Happy Monday! I’m writing from Washington, DC — I’ve been traveling up the East Coast after a weekend in Florida for Jeff’s sister Jen’s graduation from the University of Miami. We had a blast, and of course I had to add a little crafty celebration to the festivities. I decided to present her real graduation gift hidden inside a piñata, and a pink flamingo felt like the perfect shape for it. This write-up is a quick, on-the-go tutorial; if you want more detailed piñata instructions, my previous piñata tutorials cover the full process. Isn’t he adorable?
Supplies:
- Cardboard (I used a tri-fold display board)
- Pink, white, and black crepe paper (I used black tissue paper this time)
- Strong tape
- Craft glue
- Scissors
- String
Step 1 — Cut the cardboard pieces. Cut two flamingo silhouettes (I freehanded them while looking at a flamingo photo), several long strips about 3″ wide for the sides, and two narrow pieces for the legs. Also cut lots of 1″ strips and fringe the edges for the layered feather look.
Step 2 — Assemble the piñata body. Start by attaching the long side strips to one flamingo shape with tape, bending and shaping the cardboard as you go so the sides meet the outline. Attach the other flamingo silhouette to close the body. Leave a back flap or opening to insert the gift, then tuck and tape it closed once the gift is inside.
Step 3 — Add the fringe covering. Cover the entire piñata with the 1″ fringed strips, working from the bottom up so each layer overlaps the one below. Do the front and back first, then continue around the sides. For the beak, layer a few rows of white fringe followed by a few rows of black to create the two-toned look.
Step 4 — Finish the legs and details. Wrap the skinny cardboard leg pieces with fringe and glue them to the bottom of the body. Add an eye—mine is a piece of black tissue—and poke a small hole in the top to thread and knot a string for hanging.
All photos by Studio DIY
This flamingo piñata was constructed the same way as a giant heart piñata I made previously, but I used tape instead of hot glue to assemble it. For a more detailed, step-by-step guide you can refer to that heart piñata tutorial.
If you enjoy making piñatas, check out more of my piñata projects and other DIY ideas in my project gallery and piñata tag archives for more inspiration and techniques.