DIY: Hot Air Balloon Mobile

Lately, I've had my eye on hot air balloons. There is something so whimsical and almost magical about them. They make me think of dreams come true.

Look! This one, you can buy for ONLY $1,875!

Or not. But it is stupendous, is it not?!

I.love.rainbows.

And that's that.

This is the mobile that peaked my interest at first.

I stood there in that posh little baby boutique and just stared at it.

I like to look at an item and try to figure out how I too could make the same thing.

I looked at it longingly. I looked at it lovingly.

I looked at it long enough to know that I could not make cute little hot air balloons that looked like that easily or cost effectively.

Sigh.

But, then I saw this hanging just a few feet away.

And, I had an idea.

"The Grinch had a wonderful, awful idea."

(Well, sometimes I can be a Grinch.)

I bought this picture hanging mobile right then and there.

You can find it on Amazon for a way better price than what I bought it for!

Wish I had thought of that!

My idea was to print out a template of a hot air balloon and use some fabulous papers to create my own fabulous mobile.

Here is a list of the supplies I used:

~ picture hanging mobile

~ any picture/template/vector of a hot air balloon, printed out for tracing purposes

~ pretty papers, paint chips, wall paper, etc. (I couldn't resist glitter paper)

~ paper letters

~ laminator with pages (optional, I wanted my paper to be sturdier)

~ exacto knife

Items not shown (oops!):

~ glue stick

~ small eye hook (for hanging mobile from ceiling)
~ some fishing line (to attach to eye hook if you want a lower hanging mobile)

I printed out my template in three different sizes, and began tracing and cutting. I glued papers together so that there would be interest on both sides.


I wanted to have my boys initials floating amongst the balloons also.

"E" for Eliot. "I" for Isaac.

And "Bb" for big brother, little brother. ;-D

I.love.laminators.

Seriously. I want to laminate everything.

Flying high!

My baby loves to stare up at this and that makes me happy.

This project was so very simple and inexpensive. I only paid for the picture hanging mobile.

I will honestly tell you that this project took me three days.

I know!

It's because I have five kiddos, y'all! one being a five month old! I don't have a lot of uninterrupted time. But it was still fun.

The great thing is, I can change it up whenever I want! There are so many options.

What about colorful paper airplanes? Or birdies? Or origami shapes? Or pom poms...

What would you hang from it?

~ christa jean ~