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HOW TO: make a Dragon Pinata

May 13, 2014 | Celebrate | 0 comments

Because I am a cheap/frugal person I try to find the most inexpensive way to do things. Well for our Miss Evee’s birthday a pinata was requested & of course I enjoy making them…which is way more cost effective than buying it. PLUS, I get to use my creative side & design an awesome Pinata. 
**NOTE** It took me 5 days to complete (this was my most elaborate pinata yet)**
For her Princess prep academy I was a little stumped on what kind of pinata to make. I learned far away from doing a princess, so I decided upon a villan. Of course I shall do a DRAGON, Maleficent the dragon. 
INSPIRATION: Here are the pics I found online & on pinterest.
There were few blogs that had a dragon as a pinata. But I found an excellent Paper Mache blog that showed detailed pics of making dragons: papermacheblog.
To Make a Pinata
Materials needed:
Balloon (large)
LOTS of newspaper
flour
water
bowl
1) Mix 1 cup flour to 1.5 cups warm water. Whisk to have a pancake batter consistency. I found that runnier consistency will make the pinata weaker and you’ll have to do more layers before painting. 
2) Cut newspaper into strips, about 1-2″ wide strips. 
3) Dip newspaper into batter, coat both sides. Bring paper up above bowl and with 2 fingers squeeze off excess batter (not too fast or you’ll fling batter around). 
4) Place newspaper on Balloon. Continue adding wet newspaper in a layered pattern all around the balloon. Be careful to not rub pinata in the sticky, balloon will POP! 
5)After Balloon is completely covered by first layer of newspaper, prop up and let dry. 
6) When dry to touch, add another layer. I like to change the direction of my newspaper strips so I can tell where I’ve been. Dry when 2nd layer finished.
7) Do a 3rd layer. I like to do 3-4 layers depending upon thickness of batter.I TEST my pinata thickness by pushing on a side of it and if it dents REALLY easy, I do another layer. If its hard to push in, then thickness should be ok. (you won’t really be able to tell how sturdy pinata is, till they try to break it.)
This first step takes either 1 whole day or day & half depending upon humidity. (In Hawaii it took me 2-3 days and I did like 5 layers. Here in Utah I only did 3 layers)
Techniques to adding dimension/heads/shapes:
I watched the PaperMacheBlog to see how they shaped heads and tails & their technique.
Materials needed:
masking tape
pipe cleaners – claws & wings
newspaper
flour batter
1) HEAD/FACE: scrunch up large sheets of newspaper somewhat tight, wrapping newspaper around & taping (with masking tape) to secure shape. AFter shaping an oblong shape, I rolled up smaller pieces into balls & taped them to the top of the oblong shape for the eye area. I added more and more tape & taped it to the top of the balloon. 2) Scrunch up & roll more newspaper to add a neck. Tape to head & top of balloon.                   3) Layer more newspaper strips dipped into your flour batter to secure head & neck to balloon. Layer till you feel the neck & Head are covered in your newspaper. 

 FOR MOUTH: cut open the dried newspaper face, add more newspaper inside & right outside mouth to shape mouth. TONGUE: I shaped two small cone shapes then taped them together, add a few more layers of full newspaper wrapping it FLAT. Then add more newspaper flour plaster.         HORNS: I rolled lots of newspaper, twisting the ends to make them thiner to shape a point. Taped them to top of head & added plaster/newspaper to secure. 

ARMS, LEGS, CLAWS: Using more newspaper to shape into a triangular shape, adding tape to secure it. I cut pipe cleaners to 2″ long. I cut a slip into the end of my triangular arm shape. I shoved claw in and taped to secure. Finish arm by shaping with flour plaster & newspaper strips. Secure arm to body by cutting end of arm to fan out. Secure to body with tape & finish with plaster.

WINGS: 
1) On a sheet of newspaper lay out full size pipe cleaners, gathering one end together & fanning out the other side. Add flour plaster to the whole sheet of newspaper & on the pipe cleaners. Then add another sheet of newspaper, press together. Fold down end of newspaper where the pipes are fanned out to give a small wave affect. Dry propped up in a bowl.                                                                                                              2) When dry cut a slit into side of dragon, insert the gathered pipe cleaner side into cut slit. Secure by taping. Then finish with newspaper/flour plaster 

TAIL: 
1) Scrunch large sheets of newspaper, then roll into a cylinder shape, twisting the end to make a point. Secure with masking tape….LOTS of tape! Cover with newspaper strip/flour plaster.
2) To attach: cut fat end to fan out a bit, secure with tape. Add newspaper strips to build up area around attached tail area & tape down. Add more plaster/newspaper/flour/strips.

CLOTH MACHE for texture
materials: 
old sheet/pillow case – cut into strips
flour water batter
*in the papermacheblog, they use cloth mache to shape faces, wrinkles, almost anything

1) cut pillow case into strips. Dip strips into flour/water batter just like newspaper, squeeze excess batter off & place on dragon. I placed under neck & down the belly.
2) I then rolled up small pieces of fabric and dipped in batter & outlined the lined belly to distinguish the belly.
3) I continued to do this technique with the tail & horns.

ADD CANDY!
In the back of the dragon I cut a small slit door. I added the candy & used a cloth with plaster to cover the door.

PAINTING:
1) I painted almost the entire dragon black, except the belly.
2) I painted a deeper purple color around tail showing off its lines.
3) Painted belly bright purple, then wings deeper purple. Painting the pipe cleaner area of wings black. I texturized the wings with the brighter purple.

FINISHED PRODUCT

Dragon about to get smashed…with all that work I kinda don’t want it to die! oh well…..its all for the birthday girl!

Birthday girl attacking pinata! The appendages are always first to go.

After all the kids attacked the pinata, I get to smash it through…this is why I like to add more layers, so I get a chance to demolish it!

BOOM Maleficent the dragon is Dead! Let us eat candy! 

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Bio

rach and jase cut

Aloha,
Rachel is a vlogger and stay-at-home mom! When she's not filming fun videos for the "Ohana Adventure" and the "Rach Bennett" channels, she is sharing amazing lifestyle, travel, parenting, and homeschool tips here on the blog.

Jase is an entrepreneur, surfer, skater, fisherman, and the best dad ever! When he’s not creating silly Reels (@jasebennett), you can find him sharing adventures on the blog & great entrepreneurial tips on his podcast: The Decode.

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