For Sophie’s birthday last year, we made a large dinosaur pinyata. A friend cheekily referred to it as ‘aspirational’ as it ended up taking up most of the living room, and required three people to carry it up the road and into the sports hall where the party was being held. Unfortunately, I don’t have any images of the final pinyata- kids’ parties are like that- but will always treasure the memory of the large reptile, hanging from a basketball hoop by a complex collection of ropes, being attacked by sugar-crazed kiddies.
If you fancy trying this at home, you will need chicken wire for the frame, tissue paper and newspaper to make the paper maiche, and homemade glue (flour, salt and water), as well as some cut out coloured paper and paint to decorate it.
Helen Hopcroft: an artist's life 