I thought I'd show you what I have been up to.
I was organizing a church event. It was an end of summer ice cream social. It was only after I completed all of this that I could get onto getting all the before school preparations done.
Before school started I made sure I did the following:
1. Complete all laundry. (I had let this slip in my lazy last week of summer, so this was something to putt away at all day)
2. Ensure all groceries are complete. Butcher shop, cheese shop, bakery, grocery store. MMMMM! the food we bought is all so good! Sooo exciting.
3. Ensure all housework is done and caught up.
4. Ensure kids have organized their outfits, backpacks, showers, hair dye (they are into the streaks and funky colours) etc.
5. Cook some lovely homemade food. I made homemade vegetable soup, homemade chocolate chip cookies, homemade baguettes - 4 of them, and hubby and I together made 18 pieces of homemade southern fried chicken. It was a Jamie Oliver recipe from his America cookbook. It turned out awesome.
In the midst of all that I organized a church End of Summer Ice Cream Social. I think you can see why blogging had to wait. Part of the social was a ice cream cone shaped pinata. Here is how I did it.
1. Get some paper and twirl it and cut it into a cone.
Tape the ends and seam together to secure the shape.
I had to use Christmas Wrapping paper because I didn't have any cardstock around. I doubled the thickness of the Christmas wrap and it seemed to work. Next I added a layer of waxed paper. This is so that I could remove the paper layer when I was done.
Then I assembled my supplies.
I made some pinata paste. (I will add recipe at the bottom of this entry)
I blew up a ballon for the top.
I gathered bowls to balance the project on, the bowl of paste, and roughly torn newsprint. You want it roughly torn, it will actually make the finished project smoother. Resist the urge to cut your newsprint with scissors.
The next steps is to apply the newsprint and paste to your pinata shape. It will be a delightfully messy job with your hands. Be sure to coat your newsprint very well with the paste and apply in a random fashion, not in perfect rows, or you will see it as it dries.
Here is what my top and cone shape looked like after 1 coat. I left the top of the ice cream shape open, because that is where I will add the candy later, and it also makes it very easy to pop the balloon when ready. When the first layer is dry, I taped string into place that will hang the pinata. You must paper mache over the string area well to make it strong.
You will apply 2 layers of newsprint. You have to allow 12 - 24 hours drying time between each layer.
Once you have the 2 layers dried. You have to tape the shapes together to assemble it.
After you assemble the shape, add the third layer. The third layer will be white paper. Use the same white paper you push through your home printer. Tear it up roughly and apply a third layer and let it fully dry. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the white layer.) See my string to hang it with sticking out the top now?
After you have the white layer you can either apply coloured paper or tissue paper cut into squares, or in the case of this particular pinata, I used party decoration streamers from the dollar store.
I did not photograph the process, but basically you scrunch the paper and using your other fingers, dab some paste onto it to hold in in place.
I did this with the pinata balanced in a bowl or a bucket depending which part I was working on, and rotated the project by putting the bowl or bucket onto my kitchen lazy suzan. This little lazy susan has helped me to turn many a pinata!
After you have applied the tissue paper or streamer paper and let it dry, you can pop the balloon and reach inside to remove the extra paper if you haven't already.
Then you end up with a ready to hold candy, pretty project like this!
My eyes were closed for the picture! But at least you can see the project.
Pinata Paste
2 cups cold water mixed with 1/2 cup all purpose flour.
On the stove top boil another 2 cups of water. When it is boiling add the cold flour and water mixture to the boiling water. Return to a bubbly boil. This will happen very quickly, so stay by the stove and stir the pot.
Remove from heat and add 3 tablespoons of sugar and stir.
Allow to cool a bit and use. You can store leftover paste in the refrigerator for a few days. It will be nicer to use if you microwave it a bit first.
Well, that's what has kept me very, very busy for the last few days.
Thanks so much for reading.
Cassie
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