My daughter is turning 8 and I want to make her a cardboard piñata like the ones my mom and I used to make years ago. I don't really remember how to put it together, but I remember it was made with newspapers and paste. Does anyone know the exact steps?
Do you remember roughly what shape you wanted to make, or would you prefer something simple?
The classic technique is to build a balloon or cardboard structure, cover it with layers of newspaper soaked in paste (flour and water, or white glue diluted also works), let it dry well between layers, and once it's completely dry, paint and decorate it however you like.
You make the flour paste by boiling water with a handful of flour until it gets like a lump-free porridge, let it cool and you're done.
What most people forget is that you need quite a few layers (like 8-10 minimum) for it to hold the weight of the candy, so don't worry if it takes several days to dry completely.
The newspaper and paste technique works wonderfully and is exactly what your mom used to do. I made several like that when my nephews were little. The key is making the paste properly: you boil water with flour (like a thin paste, no lumps), let it cool and you're done. Some people add a bit of salt so it lasts longer, which makes sense if it's going to be outside for a while before the party.
To build the structure you use a big inflated balloon as the base, tape it to thick cardboard so it doesn't move. Then you tear newspaper into strips that aren't too wide, dip each one in the paste and wrap them around the balloon, overlapping them like roof tiles. You need quite a few layers, at least 8 or 10, so it comes out sturdy. While it dries between layers (ideally wait a day or two), you can make the face, ears or whatever with cardboard or papier-mâché. Once it's really hard, you mark where the hole goes for the candy, cut it carefully, and it's ready to decorate with paint or colored paper.
That thing about paste coming off with moisture is true, so if they're going to play outside and it's really sunny or humid, it's better to stick the final paper on with homemade paste but make sure the bottom layers are completely dry. If you want it to be super sturdy, you can make the last layer with thicker paper.
What nobody mentions is that homemade flour paste tends to come off if the piñata gets wet or if it's really hot on party day.
My advice is to add a little salt to the paste (like a tablespoon per liter of water) so it dries faster and becomes more resistant, especially if the birthday is on a hot day like what usually happens in July.
Also, after you put it all together, let it dry properly (at least two or three days) before painting it, because if you hit it too soon it's gonna fall apart.
The newspaper and paste method works well, but I'll tell you that the thing they mention about adding salt to the paste isn't really necessary if you do it carefully. The important thing is getting the paste to the right consistency: not too runny and not too thick. With flour and hot water (the classic ratio is one part flour to three parts water) you get a smooth paste that sticks perfectly. Cook the mixture over low heat while stirring, and when it starts to thicken take it off the heat. That way it turns out uniform and durable without needing any additives.
To put the piñata together, the easiest way is to start with a big balloon (one of those party balloons) as your base structure. You blow up the balloon, wrap it with strips of newspaper about three or four centimeters wide, dip them in the paste and stick them on in layers. Do it patiently: you need at least eight or ten layers so it comes out sturdy. Let it dry between layers if you can, though plenty of people do it all at once without any problem. Once everything is dry and hard (takes a day or two), you deflate the balloon from inside, make a hole at the top to put the candy and sweets in, and then seal that hole back up with more paper and paste.
The rest is up to you: you paint it with acrylics or tempera, add details with colored paper, crepe paper, whatever you come up with. Honestly they hold up pretty well if you keep them somewhere dry before the birthday party. Your daughter is going to be blown away watching how it's made.
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