A few weeks ago I had the honor of being invited by the team at The Land of Nod to design the spring window display for their South Coast Plaza store. I created a whimsical, not-so-typical spring installation called “A Sparkly Starry Night.” No starry night at Studio DIY would be complete without a piñata, so I designed a giant moon piñata to anchor the display. Below I’ll walk you through how I made it so you can recreate one of your own.
Supplies you’ll need:
– Cardboard (I buy 40×60″ sheets; this project used two)
– White crepe paper
– Gold mylar (optional for sparkle)
– Fishing line for hanging
– Kraft or masking tape
– Clear tape (for mylar)
– School or craft glue
– Scissors
– Fringe scissors (optional, makes cutting faster)
Step 1 — Prepare the fringe. Cut 1.5″ wide strips from folded crepe paper, then fringe the bottom edge. Fringe scissors speed this up, but regular scissors work fine. You’ll need a lot of fringe—I used roughly two and a half rolls.
Step 2 — Cut the piñata structure. Cut two half-moon shapes from cardboard. To create the crescent shape, trace around a large round object for the outer edge and a smaller circle for the inner curve. Cut several long cardboard strips for the sides; mine were about 6″ wide. Bend each strip slightly so it follows the curve of the moon—this makes assembly easier.
Step 3 — Assemble the body. Start at one point of a half moon and tape a side strip along the edge with kraft or masking tape. Continue adding strips until the half moon is framed. Before sealing the second half to the first, add hanging hardware: poke two small holes at the top of the crescent, thread fishing line through and tie a secure loop for hanging. Then attach the second half moon, taping the strips to both halves and reinforcing seams with extra tape.
Step 4 — Optional: fill the piñata. Before sealing the entire edge, either leave a flap or a small opening to add treats and decorations. Once filled, close the flap and secure it with tape so the fringe will conceal the seam.
Step 5 — Apply fringe to the front. Start at the bottom and work upward, following the curve of the moon. Because of the shape, fringe strips should overlap more toward the inner curve and less toward the outer edge. Use craft glue to secure crepe paper. If you’re using mylar for shine, attach it with clear tape—double-stick tape and glue don’t reliably hold mylar long term.
Step 6 — Fringe the sides and back. Use the same bottom-to-top method, but work in straight lines along the sides. Continue until the entire surface is covered and the seams are concealed.
Final touches. Once the fringe is complete, hang your moon from the fishing line and add a few stars for a sparkling, celestial display. If you prefer, leave it freestanding as a photo prop or tabletop decoration.
And for a bit of fun: you can always set the moon on the floor for a cute photo op with a pet. (Don’t attempt with the piñata suspended overhead.) No animals were harmed making these photos—they received plenty of treats.
All above photos by Studio DIY
Thanks to the Land of Nod team for inviting me to create this display and to Mary Costa for photographing the installation. If you’re visiting South Coast Plaza, stop by to see the windows in person and enjoy the full installation.
Above photos by Mary Costa Photography
If you visit the store, say hello and enjoy the display—and maybe treat yourself to a few things while you’re there.