Piñata Time!
We are totally doing this. We are making a piñata that looks like a giant cat-toy for Bug’s cat-themed seventh birthday party. First we bought one of those giant balloons. I only had them inflate it half way because how horrible would it be if it popped? This thing costs like seven bucks! Plus, two dollars more to blow it up because I don’t have lungs strong enough to do it myself. Anyway, if it turns out I thinks it’s going to be worth the money. I just hope it turns out!
So we took it home, hung it from it’s string from a nail in the kitchen (it’s too cold to work outside) and started paper maché-ing. If it turns out I’ll do a proper post with step by step instructions (as IF you all needed instructions, it’s so easy).
Glop, glop, glop! Strip by strip by strip!
Poser. Too bad my little tool box storage thing is full of party loot and making my kitchen look cluttery. Oh well, gotta make sacrifices when you have a great big party to throw. Speaking of, Bug and I have decided we are going to skip big parties next year and just take a friend to Disneyland or something. It would be a whole lot cheaper.
Me getting in the mix. Actually I was all up in the mix. Bug only put on two or three honorary pieces and I did the rest. But I’m not complaining. I’d rather paper maché any day over cooking. Did you know that the word paper maché means chewed up paper? Gross!
And then we were done! Well, with step one anyway. It has to dry for a few days. I’m really worried that it’s going to deflate on itself when I pop the balloon so I’m going to let it sit and harden until the very last minute. I might be applying the pretty outer tissue paper on the morning of the party if that is what it takes. I really want it to work. Has anybody else ever made a piñata out of these super big balloons? Or is there a reason I’m not finding any how-to posts on such a thing? Well, here’s to hoping I figure it out first!
Next morning: still slightly wet. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. And also? Aqui (the cat) wants you to know that her food bowl is empty. I’m on it. STAT.
10 Comments
Gayle
I’m sure it will turn out super cute! I thought of you the other day when I was at IKEA. They had ice cube trays in the shape of fish!
Enjoy the party prep!
Penny
How cool! I can’t wait to see the final result! You are so creative. Bug is lucky to have so much fun in her life. :)
Melissa K. in Nebraska
Cat death stares work every time.
Jenn S
it might help dry it faster to blow on it with a hair dryer on hot for a while :)
Beverley
I can’t wait to see how this turns out! I had an idea for a craft that might work for this theme – personalized “collars”. You can set out some inexpensive ribbon trim, some cardstock (trimmed/cut into some geometric shapes), and markers. When the guests arrive, they can decorate their own collar using either their real name or their “kitten” name.
Julie
I did this for my sons birthday one year. I was super nervous about it being too flimsy….Oops. I think I put 4 or 5 layers of newpaper and then the tissue paper (mine was a fish – I made fins out of cardboard and then paper mached them to the balloon) It was so hard! We ended up having the teenage boy from across the street come over and hit it full blast with a baseball bat to get it open..Never under estimate the power of flour and water!
Yara
I’ve made one! In 2010, I used a giant balloon (but I found a 4 pack at Target, and had my husband blow it up) to make a Toy Story alien head piñata. It was December, so not warm enough to dry quickly. I think it took a couple of days. It totally worked.
I saw how on a blog http://www.whimsy-love.com/2008/06/meow-if-you-love-to-par-tay.html
I’d never paper machè-d before that. (I know! Crazy! I know one of my teachers had the class do it, but I was absent that day & wasn’t allowed to start the project the next day, because everyone else was ready to paint. Clearly I’m not over it.)
Jen Wilson
I’ve started one-friend birthday parties with my girls and I LOVE THEM. The birthday girl gets to choose two fun we-never-get-to-do-this things, and I chauffeur them around. So much cheaper, so much less stress.
I hope your pinata works out! Although I know it will.
jo's mom
what happened to the cat ears is she tired of being onyx?
bethany actually
We used to get to pick between a regular party and having one friend stay the night plus something special like visiting an arcade or the local amusement park. I always kinda liked those birthdays with one friend better!