DIY Mario Piñata Favor Boxes

I made these Mario mystery boxes for my brother's Modern Mario birthday party. I have another Mario party coming up, and I plan to make these in purple, so of course you don't have to limit yourself to yellow. You can make them, too, by following the steps below:

You Will Need:

-Yellow Streamers

-Glue

-Scissors

-Recylced Cardboard (preferably thin, such as Caprison boxes)

-White Paper

Step 1. 

Cut your boxes into small squares. I cut my Caprison boxes in half, then hot-glued on an extra sqaure to cover the sideless part once the favors were inside.

Step 2. 

Now unroll your streamer, cut it,and fold it up. You will repeat this process, so how much doesn't really matter. I try to do it pretty long to save time. With it folded as in the photo below, make several slits along the bottom edge. Now unroll your bundle of streamers, and you now have a fringe.

Step 3.

Using regular glue, glue your fringe on one row at a time, either going all the way around or doing one side at a time, from bottom to top. you want them to partly overlap.

Step 4. 

Cut out the boxy, Mario-style question mark from white paper, preferrably cardstock. Glue it onto the middle of the front of your mini pinata with regular or hot glue.

You're done!

Wondering what to fill it with besides candy? I will share some cheap, easy, DIY Mario favors soon!

-Lauryn

DIY Camera Pinata

For my cousin's Movie Pool Party, I made a pastel camera pinata. Here is the tutorial, as promised! You must excuse my awful photography because I was really low on time. This project is simple but time-consuming, so make sure you have time to let it dry overnight or longer.

You will need:

-newspaper

-paper mache mix

-thin cardboard boxes (I used two Caprisun boxes and three protein bar boxes)

-streamers

-Elmer's glue

-scissors

-strong tape (I used electric tape)

1. First of all, tape your two biggest boxes together to make one giant box.

2. Cut and tape two smaller boxes into 3D circles, and make the third into a strange, 3D triangle shape.

3. Tape the circular boxes beside each other on top of your giant box. Tape the triangular one to the right side.

4. Rip the newspaper into strips, dip them into the paper mache mix, and paper mache the whole thing.

5. When that dries (which can take a looong time, so you'll probably need to let it sit over night if not longer, like I mentioned above), get your streamers and fold a long piece several times. Next, snip at the bottom to make a fringe and unfold it. Repeat this process as you go.

6. Squirt glue to the top of a piece of streamer with fringe and glue it onto the bottom of your box. Continue this process, adding the second piece above the first, and the next piece above the second, and so on, working your way up.

7. When your pinata is completely covered except for the very bottom, let it dry. When dry, stuff your goodies into the boxes (if there's no opening, just cut a three-sided slit and tape it shut when you're done). Paper mache it and cover it with streamers like you did for the rest of the pinata.

8. Admire your masterpiece. You're finished! (Sorry, I didn't do the bottom of my pinata since I didn't fill it, so you can see a sliver of cardboard in the photos below). Have fun!