MAD Blog

A Tropical Carnival

2012-02-08T08:18:00.000+11:00

We have all heard that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" - but where does the watermelon come in...???

The sculptured fruit were on top of the covered walkway running through the company campus. 5000 people, 3 stages and large areas - how can balloons assist in creating the theme??

Well the 3mtr pineapple and 2.5mtr watermelon were a great start. Then we added 100 x 260Q's in tropical colours to the outdoor stair rails on each building. As well as providing all around colour, the "260Q explosions" highlighted the 'drummers' that were appearing on the balconies later in the evening.

A fantastic job to win. With 5 staff members on site we completed the brief on time and on budget...and the client was ecstatic.

"I love it when a plan comes together!"

Promoting Your Brand - with balloons!!

2012-02-02T08:58:00.002+11:00

The inaugural Big Bash League in Australia and each team was focussed on building their brand...as well as trying to win a few games. We were contacted by the Sydney Sixers, and we came up with the following ideas for their home games at the SCG.

We used the majestic magenta Qualatex Numbers to create some bunches for the 'VIP/corporate partners' boxes.

After entering through our very large arch the VIP guests simply followed the pink carpet to their destination.

The finishing touch for the arch was to have the 6ers logo specially printed on the 'top' of half of the balloons in the arch.

...also about 10,000 people walked past the arch on their way to their seats at each game, so the printing on the balloons was big value for money.

The Sydney Sixers made it to the final of the Big Bash League. I reckon it must have been the sensational branding provided by MAD Balloons!!!

Happy Australia Day - 26th Jan.

2012-01-26T07:02:00.000+11:00

Happy Australia Day Everyone.

Just thought I would add my own special touch of Australia Day to the mix.

This was a design we did for one of our loyal clubs. The brief - "show me something Australian and something new...and have it in the airlock in two days."
No problems.....

As you can see I love to mix and match with the vast array of long lasting Qualatex foils at our disposal. Tapers, stars and numbers in this one.

This design may make the cut in my WBC class in 7 weeks!!!!

The Year of the Dragon

2012-01-23T22:03:00.006+11:00

Happy Chinese New Year. We did this great dragon entry design recently for a new Chinese restaurant - combining the year of the dragon and their opening...

if you look closely, I think you can see this guy smiling for the camera...

... of course, not all dragons are happy ones. Here I am putting the finishing touches on this fierce guy out in Western Sydney.

The large dragon head was the focal piece for the stage activities and prize giveaways at a large club.

So what type of dragon do you want....

Have a great 2012 - the year of the Dragon!

Happy Valentines Day 2012

2012-01-15T19:06:00.014+11:00

Yesterday marked 1 month to go until Valentines day! That special day each year for young lovers, and the young at heart!

Whether you are a venue looking for some ideas to promote the romantic dinners with a 'heartfelt' entry...

or a long lasting, loving column!

Or you want to add some BIG hearts to your space

You can make it obvious to everyone what your intentions are by dressing up your sexy shop!

MAD Balloons has endless ideas for Valentines day - whatever you want to do. We are the promotion specialists and our designs are long lasting. Call us now to get the most out of Valentines Day. It is never too early, but it can be too late.

Welcome to your Brand New Office

2011-12-19T13:15:00.000+11:00

What do you do to welcome your staff to their brand new offices?

You call MAD Balloons for some sensational decorations.

Imagine how special each staff member would have felt walking through the doorway under the fantastic arch.
Once in they get their name badge and walk into the showroom for a welcome morning tea. As you can see it was a beautiful day and the large balloon bunches set the room off in a big way.

As well as some great branding and some awesome memorabilia the offices were brand spanking new. They did need just a little colour though...

...fret not as we had a variety of bunches through the different floors to welcome the new staff to their new desks.
Can you purchase high staff morale? I reckon you can. Call MAD Balloons for your dose of high staff morale.

This had to be ready by 7am. The full MAD team arrived on site just before 5am, and we left the site at 6.40am job done! Call us for your impossibly early installation, and we will make it happen.

it's all about the racing....

2011-12-14T15:39:00.000+11:00

My last post was about the V8 supercars in Sydney. Well there were lots of people wanting to get on the bandwagon and use the theme for all sorts of events.

My friends at Medibank were holding a conference and used the racing theme for their event. First was a walkunder squiggly arch with racing balloons and ribbons. Almost as colourful as the start of the actual V8 race.
Then are the racing lights with real blinking lights inside. two at the front of the room.

Then finish the effect with our personalised racing masterbows on the delegates tables. A bit of visual interest without getting in the way of the presenters. We can theme these for any occasion.

V8 supercars in Sydney

2011-12-11T15:31:00.005+11:00

The first week in December signals the last V8 race of the season and Homebush is the location. With the drivers championship on a knife edge, big crowds were expected.

My friends at the Novotel S.O.P are right in the thick of the action and wanted something with big impact and little price tag. It also needed to last the weekend.

So chequered flag pillar wrap and large 2' helium arch over the entry to the restaurant ticked all the boxes. Love my work!!

Stage Displays - class of 2011

2011-11-23T21:50:00.005+11:00

At this time of year, there are a lot of graduation ceremonies that MAD balloons is asked to do. A regular question is how to create a stage display that is unique to the class of the year, but that will not get in anyones way, or be an obstacle on the stage. You can see what our answer is!

Using large number foil balloons as the focus and combining it with another design.
We can enclose the 2011 in arches...

or we can elevate the 2011 with some starpoints...

So it doesn't matter if the stage is large or small. The creative use of the many balloons we have available means that we can transform any size stage with a design that will not only look sensational in the photos, but will live on in everyones memory long after the event.

Pillar Wraps - Transform a Room

2011-11-18T10:20:00.000+11:00

My thanks to Eduardo Seiti Yoshikawa CBA of ESBD in Sao Paulo Brazil. Eduardo developed the EaSY (named after himself...of course)System for wrapping pillars and columns. It is so simple, relatively quick to install and as you can see it can transform a space completely.

This pale blue and white was for a 16th Birthday. A fabulous cake table that will look sensational in the pictures.

And this one done at the Love Summit held in Sydney recently.

