Hobbies And Interests
History
U.S. patent number 5135422 was given to a simple little device known as the bubble wand. The application was made in 1991, but the history of blowing bubbles through a hole at the end of a wand can be traced back much further. The very first bubble wands were small enough to hold between two fingers and dip into a small container. Today, some bubble wands are so huge they must be held with both hands.
Function
A bubble wand is pure simplicity. You stick the hole into soapy water or a special solution, and then you either blow through it or wave your arms so that the force of the air through the hole creates a bubble. You can create either many bubbles at once or gargantuan bubbles. Either way, the effect can be breathtaking.
Types
Early bubble wands were simple: You dipped a small wand into the bottle of solution in which you bought it, pulled the wand out and blew. If you were good enough you could sometimes get as many as a couple of dozen bubbles from just one blow. Today's bubble wands can be just about any size and can have multiple holes to create more bubbles with that one blow.
The most popular bubble wands today are the supersized wands that must be held in the hand, or may even require two hands. To create the enormous bubbles that make this new breed of wand so popular, you must swing the wand through the air or run with it so that air can push the bubbles through.
Considerations
Bubble solution usually comes with the wand, but eventually that original supply runs out. Stores such as Wal-Mart and Toys R Us carry bubble solution refills, but it may be less expensive and definitely more fun to make your own. A standard formula for making your own bubble solution is roughly three parts water to one part liquid dishwashing soap, plus about a quarter as much corn syrup as detergent. It may require some fine-tuning to get the perfect mixture depending upon your climate.
Effects
While most people are familiar with the image of bubbles floating into the air, there is another way to create bubble wand magic that many people have never tried. When the temperature falls below freezing use the bubble wand as you normally would, but catch a bubble on the wand. Before your eyes the bubble will crystallize; it can then be shattered as if it were glass.
Benefits
Bubble wands are increasingly being used to create an ethereal and romantic effect at weddings. Many companies specialize in creating containers for the bubble solution that look like miniature champagne bottles. A particularly popular use of bubble wands at weddings is to create a romantic ambience while the official photographs are being taken after the ceremony.