Jill “Silly Jilly” Schmidt started clowning in 1994 because of a St. Louis Community College non-credit clown class. She’s thankful to instructor Karen Owens. Also in 1994, Jill started twisting balloons at restaurants. Restaurants are her favorite type of gig, and she’s provided table-side entertainment almost every week for 19 years.

For 15 years she’s twisted balloons at a pediatric dentistry once a month. She enjoys having co-workers there and being invited to the company parties as friendship is the only thing she misses from her 1988 to 1994 office job at Washington University.

Most of Silly Jilly’s parties are birthdays and she also does holiday parties, grand openings, and schools. Silly Jilly’s entertainment specialty is balloons, specifically cartoon balloons, and she’s also a face-painter and magician.