Where have you been????

2011-11-15T21:49:00.010+11:00

Apologies to those who check into the MAD Balloons Blog regularly. Where have I been and why haven't I been blogging? To answer your questions please see the images below.

While Amy and jacob were Parasailing....

I was sipping on a coconut cocktail....

We all had a lovely time in Fiji!

Then there was the small matter of a birthday....

While I cannot reveal the age of the person in question, I can say that an enjoyable evening was spent with close family and friends....

enjoying the views of Sydney Harbour...and its surrounds!

NOT Nagini

2011-09-24T22:07:00.006+10:00

...so we are driving to a job site and Kim yells out "Oh My Goodness, is that a reeeeal snake?" I look out the window and see this friendly guy poking his head up on Kim's door window. I was driving at about 80km/h so he was hanging onto the side of the van for all he was worth.
In answer to Kim's question I replied,"not sure, let's slide the window down to have a better look, and see if he IS a real snake...."

...by the time we arrived at Parramatta RSL the ringing in my ears had stopped and my hearing had returned to normal.
Kim states that she is not getting out of the van, so it is left to me to calm the savage beast. I grabbed out scaly friend off the van. If he turned and tried to attack me, this would indicate he was venomous. My plan was to drop him and run. Thankfully my highly flawed plan was not put to the test.

He seemed to be about 1.6mtrs long, but quite harmless. I wanted to catch him though just to make sure. I was channeling Steve Irwin, Harry Butler, Bear Grylls, The Leyland Brothers AND Indiana Jones, as I reached out and grabbed his head.
Don' try this at home. Note Kim's (still in van) facial expression - priceless.

And then of course we have the celebrity kiss.

our friendly snake was then released into Parramatta Park.

So next time you are in the Parramatta Park, having a picnic and you see something moving through the grass........

love yout work.

Footy Finals Fever 2011

2011-09-06T21:48:00.007+10:00

Another season has past and the mighty Wests Tigers have made it to the final 8 again.

So my friends at Wests Ashfield want the club decked out in Tigers colours - different from last year of course.

So we start with the foyer.
Something that will WOW the members as they enter the club. OK, so let's do two columns and huge entry frame over the stairs. This will get the fans in for the game on Friday!

I also got to sell my brand new taper columns. Free standing, long lasting taper design with large helium star on top with the Tigers logo to top it off. These were placed throughout the level 1 foyer and the lounge.

Then we added some garland to highlight the signage, congratulating the team on making the finals again in 2011.

This is a close up of the sign that you could see from the entry foyer. Half way up the stairs we have a personalised square pack wall...

...or if you prefer the escalators, you won't miss out on the fun either.

Of course if the team go all the way to the big one, the Grand Final, we will get to have lots more fun. Go the Tigers!!

Sydney Harbour Wedding

2011-09-01T19:36:00.000+10:00

How cool is this montage pf pictures. The very clever Wenjing Hu CBA put this together for me, and I wanted to share it with you for a few reasons.
1) I was in Melbourne on the weekend, so although I sold the job, I played no part in putting it together. My staff only had 1 hour to install and they did it!
2) It highlights how well "the right" balloon decor can work both outdoors and on the water.
The arch had extra weight on the bases, and the topiary balls are fastened to the rails securely. Even in the rough water shot (bottom left), the balloons ain't going anywhere. everything is in its place.
3) The funky buddies were specifically designed for the inside of boats. A dancefloor decor piece that won't float off out the back of the boat. They are also the perfect height so as not to obsruct the happy couple.
4) ..and finally it shows off the gorgeous Sydney Harbour!

Great job team!

Harry Potter 7 - Part 2

2011-08-24T22:02:00.004+10:00

You walk in to the cinema to see the latest (and last) instalment of the Harry Potter series and are attacked by Nagini the snake.

This sculpture was at Events Cinema Beverley Hills to greet patrons as they queued to get their tickets. Larger than life, with a tail that trailed off into the theatres, and as scary as the real thing. We were able to custom make this one to exactly fit the space required, and as you can see everyone was having lots of fun...once they got over the shock!

Sydney CBD parking !!

2011-08-04T15:16:00.000+10:00

I just wanted to show this to everyone. We do some work in and around The Rocks area of Sydney, and I saw a spot where I thought we could park. My staff member said we couldn't fit. Oh ye of little faith. Perfect

I would like to state that the vehicles on either side of my van suffered no ill effects from my parking prowess...

Dessert Buffets

2011-07-31T15:09:00.002+10:00

Have you noticed all the people doing wonderful things with dessert buffets recently? Very cool I reckon.

I love it. Amy Atlas is the one in the US who does this for the superstars, but we get many requests to replicate the balloon part of the whole set up. Some of the dessert bars we have decorated have so many tempting treats...

Bigger is Better

2011-07-19T19:04:00.002+10:00

Originally this client asked for me to cover the ceiling with loose balloons. If you notice the venue is ECQ bar at Circular Quay - floor to ceiling windows. The effect would have been a big balloon release...that would have been very quickly over

So after talking with the client we came up with some big taper and starpoint designs for the room. There were only going to be 35 guests. Big impact, consuming some empty space and creating atmosphere was the design brief.
The client had also ordered some extra lighting effects from their DJ, so we chose the gold and silver foils to maximise the lighting.

Also our designs blended perfectly with the modern, sophisticated style at ECQ Bar. Add the harbour bridge as the backdrop and you have an awesome night lined up.

Half Yearly Sales

2011-07-19T19:01:00.005+10:00

We have done some decor for a few Harvey Norman stores for their half yearly sales and this year was no exception. However, times are a bit tough in retail, so the franchisees were after long lasting displays and something very cost effective. Tapers to the rescue!

I started playing with some taper foils and came up with the following design. They have big impact, so the client didn't need as many as usual. They are long lasting, so they went well over the required 4 weeks, and they are a new idea that was very inviting for the customer, and it got people into the store. We added the personalised 20" star with SALE to complete the designs.

Client loved it and wants another new design for next time....

A Great Place to Work!

2011-06-27T21:23:00.007+10:00

Imagine walking into your office and seeing this on a Monday morning. You would feel pretty special. This is what happened to a group of people, two weeks ago, in Sydney's north.

