[Nettie Belle]

I was supposed to do a 3-hour gig today and they wanted WALK-AROUND face painting and balloons. When I took the job, I wasn't even thinking straight, but as the date approached, I started to stress. WALK-AROUND face painting and balloons? I don't think I've ever done that before. I've always been in one spot. Not WALKING AROUND. Poor Hopscotch ... I was calling her all hours of the day stressing, and she would calm me down and put things into perspective.

I have one cart for face painting and one cart for balloons ... I couldn't imagine walking around with these two carts for 3 hours.

I was at my day job yesterday thinking about this, and happened to spot the lids to our copy paper boxes ... and got struck on the head with an idea. I took two lids from the copier paper boxes and also two lids something else we get. All of this was in the trash waiting to be pitched.

I took one lid and wrapped it in red fabric. (I chose red so it wouldn't clash with my outfits.) Then I took the other lid and stuffed it in the fabric wrapped lid. This covered up all the unfinished ends. I put the other lids I salvaged inside to use as dividers.

I bought a piece of 3/8" styrofoam, and as I was ready to leave with my minimal purchase, I spotted what is called a "button tower". It had 8 sections and was about 7-8" tall. (It was pricey ... $9.99 ... but I didn't really care. Anyway, I had a coupon for 50% off.) I cut the styrofoam in two and cut a hole in one piece the exact size of the button tower, so it would fit VERY SNUGLY in there and didn't jiggle around and wouldn't tip over.

I put 250 balloons in 9 different colors in the button tower, then I started adding other stuff for face painting. I set my face paints in on an angle. Underneath this was water. There were a couple of gaps in between the two big lids for alcohol swabs. I cut a notch in one side for a mirror and business cards. I attached a zip lock bag with cotton balls and q-tips. Actually, I had everything I needed in this one tray made out of cardboard. There was also room for my glitter tattoos.

Then came my dilemma of how to carry this thing. I thought about elastic, ribbon ... I just wasn't sure. Then I remembered this circus cart I had in my basement "clown cave" as my husband calls it. I put a cd player, some walk around magic, and some cd's in that part, put the tray on top and secured it with criss-crossing bungee cords.

My friend, Hopscotch told me I should take a cover so I made a cover to go over it. And I went in carrying this cart (only) and my balloon pump (since it's a big one ... I could have put a little one on this tray, but I chose to take my big one).

So ... here is my walk-around face painting/tattoos/balloons/magic, and music cart.

By the way ... it was raining when it came time for me to face paint and do balloons, so I was under a tent anyway, but here's my cart. It was very useful and serviceable. Nothing tipped over and the styrofoam in the bottom was great for my brushes and Sharpie. And it was pretty cheap to make, and if it falls apart ... the button tower won't. I will just have to start collecting copy paper lids again!!

Thanks to Hopscotch and her reassuring voice, and prayer to God for help, I got through this day JUST FINE.