How to Make a Pinata

The idea for this Llamacorn came to me as I stood in the aisle at my local craft store. I had gone to the store with the original plan of making a miniature unicorn piñata. Of course I needed the necessary supplies: crepe paper, glue, string, you get it. As I was going up and down the aisles I kept catching glimpses of unicorns. Unicorn party hats, unicorn stirring sticks and t-shirts and you name it. I thought to myself that I had picked a good idea, unicorns are popular again! I was a little bit crazy about unicorns as a child (and troll dolls, I know, I know.) Anyway back to the story, I finally locate the crepe paper on the bottom shelf and low and behold as I glance up, unicorn piñatas line the entire shelf! I had come to the store to make something that I could just pluck off the shelf for a third of the cost. I didn't want to make an unoriginal tutorial for something you could easily go and pick up yourself, how boring. As I stood standing in the aisle, looking a little bit odd for sure, the idea came to me...FUR! I darted over to the fabric section (which I never go to because I can't sew.) You will soon see my stapler hack to replace the sewing step. And in the aisle, to my surprise, there was actual fur fabric. Then I saw a beautiful rose gold fabric and thought, "ohhh, these could be hooves". I didn't really know what I was doing yet, but the wheels were in motion. I walked passed fairy lights and tossed those in the cart because why not? I ended up at the drugstore that evening buying ridiculously long eyelashes and on Amazon buying a next day delivery music box that plays happy birthday. That morning I went to the craft store with the idea of making a miniature piñata and left inspired to create something super random, a Llamacorn. Is it a piñata, a night light, a gift box or a music box? I'll let you decide.

I have linked the fabric and ribbons I purchased at the craft store if you want to make your piñata similar to the tutorial. That being said, once you have the foundation of how to create it you can add your own personal flair! I hope this tutorial inspires you to great something great. Let's jump in a get started!

Materials:

• Llamacorn Piñata Template (recommended on cardstock)

• Large Cardboard Box

• Scissors + Box Cutter

• Scotch or Masking Tape (recommended, not necessary)

• Fine Tip Pen or Pencil

Steps:

1. Print the template on cardstock.
2. Use a marker to extend each line that got cut off from the printer so that each one extends all the way to the edge of the paper.
3. Cut out all of the pieces with scissors.
4. Line up each part and tape to create the body. Trace the body 2 times on the cardboard and cut it out using box cutters. Trust me on this! It will be very difficult with scissors and you want very precise lines.
5. Trace and cut out 7 strips.
6. Wrinkle the strips very well so that they are flexible and bend easily.
7. Use a strong tape like packing tape to attach each of the 7 strips end-to-end to form one long piece.

Materials:

• Cardboard Body + Long Strip From Step #1

• Packing Tape

Steps:

1. Place the two body pieces on opposite sides of each other facing different directions.
2. The long strip will go in the center. Use a strong tape like packing tape or possibly duck tape to tape all of the pieces together on their edges.
3. Now you will tape the center strip along the edges of the body as you follow the outline. Make sure you have solid edges with no gaps. Make your way around the piñata and stop where the head meets the neck.
4. IMPORTANT: You need to have access to the inside of the piñata in order to attach the lights and the music box. You will complete the body in a later step.

Tip: If you are having a difficult time folding the cardboard strip around the edges of the body, you should crinkle the strip up more. Roll it and unroll it so that it is flexible and not stiff.

Materials:

• Music Box - There are many songs to choose from

• Tacky Glue & Packing or Duct Tape

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases linked in the material section.

Steps:

1. Unscrew the handle. Position the music box wherever you like on the back leg. I chose the top portion without thinking and it ended up being a very interesting location as you can see in my photo.
2. Reinforce the cardboard with a few pieces of tape so that it is extra sturdy.
3. Cut a hole large enough to place the pointy end of the music box through.
4. Position the music box in place & use glue to attach it firmly. Be careful that you don't get the glue on any moving part. I also used tape to make sure it wouldn't budge when it was cranked.
5. Screw on the handle on the opposite side and test it out once the glue has dried.

Materials:

• One strand of 10ft Lights

• Packing Tape

Steps:

1. Tape the light's battery box on the inside of the front leg. You wan't the button side to be face down so that it is easy to access.
2. One piece of tape should do the trick and allow you to easily change the batteries later on down the road.
3. Cut a little door in the foot and reinforce it with tape. Add a tiny bit extra so that the flap is snug and doesn't fall open.

Materials:

• Wing Template

• Iridescent Fabric

• Scotch or Masking Tape (recommended, not necessary)

• Thin Wire + Scissors

• Heat Gun + Spray Glue

IMPORTANT: You will notice that in the photo I already have one wing attached to the body. It's no biggie, you didn't miss anything! I had created one wing when I was in the experimentation phase to see what was going to work. You are going to see how to create the wings and then you can decide which side you would like to start on first.

