Up, Up and Away!

These hot air balloon decorations are super cute and so simple to make!
I first had the idea to make these a few months back when we were painting our daughters bedroom.  They are the perfect decorative addition to any child's bedroom but would also be great fun at parties or just around the house if your decorating style is a little more quirky! The colour combinations are endless too, so if you're going to give it a go, get creative!

1. All you need to make your own is a honeycomb paper decoration (I bought mine from Sainsburys but you can get them from most craft or party shops), something to use as a basket (ice cream or treat pots work really well) and some decorative twine.

2. Start by cutting three 20cm (8") lengths of twine and tie together in a knot at one end.

3. Using a strong craft glue, stick the knotted end of the twine to the base of the folded honeycomb decoration.

4. Next glue one of the lengths of twine to the inside of your basket.  It's best to give the glue enough time to dry completely before moving on to the next step, so go and make a pot of tea and put your feet up for a bit!

5. When everything is dry turn everything over onto the other side and glue the remaining two lengths of twine inside the basket.  You may find it useful to prop the honeycomb up on something whilst you carry out this step so as to avoid putting unnecessary strain on the bits you've already glued.

Now all that it left to do is open up the balloon and secure in place using the paperclips supplied with your decoration.  If you wish to you can also reinforce your glue with a bit of tape for piece of mind but a good strong glue should do the trick just fine.

If you enjoy making these you can also make a slightly different style hot air balloon by using a Chinese lantern in place of the honeycomb decoration.  Perhaps you could use a painted yogurt pot for a basket or ribbons instead of twine? I'd love to see your creations so send me some snaps!