A Balloon Origin Story

Hello and welcome to the Lauralloons Blog! Here I will be sharing some of my adventures in Balloons! I was looking for a way to share more than just the snippets on social media. So tag along for musings on balloons, new designs and ideas, tutorial reviews (for my industry friends!), and more!

But first an introduction is in order. A question I get asked at almost every event I twist at is some version of “How did you get into this?”

Well, I grew up in Rochester, MN. I went off to college, came back home, and worked a variety of jobs. Growing up I had always taken Community Education Classes. Everything from crafts, music, and mini-language classes. I have always been a crafter doing everything from sewing, crochet, embroidery, baking, and cake decorating! For a while I had a little Etsy shop selling crochet jewelry and handmade dolls. I worked as a cake decorator at a local grocery store. I even had my own little crafty blog where I just shared whatever little project I was working on.

One spring(2015) I decided to sign up for a Community Education Class for Basic Balloon Twisting. What is Balloon Twisting you ask? Balloon Twisting is the actual physical ‘twisting’ and shaping of those long skinny balloons, or modeling balloons. I thought it would be a fun class and I would walk away with a new party trick. Little did I know how much that class would change my life! After the class, which was great fun, I went on the internet (as one does) and discovered there was a whole WORLD of balloon art. When I went to that first class I was under the assumption that you got 1 long skinny balloon and you could make something out of it. A dog, or a sword probably. I had no idea that there were so many different sizes and shapes of balloons! I had no idea you could combine different shapes, sizes, and colors! People made creations out of hundreds, even thousands of balloons! Whole teams of artists from all over the world would gather to create giant installations! Wearable balloon dresses waltzed down catwalks and dazzled onlookers! I was hooked.

For the first year or so it was very much in the ‘hobby’ lane. Then I started getting more serious about it. I purchased tutorials and placed ‘big’ orders of balloons in the different shapes and sizes I would need.

My first “Live Twisting Gig” (aka making balloons in front of people for people) was a volunteer gig at the History Center of Olmsted County. I had been volunteering there for a couple of years and they would host movie nights so I offered to come make balloons before the movie started in what I hoped was going to be a low-key way to try things out. I only had a hand pump (a handheld pump that while efficient is not the fastest) and I only offered one design- a Lightsaber.

After that first event I worked on learning more designs and getting myself ready to be in business. In the spring of 2017 I moved to Duluth, MN and decided I was going to try to make Lauralloons work. Since moving here I have had the chance to learn and grow and shape my business. I am still learning and growing! I am a one person show doing my best to do it all, learn more, and then do better.

I love to do Live Twisting (with a much better menu now!) at events, birthdays, restaurants, weddings, festivals and fairs! I even make huge costumes out of balloons for parades, festivals, and conventions! Most of that is pretty much on hold at the moment (looking at you 2020) but I have expanded my delivery and decor options as well. Helping people celebrate their big moments in life with balloons is my joy. I am so thankful for the community in Duluth and the Twin Ports area for being so supportive of me. I hope to continue to bring the best balloons possible to the Northland and to spread joy with the art of Balloons.