Steps:

1. Trace the outline of the wings with wire. Use a piece of tape to hold it in place making it easier to follow along the outline.
2. Twist the bottom of the wires together and stretch out the wing until you find a shape you like. I stretched mine a little bit wider than the template. Repeat steps with the second wing and make sure they both match.
3. There will be 2 starting points: One wing will start where the plastic meets the wire on the lights (what you will see in the photos above.) The other wing will start by using the very end of the string lights.
4. Begin at the starting point, attach the wire to the lights using small pieces of tape if necessary. Wrap the entire outline of the wing.
5. Place the wing inside of the fabric and use spray glue to secure it. Use the heat gun until you see the fabric start to crinkle up and get tighter. This most likely will not work with a blow dryer because it needs to get very hot. I would recommend turning on the lights for this step so you don't leave the heat gun in that spot for too long. Use a cloth or piece of paper to rub over the wing to make sure they are sticking well.
6. Once the fabric is crinkled and tight around the wire, it's done.
7. VERY CAREFULLY trim off the excess fabric leaving about 1/4" around the exterior. If it's larger or smaller it's fine, you can hide the edges with glitter.

Materials:

• Hot Glue Gun

• Packing Tape

Steps:

Attach Wings + Align the Reins: Tape the first wing on the body as you can see in the photo above. Now string the lights until you reach the corner of the chin. You want to put a small piece of tape to hold the wired lights in place. Now you want to have the same size rein on the opposite side. In order to do this, bring the wire inside of the head because you don't want it to be visible in the end, bring it out on the other side. Tape that corner and bring the lights down the opposite side and tape the second wing on the body.

Complete the Top of the Body: Now that you have the reins in place you will continue taping the long strip around the perimeter of the body. Continue taping until you reach the end around the top of the rear. Trim off any excess cardboard.

Materials:

• Hot Glue Gun

• Rhinestones

• Craft Glitter

Steps:

1. Outline the wings with hot glue and sprinkle glitter on them as you go which will conceal some of the rough edges.
2. Add any decorative pieces you like. You can make stars by cutting them out on cardboard and painting them or add colored rhinestones.

Materials:

• Soft Yarn 44" (I used Red Heart Yarn Red Heart Unforgetable Pearly)

• Hot Glue Gun

Steps:

1. Place a dab of glue and wrap the yarn (I used 4 strings and twisted them together) delicately around the entirety of the wire leaving only the bulbs uncovered. Place another dab of glue to lock the yarn in place. Complete on both sides.

Materials:

• Rose Gold Fabric (1/8 yard is enough for this entire project)

• Iridescent Fabric (1/8 yard)

• Pom Pom Trim Ribbon

• Hot Glue Gun

Steps:

1. Cut out 2 strips of rose gold fabric and hot glue them around the base of both feet.
2. Fold about half an inch under and hot glue that to the bottom of the foot.

TIP: In the future I will probably paint the feet or add fabric to cover up the cardboard. Now would be the best time to add in that extra step.

Materials:

• Fur Fabric

• Hot Glue Gun

Steps:

1. Cut off strips of fur and use the hot glue to cover the Llamacorn's body.
2. The fur is very forgiving and it blends flawlessly.

Materials:

• Pom Poms

• Stars From Step 18

• Hot Glue Gun (Let's pretend you didn't see the pencil in my glue gun...) 😬

Steps:

1. Tie both strands from step 8 together at the top of the neck. Start on one side and bring the string down the side of the cheek, glue it with hot glue at the corner of the chin. Now bring that string across the front mouth area and glue it on the opposite corner of the mouth.
2. Repeat the first step with the other string, glue it at the corner of the chin and then trim off the extra piece.
3. Use a separate piece of yarn to complete the top strap of the bridle. Glue it like you can see above and bring it over the top of the nose, glue on the opposite side.
4. The final step is to bring up the bottom string of yarn to meet the other pieces so it looks like a solid line. See the photo above to get a better idea of what this would look like. Use pom poms or stars to decorate the bridle and hide any glue globs.

Materials:

• Faux Fur

• Hot Glue Gun

• Scissors

Steps:

1. Cut the fur into triangular strips of varying lengths and sizes.
2. Line the inside with hot glue and smush both sides together to have a pointy end.

Materials:

• Faux Fur Strips from Step 12

• Thin Wire

• Hot Glue Gun

• Box Cutter

Steps:

1. Bunch a few of the strips together to create the tail. Once you like the shape wrap the strips together at the top with thin wire. Keep wrapping until you have a tip that is about an inch long.
2. Cut a small hole by the top of the back leg, make sure it's not too big because you want the tail to fit snuggly. Now squeeze a generous amount of glue into the hole and on the tail.
3. Place the tail and hold until the glue has dried and the tail is set in place.

Materials:

• Face + Saddle Template

• False Eyelashes + Glitter Cardstock

• Rose Gold Fabric (1/8 yard was enough for this entire project)

• Scissors + Tacky glue

• Rhinestones (I plucked mine from the ribbon I used on the saddle)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases linked in the material section.