Amgen is a client of mine and they have used balloons for celebrations a few times in the last 12 mobths. This time they were celebrating being awarded as one of the Best Places to Work in Australia. I think they came in 15th. The awards were conducted by Business Review Weekly, so it is serious stuff.

To mark the occasion we installed 250 balloons in their foyer (ready by 6.45am on a freeeeezing morning), so that as their staff arrived they got a big surprise.Proof that Amgen is 'officially' a great place to work.

...I wonder if they have any job vacancies...

Funky Dancing Men

2011-06-27T09:37:00.005+10:00

No these are not three wise monkeys. They are the new "Funky Dancing Men"...not the ugly bloke in the middle, but the two handsome devils on either side.

A new edition to the brand new MAD Balloons website, you can see that they complement loose balloons on the ceiling very nicely. If you check out the website you will see a range of other uses for these studs! We also make them different sizes for the vertically challenged....

So you need never be without a partner again. Everyone can be part of a 'couple'. Be careful though. As you can see these hunks like to get friendly with the ladies... It's OK Wendy. We won't tell your boyfriend.

New Restaurant Opening....

2011-06-05T19:29:00.006+10:00

Welcome to the new Hooters Restaurant Penrith, in Sydney's west. They had their general opening on Saturday, just past. however they called us in to do the decor for their VIP opening. You know you are a Hooters VIP when you can park your Ferrari in fron of the store....

Anyway, we created lots of garland at the entry and the balcony area of the store. This had street frontage so was able to focus the attention of all the passing traffic onto the new restaurant.

Did you know that every hooters in America has a palm tree inside (this is what I am told). We had to get some of these iconic creations in there. Floor space was at a premium so instead of creating a life sized palm tree (from balloons) we modified our feather fantasy table centres to be palm tree centres. cool huh?

As well as the VIP guests, you need your top Hooters girls on hand for the opening. Miss Hooters Australia 2011 (the very lovely Mallory) was on hand and loved MY balloon work so much that she insisted on having her photo taken with me......that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Work, work, work. My life is constant work.

let's celebrate AMELIA

2011-05-23T21:36:00.001+10:00

This is just a short post to show you another way to personalise large star foil balloons. Last post was adding JW letters to one star. This post is about adding one letter to each star. A great effect and one that comes up really well in the photos.

We did this design for Amelia's christening. It was over the cake table ready for the big moment when mum and dad cut the cake, while proudly holding Amelia.

Personalised Stars & Celebrities

2011-05-18T21:26:00.006+10:00

I was called in by Parramatta City Library to design something for their new automated loaning system. There new "fast lane checkout" was being rolled out and they wanted something with a racing theme that would stand out in all the libraries. They were very happy with the racing masterbow ribbon on personalised stars, and we installed these in all 5 of the libraries in the council area.

Now that the new Masterchef series is underway, I had better put up my brush with fame. While installing the personalised columns at the Parramatta Library, Jimmy from Masterchef 2010 walked in. He was in the area for the local Indian festival - Parramasala - and can I say, is one of the nicest, most down-to-earth celebrities I have ever met.

Happy Easter everyone

2011-04-22T17:31:00.000+10:00

We have another shopping centre client who likes to use us occasionally. They have a "boutique" style centre, so we are able to do a balloon "Easter Egg" display that is interactive.

As you can see the little kids love it.
The manager told me that on Easter Saturday the display is destroyed by the kids as they 'souvenir' items on their way out after the Easter show the centre puts on. He loves it and apparently the kids do too....a win/win situation, so all is good!

We also do a nice big arch at the bottom of the escalators. This is right in the middle of the centre, so it is a real eye catcher for the shoppers. We use heavy weights and ensure all safety standards are met, so that everyone can go about their business. The simple designs really add that Easter Spirit to the centre, and it makes people want to hang around the place....and spend more money in the shops.

I hope you all have a great Easter. Stay safe and have fun.

EASTER BUBBLES

2011-04-18T16:57:00.006+10:00

A good client of our wanted some new ideas for Easter for their shopping centres. As times are a bit slow, they wanted to promotion to last 5 weeks. Time to bring out the Qualatex Bubble Balloons.

I presented the Bubble design to the client and they loved it. We installed these in their two shopping centres three weeks ago. I did a maintenance visit today, and they were all still looking fantastic. There are many bubble designs and they are perfect for long lasting displays.

Floral Christening

2011-04-07T21:43:00.001+10:00

One of my very good clients asked me to do her daughters christening. She had hired a backdrop that had material and fairylights. She wanted a design to frame that and also the fabulous cake (not pictured unfortunately) She stipulated that it was to be a floral theme. I used some of my floral pillar designs at each side and then pink and lilac flowers across the top - all magically suspended. Not too little, not too much - just right

State Election - Number 1 !

2011-04-01T22:13:00.004+11:00

Last weekend we had the state election here in NSW. The Liberal party got into government finally after 16 years. As with the Federal Election last year, MAD Balloons was commissioned to decorate the Liberal Party's party..... We kicked off with the new Qualatex suprafoil numbers. "Make NSW number 1 again" had been the liberal campaign motto, so large number 1 columns were a prefect reflection of this. We combined these with the liberal printed balloons for extra impact. Parramatta Leagues Club is a large venue and we needed to inflate our balloons and coral them in a net so we could arrange them. Wendy and Alicia are working together to size the columns. Wendy is spotting, giving Alicia instructions so that each column is exactly the same height. Once that is all done we move them into position and bingo! It was a sensational party and the balloons behind our new Premier as he made his victory speech looked fantastic.

Sharing is Caring

2011-03-28T15:06:00.001+11:00

The thing I love about the balloon industry in NSW is that everyone is willing to help each other out. There are two industry bodies - BASA NSW and QBN. Both are vibrant groups of balloon professionals that offer training and info to members.
At a recent training event I saw this design that was done by Maureen Egan from Balloon Elegance. She shared her design from her portfolio with everyone at the training session.

A client asked me to come up with a design for their Brazilian Carnivale them at the office. Thanks to Maureen, I had the perfect design in my repertoir.

