YvonneH interview 2nd/8th Feb

Started by Graham Lee, January 28, 2009, 01:59:19 PM

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Graham Lee

Yvonne has kindly volunteered her services to answer your questions. Yvonne also edits the face painting magazine "Face" and is a bit of a whizz on the computer as she designs & builds her own websites.

http://www.loonyballoony.co.uk/
http://www.thefacefactory.co.uk/

So please fire away with any questions you have for her.
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

YvonneH

#1
As I had 5 minutes spare before collecting my youngest from Pre-school I decided to start with the questions  ;)

1, What road led you into balloon modelling?
I used to be afraid of balloons but having 2 kids under 3 at the time didn't want to pass on an irrational fear so when Graham posted on my fp forum that he was holding a Care & Share in Mildenhall the exact same week I was at Centre Parcs with my family I booked myself up for before I had a chance to chicken out.  So off I went and after the millionth pop I realised that I wasn't even noticing them anymore and really started to enjoy the day.  After this I started offering basic balloons for smaller parties etc and it has gradually built up to now where I am actually getting more balloon work in than face painting!

2, when did you get started with balloons?
The very first time I ever twisted a balloon was in June 2007 but I have really got into them in the last 6 months.

3, What's your best twisting experience?
Well to be fair I have not done that many twisting jobs but I suppose the one that stands out for me is the look on a little boys face when I was actually able to make him a spaceman in his spaceship and was not fazed when he asked if he could have it on a hat too.  His face lit up when I presented him with this hat (albeit appalling from my point of view).

4, What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?
So far nothing bad has happened other than a stroppy magician giving me evils because my balloons were better than the ones he did as part of his show  :o

5, What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?
I love the ability to hold a crowd in your hand and to build up the anticipation as they are all guessing what you are making and then the "OH it's a ...." when you finish.  It is also being able to put a smile on a young persons face with a bit of latex and some air ... and anyone who has met me know I am full of hot air  ;)

TTFN
Yx
<a href=\"mailto:yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk\">yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk</a>
http://www.loonyballoony.co.uk

YvonneH

#2
Right another 5 mins before I head off to work  ;)

6, What's your favourite age to entertain?
I love kids when they are young enough to have that lust for knowledge but not old enough to be cocky.  I suppose between about 4-6.

7, Do you have the same act but vary the presentation for all ages or do you have set acts for different ages?
Don't really have an act  :?  I just wander about making balloons and chatting with the kids and adults that are around.  Well I say I wander around, more often that not I get trapped in a corner and am stuck there for the rest of the job.

8, What's your favourite thing to make at the moment?
For a long time it has been a monkey (the one from Balloon-animals.com but I can never remember the guy's name  :roll: ).  I love that I can bring him to life with such a small amount of artwork and he always goes down a storm.  I am sure once I actually start mastering some of the DVD's and CD's I have acquired my favourites will change week by week.

9, What is the most asked for model?
I would say it is probably either a teddy, a butterfly or a sword.

10, What do you tend to do more of if stuck in the 'balloon production line' model?

I still try and keep a variety but do end up doing lots simple one balloon models such as swords, flowers, butterflies, monkeys, tigers etc.  I suppose this is a throwback from my face painting in that I hate doing the same thing again and again so I try to keep things varied so I can stay interested.
Yx
<a href=\"mailto:yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk\">yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk</a>
http://www.loonyballoony.co.uk

Professor T Wist

#3
As ever my question is

Who would you most like to make a balloon model for and why? What would you make them?   :?:  :?:  :?:

YvonneH

#4
Prof that is a hard question but I would probably have to say my Dad.  He passed away in 2004 before I even got started with the face painting let alone the latex.  He was a great DIY'er and loved to scuba dive so I would loved to have been able to make him something along either of those lines.  He would have loved it as he always was just a big kid at heart.
Yx
<a href=\"mailto:yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk\">yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk</a>
http://www.loonyballoony.co.uk

YvonneH

#5
Here we go the kids are at the in-laws and hubby is busy grouting the bathroom floor so I should be able to get a few questions answered this time round!

11, Who is your market aimed at?
Anyone who wants me!!  Seriously at present it is more the kids parties side of things whilst I improve.  I have done a few corporate jobs and have seen others worse than me doing them too so think I will start aiming a little bit more for that market soon.

