[contrachapado]

Hello all you experienced balloon artists!

I was wondering if any of you would have some advice to offer me about my FIRST public balloon sculpting gig. It will be at my niece's elementary school for their year-end carnival (which, incidentally, has a "carnival" theme). I will be set up outside, for 3 hours, doing one-balloon creatures. The school has at least a couple of hundred students. I'm not super-fast yet, and have a limited number of animals that I can make from memory.

So, if anyone has done anything like this before, could you tell me what you found to be the best method? Should I make some animals ahead of time, to hand out to children that I might not get to? Should I keep extra balloons in a little insulated cooler?

I plan to have a few pictures of the animals that I can make, so kids aren't just randomly choosing an animal. I'll bring a hula hoop to mark the space I need. I have a balloon apron, markers, two pumps, a rubber chicken to "eat" dead balloons, and a pair of cool clown shoes.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated! Thanks!