Thankfully Maureen is simply following on from all the instructors who have come before her. When I am called on to instruct I try to share design concepts that will (hopefully) enhance other balloon businesses.

By sharing we create a stronger industry and a bigger base of decorators for our customers to choose from. As a customer you should ask your chosen decorator if they have their CBA (Certified Balloon Artist) or BASA Accreditation. If they do, they are part of a network of professional balloon artists, and you can feel confident in using their services. They can create fantastic designs like the ones you see here.

Black and White...with a hint of Christmas

2011-03-23T08:47:00.000+11:00

I wanted to do a short piece about this job we did late last year. There are two reasons.

1) It was one of the most simple and most stunning decor jobs we did (unfortunately the photos do not do it justice).

2) Have a look at the ceiling height.

I booked a Christmas party at a new venue in Sydney that I have never decorated before. I neglected to do my homework on the venue specs, and where we would be able to set up at the venue.

I dropped Alicia and Wendy at the venue, wished them good luck and I raced off to collect the others who were at another job. To their credit, the girls managed to find the tiniest little area, and with time against them, they got it done.

When I returned the client loved it, and it took my breath away as I entered the room. I was amazed that such a simple concept could look so sensational.
I apologise that the photos do not do it justice.

Christmas Arch Outdoors ?

2011-02-02T21:03:00.000+11:00

I was called by Forth Wall Events and they wanted a "Grand Entry" for their clients Christmas Party. It had to incorporate '80' because the client was celebrating 80 years in business in Australia. Also it was outdoors, so had to be able to withstand the elements..... The easy part of the brief was the 1000 balloon drop and confetti canons from the stage inside the marquee, but I'll do a blog for drops and confetti another time.

So we settled upon this design that fulfilled all the requirements. It was a very hot and windy day at Randwick racecourse early in December. We had to underinflate the balloons so they wouldn't burst in the heat, and we had to secure the frames of the almost 3mtr tall 80 sculpture so it wouldn't be blown over.

...Alicia would love to be able to give up balloons to be Australia's Next Top Model. Please no-one tell her I posted this pic.

A Masquerade Christmas

2011-02-02T15:49:00.012+11:00

I love masquerade parties. A company came to me with some great ideas and the budget to make it a reality. They had hired out the dungeon of a castle for their event and every room was to have a different colour scheme and different designs.

At the entry we created some masquerade twisted towers.

The red room was to have funky top centrepieces.

The black room was to feature lots and lots of feathers.

...even on the floor bunches

The blue room saw some topiary trees with feather highlights - add lots of blue lighting for effect.

To finish the whole thing off we did some floor to ceilig columns. And of course all the designs had co-ordinating masks on them and lots of lights in the balloons.

An Evening with the Stars

2011-02-01T21:29:00.005+11:00

The one thing I am quite proud of is the fact that over the years MAD Ballons has built a very loyal customer base. We do two functions a year for this client, and their Christmas party is always the highlight. This years theme was an evening with the stars - colours red, black and gold.
The only thing with loyal customers is that we need to give them something different for each of their events, and this event was no exception.

First up you need a grand entrance if there are going to be "stars" at the party. Each group of "stars" had their photos taken on the red carpet as they arrived, and our ballon rails were the perfect backdrop.

I LOVE the Masterbow Maker, and I got to have some serious fun for this years centrepieces. My deluxe masterbows are mounted on cakeboards and we add in lots of accessories for huge visual impact and interest. Each table had a number of these, depending on how big each group was.

We added 20" gold stars to each masterbow centrepiece and put the table numbers on the stars. This made it quick and easy for the guests to locate their tables. The red and gold boxes were personalised with their names, so they really felt like stars.

Once the formalities were done it was 'to the dancefloor' to bop the night away. "Dancing with the stars" ...sorry, bad pun.

"Take Flight"....into a new office space

2011-01-27T14:27:00.000+11:00

I was called in to Microsoft to assist in the launch of their new offices and workspaces. Encouraging innovation in their staff they wantd them to 'take flight', and what better way to illustrate this theme than with balloons.

Using a number of sizes, from 16", 24" and 3' balloons, we set about the task. Also wanting their staff to bend their minds Microsoft required some "balloon bending".
I was having fun with this one. We used some 5.5' balloons for this purpose.

Then to the cafe area for some ceiling work. Not able to create the balloons in midair, we created an illusion of the ballons magically hanging up in the ceiling (no hooks and no helium involved here) to create a bit of a random, think outside the square and go with the flow effect.

You get a better idea of the cafe look from this picture. Taking flight and ideas cascading all over the place.

This is the only office photo that I can use here. Security. We had large 3' balloons placed through the offices as well as 250 of the yellow 15" single bubbles distributed to the workstations (not able to take photos of the workstations).
The installation was required to last for 2 weeks. No problems. I used Ultra Hi Float and most of it lasted three weeks.

Harry Potter Premiere

2011-01-23T12:00:00.000+11:00

Midnight, 18th November and the much anticipated Harry Potter Deathly Hallows (pt 1) was released. For the Premiere event we were asked by Events Cinema's at Castle Towers to dress their cinema and also Gold Class for the event.

What better way to greet the many witches and wizards than an 11 metre Nagini (Voldemorts snake). Tickets could only be purchased once you passed underneath his watchful eyes. Careful now.

The event was absolutely huge. The cinema didn't want the Nagini's in place too early. As a result, some of the die hard Potter fans started arriving just as we were finishing off.

As you can see the Gold Class had cauldrons, brooms and even a polyjuice potion cocktail, especially devised for the event.

The cinema did a great job with their decor and the Nagini slithering above their guests was the finishing touch....and of course the local Harry Potter fans.

Many thanks to my friend and colleague John Martin from Balloons Funtastic in NZ, for giving me his "eel" design for this event.

I need an entry to WOW the audience!

2011-01-19T12:28:00.004+11:00

The rock band Good Charlotte came to Sydney last November for one concert at Luna Park in the Big Top. The entry of the Big Top is a bit 'industrial' looking, so the client wanted to transform it to a WOW area. As well as transforming ugly to WOW, the client wanted to create a physical barrier to keep the audience away from the sound box and other AV and lighting equipment that was up the back.