12, What kind of work do you do mostly - parties? Corporate? Etc
Again, at the moment it is kids parties.  I am finding that since my 1 hour rate for balloons is cheaper than my 2 hour minimum booking rate for face painting I am booking more balloon jobs in where people are a little more strapped for cash.

13, What is your favourite/ideal gig to do?
One where all the kids are polite, no one grabs for the balloons in my apron and I am able to do every balloon that I have requested.  Other than that I am not too fussy.

14, What irritates you most at a gig?
Like others have said either when you get yourself hemmed into a corner or when kids think it's fine to help themselves to your balloons.  I hate sounding like a broken record and find it difficult, after asking 20 times for them to move back or stop helping themselves, to continue sounding friendly and nice  :twisted:

15, How do you book yourself?

Not sure what this one means?  If it means how do I bill myself or sell myself to potential clients then I just say I am a roaming twisters.  I am always careful to let them know I am not a clown or a magician but I will mingle with their guests and make balloon requests.

16, What's the biggest thing you've ever made?

To be honest I've not really made anything big yet.  The largest thing I have made is the palm tree on my home page and that's not really very big.  I am currently working my way through DVD's 1-6 of Dave Grist's stuff and really want Vol 9 next but fear I may have to wait until my birthday for that one in August.

17, What has been your proudest achievement in our wonderful world of twisted latex?
My proudest achievement was overcoming my fear of them!  Silly I know but I was terrified of them popping so have not only gotten over this but have now gone onto make a small living out latex  :D  I have also found overcoming this has helped me out in general as I was afraid of all sudden loud noises but I can now watch fireworks and am not scared of thunder anymore either.

18, What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?
Oh probably not the best qualified to answer this question as that is me!!!  To a complete beginner I would say get to a Care & Share, not only will you learn really useful stuff you can also make fantastic contacts.  I have made a couple of really good friends through here and the care & shares and I find this invaluable as they as so willing to share their knowledge and help me improve my skills.  You know who you are but I won't embarrass you  ;)

19, What road in latex do you see yourself taking in the future
I am so passionate about latex at the moment (shhh don't tell my hubby or he will get ideas  :shock: ) that I really want to improve beyond recognition.  I have a pile of CD's here including Thelma's and a few of Bonnie's which I am slowly working my way through as we speak and even more slowly working them into my jobbing balloons.  I am also looking at the decorating side too as my kids are growing up so fast I need to find something I can do to make my business a little more full-time or else I may have to get a "proper" job once my youngest is at full-time school  :cry:

20, What is your personal goal when you set off to work? Is it money or to entertain etc?
Whilst the money is important at the moment I would say my primary driving factor is that I love what I do.  I love the interaction with the kids and the way their faces light up when you make something they really wanted but didn't dare hope you could do - it makes my day.
Yx
<a href=\"mailto:yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk\">yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk</a>
http://www.loonyballoony.co.uk

YvonneH

#6
21, What are your balloon goals for the future?
To improve and be as good as I possibly can be.  Maybe even design a balloon or two.

22, If you could start all over again, would you change anything?
Nothing! I refuse to regret things as it is a waste of energy.  I try to learn from my mistakes wherever possible.

23, How would you like the future of balloon modelling to develop?
Not sure really.  I would like it seen as a proper art form but also as a justified kids party activity.  I would also like to see companies that can afford to pay proper rates doing so.

24, Who's the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?

No-one  :cry:  Not done any events where I have even met anyone famous (or even a D-Lister!).

25, How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex
Easy, I'm still new so every time I get the balloons out I am learning something new so it is all really exciting still.

26, What inspires or is your thought process in coming up with a new design
I have only just progressed from following instructions to being able to look at some models and work out how they are made  ;)   I think it may be a little while yet before I can actually design anything.

27, Who would you like to work with dead or alive?
Anyone who I could have a laugh with.  I am not a starstruck person so I wouldn't be impressed by the fact that someone had released DVD's etc but more by their skill and how approachable they are.  I certainly think Graham would be fun to work with, as would most on here actually  :D

28, What makes you laugh?
Anything juvenile really!  I suppose that sums me up quite well, I love the things kids do and often find myself getting caught up in their laughter even if I don't know what they found funny in the first place.

Well that's them all answered unless anyone has anything else to ask or have I been that boring  ;)
Yx
<a href=\"mailto:yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk\">yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk</a>
http://www.loonyballoony.co.uk