Craft: Pinata Piggy Bank

Okay, technically this isn't a pinata piggy bank but more of a pinata cupcake bank. But, pinata cupcake bank just sounded too strange/confusing for a title.

This craft was inspired by the Pearhead wooden piggy banks. Now where the pinata part came into the mix, I'm not quite sure. I'm guessing my train of thought was this > piggy bank > smash piggy bank to open> smash pinata to open > smash pinata piggy bank to open.

This is a fun craft to use up all those shirt boxes and tissue you have lying around from the holidays. Even though this craft is easy to do, it does take up a good amount of time. I recommend spreading out the steps into three days: 1st day - construct box, 2nd day - paper mache, 3rd day- cover with tissue. You can make your bank into any shape you want, get creative!

Supplies:
Cardboard - I used one large shirt box top
Colored Tissue
Glue stick
Masking Tape
Newspaper
Paper mache paste
White paint - optional
To make the cupcake bank, make two identical cupcake shaped pieces out of the cardboard. I recommend making a template with paper first. Next, cut 2 inch wide strips that could wrap around the entire sides of the cupcakes to form a box. It's important that your bank can stand on its own so your base needs to be proportional to the size of your bank.

Construct bank with cardboard and tape. Don't worry if it looks messy, this will all be covered up anyway. Cut a hole on top of the box to place money in.

Paper mache box to make it sturdy. You don't want it breaking open on its own. When dry, paint box white so newspaper print does not show through tissue (optional).

Fold a strip of tissue in half and cut to make fringe (refer to picture). Do not cut all the way up to the fold.



Starting at the bottom, layer tissue to cover entire box. Do this for all sides. You want to start from the bottom so only the fringe shows. If you start from the top, the folded part of the tissue will show instead of the fringe.

*When working with different colors, sometimes it's easier to draw out the pattern on your box.

Your pinata bank should look something like this when finished.

Sorry, I have to say this, just in case.
*Do not hang pinata bank. Do not hang pinata bank to open.