The budget was not excessive, but we were able to create the WOW they were after using the fantastic 40" starpoints. We linked these together to create two 16 metre walls that fitted perfectly from floor to ceiling. It created the physical barrier as well as the WOW that was required.

The client was ecstatic with the finished product and the fact that we were on budget. She had looked at a number of other options but most were outside her strict budget.
As they say on the A-Team "I love it when a plan comes together!"

2011-01-13T21:17:00.005+11:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Welcome to 2011. Yes, there is a pulse and the blog still shows signs of life. I apologise that I have been off the air for so long. We have been extremely busy over the silly season, and are now enjoyng a short break. However, I thought I had better show you the proof of our MAD-ness in the last few months.

So....... have you ever wondered what almost 2,000 balloons looks like on level 36 of the Shangri-La in Sydney? Well, here it is. As yu can see it pretty much fills the space. Between this and the other two levels we completely decorated the team was glad when it was over.

Now much as I would like to say that the patrons were paying serious dollars to come and see our fabulous balloons, I think the view may have something to do with it. It is the best view of the world's largest NYE fireworks display in Australia's biggest city

"Amazing" New Zealand

2010-10-30T10:32:00.010+11:00

In August I had the great privilege of taking my Best of World Balloon Convention class to New Zealand. While I was there they gave me a new name. No longer am I MAD Dave Taylor, but check out the sign - The Amazing Dave Taylor! It works for me!

Auckland was first stop and our 30 class attendees did not quite fit in the photo. Such is life!

My teaching style is slightly different to others. I have attended many classes over the years and nothing is more boring that someone standing up the front talking all day. So in my class there is lots of hands on, so no-one has the opportunity to start snoring.......

Please make sure you smile when you are helping me with the demo, because you might end up on my blog....

And by the end of the day we ended up with all sots of great ideas. The taper daisy, that I am holding, the winnie-the-pooh bubble towers, the taper columns at the very bottom, and much more.

Here are the Christchurch balloonies. These are the tough ones that braved the freezing temperatures to get to class, so well done I say. A fun day was had by all.

Thankyou to all my New Zealand friends - both new and old - for making my trip such a memorable one. You guys are all great!

love your work!

Footy Finals - Wests Tigers

2010-10-27T10:06:00.001+11:00

The footy finals are long gone now, and no the Wests Tigers did not feature in the Grand Final. However when it was still up in the air we were called in to decorate Wests Ashfield Leagues Club. On Monday the client walked us through the club and outlined their desires.

We we asked to install on the Tuesday......!

WestsTigers is a joint venture club so everything had to be split down the middle - black and orange for Tigers and black and white for Wests.

So we burnt the midnight oil and came up with the following designs to fulfil the client needs.

1)An entry piece that will wow everyone as they enter the club!

2)The Sports Bar was very bland so we gave it a bit of a lift

3)The escalators leading up to the lounge. Lots of garland was the answer and it fitted perfectly in the cavity beside the lifts.

4)Finally, the restaurant. "We want a big arch and something else around the place."

Large Topiary Balls - big impact, but high enough to be out of harms way, and will definitely go the distance.

The client was very happy, as were the thousands of fans who turned up to the club to watch the final. Unfortunately the result did not go their way, but the club was happy, as everyone hung around the enjoy the fantastic atmosphere created by the balloons.

Yes, we also decorate parties at home!

2010-09-15T13:41:00.004+10:00

Hi David,

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to you and your staff for doing such an amazing job on Saturday.The balloon artwork looked absolutely fantastic and really helped to give a bit of class to otherwisewhat would have been just a 'backyard job'!

The marquee looked absolutely stunning when it was all finally set up with the tables etc and reallymade an impact when guests arrived and walked through the marquee. The choice of balloon colours was perfect for the theme of rock and roll and eveyone commented on how great the decorations looked!Nothing popped, blew away or disappeared during the night and Tom's 50th Megaloons and name was perfectly placed behind him when he got to cut his cake.

Thank you Daivd and thank your lovely staff for your professional, efficient and beautiful work. It really made a difference to how it all looked in the end.I wouldn't hesitate recommending or using your service again in the future.

Kind Regards

Margaret Schembri

BASA Qld - WBC & modern aviation issues....

2010-08-31T20:43:00.008+10:00

I was invited up to Brisbane by BASA QLD to present my last Best of WBC for 2010! It was part of the 2 day training and also included presentations to the new CBA's. I was due to arrive in Brisbane at 3.3pm, ready for the presentations at 7pm. Thanks to the miracles of modern aviation, I did not arrive in Brisbane until 7.30pm, and was informed that my bag (along with about 70 others) was still in Sydney.

I finally made it to the hotel at 8.30pm, and everyone was very good about it, and very accommodating under the circumstances. It reminded me of a lady by the name of Bonnie Thurber - a Stampin' Up creative genius who arrived in Melbourne for regionals in 2009, to be told her bags were still on their way. She rose to the occasion in magnificent style. This video is a tribute to Bonnie. Thanks for the inspiration!

Certified Balloon Artist

2010-08-08T14:21:00.015+10:00

Certified Balloon Artist (CBA) is the only internationally recognised accreditation within the balloon industry. It is the benchmark of industry professionals, and customers should be ensuring the company supplying the balloon decor for their event has CBA's on staff.

The reason you, the customer, should do this is because it takes a considerable effort to attain your CBA. The process is as follows.

Firstly you need to join the Qualatex Balloon Network and purchase the three kits. The topics are Balloon Basics kit, Balloon Deliveries & Bouquets kit and Balloon Decor kit. Each kit contains an extensive DVD with demonstrations and information of that topic. Once you have watched the DVD you must complete the online test and submit it for a Qualatex Education Officer to mark. Once you pass all tests with 80% or more you are eligible to sit the 4 hour practical test.

The 4 hour practical test includes replicating a design, submitting two of your original designs, constructing a column and more. During that 4 hour practical test each person will have to face a panel of CBA's who will ask a number of questions that include colour theory, design, business principles and safety. Again the person must get above 80% to be awarded their CBA.

