Let's make a piNata!!!

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Okay so when I was younger I remember making pinatas with my mom! It was such a fun, cheap craft and at the end you got to show it off to everyone while busting into some candy. I loved it then and I still love to make them so I thought I'd share! This is super easy...you can be very creative with it also. I am going to teach you how to make the simplest piñata ever and then I'll give some tips on how to make them more intricate.

What you need:
- a balloon ---> Since I'm going SUPER simple I'm just going to use one regular balloon...if you want to get all fancy you can use several balloons, different sizes, or cardboard. But how bout' we try that later?? ha
- mixing bowl ---> to put your water and flour in...(the paste)
- water ----> I like to make my water warm, makes it a little easier to deal with
- flour---- for every 2 cups of flour you use, pour about a cup of water in. I honestly just pour the two until I get a consistency I like...but that sounds about right. Just make sure it's not lumpy...it's gotta be thin enough to dip your newspaper strips. I guess you can compare it to pudding right before it gets hard...ya know?
- lots of old newspaper---> tear your newspaper into strips...about 1-2 inches wide. This part does not have to be perfect, so don't spend all your time measuring...just rip away!! ha
- crepe/tissue paper--->you can get the kind you wrap gifts with, the kind that comes in rolls...whatever.
- rope/string/ribbon...something that will connect it to a tree or a bigger rope later.
- glue
- scissors

So, blow up your balloon. Mix the flour and water in your bowl. Rip your newspaper to pieces and dip them in the bowl...get ready to get messy!

( tip...to make it easier to put strips on your balloon,  sit the balloon in a bowl so it's not rolling around everywhere)

You have to cover your balloon completely with the newspaper. The more layers of newspaper you use the harder it is to bust open later...I love to put a lot!! It works best if you put one layer on then wait a little while for that to dry some and put your next layer on. (maybe 5 minutes...I'm not to patient) Once you have all the layers you want on there, you wait. This is the worst part. It takes a while to really get hard. I'd give it about 2 days. If it's sunny/dry outside it doesn't take as long. I used to put it either outside or right in front of a fan to make it go faster, :D

OK so after it's finally dry you cut out a hole at the top big enough to fill it with candy/toys. When you cut the hole, you'll pop the balloon underneath and pull it out. When I cut my hole I like to leave a little section connected so it's not so hard to cover up (like a latch door)...you can also cover it with another layer of newspaper...with cardboard..with crepe paper.. You'll also need to poke two small holes on the top/side to pull the ribbon/rope through.


Now this is where you use your imagination! It's time to FINALLY decorate.
you can scrunch up the crepe paper, cut into strips, paint your piNata, or use different material to cover it up.

Here are some examples I found on the computer!

Once it's decorated to your liking break it open and have some fun!!