Make A Pinata From Recycled Materials!

[jujubee]

Make a pinata from recycled materials!

Turn an empty oatmeal container into a cute pinata.

What you need:
~Empty oatmeal container (or any size circular container)
~Crafting knife
~Tape (preferably masking tape)
~Recycled tissue paper
~Recycled curling ribbon
~Recycled wrapping paper or craft paper
~Trinkets and/or candy (choose organic!)
~Adhesives (tape, glue, glue gun, etc)
~String for hanging

What you do:
1) Cut the oatmeal container through the center in a zigzag line. (This is best done with a crafting knife, unlike the kitchen knife shown below.)

2) Using a stronger tape such as masking tape, tape the pieces back together. This will create a give that will make the pinata easier to break open.

3) Reuse wrapping paper or craft paper to wrap around the container.

4) Have fun decorating your container into an object or animal that works with your party theme!

5) Cut recycled tissue paper into streamers, and cut & curl curling ribbon. From the top open end, fill the inside with trinkets, candy, organic lollipops, organic fruit snacks, etc. along with the tissue paper and ribbon. The goal is to fill the pinata as much as possible to weight it down which is better for hitting.

5) Glue or tape the top on the oatmeal container, and add finishing touches.

6) Tie a string around the container to hang.

Please note, this pinata is too cute to bash with a stick!

Also, we decorated, filled, then glued the top on. In hindsight, it might be best to fill, glue the top on, then decorate.

[kristen.c]

Um, that is RIDICULOUSLY cute!

[suzy24]

Nice job. How long did it take?

[jujubee]

Um, that is RIDICULOUSLY cute!

Thanks! DD loved making it, and totally doesn't want to hit it open.

Nice job. How long did it take?

The three of us worked on it together. DH cut the container, I cut the tissue paper into strips, DD helped tape, color, and glue on the cotton balls*, etc. It took us approx 1 - 1.5 hrs, but we decided on the poodle with cotton balls on the fly. A simpler design wouldn't have taken near as long.

*A gluing tip for little hands: Squirt school glue into a shallow bowl or recycled plastic yogurt lid and use a small paint brush to brush the glue on desired surfaces. This helps get the needed amount, without being too gloopy and messy.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

cute! We made pinatas as a kid. You would take a balloon and blow it up and cover with paper machie let it harden, then snip the balloon and remove it from the middle then attach paper cones and then cover in tissue paper. And those you could smash with a stick!

[kristen.c]

I just came across this post again-- I forgot how ridiculously cute your pinata was!

[sandyks]

What a cute idea!

[Mrs_Koehn]

That is pretty cute! My Mexican sisters-in-law make them with a balloon and newspapers in flour-water paste and cover it with streamers or paint in the color they want. They make one every year for Thanksgiving when all the cousins get together. :)

[kvklay]

really great idea

[Ejet]

I so wish I had seen this before I paid 20 bucks for one!!! Oh well, there is always next year!