Nelly Mildred & Aleks Hernández

Who Are Los Waikikí?

Lovers of crafts and cuteness overload

We are Nelly Mildred and Aleks Hernández, born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and founders of Waikikí in 2006. Since then, creativity has always been at the heart of everything we do. We specialize in working with balloons and have traveled to more than 15 countries sharing our work.

Recognitions

Throughout our creative journey, we have had the opportunity to appear as cover designers in Balloon Images, one of the most recognized magazines worldwide within balloon art. We have also been part of the Designer Showcase, a space where we share not only our designs, but also how we think, how we work, and how we have built a creative business model supported by tools and software developed by ourselves.

In 2019, we received a very special recognition: we were named one of the 20 most influential decorators in the world by the special edition magazine The Very Best. A huge honor that came hand in hand with hard work and countless hours of experimentation.

Our passion for sharing has led us to teach classes and trainings in Mexico, Spain, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands, and Portugal. In every country, we have learned as much as we have taught, exchanging ideas, techniques, workflows, and creative solutions, while also presenting digital tools and software created by us to make life easier for other artists and decorators.

In 2023, we experienced one of the most intense and memorable moments of our career by winning First Place in the International Large Sculpture Competition at BACI Italy. Alongside competitors from Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, and other countries, we worked for more than 20 continuous hours building a single piece. It was a physical, creative, and mental challenge… but also an unforgettable experience that reaffirmed something we have always believed: teamwork and creativity know no borders.

Creative Software

In October 2015, we took one of our first major digital leaps with the launch of Waikify, now known as BalloonColor.com. This professional balloon mural design software was born from a very clear need: to stop improvising and start designing with intention.

We were pioneers in creating large-scale balloon murals supported by software, developing a tool that over time has become an inspiration for many similar projects. To this day, it remains the only software that combines a design area with a practical construction guide, even on mobile devices, designed to be used directly on the job site.

In 2020, we brought Waikikí Online to life, a training platform that eventually evolved into Los Waikikí TV. This project was created with the idea of taking professional education anywhere in the world, without schedules or borders. Today, it offers dozens of available classes, and its catalog continues to grow steadily, covering everything from basic techniques to trends, creative processes, and innovative ideas for balloon artists and crafters.

And this does not stop here. In January 2026, we launched our first app for Android and iOS, called Kwota. Kwota was created with a very clear (and very necessary) goal: to help creatives set fair, consistent, and well-valued prices for their work. It is a price calculator designed especially for creatives, acting as a financial ally that translates creativity, time, and materials into clear numbers—without headaches or endless calculations.

Today, we have become one of the most relevant balloon creators on social media, reaching millions of people every month across different platforms. With nearly 3 million followers, our community continues to grow internationally, including a strong presence on Chinese social networks, where we have built a deep connection with the crafts and balloon art market.

Social Media

Along the way, we have had the opportunity to collaborate with globally recognized brands such as Disney+, participating in the launch of the new season of Art Attack: Challenge Mode. We have also worked alongside specialized brands like Balloonia, Novedades Peyma, and Protapes—manufacturers with presence in multiple countries that support the quality, experience, and trust behind everything we share with our community.

We continue to grow every day through free content, ideas, inspiration, and lots of creativity, always inviting those who follow us to take the next step and learn more at Los Waikikí TV. Because sharing knowledge, having fun while creating, and building community is—and will always be—an essential part of who we are.