Steps:

1. Trace and cut out the eyes, nostrils, mouth and inner ears on glitter cardstock. Trace and cut out the outer ears on thin cardboard.
2. Attach the eyelashes to the eyes, I used rhinestones from my ribbon to add a little sparkle, and glue the eyes to the face.
3. Wrap the outer ears with rose gold fabric then glue the inner ear on top of it. Now glues the ears on.
4. Glue the nostrils on the front of the nose and the mouth.
5. Trace and cut out the large triangle on the glitter cardstock paper. Paste this on the front leg to give the illusion of two separate legs. I decided to make this piñata with two large blocks instead of four separate legs to keep it simple enough for young people to be able to assemble the body. It also has the added benefit of being able to store large gifts or keepsakes on the inside.

Materials:

• Free Horn Template

• Rose Gold Fabric (1/8 yard was enough for this entire project)

• Body Fur Fabric left over from Step 10

• Elastic Cord

• Needle with Large Eyelet + Hot Glue Gun + Box Cutter

• Stapler....or a Sewing Machine, you'll see!

Steps:

1. Cut out the rose gold fabric according to the template.
2. Fold the triangle with the nice side of the fabric on the inside. Sew or staple like I did along the edge leaving about 1/4" from the edge. Flip the horn inside out.
3. Thread your needle with the elastic cord and tie a knot at the base. Poke it up through the top of the horn.
4. Stuff the horn with left over fur from the body. Now begin wrapping the horn with the cord working your way towards the base. Pull it taut as you wrap and it will create depth.
5. Add a nice glob of glue, fold in the fabric and cord and this will create a base. It won't look pretty but that part will be hidden.
6. Cut a hole in the top of head, squeeze hot glue in the hole and on the base of the horn. Insert the horn and hold it in place until the glue sets.

Materials:

• Faux Fur Strips From Step 12

• Hot Glue Gun

Steps:

1. Glue the mane at the top of the neck, above the ears and a little bit around the horn. Fluff up the fur until it forms the shape of a mane.
2. Glue four thin strips at the back of each hoof and blend the rainbow and white fur together at the crease.

Materials:

• Face + Saddle Template

• Lightweight Cardboard (Thickness of a cereal box or soda can box)

• Scissors + Glitter Cardstock

• Acrylic Paint

• Pom Pom Trim Ribbon + Rhinestone Ribbon

• Hot Glue Gun + Tacky Glue

Steps:

1. Trace and cut out the saddle template on thin cardboard. Paint the large saddle piece with your favorite color paint.
2. Use tacky glue to cover the seat of the saddle with rhinestone ribbon. Trim the excess fabric around the edges.
3. Flip the saddle over, hot glue the perimeter and line it with pom pom trim ribbon.
4. Fit the saddle to your piñata and crease the edges so that you have two flaps on either side.
5. Trace and cut out two half circles on glitter cardstock. On the back side repeat the steps to glue on the pom pom ribbon. Complete this step for both pieces.
6. Hot glue both pieces on the left and ride hand side of the saddle. Glue your completed saddle onto your piñata.

Materials:

• Box Cutter

• Packing Tape

Steps:

1. Cut a secret flap in the foot to safely guard your keepsakes, gifts or candy!

Tulle Flowers

Materials:

• Hot Glue Gun

• Tulle Ribbon

Steps:

• Using about a foot of tulle, fold it in upon itself to form a long strip. Fold the right end down about an inch. Start rolling the strip from right to left. Each time you bring the tulle around the center you want to twist it. Twist and wrap, twist and wrap until you reach the end. Place a generous amount of hot glue on the backside of the flower and place the end of the strip in the glue.

Glass Bead Wire Additions for Hair and Mane

Materials:

• Pom Pom Wire Ribbon

• Glass Beads

Steps:

• Cut varying lengths of pom pom wire. Push back the string on the tip to reveal the wire below. String the bead on the wire, fold it up and twist. Hot glue the wires throughout the tail and mane.

Heart & Star Cutouts

Materials:

• Star Template + Heart Template

• Thin cardboard

• Scissors

• Glitter + Paint

• Glue Stick

Steps:

• Cut out each shape, lightly glue it onto the cardboard just enough to hold it in place while you cut. Cut out the shape and remove the template. Paint them with acrylic paint and shake them in glitter while they are still wet. Put them off to the side to dry. You can stack two stars and add a rhinestone in the middle for a special touch.

Dangling Crystal Strings

Materials:

• Clear Elastic Stretch Cord

• Glass Beads

• Super Glue

Steps:

• String a bead on the cord and double knot it. Add a small drop of super glue to secure this bottom bead in place. String each following bead about an inch away from the last and tie to secure in place. Attach the strands with hot glue on the wings to give them a subtle sparkle.

Pom Pom Feet

Materials:

• Pom Pom Trim Ribbon

• Hot Glue Gun

Steps:

• After adding the fur to the legs, you can use the pom pom trim ribbon to clean up the top of the hoof. Trim any pieces of fur below the ribbon.