my fixation with balloon animals

I cannot explain it. And I only just realized a couple days ago. So let's go back to the source shall we?

When I was about 10 years old, I got my first balloon animal. It was at a family picnic my dad's work had set up. I stared with envy at the kids receiving their own animals. I assumed the terrifying clown that was making them was charging. He wasn't. I found that out when I managed to muddle up the courage to meekly ask for a dog. The terrifying clown smiled at me (did I mention I'm scared of clowns??) and made me one. I smiled back - at least I tried to smile, not sure I successful, because APPARENTLY when I think I'm smiling, I'm not - and ran off with my new puppy. I was ecstatic. I had a balloon that was ten times better than one of those normal shaped, floaty balloons. Mine was a PUPPY. Woof.

It was a sad day when my puppy died. I don't remember if I ever named it, but I wouldn't be surprised if I did. I never forgot my puppy. It was light blue.

Two years later, we had moved. My dad switched jobs, and there was no longer a family picnic. I no longer had an opportunity to get another balloon puppy. My first puppy never left my mind though, and so I decided to take matters in to my own hands and make my own. While shopping at Kmart, my mom allowed me to pick one inexpensive thing to purchase. I found a bag of twisty balloons. (Kmart, being the asshole that it is, no longer sells twisty balloons. Fuck you Kmart.)

It took a while, but eventually, I managed to blow up a balloon. I don't know if you've ever tried to blow a twisty balloon up before, but seriously - those terrifying clowns make it look way too easy. I still think back to that first successful attempt in amazement that I didn't pass out. I do remember it hurt my cheeks though.

Anyhoo, the first thing I did with my long, blown up balloon? Made a dog of course. Making a dog was simple. I still vividly remembered seeing how the scary clown did it, (I was purposely avoiding staring at his face - lucky for me staring at my puppy being made wasn't an unreasonable reason to not look)  so it was easy. The only reason it took longer is because (add to the list of things that terrify me...) I'm terrified of loud noises and, knowing a failed attempt could result in a loud pop, I was extra careful twisting the balloon.

My first handmade twisty balloon puppy was light blue. On purpose. I made myself a puppy! And then I made another one... and another one.... it's crazy really... most of that bag of balloons consisted of puppies. I did make two giraffes... but other than that... I was quite happy making puppies. More and more.

Again, it was sad when those puppies left me. I have no sense of portion control, so it didn't occur to me to save some balloons. Maybe, you know, make only one puppy at a time? Nope, 20 puppies for me. And 2 giraffes. Hooray.

It was years before I found twisty balloons again. Mainly because I wasn't actively looking for them. When I'd pass where they were supposed to be in a store, I'd look, but that's about it. When I was about 20, we moved again. And at a dollar store, I found some twisty balloons. TWISTY BALLOONS! Naturally, I had to get them.

These balloons were of lesser quality than the last ones, which wasn't surprising as the whole package was only a dollar. But eventually I managed to make myself another puppy. Oh happy day!

Yep...it was light blue. And yeah, that's a picture of it. Not entirely sure why it's so fuzzy. It's made a bit differently than my previous puppies. That's because I chose to try it the way the back of the balloon bag suggested.


About a year later, I started attempting to draw on the computer. What was the first thing I tried drawing?

Naturally, I used the picture as a ref. The number on it was an identifier for a site I used to play on.


And two years later.... in '09, I opened my etsy shop. I listed over a dozen different clay items for sale... and four of those items... were clay "balloon" animals.

The smaller ones were a little over two inches long.

And the larger ones were just over three inches long.

Notice they are not light blue. It was because I had meant to sell them. Had I painted them light blue, I probably would not have tried to sell them. lol. As it were, they didn't sell, and I chose not to relist them. I'm not even sure where they are now... hmmm....


But that brings me to now. I mentioned a few days ago that I was going to attempt to make knitted stuffed animals...

Tada. Yes, it's standing. I was delighted when I managed to get it to stand on its own. I thought I'd have to lean it against the back.

My brother looks so happy to take this picture for me. (I wanted a person holding the puppy so as to get a better idea of scale for my etsy listing.)

Notice again, it is not light blue. That is because I listed it on etsy. It's more expensive than my hats because geeze, it took a while to knit. It was knitted on the same loom I made the small Jayne keychains. But instead of stopping at three inches like I did for the main part of the hat, I made it fifty inches. Yeah, that damned dog is theoretically fifty inches long if it was uncoiled. It cannot be uncoiled though. In order for it to be successfully shaped, I had to tie the joints. And then needle felted it a bit to help it be less floppy. (needle felting = stabbed with a special needle a billion times) And of course it's stuffed. I might try making a smaller version, a bit more like the light blue one I made a couple years ago and drew on the puter. But if I decide to try it, that won't be for a while I thinks.

I also might eventually try making myself one. I'll need some light blue yarn though.