My latest favorite project. Another hot air balloon from the SVGCuts.com kit "High Skies".
This one is about ten inches tall. I tried my hand at resizing and it worked. I wanted to put a battery operated tealight inside the basket, so I measured how wide it would need to be (two inches). I moved all of the different files onto one virtual mat, grouped them, resized the entire set using the basket bottom svg file as my guide (expanded so that it measured two inches) and all of the other files resized to the correct ratio, then ungrouped them and moved each of them to their own file and renamed them so I'd have them forever. Then I started cutting.
The paper I used for the balloon part was from DCWV. The Stardust Stack. The basket was cut from Darice Signature Series. I cut two of these, mirroring the file onto the same virtual Silhouette mat. I did this so that it would be stronger (my first one didn't seem very sturdy). I embossed one piece and left the other piece as it was.
As you can see, I went a little crazy with my shimmer spray. The six year old inside of me. "Oooh, shiny...." Except it's pretty strong in me. Maybe because that's because there are ten six year olds inside of this mind. Since I doubled up on this svg file set, I used the second bottom piece for the inside of the basket. I used scissors to trim off a little of each edge so it would fit.
I also got a thin piece of cardboard and cut four pieces that would fit between the inside and outside of the sections that connect to the inside of the balloon. More stabilty. Here's ya some pictures of the basket put together.
Side view
Bottom piece
Interior of basketThe next time I do this, before I start assembly, I'm going to take a straight edge and draw a faint line at the bottom of that top piece so when I bend them, it will be at the same height when I attach them to the balloon and it will be straight and not look like a drunk version that lists to one side.
Then I put the balloon together. I've gotten much better at gluing since my first balloon. Having the right glue helps.
Inside layer, the balloon base.
The assembled base.
The basket is glued to the balloon interior. This is when I was wishing I'd straight edged the top portions of the basket. It doesn't sit straight.
Cat photobomb by Charlie Ahole. And there is my project bag.Now for the outside of the balloon. I used three different papers. I cut two of two and four of one and alternated them thusly (good word, thusly...)
The exterior panels.
Very top piece glued in place. Another reason I like the Beacon 3-in-1 glue so much is because you can roll it with your fingers and make glue boogers. (There's that six year old again...)
This is one of those places the dental pick comes handy. You know, the ones my hygienest gave me? Pulling that cord through the two holes was a snap.
Almost done with the outside panels. This has been an incredibly smooth assembly.
One panel left to go. (Hey, Allyson, how do ya like my coffee cup? It's TIGGER!!!!)
I Stickled the top and bottom edges of the basket and I wasn't thrilled with my in-house options for the tassels.
Hmm...and even with tassels, it still needs something...but what? Yeah, I know! I know! Something glittery! Yay, glittery! Let's hear it for glittery and shiny! Sure, the banner that surrounds the balloon was cut out of a DCWV Glitzy Glitter pad (okay, kids, remember my earlier admonition...shop; research; wait for sales... then buy as many as you can, that's what I did...) But that just won't be enough. Baby needs shiny! Baby loves sparkle!
And baby got it.
Metallic rick rack! Shiny gold tassels that are the perfect length! Gold Ranger Stickles! (Oh, wait, I didn't use any of that, but I was ready to if I had to, when it comes to sparkly and shiny, you want to be prepared.)
Purrretteeee....
Shiny....
And after adding a little rick rack to the bottom edge of the balloon and putting the tassels in place...finished! Project complete!
The balloon on the right is my first one, made back in March 2013. Just for comparison. I think I'm getting the hang of this...
And, once again, I'd like to remind you that all of the photos in this post are also in my photo gallery. In the gallery, they are larger sized and you can see more of the detail. You can click on individual photos on this page or just go check out this whole gallery.
Up, up and away....
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Love the papers you chose for the balloon and the tassles and gold rick rack trim too!
