How to Make a Reaver Ship Pinata (Firefly/Serenity Party)

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My daughter wasn't sure she even wanted a pinata at her Firefly themed 10th birthday party  initially.  She thought she might be getting a little old for that kind of party activity.  But when we were brainstorming ideas and came up with the concept of whacking a Reaver ship pinata, she was instantly on board.  Now that would be a pinata with some cool-factor.

I originally had grand designs in mind.  I've made pinatas before, but only round, balloon-shaped ones.  Disco balls.  Strawberries.  That kind of thing.  

This time, I was going to make my own shaped pinata!  Until I ran out of time and it was nowhere near done.  I needed to come up with a new, easier idea, or there would be no reaver ship to defeat at the party.  I went to Party City, hoping to find some sort of rocket or space ship pinata I could re-purpose.  Alas, no luck.  They were entirely out of those kinds of shapes.  

And then I saw the ice cream cone pinata.  I knew I could work with that.  It might take a little more paint and creativity, but I could make it happen.  First, I trimmed off the sprinkle frings around the top of the ice cream cone.  That didn't seem very Reavery and intimidating.

Then, I cut wings out of cardboard, and used a hot glue gun to attach toilet paper rolls in strategic places. 

Next came a few layers of various metallic spray paint I already had around the house.  I didn't have time to go out and buy new colors, so I worked with what I already had.

I had the girls dirty it up with brown paint smudges first.  Do you have a 4 year old who always wants to help?  They are AWESOME at this job.  

Then came the spatters of red paint "blood."

Little sister graciously donated some of her dolls to the project.  She didn't like the thought of getting paint on them originally, but when she realized it would make them look more like zombies, she was all-in.  (Yeah, she's an odd, macabre little thing.  A few weeks ago, she told me I needed a new name, and suggested Angel of Darkness.  I told her I thought that was perhaps a little too gloomy and scary for me, to which she replied, "You can have a flashlight, mommy.")

A few torn up pieces of tissue paper glued in the toilet paper rolls at the back completed the effect nicely.

And of course, the fun didn't end once the pinata was broken.

It made a truly excellent hat (as so many broken pinatas do).  

Nicole Wills, creator of Tikkido

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