Craftibilities: 16th

Showing posts with label 16th. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

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

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to learn more.

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 Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, 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

7" Chrome - https://amzn.to/2EFYGAq

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 - 7" Chrome 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.

Pink & gold 4 tier square money cake - Birthday gift idea - Great for weddings, graduation, showers, or just a creative way to give cash

I wanted it to be $100 but it ended only being $94. I liked the spacing so I'm okay with it. Next time I might make them a little closer to make room for the $6.

Video tutorial

Supplies:

Cake tiers forms

$1 bills or any other amount

T-pins or straight pins

Wooden dowel

Ribbon

Pick up brand new bills at the bank. This made it so much easier and look nicer.

Purchased styrofoam squares from Michael's.

Started by making a template of the angle of the folded bills. I added a sticky note to mark where to fold each bill. I lined them up and matched the edge of the sticky note.

Having all the bills the same will make the cake look so much better. A small detail that makes a big difference.

For the square I started in the corner matching the first bill to the edge. Then I folded the next bill over the edge.

I used small stick pins to attach bills and I tried to place them all in the same spot.

I used wooden dowels to secure each tier.

1st tier - $10

2nd tier - $25

3rd tier - $27

Bottom tier - $32

I used satin 1 1/2" ribbon to decorate the base of each tier. It also hides all the stick pins.

I used a stick pin in the back to attach to the ribbon.

I used the entire 4 yards for 4 tiers.

FREE DOWNLOAD!!!!!

4x6 pink & gold glitter tag - 1 per print.

Print at your local Walgreens, CVS, print lab or print at home.

(Click link below and right click and save)

4x6 Pink & Gold glitter tag

I added an additional gold glitter ribbon to each tier.

I was a nice centerpiece and gift. She was thrilled.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Any questions? Just ask!

Follow me!

Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest

Monday, January 21, 2019

Birthday gift idea - DIY MONEY CAKE - How to make tutorial - Creative way to give $100 - Graduation & Wedding gift idea!

This is such a fun and creative way to give money.

Video tutorial

I used $1 bills for almost all of the cake. 4 - $5 bills for the top.

The entire cake is $100!

Supplies:

Cake tiers forms or make your own

$1 bills or any other amount

T-pins or straight pins

Paperclips

Poster board

Wooden dowel

TIPS:

Pick up brand new bills at the bank. This made it so much easier.

Get a little extra just in case. I realized I needed more $1 bills instead of the $5 bills at 11pm. :/ IF I made this cake again I would use ALL $1 bills.

I used two different sizes. Both purchased at Michael's with 50% coupons for each.

Around $16 for both.

I tried to pre fold and roll most of the money before starting.

Started by making a template of the angle of the folded bills. I added a sticky note to mark where to fold each bill. I lined them up and matched the edge of the sticky note.

Having all the bills the same will make the cake look so much better. A small detail that makes a big difference.

I used a pen to roll the bills and paper clip to hold them in place.

I used poster board and measured just so the paperclip would attach but the poster board would not show. Wrapped the long strip of poster board around the base and attached with tape.

I originally attached each bill with the paper clip on the top and bottom BUT I ran out of paper clips. I only had enough to attach the bills at the top.

It looked so much nicer when attached both on the top and bottom.

I needed more $1 bills instead of the $5 bills so I have to redo all the rolled bills and loosen them a little. :/

I tucked the bills for the top behind the rolled bills and held in the center. Once I had them all covered I used one straight pin in the center to hold them all in place.