DYI Piñata and Maracas

 So far this semester we've studied Australia and made Aboriginal dot paintings. We studied Ancient Rome and made mosaics. We made batik and shadow puppets after learning about Indonesia. We made kites inspired by China, and brush and ink paintings, calligraphy and wind socks inspired by Japan. But we've got cultures to learn about right here in North America, so we took a virtual trip to Mexico for the week of Cinco de Mayo and learned about pinatas.

Piñatas were originally ceramic jugs filled with seeds or fruits by  ancient Aztecs before breaking open. Catholic missonaries who came to Mexico 500 years ago, incorporated this tradton into their teachings of the seven deadly sins by adding seven points to the piñatas. This object lesson taught that breaking bad habits and overcoming sin yields rewards. Today, children still reap treats from breaking open piñatas at parties. We made our piñatas by wrapping strips of bulletin board dipped in liquid starched around balloons. Two or three layers does the trick.

While some students made animals such as llamas or dogs, most stayed with the traditional coned shape. This was done by cutting a pie slice shape out of a card stock circle and wrapping it into a cone. These usually needed hot glue to attach to the dried paper maché. Then most students used squares of tissue paper wrapped around the flat end of a pencil and dipped into a little glue before adding to the piñata for texture and color. It helps once the piece is positioned on the piñata, to hold the edges of the tissue with one hand while sliding the pencil out with the other.

There were no complaints about making piñatas, as students could work at their own pace and fill the time. Some students claimed this was their favorite project of the year.

Beach Party and Decorations to Die For

Every time Kim, our school media center specialist, asks me, "Do you want this empty laminator tube?" I hear the words, "Do you want a palm tree trunk?"  I was glad that I had accepted and saved those large tubes when I got the call to decorate a faculty party at the last minute. "Something summery" was the suggestion, so I went with beach theme on a shoe string budget. It is easy to borrow beach towels to cover all the book shelves, bring in a beach umbrella, and buy some sand buckets from the dollar store to and place foam sunglasses, crabs, flamingos, suns and surfboard, made from construction paper or craft foam and glued to dowels. A shark's mouth photo op was made from a discarded trip-fold board, and beach balls were placed around the room. Bulletin board paper cut into palm leaves were given structure by attaching aluminum wire to the bottom with green masking tape. Then the palm trees were placed into buckets or cans with sand or rocks around to hold it up.

 Two days later, I was invited to an Edgar Allen Poe themed murder mystery. I painted a raven for the occasion and each guest posed with it was they entered the dinner party.  The hosts had ravens and sculls in each room, black table cloths. With everyone's costume and a menu that included "crow pie" and "funeral potatoes" it was easy to stay in character and the evening was a lot of fun! Whether the party theme is a luau or murder, there are colors, costumes and little touches that can make the mood complete.