This LINK-O-LOON® décor design is full of fabulous techniques from the simple arch with polka dots sprinkled throughout, to the 3-D effect of the “cakes” at each side. The primarily air-filled balloons means it’s long-lasting for do-ahead designing.

CAKE

STEP 1
Set up base plate and pole. Inflate a chain of four 12″ (30cm) Fashion White to 10″ (25cm) .Tie LINK-O-LOON® to form a circle. Repeat two more times for a total of three circles and slide them down the conduit pole.

STEP 2

Make a chain in the following sizing order, than repeat three more times for a total of 4 chains:
1 x 5″ (12cm) Deluxe Fuchsia sized to 3.5″ (9cm)
2 x 12″ (30cm) Fashion White LINK-O-LOON® sized to 5.5″ (13cm) 1 x Duplet of 5″ (12cm) Fashion White 5″ (12cm) sized to 3.5″ (9cm)

STEP 3

Inflate a single 5″ (12cm) Fashion White to 3.5″ (9cm) and tie it into the gap between the two 12″ (30cm) LINK-O-LOON® sized to 5.5″ (13cm) in the step 2 chain. Repeat for the remaining three chains; these will be your vertical chains. Set aside.

STEP 4
Take one of the chains from Step 2, starting with the 5″ (12cm) Deluxe Fuchsia and the circled LINK-O-LOON® to the top, and twist the Deluxe Fuchsia balloon around one of the gaps in the LINK-O-LOON® circle.

STEP 5
Proceeding vertically downward, count one balloon down in the step 2 chain. Then take the 5″ (12cm) balloon tied at that gap and use it to twist around one of the middle LINK-O-LOON® circle gaps.

STEP 6
Next, use the duplet to attach the chain to the bottom LINK-O-LOON® circle. Repeat until all of the vertical chains have been attached to the LINK-O-LOON® circles.

STEP 7
Inflate a chain of twenty 6″ (15cm) Fashion Bubble Gum Pink LINK-O-LOON® to 3.5″ (9cm) each. Tie into a circle.

STEP 8
Using one of the 5″ (12cm) Deluxe Fuchsia in the top of the “cake”, attach the Fashion Bubble Gum Pink circle. Twist around a couple of times to secure.

STEP 9
Count five balloons over in the Fashion Bubble Gum Pink circle and twist around the next 5″ (12cm) Deluxe Fuchsia on the “cake”. Continue until there are five Fashion Bubble Gum Pink balloons in between each 5″ (12cm) Deluxe Fuchsia balloon.

STEP 10
Next, use four 260 Deluxe Fuchsia balloons to embellish the top of the cake.
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Candle

STEP 11
Inflate a quad of 5″ (12cm) Fashion White sized to 3.5″. (9cm) Attach to the pole where the top of the cake opening is. This will help hold the cake in place.

STEP 12
Inflate a duplet of 360 Bubble Gum Pink balloons, inflating until there is a 1″ (2cm) tip on the end of each balloon. Repeat.

STEP 13
Place one duplet under the white quad on the pole and pull one of the balloons up through one of the gaps of the quad. Pull the other balloon up on the opposite side of the quad, so there are two balloons above the quad, with the knot beneath it. Repeat for the other duplet, going through the gaps of the quad that have not been used yet.

STEP 14
Twist two of the balloons around the pole towards the top. Attach to the pole with the tip. If the balloon is too long, then simply twist at the desired length, and deflate the unwanted portion. Then tie and attach to the pole.

STEP 15
Twist the remaining two 360s up the pole in between the gaps of the previous two 360s. Attach in the same fashion.

STEP 16
Inflate two duplets of 260 Deluxe Fuchsia and attach to the pole in the same way as the 360s, making sure to twist them up along the gaps of the 360s.

STEP 17
Make a quad of 5″ (12cm) Mango sized to 3.5″ (9cm). Place at the top of the pole.

STEP 18
Inflate a 12″ (30cm) Deluxe Mango LINK-O-LOON® fully. Tie and trim off the nozzle. Then attach the balloon with the LINK-O-LOON® tip to the Mango quad at the top of the pole.

STEP 19
Repeat steps 1-18 to make two separate “cakes & candles”

Arch

STEP 20
Helium inflate a 12″ (30cm) Deluxe Fuchsia LINK-O-LOON® to 11″ (28cm) (12cm) and tie it into one of the cakes at the 5″ (12cm) Deluxe Fuchsia junction.

STEP 21
Next inflate a 12″ (30cm) Deluxe Mango Polka Dot LINK-O-LOON® to 11″ (28cm) and tie to the balloon in step 20.

STEP 22
Continue alternating 12″ (30cm) Deluxe Fuchsia LINK-O-LOON® and 12″ (30cm) Deluxe Mango Polka Dot LINK-O-LOON® until the desired length. End with a 12″ (30cm) Deluxe Fuchsia LINK-O-LOON® and attach to the second “cake”.

STEP 23
Embellish the tie points of the arch with a quad of 5″ Fashion Bubble Gum Pink sized to 2″ (5cm) or with a Fashion Bubble Gum Pink 360 that has been twisted into five 1″ (2cm) bubbles, then tied around the knots of the LINK-O-LOON®.