Only in Bucks County: Alia’s Wow Balloons

 

EVERYONE!! 

Meet Alia from Alia's WOW Balloons! 

39 again... January 6, 2021

Me, with my crazy curly COVID hair, my favorite dog-walking ski hat, one arm full of pots and pans because all I do is cook and clean up since the pandemic hit, the other hand walking Fergie... Alia NAILED it! I have never laughed so hard!

Announcing to the world that I'm not really 39 again... and I that I love beer.

I had seen Alia "twisting" (that's insider language for making balloon art, lol) at a couple of events and fundraisers around town, but I didn't realize just how creative and talented she was at her craft.

I was absolutely "WOWed" by the Yard Art balloons I was surprised with from Alia's WOW Balloons on my birthday a few weeks ago. I couldn't stop thinking about how cool they were, what a completely amazing gift they are, and what a unique occupation this is; so I decided to reach out to the Bristol Township 19-year old and interview her. Alia should be very proud of her accomplishments and I hope you'll consider her for yard art, a birthday party, or other event. Here's what she had to say!

I've seen you here in Bristol Borough, but I have good friends in Newtown and Yardley.

 Do you deliver there and include a delivery fee?

I deliver to Newtown and Yardley without delivery fees.
Actually, I deliver all over Bucks County, and when the virus calms down I'll deliver to Philadelphia and New Jersey.

(That was my one business question. Here are Alia's answers to the FUN questions!)

Why balloon art... what made you start working with balloons?

I have always been into arts and crafts and I used to see balloon art at events and thought it looked pretty cool, so why not try it?

How long have you been doing this twisting?

I have been twisting balloon animals as a hobby for about 7 years, but I made it a business about 1 year ago.

I'm assuming you went to Truman... what year did you graduate?

I went to Bucks County Technical High School and graduated in 2019.

People can hire you for your awesome Yard Arts, but you’ll go to events too...

can you explain that aspect of your business to me?

I'd go to events pretty often before the pandemic, some events pay me and then I give out free balloons; other times I actually pay to be at an event and charge folks to create balloon art right in front of them.

What's the most challenging yard art you’ve ever done?

The hardest yard art I ever made was my Statue Of Liberty!

Favorite yard art request ever? 

My favorite type of yard arts are what I like to call look-a-likes; the parents really don't have a theme, but they tell me everything about the birthday person and I can add in so many different details and fully make it custom ,and all about the birthday person! That's what we did for you.

 Of course I get a lot of requests for Superheros, Princesses, Disney Characters, and other cartoon characters, which are always fun to surprise kids with.

Do you love what you do?

I LOVE what I do! Especially when I see giant smiles on everyone's faces, and when I hear how much joy I put in their hearts. I absolutely love twisting balloons and using my creative mind to put a smile on everyone's face! I work with all ages, too!  I also donate a percentage of my profits to my Uncle's charity for football scholarships for student's books.

You're on Facebook at Alia's WOW Balloons...are you on Instagram too?
I am also on Instagram!

Alia recently went to an intensive three day training class. 

I didn't know balloon art training even existed!

You've GOT to check out her work on her social media pages.

 She even just made Jefferson and Eliza yard arts from Hamilton, The Musical!

Alia will generally give you a discount on your second Yard Art if you order more than one.

You can contact her through her social media pages or via email at 

hymonalia2019@gmail.com

Only in Bucks County: The Earthship

Solar energy... check!

Thermal heat and cooling from a pile of (carefully placed) old tires... check!

 

Self composting toilet...check!

Ever since I moved to Bristol and discovered Silver Lake Nature Center, I've been wanting to check out their fully sustainable, zero carbon footprint "Earthship". I'd noticed on various local websites that it's open for free tours certain Saturdays, but it seemed like I always had something else to do. I finally went and checked it out today on a cold, COVID day. (There were others in my group, and masks are required. There were even two dogs in my group! And it was WARM inside!)

This fully sustainable, carbon-zero building is built with recycled products (including about 300 old tires), and is able to heat and cool itself, gather its own water, recycle its own waste, and produce its own food. It is free to tour, and the next tour is on Saturday, February 13th, 2021 between the hours of 1pm and 2:30pm. No appointment is necessary- you can just show up! You can see the structure as you pull into the main parking lot, and simply walk back to it. 

The address of the Earthship is 1306 Bath Road, Bristol PA, 

and you can take a look at their website here. 

I suggest you stay and walk one of the trails!

                   

          

                                                                   

Only in Bucks County: Nostalgic in New Hope

 

Enjoying chocolate covered strawberries in New Hope, 1979.

 I was 14.

Ahhh, New Hope. The city of artists, poets, and witches.
The magical place that used to be a once-a-year day trip with my parents and my best friend Pam is now a nearby town that I can visit easily and as often as I want. 
Pam and I would look forward to our Halloween weekend in New Hope all year long, and we LOVED every minute of it!
At age 11, 12, 13, my parents would let us walk around this picturesque place by ourselves... walking in and out of stores, crunching in the leaves, exploring, drinking sodas and giggling, eating pizza, and spending our babysitting money on novelty items, jewelry, gingerbread men, and chocolate covered strawberries. Even at that age, we appreciated the stores filled with handmade items and arts and crafts; especially the store loaded with retro toys and naked mannequins, a hologram store, and the dozens of galleries that featured contemporary art. I can still remember the wonderful aroma of the shop that sold just candles, and the delicious herbal scent of a store called "Strawberry Jam" with it's array of handmade soaps. I remember giggling browsing the collections of gothic oddities at "The Creeper Gallery", or nervously purchasing a crystal or two from the witchcraft store.
 
Even though New Hope was notoriously crowded with other tourists walking in and out of the art galleries, restaurants, and antique shops, we knew our way around, revisited our favorite places, and felt like the town existed just for us. We'd see some unusual characters there, but everybody belonged. Traipsing in and out of the eclectic shops made us feel special and more worldly than our pre-teen friends back home.  

A few years later, we’d go there dressed for Halloween, posing for pictures with every single Halloween display we came across (and the occasional biker if they'd let us stand in front of their Harley.) We’d buy ourselves sterling silver rings inlaid with turquoise and coral made by a local artisan, collect artsy business cards from the stores we visited, get our palms read, maybe buy a cool tee shirt or top that we liked, and sneak a henna tattoo at The Shop of India... all of this making us feel cooler, more sophisticated, and edgier than any other kid in our school. 

In the New Hope of my childhood, the autumn colors were even more colorful, and there was always a warm river breeze. The Halloween decorations were some of the wildest I'd ever seen, and the freedom we felt was limitless. The fountain cokes were sweeter, the slices of pizza were the tastiest we’d ever had, and the days lasted forever. I still love New Hope. Everybody does.

                         

         

                    

                                                

        

                                                               

                                     

Pandemic or not, I haven't missed visiting New Hope at Halloween time in 45 years!

Does anybody else remember New Hope's

 BEST STORE EVER... Strawberry Jam?

Pam and I continued our tradition well into our thirties, at times still tagging along with my parents on their autumn visit!  As soon as the pandemic ends, we have plans to meet in New Hope for a beers and giggles and a nice long lunch. In the meantime, enjoy these photos from the time we decided to walk around New Hope.... as bags of jellybeans: 

Senior year, 1982.