Sue G in PA Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Dc want one for their combined bday party in 2 weeks but I'm already spending too much on the actual party (at an ice skating rink). I simply cannot afford to buy one, AND a cake, AND, party bags, AND, etc. Anybody ever make their own? If so, HOW? Is it worth the time and materials or should I just buy one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenKitty Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 We've done this. We used a: balloon -blown up newspapers -cut into strips paper mache -poured in a bowl Dip newspaper into papier mache and place on balloons. Covering it twice is what we did. Wait till its dry. Paint or decorate however you want. The balloon normally pops inside. I forgot to add: It was quite messy, but it worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 My suggestion is don't do it. They take forever to dry, it takes several days and then it seems like the homemade ones are so hard they are almost impossible for the kids to bust open. It's just not worth it, imo. If you don't want to pay for a pinata, do a different party game. Although...I will say when we do a pinata we usually do it *instead* of party bags and put all of that party bag-type stuff in the pinata. If you are determined to make a pinata the user "expertvillage" has a series of youtube videos on how to do it. Hope this helps and that I didn't sound snotty or anything, I just found making a pinata to be way too much effort and I'm pretty crafty and like to do everything homemade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I only have one experience making a pinata. It was as Mrs. Mungo says - WAY too hard. Dh ended up having to rip it partway open. I think that buying a pinata and using that in place of the gift bags is a great idea! (Who invented gift bags, BTW???!!! I usually don't like what's in them when I get home from a party and I certainly don't like doing them for a party!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janna Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Aww...I did this once. Such fun memories! I am NOT a crafty person, but this was easy and fun for me. It was for dd's 4th b-day and it was a Dora the Explorer theme. At that time, Dora was so new there was nothing available for parties (it all came out a few months later, LOL). Anyway, I blew up a large balloon then started dipping newspaper strips in paper mache (there are recipes for this online. It may have even been just glue and water?) and covering the balloon with the strips. I think I layered it two or three times. Then I took some toilet paper rolls (needed the cardboard) to attach to the balloon because of the design I was making (it was a sun and the rolls were the "rays". When it was all dry (maybe 2 days, if that) I took colored tissue paper cut up into squares and kind of waded them up, dipped in glue, and attached to the balloon and paper rolls. It turned out great. You just have to remember to leave an opening at the bottom to pop the balloon once the paper is dry around it, so you can fill it with candy. Then cover with more newspaper/paper mache and finish the decorating. Hope that makes sense. I'm sure Googling will give you good (and easy) ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn in Mo Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 We make these for most of our birthday parties. The kids love them and they're cheap and easy. What theme are you using for the party? For a perfectly round pinata, I use those punching ball balloons. We've made a Bob the Tomato, a Moon, a Death Star, and I don't know what out of those. You can make your own paper mache using flour and water. Very easy. I'll gladly share more details if you're interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon H in IL Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 We usually make them for my boys' parties. They are a pain, yes, but the boys love it. As a card-carrying member of the No-Fun Moms Club, I normally abhor crafts, but for a birthday I'll make an exception, especially since I despise paying royalties to kiddie-oriented cartoon media empires. :mad: You cover your work area with plastic, because you're making a *glue* that will stick to everything. Blow up a sturdy balloon. Tear up newspaper into . . . oh, about a hundred strips. Cough, because of all the paper dust flying around. (Did I mention I don't like crafts?) Dip the strips, a few at a time, into your flour + water glue in a bowl, then apply them sorta randomly around your balloon. You want nearly complete coverage. Leave an uncovered spot at the top where you can pour in the candy and loot, or else you can choose to cut open a flap after it's dry. They both work. Once it's covered and a big, ugly mess, let it dry thoroughly. Then you get to clean up. And a day or two later (depending on humidity) you get to do it all over again. See, one layer isn't strong enough to hold more than a few measly handfuls of mini-Tootsie Rolls. Now's your chance to apply "extras" like toilet paper rolls for bug legs, or oompa-loompa legs, or whatever. Just don't try adding more long balloons to make spider legs. I'm here to tell you, it won't work. They won't stay attached. A leg-less spider is not an aesthetically pleasing spider. Now let your mess dry again, before you pull out the poster paints to glop on. (Golly, aren't crafts fun?!!) Go for bright color rather than precision effects. Some adventurous souls will glue on paper streamers for color rather than painting their masterpiece. Dry (again). Pour in your junk food, and hang it up either by magic or craft a sling-type affair that will still allow the candy to escape once it's banged hard enough. My boys have very enthusiastic and energetic pinata-breakers as guests at our parties, so we never have a problem getting them to open. In November, we hang them up in the garage, having taken the precaution of sweeping the garage floor beforehand, so no one scoops up dead leaves and dirt. Homemade pinatas -- there's nothing better! :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Dc want one for their combined bday party in 2 weeks but I'm already spending too much on the actual party (at an ice skating rink). I simply cannot afford to buy one, AND a cake, AND, party bags, AND, etc. Anybody ever make their own? If so, HOW? Is it worth the time and materials or should I just buy one? What I would do is buy the pinata, skip the party bags, and make the cake. Just because making the pinata is messy (and I find them irritating to make, although I don't doubt that there's a chance you'll really enjoy it) and takes more time than making the cake, and at least around here a bought pinata will be cheaper than a bought cake. And you wouldn't believe how much difference a homemade cake makes! Not even a fancy one, just one with actual butter in it -- Mmmm! Mmmm! Mmmm! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Lynx Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 We're using a big beach ball, and covering it with newspaper/flour paste. We do it in halves, then later we'll paste the halves together and paint it. We're still pasting, and the party is Saturday. Wish us luck. (Alderaan is the piñata, and the cake is the Death Star) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamagistra Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Mama Lynx, that sounds cool! Please post pictures. I have never made a piñata, but for the first (and only :eek:) big birthday party we ever did, dee-aitch asked a friend of his to pick up a piñata while visiting Mexico. He did. It was awesome...an awesome horse piñata that was the size of a small HORSE! :D Dee-aitch and several dads ended up pounding that sucker good to get any candy to fall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 My advice is don't add too many layers. Otherwise it is too hard to break open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freethinkermom Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Sounds like you are doing good with the homemade one. Just in case though, some Dollar type stores carry birthday-theme pinatas. Our Dollar Tree carries them. I even have a picture of one we used here: Birthday Pinata (ignore the messy garage, it has since been cleaned :rolleyes: ) Paper mache is not an option here. It gets moldy before it can dry. YUCK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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