Dinosaur Pinata

Every time Riley and I went to a party store to look at things she saw a Pinata and loved them! She told me she really really really wanted a dinosaur one! She talk about how she's going to get her bat and hit it and all this cool stuff will come out.

Well you know those things that you beat with a stick and bust open are anywhere from 20 to 40 bucks! I think not! So I searched google and the only thing I could find was either a dinosaur egg or one were you use a stuffed dinosaur as the mold. So I'm resting the other day laying in my bed listening to Riley screech and romping around doing anything but napping and it hit me. Why can't I make the body out of a balloon that's the only part that needs to be stuffed.

Yes...thinking.... YES!!! I can use a balloon and make the legs out of toilet paper holders and the neck out of a paper towel. So I got up and searched again on google this time the ehow site finally loaded and it had that way to make one!

So I blew up a balloon taped 4 toilet paper rolls to the balloon. Then I taped a paper towel roll bent the top a bit and took some brown packing paper and taped in all around to make the head. Took some more brown packing paper shaped it into a cone bent it a bit too make it look more "tail like" and taped it to the Balloon. And Walla! Dinosaur!



Next I paper mached the dinosaur. I got out the newspaper cut it into about 2 inch strips mixed up some "paste"
2 cups Water
1 cup Flour
4 TBPS Salt (to keep mold away)
a few TSP of Cinnamon (to make it smell nice!)

I tried to let Riley help but she couldn't get the extra paste off the paper so she went and played. I didn't about 4 layers and then let it dry over night. I was upset the next morning that it was still wet so I put a fan on it and it dried really fast. Cut a hole in the bottom popped the Balloon and took it out.


I told Zach sticking my hand in the Dinosaur was much nicer then sticking in a Turkey! I stuffed it full on little dinosaurs, mini candy bars and mini Cheez It packes with toy story on them. (Gotta have toy story!)

Taped it back up and did another 4 layers of paper mache. I had some trouble after this and thought I was going to have to start over. I either didn't put enough layers on the first time or I should have just done more layers the first time and then been done. The head, and tail started to come off the body and one side was dented in.



I was so upset! I mean really this had taken me DAYS to do and I didn't want to start over! I tried tape it didn't work then I stepped it up and got the Duct Tape. Let me say I LOVE Duct Tape. It fixed the problem and it was good to paint!

Per Riley's request I painted it green with pink spots. Just used some of my craft paint I had at home. I think it looks awesome and all it cost me was time and $8 bucks for the stuff inside!!