Green polka dot pinata

This pinata is the third piece of my handmade decorations for the birthday party. I got the idea from Kirstie Allsopp who made a snowman pinata on Channel 4 in December. Accidentally Eszter was watching with me this program and when she saw those happy and laughing children around the pinata she immediately gave me an order for a birthday pinata. And I said okay to her.

In conformity with the giant number sign and the ESZTER-PARTY sign I wanted to prepare our pinata in the same style: green background with white dots. And voilà, this was the final result:

Here are the instructions and steps for making a pinata:

1. Blow up a balloon and cream it with vaseline - As Kirstie said: the vaseline makes it easy to remove the balloons.

2. Make paper mache (papier mâché) paste: Mix 1 part flour with 2 parts water in a pot. Stir it constantly until the paste  thickens.

3. Put the balloon into big bowl or a soup bow (I used the latter).

4. Tear newspapers into pieces.

5. Dip the newspaper pieces in the paste and stick them on the balloon. Allow to dry completely.

6. Put a second layer in the same way. 


7. Put a third layer using white papers.

8. When the papers are perfectly dry paint green with acrylic paint. (I used Marabu light green - 062)

9. Put another coat of paint.

10. When the green paint is dry make white dots with white acrylic paint.

11. Prick the balloon with a needle and pull it out.

12. Cut out a round shape from a not too thick cardboard paper. (I used the packaging cardboard of the yogurts but also good the packaging of the cereals.)

13. Make a hole in the middle of the disc and pull out a big and strong cord. 

14. Make a knot at the end of the cord.

15. Fill the pinata with sweets.

16. Stick the cardboard disc to the hole of the pinata with Tesa tape.

17. Cover this part with white papers. For this use the paper mache paste.

18. Paint green on that part too.

19. If you want, in the end put one layer of Schmincke acrylic fluid medium because it gives the acrylic paints brightness and improves their durability - but this is just an option.

20. Hang up the pinata.

Since our pinata was perfectly egg-shaped, I think something similar would be just great for Easter.

My other blogposts on this subject:

Polka dot sign for birthday party

Polka dot number sign for birthday party