Giant mosaic balloon numbers - Inspiration & FAQ - how to make, print, how many balloons, what size - Frequently asked questions

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Oh my goodness!! I'm overwhelmed by all the love, comments, feedbacks and sweet emails. I've now shared the templates with over 3,000 6,000 people!!! 


Happy to share 0, 1, 2, 3, 6 & 8. 

I love inspiring others and seeing all the wonderful creativity!! 

Here is a list of my frequently asked questions:

Will this work on a regular printer?
Yes, it works on any printer.

Will this work on my computer?
Yes, it works on a Mac or PC. I have heard people have trouble with printing from an iPad or phone. 

What size do they print?
You can print 3ft, 4ft, 5ft or larger. Adjust the percentage to get the size you want. The dimensions are shown above the preview on the print screen. Note that dimensions are of all the pages and not cut out. For example, I print 5ft but after cut out the numbers will stand about 4 1/2ft tall. I wouldn't recommend printing smaller than 3ft so you can fit the balloons. This video has the best printing instructions.

Is there a way skip printing the blank sheets with the template?
If you don't click on cut marks or labels the pages will be blank. They help to follow the layout of the template. You can reuse those blank pages and put them back in your printer for future use. 

How do I get the templates?
Send me your email address on Craftibilities.com under contact me. I get to those messages first. You can also send me your email on InstagramFacebookPinterest, or YouTube. I'm check them as well.

Can I download from your website?
Unfortunately, no. I don't pay for a service to host PDF files, only photos. Since the number templates are PDF files I need to email them to share.

What numbers and letters do you have? 
I have 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, & 8 and USA. My computer crashed before I made them all.
UPDATE: now available - 7 & K

Do I need Adobe?
Yes, but you only need the free version called Acrobat Reader. It's just a PDF viewer and can be downloaded for free from the Adobe website. Use the website instead of from the app store.

Where did you get your balloons?
I usually order my balloons from Amazon and have used several different companies. I really like Qualatex balloons (not an affiliate.) The quality is amazing. Here are links to my Amazon buys:

#2 balloon mosaic - pinks and gold theme
5" Pearl pink - https://amzn.to/3oefP6t 5" Pearl white balloons - https://amzn.to/2D7J9Ja 12" Metallic gold balloons - https://amzn.to/3dMVAba

#3 balloon mosaic - hot pink, zebra theme
Qualatex 7 piece - zebra birthday - https://amzn.to/3lrJIPm 11" Tropical assortment - https://amzn.to/2D9RgFh 5" Tropical assortment - https://amzn.to/3jqr5cY 5" Pearl white - https://amzn.to/2D7J9Ja 5" Pearl Onyx Black - https://amzn.to/3gEy1Bk 7" Chrome - https://amzn.to/2EFYGAq

#10 balloon mosaic - tropical theme
11" Tropical assortment - https://amzn.to/2D9RgFh 5" Tropical assortment - https://amzn.to/3jqr5cY

#16 balloon mosaic - black, white, & gold
5" Pearl white - https://amzn.to/2D7J9Ja 5" Pearl Onyx Black - https://amzn.to/3gEy1Bk 12" Metallic gold balloons - https://amzn.to/3dMVAba

#18 balloon mosaic - green & chrome
Green balloons were purchased from Amazon but I wasn't happy with them. 

What do I do if the balloon frame leans forward or won't stand? 
The sides are 6" wide and stand pretty well indoors. You can fill the bottom tight with balloons to provide extra support. If you are using them outdoors I would recommend a stand

How many balloons did you use?
#2 Gold, pink & white I used 16 - 12" balloons and 5" balloons to fill the rest.
USA letters I used 130 - 12" balloons and 5" balloons to fill the rest.
#16 Gold, black, and white I used 200 - 5" balloons and 40 - 12" gold balloons. 

10K Milestone - I used 230 balloons. 
100 - 12" balloons from the kit.
30 - 5" balloons from the kit.

I actually could've used more 5" balloons to fill in the smaller gaps. 

I do not fill any of the balloons all the way up. 