Last week I was in New Zealand to test a number of balloon professionals that had completed their online tests, and were ready for their practical tests. 13 people took the tests (in Auckland and Christchurch) and New Zealand now has 12 new CBA's. One person was not awarded their CBA because their work was not up to the standard required. Below is a 'fly on the wall' experience of the CBA 4 hour practical test.

"Your 4 hours starts now!"

after 1 hour the designs are taking shape....

2.5 hours in and it is looking good....

"you have 20 minutes to go..."

The new (and relieved) CBA's in Christchurch!!

So, next time you are looking for balloon decor, make sure the company you use has CBA on staff. It indicates a level of professionalism and commitment to the balloon industry that you can rely on.

BASA Victoria - Best of WBC

2010-07-10T22:45:00.010+10:00

In june I was fortunate to be invited to Victoria by the Balloon Artists & Suppliers Association to teach the Best of WBC Class. Whenever I go to Melbourne it rains, and it was good to see that the the weather was as good as ever.

25 brave and hardy souls ventured out into the elements, and made it to The Manningham for a fun filled day of balloons. One of those trusty souls was Raelene who attended WBC in Dallas earlier this year. As a WBC attendee she had the honour of modelling the beer mug....

The thing I really love about teaching is the fact that I learn so much from the group. I prepare a class, demonstrate the designs I have and then hopefully have enough time to let everybody loose. It was fantastic to see people using the ideas I presented and then taking them to another level. For example I demonstrated how to create a topiary ball inside a 24"deco bubble (yes, INSIDE a deco bubble...). Anyway one of the ladies then managed to replicate the topiary, added a stem and hey presto, she created a flower. Brilliant! It added a whole new dimension to that design. Unfortunately I don't have a pic of that, but here are a few snaps of other bits and pieces we did.

And at the end of the day, when everyone went home, with buckets of balloons and loads of new ideas, I immersed myself in this long cold one. It barely touched the sides, but was just want the doctor ordered.

Thanks BASA VIC. Love your work!

Go Socceroos

2010-06-30T12:00:00.001+10:00

Alas, the Socceroos did not fare so well in the FIFA World Cup this time. 2010 was not to be our year. Only another four years to go. I am still involved in the sleepless nights as we head into the quarter finals shortly. At least I got to have some fun with the fantastic Qualatex Bubble Balloons. The soccer ball bubbles are featured here. Bigger and longer lasting tha your average foil balloon. It is also much rounder so it looks like a real soccerball.

Check this one out!

Better luck next time boys!!

Starpoints and Tapers

2010-06-27T21:32:00.008+10:00

Before you ask, yes I am still here and still in business. It has been pretty crazy since I got back from World Balloon Convention, and unfortunately the Blog has been sadly neglected. However I am back on track.

So....... a fortnight ago we did a sensational job for Harley Davidson. They had a HOG (Harley Owners Group)convention with all the chapter big wigs and then a awesome party in the workshops to finish the event. Now workshops are pretty dull places, even with a couple of shining Harley's in them. So the brief was to dress the place up, fill the huge empty spaces and make sure you complement the chrome style of the bikes.

So we dressed the back of the stage....

And then had 6 huge taper topiary balls through the venue.

So do you think we did it?? The client was over the moon. Like the A-Team says "I love it when a plan comes together."

Our 14th Anniversary

2010-04-21T00:42:00.003+10:00

Unfortunately I wasn't with my good lady wife for our 14th Anniversary, however I do a have a little something for her when I get back, so the ocassion will not go un celebrated.

Thankyou to everyone for all your good wishes. It was a lovely surprise and as Marelle mentioned I was "tickled pink". I'll be back on coffee/tea duty very soon.

Day 6 Festival of Balloons

2010-04-19T15:54:00.006+10:00

Ok, I am back on time with this blog. Unfortunately the last one was slightly delayed due to very sore head. However a day to recover is always very welcome.

On the final day, the Grand Hall was opened to the public to view the balloon sculptures, competition pieces and pretty much everything that we have produced. The WBC has been featured on the news for the last three nights. Despite this Amanda Dolecheck (Pioneer PR guru) was somewhat anxious that her PR had been deficient and no-one would turn up. Pioneer had projected that maybe 1500 - 2000 people would turn out between the 11am start and 3pm finish.

This picture was taken at 2pm at the back of the entry queue. Estimated wait time of 50 minutes.

So it seems that most of Dallas turned out. Straw poll has the numbers at between 8,000 - 10,000 people turning up, with well over 5,000 balloons sold. It did not close until after 4.30pm and it was absolutely feral down there. Of course, it wasn't all bad......

I had an easy day, as previously mentioned. Watched Sam Stosur win the final of Family Circle Open in Charleston (?). Tonight all the teachers, Pioneer people and some distinguished guests had dinner at a local BBQ bar. It was a great way to unwind, and a great chance to actually stop and speak to the instructors that we had greeted as we ran past each other for the last four days. A nice relaxing night, but as usual didn't get to bed until after 1am. Some of you balloonies may recognise some of these people in the pictures below.....

That is pretty much it for coverage of World Balloon Convention. I have NSW and New Zealand training days coming up, where I will present a much fuller presentation of photos and some of the new designs. If anyone else wants this then speak to your BASA and/or Qualatex distributor.

It has been an awesome event and I have met some wonderful people from around this great big world we live in. I hope to see "y'all real' soon".

MAD Dave Taylor - in Dallas Texas!!

Day 5 Final Night

2010-04-19T09:50:00.007+10:00

All I can say is "WOOOOOOOOOOOW".

What a day. We started the day with an Aussie morning tea that included tim tams, vegemite on jatz, minties, furry friends and caramello koalas. These were taste tested by a number of delegates- the vegemite got mixed reviews......

Then I had my last class - Speed Decorating. A fantastic class to do as there was NO PREP yay. I enjoyed this class and my Pioneer monitor who sat in on the class said that it should have been a mandatory class for all delegates. when it was done though I felt huge relief.

I was asked to present one of the final night awards, and this was a huge honour - and good fun too! They mustn'y know me very well because they let me loose with a microphone in a room with 720 people. I did the Deliverable Sculptures Award.

