CONGRATULATIONS TO  BALLOON & PARTY CONVENTION 2007 DESIGN COMPETITION WINNERS!

LARGE SCULPTURE - THEME: PARADISE
1st Place - Large Sculpture                    
 Tammy Corzine
 Celebrations
 Delphos, Ohio
  
Tammy Corzine owns a retail party store, Celebrations, in Delphos, OH, which specializes in balloons and balloon decor. Celebrations has been in business since 1998 beginning as a home-based business and moving to an existing retail party store in 2005. Tammy reports that her company has experienced tremendous growth in both retail and event decor in the last two years and attributes that growth to attending as many educational opportunites as possible. Tammy has also embraced balloon twisting which enhances her classic balloon decor and gives her an edge where she can offer her clients something that no one else in her area can. Incredibly, the 2007 IBA Balloon & Party Convention was Tammy's first forray into competition from which she gained great experience, increased confidence and formed many new friendships. Tammy would like to extend a personal thank you to her mom, Kim Strickler and Frany Fulgar, CBA, from Party Land Kuwait for all their help with her award winning sculpture. 

2nd Place - Large Sculpture
Amanda Armstrong, CBA and Tom Armstrong
Top Hat Balloon Werks
Mission Viejo, CA


3rd Place - Large Sculpture
Dale Moore, CBA
Andon Balloons, Inc
Richfield, MN
and
Greg Arrigoni, CBA
Unique Balloons,
St. Paul, MN


DECO-TWISTER THEME: PARTY ANIMAL
1st Place - Deco-Twister
Nancy Lyshol
Amazing Balloon Events
San Diego, CA

Nancy Lyshol, Amazing Balloon Events of San Diego, CA, specializes in clowning (balloons, face painting, magic, games) and is in the process of moving into the balloon decorating business. Nancy has made what was once a hobby, a full time career for the last nine years and feels happily blessed to be doing something she loves for a living. As to her competition experience, the IBA Balloon & Party Convention was Nancy's first time to compete in any type of balloon design competition which she reports was a great experience and a complete surprise. Nancy enjoyed meeting the people at IBA who came from all over the US as well as internationally and loved seeing the different styles and creativity which both attendees and teachers had to offer. Nancy plans to attend many more educational conventions as she feels certain that the best way to learn is to surround herself with others who also love to learn.

2nd Place - Deco-Twister
Tim Babe
dR Magic
Auburn, AL


3rd Place- Deco-Twister
Kim Mitchell
A Floating Affair Balloons
Flushing, NY


TABLESCAPE THEME: "HOT, HOT, HOT"
1st Place - Tablescape Design
Dawn Wilson, CBA
Balloons by Florally Yours
Gainsville, FL

Dawn Wilson's company, Balloons by Florally Yours, which she started in September 2000, is a special events business specializing in balloons and flowers in Gainsville, FL. It all began when Dawn as a floral designer was totally awed the first time she saw a picture of balloon decor mixed with flowers. Her research of balloon decor lead her to IBAC 2001 and Linda Kiss's Learn Balloon Decorating Classes. Until IBA's 2007 Balloon & Party Convention, Dawn had only worked on other design competition teams and had it not been for the push by friend Kim Mitchell (another IBA design competition winner), Dawn would not have considered entering the competition. Besides winning first and second place in the Tablescape Design at the Balloon & Party Convention, a total award of $450 in Delegate Dollars, Dawn enjoyed Andrea Zettler's Foamboard class and Jill Prakopcyk and Debbie Reichert's "Ultimate Theme" class. Dawn is also a great supporter of attending educational conventions stating "it's always great getting together with friends in the industry!"

2nd Place - Tablescape Design
Dawn Wilson, CBA
Balloons by Florally Yours
Gainsville, FL


3rd Place Tablescape Design
Franny Fulgar, CBA
Party Land, Kuwait