How far in advance can I assemble?
I would not assemble more than a day in advance since balloons start to shrink. It's normally not noticeable but you can definitely tell in a balloon number mosaic. Gaps start to form and balloons start to pull from the sides and other balloons. IF using glue dots, I would assemble the day of the event. They do not last long. Balloons will also become dull looking. Especially if using them outdoors and in the sun. 
I highly recommend using HI-SHINE to keep them looking shiny. Worth the money. You just spent hours building and filling with balloons. This will make it stay looking amazing!
See my Mother's day heart with Hi-Shine.

Do you recommend glue dots or glue gun?
Hands down I highly recommend a low temperature glue gun. I purchased this one on Amazon. Balloons do not stay as long with glue dots.  

What thickness is the foam board and where do you buy it?
5mm or 3/16th thickness. I found the cheapest foam boards are from Dollar Tree and they sell them online in a bulk box of 25 boards. Search foam boards. They come in black and white. 
Even with shipping they are cheaper than Amazon, Michael's, or Office Max. They also come in both white and black. 

What do I do if my printer doesn't print in draft or grayscale?
Unfortunately I'm unable to edit the PDF templates to make them a lighter gray or outline. If your printer doesn't have a mode to save ink, you can send the file to Office Max or Office Depot and they can print it for you. I've heard it's not expensive. Just tell them you need a poster print and the size you want. 

How do I arrange the pages?
Look at the print preview window on the print screen to double check the layout. Usually the pages will be horizontal and 4 pages across the top. Some printers have pages vertical with 5 pages across the top.



Now for some inspiration!
Thank you to everyone that shared their amazing creations.











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Halloween deco mesh wreath idea - Dollar Tree finds - How to make tutorial - Easy and inexpensive

Look at this super cute Halloween wreath!!


I just love Dollar Tree for holiday signs and crafting supplies. I recently found 18" wreath frames!! Usually they only sell 14" so I was super excited. 

Supplies
Deco mesh (5.5")
Wreath form (18")
Ribbon
Sign 
Chenille stems/sticks or pipe cleaners
Wire cutters
Scissors
Ruler


Ribbon from Michael's. 2 1/2" black glitter and orange and black stripes. 1 1/2" black ribbon. 
Frame, sign, and deco mesh from Dollar Tree.

This black and white striped mesh was found in Christmas and not Halloween. 

I usually roll the mesh like on the Halloween table centerpiece and summer wreath I made. This time I cut the mesh 17" long and made little butterfly bunches. 

Roll ends and flip over.


Bunch together in the center.

Cut chenille stems 4" or longer if you want and secure in the middle.

See! It looks like a butterfly. 

Now make a bunch!

I made 48 total.

I attached all the chenille stems on the center ring in each section.







The sign was thin so I used a piece of wood attached with hot glue before stapling the chenille stems. I attached 3 on the back of the sign and added a little hot glue to secure the staple.

I removed the rope hanger and used the chenille stems to secure the sign to the metal wreath form.

6' loops with a 5' tail. I made loops and twisted in the middle before making my next loop. 



I unfortunately don't have great pics of the bow because that black glitter was EVERYWHERE!!! 
It's pretty but pretty messy. 
Dovetail cut on the ends of each ribbon.





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Care package pumpkin - Mail a candy bucket - No box needed - Halloween themed treats and novelty gifts/toys

I just mailed my Halloween care package pumpkins again!!!  Sharing what treats I sent this year and how much they cost to mail.






Mini light-up pumpkin - HEB Instant towels - Michael's Light-up bracelets - Target Skeleton hair clips - Walmart Grow your own toy - Michael's PEZ dispensers - CVS Bloody bones candy - Target Candy - Walgreens Pumpkin buckets - Walmart

I think these Monster Kisses are so cute!


I made the lid the same but used black foam board instead to match the pumpkins. 

Tested Sharpies and paint pens to see what would show up best. 

Silver paint pen worked the best.


Used packing tape to seal the lid to the pumpkin bucket.








UPDATE: They all arrived and only one took an extra day to arrive.

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