We finally got a picture of the Full australian contingent. What a good looking bunch of people.

At this stage I must mention that this blog has NOT been sponsored by the HiFloat Company. I had the pleasure of meeting the two special women in Phillip Kash's life (his mother and wife). Andrea (wife) said she has bee following this blog and they were disappointed that Hi Float had not been mentioned. In return for this free plug Andrea, I will require you to leave a comment at the bottom of this page.

The final night decor was truly amazing. I can only add a few pics here. Words are superfluous at this point. check out the pictures.

Bruce Fraser found a friend - spongebob......

...and Beth found a friend - Treb Heining

Day 4 - large sculptures, jamming and final night prep

2010-04-17T12:56:00.006+10:00

OK, campers. Not sure how much longer I can hack the pace with minimal sleep. As the convention progresses it becomes more and more jam packed with fun stuff to do. less and less time to do this blog, so today's is a short one. BIG one tomorrow!!!!!

My day started at 5.45am (as usual). I did my Dazzling Dancefloors class first two sessions. I had 71 people turn up to my 8.30am class. This is what one side of my class looked like. The hands on was absloutely insane. 60 turned up for session two. The best thing was all the positve feedback that I have recieved throughout the rest of the day from a number of people in regards to the classes.

Large sculptures were being judged today. Here is my favourite sculpture. St George slaying the dragon. Awesome. I'm so glad I don't have to judge the large sculptures because they are all magnificent.

Pioneer put on an Internationals Reception this afternoon. All us overseas types were able to get together and share a story over a beverage. Very civilied really. Then tonight at 7.30pm I was on the gumballs and bubbles skills table. This is where delegates can ask questions, get some one on one intensive training, and generally hone their skills in a particular area.

I snuck a peek inside the ballroom for final night dinner. Not allowed to take any pics yet. Words fail me.

Day 3 Plant Tour and swingin' 60's

2010-04-16T22:11:00.009+10:00

Wow, what a day today.....

I had my first classes today - topiary's and gumballs, and it was great. I was surprised at the number of people who struggled to even make a basic topiary ball, but once we cleared that hurdle we had some fun. Made some crowd balls also, and some 16" gumballs and deco bubbles. Had an Aussie in each class so it was fun.

I got to go on the Qualatex Plant tour this afternoon. Qualatex has a manufacturing plant about 10 minutes out of town, where they actually manufacture the latex balloons, and then ship them all over the world. The whole things was mind blowing. Not only do they make between 4-6 million balloons per week (of all shapes and sizes), but their quality control processes are amazing. I'm surprised we get any pops at all......

Then it was the Swingin' 60's Party last night. A good excuse to dress up and have some fun. The decor for it was predominantly neons with black light and there lots of peace signs, flowers and free love.....included in the theme!

Managed to catch up with most of the Aussie team. Pictured here are Bruce F., Rachael, Claire, Kristine, me, Mala and Beth.

There was also Major Marvin hardy on hand to keep everyone in order.

Oh and I bumped into these to rockers. Recognise them? I'll give you a hint. The chic next to me is Betty, and that bloke on her arm's name is Ted.A !!!

note;

All incriminating photos have been removed from the blog to protect those pictured. However these photos will be kept for later bribery!!!

Day 2 - registration and competitions

2010-04-15T13:25:00.013+10:00

Jet lag sleep is always lots of fun, but there is plenty of time to sleep in four days time.

There were people everywhere this morning as the bulk of the delegates came in to register. A few stats about WBC. Just short of 600 delegates, 45 nations represented, and some amazing decor and competition pieces on display.

Much of my day was prep, attending the CBA function and then instructors meeting. Not the most scintillating day...however I did manage to get to the grand ballroom to see the medium sculptures competition. Here is just two of the amaxing pieces on display.

There is also an awe inspiring Alice in Wonderland theme under construction. A Jim Skistmas inspired design that has to be seen to be believed. Here is a sneek peek of the trees at the entry. Larger than life mushrooms, and an amazing 'gate' is hidden behind the trees...

And of course the Australian flag is flying high in the bar...literally. And there were some Australians spotted upholding the beverage traditions....

Gotta head to bed as I have two classes first thing in the morning.

Day 1 - We are at WBC 2010! YAY

2010-04-14T14:50:00.009+10:00

After a long and eventful day I finally made it to WBC. 21.5 hours from leaving my house to arriving at Sheraton. My trip was pretty smooth. If any of you know Beth Boynton send her an email and ask her how her trip went....... it's a 27 hour horror story.

Anyway our favourite instructors Dee White and Jodie Norris have been here since Sunday and had just whipped up the fantastic entry decor. I took these photos at midnight as the team were still adding the finishing touches as you can see.

The registration area also looks pretty awesome.....

and the hospitailty suite.,.. OMG so many amaaaaazing designs in this room it would take 50 blog pages to show you, so you're gonna have to cope with one little pic. Take note of the "flowers" on the table.

Tomorrow is when the delegates start arriving and the fun begins. hopefully by then we will be able to send through some pictures with peope in them as well as balloons!!

P.S don't forget with the time change that you guys are a day ahead of us over here.....

...so No I am not running behind........!!

P.P.S - Had dinner with John and Sue Bowler (formerly Marsden-Weston), and they send their love to all.

love your work.

2010-03-21T11:19:00.010+11:00

Well with less that a month to go until World Balloon Convention it is getting all very exciting. Since last time I have picked up another class, so I am doing a "topiary's and gumballs" class as well as "dazzling dancefloors" and "speed decorating".

Full details at http://www.worldballoonconvention.com/

Here is a sneak peek to some of the designs we will be doing during the topiary's and gumballs. Sshhhhhh......don't tell anyone.

Terrific TAPERS

2010-02-26T17:06:00.000+11:00

...So in the last post we looked at the starpoints. This post features the other part of the new design - the terrific tapers.

