Single Balloon Flower

• 1). Inflate one #260 balloon. Leave three or four inches deflated at the end to allow room for the air to move when you twist.
  
  
• 2). Release a little air before tying off the balloon. This ensures the balloon will be easy to bend and twist.
  
  
• 3). Push the knot down into the balloon with your index finger at least one inch deep, depending on desired length of the stamen.
  
  
• 4). Grab the knot through the balloon with your other hand, and twist two or three times to create a dimpled bubble. This is called a “tulip twist,” and will be the stamen.
  
  
• 5). Grab the balloon about six inches down from the bubble and bend it back to create a three-inch-long loop.
  
  
• 6). Twist the loop into your first twist, securing it to the base of the stamen bubble. This is your first petal.
  
  
• 7). Repeat to make two more petals. When twisting, pull the loop away from the rest of the balloon to reduce friction.
  
  
• 8). Arrange your petals so they lay flat and are evenly spaced around the stamen.
  
  
• 9). Grab the balloon a little less than halfway down the stem and twist two adjacent two-inch-long sections for the leaf.
  
  
• 10
  
  Bend the two sections together to make a pointed loop, and twist to secure.
  
  
• 11
  
  Repeat to make a second leaf, securing it in the same location to help balance the flower. Twist the two leaves around each other for more stability.
  
  

Two-Color Flower with Two Balloons

• 1). Inflate one #260 balloon for the petals, leaving a few inches deflated at the end and releasing some air before tying off.
  
  
• 2). Make six loops, starting at the knot and working down the length of the balloon. All the loops should be connecting on a single twist to form the petals. Use your already-formed loops to measure down the length of the balloon to help keep the petals uniform.
  
  
• 3). Wrap the deflated end of the balloon around the central twist a few times to secure the last loop and help hold the flower together.
  
  
• 4). Inflate one #260 balloon for the stem, following the same method as before.
  
  
• 5). Push the knot into the balloon and make a tulip twist bubble for the stamen.
  
  
• 6). Attach the petals to the stem. Simply push the twist in the stem into the twist of the petals, so the stamen is above the petals and the rest of the stem is below. It may help to pull the stamen away from the rest of the balloon to create more room in the twist.
  
  
• 7). Make leaves about halfway down the stem in the same manner as the single balloon flower.