Even in tough times people want to have parties and fun. Birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions will still be celebrated in hard times, but if you can save lots of money on the decor and goodies, the party will be much more than it would’ve been. Whether you’re financially embarrassed, or you just want to save money while having a fabulous party, you can impress the guests with a sun pinata you make yourself. The pinata will be the hit of the party and cost you very little.
There are a couple of different ways to make the pinata. Start with a hatbox and cut it to be very shallow. It need be only about three inches deep. You will not need the hatbox lid so save it for another project. Any large, round box will work fine to make the pinata; it doesn’t necessarily have to be a hatbox. Cut a large circle of cardboard the size of the box. This cardboard should be thin and not corrugated.
The great thing about the sun pinata is that it’s suitable for any type of party. If the party is for children fill the hatbox with candy, small toys, novelties and trinkets. You’ll find a huge assortment of suitable things at a dollar-theme store. If the party is for adults fill it with candy, samples and trial size items, and other selections. You can even make a theme out of the pinata. For example, make one for an office party and fill it with pens, pencils, erasers, white-out, note pads and similar items. For an elderly couple’s anniversary fill it with vitamin packets, small tubes of pain reliever, and other humorous items.
Poke a hole in one side of the box to create the hanger for the pinata. Use a piece of twine or cord, fold it in half, then insert the ends into the hole. Tie a knot and tape into place. After you’ve filled the hatbox use tape to affix the cardboard circle over the top. Don’t overdo it with the tape, though. The taped circle should easily hold the candy but not grip so tightly that the pinata can’t be broken. To break the pinata the circle will have to come undone as it is beaten. Scotch tape works well to hold the candy in without making it impossible to bust open.
If you don’t have a round box at your disposal you can easily make one. Cut two cardboard circles from thin cardboard. Place one on a table and cut long pieces of cardboard to make the sides. The cardboard strips should be about three inches wide and long enough to go all the way around the circle. Tape strips together, if need be, to create a strip long enough to make the sides of the box.
Make the long strip into a circle and tape the ends together temporarily. Position the first circle on top of the strip circle and tape in place. If needed, remove the tape from the ends of the strips to make it better fit the circle. After the first circle is in place, poke the hole, then add the hanger and tape the second circle onto the opposite side. The second circle is attached only after the toys and candies have been added.
There are different ways to create the rays of the sun. One of the simplest is to cut cardboard triangles out, tape or glue them around the box, then decorate with colored tissue paper. Glue tiny wads of tissue paper all over the box, creating the face first, then filling in the rest of the pinata and sun rays with yellow tissue paper. Just tear and glue the wads all over to completely cover the pinata.
A different way to create the rays of the sun, and to make a more substantial pinata, is to use Styrofoam cones. Glue the cones, bottoms against the hatbox, all the way around. Leave spaces between each cone to make the rays. Now add the wads of colored tissue paper to cover the cones and sun. if you want to make the rays even more colorful glue long pieces of tissue paper streamers from the point of each cone. Red, yellow and orange streamers look fabulous on the sun pinata.
The finished pinata can be huge or small depending upon the size of box you use or make. Instead of a sun you can use the same box and tissue paper technique to create a smiley face pinata. The round pinata can also be made into animal faces complete with foam ears and whiskers. You’ll have fun making the pinata which will thrill every guest at your party!
Reference:
- Purchase tissue paper here: www.acmoore.com
