Recent Posts

party

DIY Pink Party Hat Pinata

by Jenny Batt

So, I was just sitting around the other day noticing how many grocery ads came in the mail the other day and I wondered what I could do with it. Why not make a pinata? So I grabbed my winter sale flyers and a few extra party hats and got to work. January will be a little more fun this year.

Click through for full instructions.

You will need: newspaper, balloons, glue, freezer paper (to protect work surface), 7 party hats (per pinata), scissors, hot glue gun, tissue paper, double stick tape

This is the first time I have attempted paper mache since elementary school and it was as easy as I remember. Messier, but easy. First, cover your work surface with extra newspaper or freezer paper. Tear your newspaper into strips. Thinner strips, about 1″ wide work better for the smaller balloons. Blow you balloon up only half way so it still remains perfectly round. Add glue to a large bowl, about 1/2 cup, and add water about 1/4 to 1/3 cup, and mix until thin but gooey. Soak each strip in the mix, gently scrape off excess using your fingers by sliding between two and add to your balloon. Flatten strip on balloon. Keep going. I used one full grocery ad, about 4-5 pages per balloon. Once covered completely, except for the very top knotted end, attach a string and hang to dry over freezer paper. Let dry overnight.

Once dry, cut off the balloon knot and cut a pretty circle at the open end. This will make the space to fill in candy or confetti later. Set out 7 party hats. Cut slits around the bottom of the party hat with scissors about 2 inches in. Trim the party hats about 1 inch shorter, leaving 1 inch slits around the bottom. Press out the bottom. Repeat with remaining party hats.

Cut out 5 inch squares of tissue paper. Cut fringe on one side and roll three sheets together. Twist top and insert into the top of each party hat. Secure with a drop of hot glue. Repeat with each hat.

Add hot glue to the flared out bottom tabs of the party hat and press into the side of the pinata base. Repeat with remaining hats until pinata is covered.

Cut small squares, about 1 to 2 inches, out of tissue paper. Add strips of double stick tape over the messy base of the pinata. Press a square of tissue paper over the end of your finger or a pencil and attach to the pinata. Cover the entire base. Using the tip of the scissors or a hole punch, add a hole on each side of the opening and insert string or gold mylar rope to hang. Ta-DA, a traditional style pinata, using some stuff I had laying around the house.

  1. Chloe Moon

    January 10, 2013

    You are so creative!! That’s pretty awesome!!!

  2. jessica

    January 10, 2013

    Oops ohhappyday is starting to look like a one trick pony….maybe time to move beyond the pinata’s, crepe paper and yarn balls.

      • jordan
      • January 10, 2013

      Hi Jessica! It’s not an accident! I love crepe paper (its my favorite medium) And I have a pinata series because I love pinatas. Not sure what you mean by the yarn balls. I don’t think I’ve ever done project like that. I’ll always post about those things because that is what makes me happy.

  3. Casey

    January 10, 2013

    I rarely ever read the comments on blogs and have never actually left one before. However, I just wanted to kindly refute the comment made by the previous reader. a) She is just being hurtful- there are far more constructive and kind ways to give criticism, b) if she was as talented and creative as you folk to begin with, she would have her own top-rated blog and not rely on you fabulous folks to provide her with ideas for which she probably claims credit for (I mean, that’s why we are all here, right;), and c) she is just plain wrong. Anyhow, keep up the great work…pinatas, crepe, yarn and all!

  4. Courtney K

    January 10, 2013

    Looks like someone needs to watch this: http://www.swiss-miss.com/2013/01/the-thumper-rule.html

  5. Lexy

    January 10, 2013

    What a fun take on a pinata! I love this one! 🙂

  6. Mere

    January 10, 2013

    I love this project! Pinatas + Party Hats = joy²

    Thanks for sharing this awesome tutorial!

  7. Veronica

    January 10, 2013

    This is so cute! Just wondering though–is this pinata only decorative? What happens to the balloon if you try to hit it open?

  8. Emma

    January 10, 2013

    Jessica, that was a pretty unnecessarily nasty comment. Stay constructive. I, on the other hand, love the resourcefulness of this post: turning waste into something useful and fun is awesome in my book. Keep up the fantastic work – love your blog!

  9. Hester

    January 11, 2013

    There’s no such thing as too much pinata’s! Although I still got to make one… I agree with Emma, it’s so inspiring to see how you can turn things other people consider trash into something you can actually use to decorate your home! Whenever I’m diy’ing, I’m always looking for just these things, seeing we (like “we, people who have probably already everything we could ever wish for”) have already so many things we just throw away without thinking.

  10. This girl loves to talk

    January 11, 2013

    well I love your pinata techniques and made a christmas stocking shaped one for christmas (which we ended up smashing at a new years eve party) to your other method of the cardboard shapes with rectangle strip joining them – previous year I made candy cane shape- and credited you – thank you!!
    http://thisgirllovestotalk.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/stocking-pinata-christmas-tip.html
    http://thisgirllovestotalk.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/candy-cane-pinata.html

  11. Savanah

    January 11, 2013

    It’s totally okay to have piñatas in your house even when there’s no party, right? 😉 Yet another wonderful and beautiful post, Jordan. Thank you for sharing your creativity! 🙂

  12. Laura

    January 11, 2013

    What a fun pinata! Love the color!

  13. MAry

    January 11, 2013

    Hi there, love your blog, it definitely adds happiness to my day 🙂 im a craft-a-holic as well 🙂

    just out of curiosity… the pink and red painting in the first display picture (on the wood dresser), is that a DIY painting?

    if so, would it be ok to ask if you can show us how to make it? its gorgeous!

    if not, no worries, you have good taste in paintings 🙂 thanks in advance !!

  14. Verena

    January 11, 2013

    This is such a great idea!

    Have a great weekend!
    Verena

  15. sarah

    January 11, 2013

    Love the pop of color! And it looks super simple!

    Sar

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/owleyevintage

  16. Kati

    January 13, 2013

    This is the cutest!
    -Kati

  17. Bellenza Bistro

    January 15, 2013

    How cool and creative of you (as always!) to make a pinata out of sale flyers!

  18. ROSI

    January 18, 2013

    No such thing as too many piñata tutorials. In fact I might make your whole piñata series and hang them all just because. Keep them coming Jordan, along with all your other fabulous ponies x

Comments are Closed

More Recent Posts