motorcycle pull-string piñata

As previously mentioned, the kiddo had picked a flying theme for this year's birthday party a few months back, then fell in love with a motorcycle piñata at the local grocery store. I've only ever heard of one flying motorcycle, and thought that might be stretching the theme a bit. So I put together the hot air balloon piñata from the last post for his friends party, and then set to work making a motorcycle piñata for his family party.

I've seen the construction on some of the commercially available piñatas, and I'm not super-impressed. I know they're meant to break, but I still like things to look pretty. Lots of crepe, nice graphics. These things all go pretty far, in my book.

Here's a photo of our finished motorcycle pull-string piñata, to be followed by instructions.

I had all these materials on-hand except for the ribbon:

*scrap cardboard
*hot glue
*glue sticks
*crepe paper streamers
*construction paper
*scissors
*awl
*shiny gold labels
*fine-tip permanent pen
*curling ribbon
*craft knife
*computer + printer

I started by designing a motorcycle image in AdobeIllustrator. I could have printed the image in full color and used it as-is to decorate the piñata, but I wanted a more hand-crafted look.

I used an awl to trace each piece onto sheets of construction paper by poking through the layers of paper to outline each section (doubling up the construction paper so I could decorate the front and back of the piñata identically). Then I cut out the pieces and used a glue stick to stick them together.

The gold colored pieces are cut from sheets of gold awards seals from the dollar store that have been gathering dust for eons.

I used the constructed motorcycle image to determine the size of the piñata, too, by tracing around it and adding a couple of inches. Two identical pieces for two identical sides! We're building a sort of box, here, if that helps you visualize.

For the sides, I cut strips of scrap cardboard four inches wide, perpendicular to the corrugations. This allowed me to bend the board all along the corrugations for nice, smooth curves.

If you plan ahead, you can incorporate the factory creases into your strips, or you can score along the length leaving a 1/2-inch strip along each side for building the piñata. It's a lot like a seam allowance; I cut slits and "v" shapes into the edges for proper fitting when assembling.

A hot glue gun does the trick for quickly assembling the pieces without clamping. I just glued along the edge on the backside of one of the motorcycle-shaped boards, then pressed the "seam allowance" into the glue all the way around. I started at the bottom so that I wouldn't have to cut a door later.

To add the top (front?) I just glued along the corrugated edge and lined things up as best I could. Crepe paper covers a world of imperfections.

Speaking of crepe paper, I attached short strips of fringed paper in a stripe pattern all around, then pasted the construction paper motorcycles on the front and back.

The overlaps at the end of the side strips aren't glued in place; they are left unattached so that a trap door is created. Ribbons are strung through awl holes and tied + taped in place.

A sparkly pipe cleaner makes a good hanger when strung through awl holes at the top.

And ready to go!

Click photos to enlarge.

progress (part two): a new closet door

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I promised to follow up my post about our thrifty guest room makeover with an update about the closet. And here, a little more than a year later, is the finished product.

I wish I had a "before" image to show you, because the new version looks so much better.

When we moved in, this little closet was unfinished looking, built of 1970s wood paneling and fence boards. Painted barn red. Aack. Trust me, it was U-G-L-Y. And though it doesn't need an alibi, I'm giving it one.

I added sound-proof acoustical board to the back; new shelf supports, boards, and trim to the shelves; and new flooring to the tall side, then caulked and painted everything in coat after coat of primer and paint. Already, it looked much better, but I wanted a door of some sort to cover up the storage. I saw someone use a roller shade as a closet door in a magazine (Living, maybe?) and inspiration struck: I started hunting down an old classroom map.

This one is just about the perfect size. It's a bit outdated (so the population chart at the bottom is really off), but then, so are the globes in my globe collection, and they're not hurting anyone (we teach the kiddo using a new one, so the older ones are just for decoration).

Does it count as a thrifty find if I scored the map on eBay? It only ran me $30.

And I think it looks kinda awesome.

It's pretty easy to hang one of these, if you can find one with the metal roller mechanism intact.

It's a simple matter of two s-hooks, two brackets, and some screws from the hardware store.

Because this is the spare bedroom, we use the closet to store excess canned food (no pantry + small kitchen lead to this sort of behavior), printers, camping gear, and the goods for my Etsy shop. We used to keep the stroller in here, too, but it's been outgrown by my two-year-old, so we donated it to the thrift store this week. One item in, one item out!

The best part, I think, is that I can set the map at any height to hide everything, or just the stuff at the top, or anything in between. It's pretty great.

Thanks for reading! Have you been doing anything awesome with maps lately? Do tell!

p.s. you can make these photos larger just by clicking on them, but you probably already knew that.


Linking up to:

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Thrift Share Monday
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cut "glass" 5-cent pendant shade

I promise, you're going to laugh.

Partially, because yes, I've made another light fixture. And I'm filling up this post with lots of photos of it finished.

The tutorial is just too easy.

The other reason you're going to get a giggle is that this cut "glass" pendant is made from a plastic 2-liter soda bottle.

We don't drink much soda (this is actually a 2-liter sparkling water bottle), so this pendant is pretty much a one-off in our house. Until the next time I need some sparkling water, that is. And because it was a "test" project, I didn't take photos of it in-process. But I really should have. Obviously. Because it actually turned out. Against all odds.

If I make another one, I'll update this post with a step-by-step photo tutorial, but honestly, you can replicate this really easily.

Supplies:

1) clean 2-liter plastic bottle, with label and sticky stuff removed
2) hanging lamp cord kit from the hardware store (mine came from one of the paper lanterns I used to have in the other corner of the living room)
3) low-wattage LED light bulb (DO NOT use a standard heat-producing bulb)


Tools:

1) sharp utility scissors
2) ruler
3) pen
4) rubber band
5) palm sander


Steps:

1) Sand down the surface of the bottle to help diffuse the light and to make your pendant look cool. Wear gloves to protect your hands and work outside.

2) Cut the bottle neck off of the plastic bottle, as close to the top as possible, so that the plug end of your light kit will fit through the resulting hole.

3) Using the rubber band and the ruler to guide your pen, mark a line on the bottle and cut along the line with your sharp scissors. The bottle should be cut long enough to disguise the bulb inside the fixture.

4) Assemble and hang.

And there you have it! No, literally, you can have one. They're really easy and inexpensive.


Other Lighting Projects:

Another Paper Lighting Fixture (Design*Sponge-inspired cupcake liner paper lantern)

The Fanciest Thing in My House (faux capiz shell chandelier)

Lampshade Re-Do with Upcycled Milk Jug (milk jug flower petal lamp shade)

Progress (lamp made from an old cedar stump and thrift store lampshade)



Linking up to:

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

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Today's Creative Blog

DIY Show Off

The Stuff of Success


Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life