral embellishments (if desired)
1 - Qualatex mini pump
Tool box handle or chair leg

Instructions:

1. Do not pre-stretch your 160 balloons for this particular balloon hat. I do like to pre-inflate my 160 balloons using the a Qualatex Pocket Pump. The pocket pump is compact. It measures 9” and has two interchangeable small tips. These narrow tips are perfect for inflating 160 balloons. The pump is very well made and has a double action valve making it a fast and durable pump. When I inflate my balloons I count the number of single full strokes that it takes to inflate my balloon to a set size. For example a balloon inflated to 15” inches takes eight single strokes, and a balloon inflated to 23” takes 13 single strokes.
I like counting strokes as opposed to measuring each balloon for size. So chose your balloon colors, inflate your balloons and let’s get started.

2. To make the hat base gently stretch the 15” inflated balloon to soften and lengthen the balloon. Begin by making a three finger bubble followed by a one fingers width bubble (or ½"). Ear twist that small bubble. Repeat this process until you have used the length of the balloon.

3. Tie both ends of the chain of three finger bubbles and ear twists together. My hat base has 12 ear twists.

4. Attach one 23” length 160 balloon around any one ear twist.
Knot that balloon around the ear twist if you wish. Using the next 23” 160 balloon repeat this process until you have used all of your inflated160 balloons (see photo). For my balloon hat I have followed a rainbow color pattern. You may use whatever color selection you wish.

5. Your finished spokes need to be joined together roughly 8” to 10” up from the hat base. Collect all spokes and give them two good twists clock wise.

6. Make sure the spokes and ear twists are secure.

7. Let’s make Poodle poufs on the end of each spoke. Pull up on just the tip end of each spoke. This action releases the tension in the tip allowing the pouf of air to be trapped. Now from the inflated section of the balloon twist off a 2” bubble of air. Hold that bubble at its base and with your other hand gently close off some of the air in the un-inflated section of the balloon. Now squeeze the 2” bubble hard.
Due to the laws of physics your bubble should quickly move to the stretched end of the balloon spoke and remain there.

8. Your hat might look something like this. This can be your completed hat but I like to add more shape to my hats.

9. Let’s distort the balloon spokes giving them direction and a feeling of movement. Bend a section of each inflated spoke. Place one finger inside the curve of the bend. Use your other hand to hold the bend firmly while pulling up sharply on the finger inside the curve. The result should be a nice bend to the spoke. Repeat this process on each spoke in varying places.

You should now have a neat and very unusual hat. The hat won’t fit most adult heads unless you add a chin-strap like I am wearing in the photo. I use a clear un-inflated balloon tie to the hat base.

10. Are you ready for some fun embellishments?
Let’s add some curly Qs. To make a curly Q I use a hardware squeeze clamp and the handle of a toolbox or the leg of a chair and an un-inflated 160 balloon. Clamp the tip end of a 160 to the handle of the tool box gently wrap the balloon around the handle and then slowly inflate the balloon like so.

The result is a firmly curled balloon. Knot the end, unclamp the balloon and gently unwrap it from the handle. Do not pull it off the handle or you will soften the curl too much. Tie the knotted end of the balloon curly Q around the collected spokes. Repeat this process using as many curly Q as you wish.

Janie Driscoll is a versatile performer.
She has been privileged to have toured nationally. This multi-talented artist and educator offers shows, and custom workshops designed to inspire the beginning or seasoned performer.
Janie began her training in theatre arts at Hedgerow Theatre Repertoire, Moylan Pa, at age eleven. There she was trained in classical theatre, stage combat, slap-stick, comedy, mime, improvisation, stage movement and theatre of the absurd. She brings to work as a clown and actress all these skills plus, comedy magic, amazing balloon artistry, and exciting face painting, to create for you the characters known as "Silly Dilly" and "Zany Janie."
www.alwaysclowning.com

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