Very simplistic in their line and form, but they allow great creativity and are hugely versatile. You can see how we use them below.

taper topiary balls and a funky design

and great if you ned to fill a big space like Parramatta Leagues Club Auditorium (before 2009 NRL Grand Final)

You can also have a bit of some magic flowers hovering in mid air as a different type of entry for your guests.

and want something around the office to add some colour but not get in the way - the blue and gold theme here again.

so give the tapers a go, and let your imagination run wild

STARPOINTS - reach for the stars

2010-02-25T16:32:00.002+11:00

With everything that has been happening lately, I haven't had a chance to show off these fantastic new designs - STARPOINTS and TAPERS. The balloons by themselves may not seem like much, but as Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) says in 'The Castle', "it's what you do with them, luv!"

New Years Eve at the Shangri-La is always a big event, and we needed to provide the big effect.

Level 36 featured the Sensational Starpoints. A starpoint wall greeted guests as they arrived.

Then as the guests moved into the main room they were awestruck by the way we had transformed the room with starpoint columns and arches. From all reports they had a Happy New Year!!

Here are a few other designs we have done with the Starpoints.

Feather Fantasy

2010-02-21T15:58:00.009+11:00

The Australian Balloon Convention in May 2009 was a huge success. One highly talented instructor, Tope Abulude, from the UK showed us a number of fantastic new designs. I liked his centrepiece featuring feathers. This was a concept that I had never even considered, however as soon as I saw it, I decided to add this great design to my repertoire.

Back to MAD HQ and looking for opportunities to sell my new "Feather Fantasy" Centrepiece.

A masquerade theme soon came along.....

Then there was the 60th birthday - red carpet affair.....

These Feather Fantasy centrepieces are suitable for any theme, come in a huge variety of colours and can be upsized dramatically to suit any occasion. They can also be added to highlight other fantastic centrepieces. Sensational!!

The "MAD" girls

2009-12-06T23:29:00.008+11:00

I would just like to introduce my four fabulous, fun female staff members (note the alliteration). Ian and I stayed on the other side of the lens (so we didn't crack the camera).

Katherine, Alicia, Jessica and Wendy. We have had the busiest October and November of the whole of the 18 years I have been in business. On Thursday 3rd December, we had a day full of jobs. Back to the workshop which as you can see is already full of large balloons - a quick dinner and then The Telstra 500 V8 supercars installation at Sydney Olympic Park. The fact that the girls can raise a smile after 10 hours work (with another 6 hours ahead) is a credit to them.

These four ladies are all highly talented individuals and their dedication makes a real contribution to the success of MAD Balloons. I couldn't do it without them. You can see some of their fabulous work with BIG balloons that was achieved at Homebush station SOP a short time after our healthy and nutritious dinner.

Love your work ladies!!

Great Day for UP.......

2009-10-18T08:14:00.008+11:00

Inspired by Steve Jones (Aeration Decorations) recent post on BHQ, the Australian Industry Association got our act together and teamed up with Events Cinemas (formerly Greater Union) and Hoyts Cinemas for the launch of the new Disney/Pixar movie "UP". There were a number of initiatives, including the foyers of many cinemas having large colourful columns in them, as well as people being handed a balloon after some sessions screenings.

I was contacted by Events Cinemas Castle Hill who were looking to transform their foyer, and also draw attention to a large kids area that they had created with games, colouring in and much more.The foyer posed a few challenges. We tried to re create the scene in the movie where the house is being taken up by the many balloons tethered to it, however we needed to make sure that the whole thing was high enough so that it could not be destroyed by anyone jumping up to grab them. In the end we dispensed with the house, and settled for adding little replica dolls of Russell and Carl Fredricksen to the bottom of the balloons.
The display was up for the whole of the school holidays, and was lots of fun.

Last week I took my family to see the movie. My wife shed a few tears, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the movie. The whole concept was heaps of fun and I was pleased that the Disney/Pixar people had done some research about balloons to come up with it. They did take the license a bit far when the balloons tied to the house managed to float for three days, instead of the usual 14-18 hours that they usually float for. Apart from this though they have come up with another movie that appeals to all ages and has something for everyone. Good job!

World Balloon Convention

2009-10-13T22:00:00.003+11:00

STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

Awesome news. I have just been chosen to be the Australian instructor at World Balloon Convention in Dallas, Texas - 15-18 April 2010.

The list of instructors is very much the "who's who" of balloon instruction.....and they included me in that list - YAY!!!!!

For more info go to http://www.worldballoonconvention.com/

P!NK - Final Australian Concerts

2009-10-13T21:00:00.014+11:00

Australia recently adopted the artist P!NK as one of our own. She did a massive (and record breaking) 58 shows in Australia in the one stint. To celebrate this, the promoter, Michael Koppell, contacted MAD Balloons to do some large balloon drops for her two last shows in Sydney. 1500 balloons and 5 large crowd balloon balls.

My staff were very excited about this as they are all P!NK fans. Katherine is a big fan.

(I'm a fan of the lovely pink cupcakes that were provided for the show......)

We had to set the drop up at the foyer just near the main arena.

Each net was 9 mtrs long and had 750 balloons in it

.....and there were 5 veeeeery large balloon balls that we also dropped on the crowd for them to play with.

You can see that by the sheer size of the balls and balloon nets that we could not get them up in the lift. So we had to drop ropes from the catwalk (33mtrs above the floor) and get them up that way.

Anyway........

The view of P!NK's concert from the catwalk was pretty fantastic.

.....as P!NK was about to do her bungy jump, we let the balloons go, so they would co-incide with the end of her bungy jump!

So how did it look?????? You be the judge.

The client was very happy, the crowd went absolutely crazy and had heaps of fun bopping the balloon balls around.

So, if you need a BIG special effect, just call the MAD team below............

(payment in cupcakes is accepted!!)

Anneke, Jessica, Dave, Ian, Katherine

UP IN LIGHTS! -in images at least...

2009-09-04T09:55:00.013+10:00

Hi there everyone.

This is my first post on my new blog. I am still very new to the big scary world of blogging so I hope you will bear with me.

IMAGES is the leading industry magazine, and is something that I have read avidly every month since I started in business nearly 18 years ago. I had the great honour of being the profiled decorator in the Jul/Aug/Sept 2009 edition. I have always looked up to the world famous people who have been profiled in IMAGES with such awe. To be counted among them is a humbling experience.