We are taking a slight break from the typical Valnetine’s DIYs and Super Bowl goodies that should be going up right about now to share with you a fun DIY I made for my birthday that was on Sunday. It’s still pink though so it might be able to pass for Valentine’s Day.
Actually, this DIY flamingo piñata might do pretty well at a Galentine’s party if I do say so myself. It’s pink, it’s full of candy, it’s a flamingo – perfect for any party really.
You might be wondering why I chose a flamingo piñata of all things. Well, to be perfectly honest, I’ve seemed to have collected or made a lot of flamingo themed things this past year. I guess when you’ve got a whole flock of flamignos around you you sort of become associated as the flamingo lady, a title I will gladly hold.
You also might be wondering why flamingos of all creatures. I’m not too sure tbh. Maybe it’s because they are pink or that they stand on one leg or that they have funny necks, who really knows – just call me crazy flamingo lady and leave it at that.
I knew I wanted to make a piñata for my birthday since I made one for Rose’s and made a cactus one, it was just a matter of what to make a piñata of. Looking back on the year flamingos seemed to come up more than once so it was a pretty easy decision from there. Now we’ve got a nice little flamingo added to our ever growing piñata collection.
Materials:
- Cardboard boxes – cereal boxes worked really well
- Cardboard paper towel rolls and/or toilet paper rolls
- Exacto knife
- Hot glue gun
- Streamers in pink, orange, and white
- Mod Podge
- Paint brush
- Scissors
- A helping hand
How to make the flamingo piñata:
- I apologize in advance for the pictures of this DIY – I needed both my hands to do most of the steps so it was a bit tricky photographing it as well, but I will do my best to describe the process. Start with drawing a flamingo body shape onto cardboard and cut out using an exacto knife. Trace this body onto another piece of cardboard and cut that out as well.
- Cut out a lot a lot of strips of cardboard about 2 inches across – these will be what connects the two layers of the flamingo body (and the rest of the flamingo later). I found the sides of cereal boxes were the perfect size.
- Cut out a head shape and then trace it onto another piece of cardboard and cut that out as well.
- Cut out two feet shapes
- Now it’s time to glue the two layers together. This is when a helping hand is needed. Take the two layers of the flamingo body and put hot glue on the sides of each of them then quickly place down one of the 2 inch across strips as far as it will go along the body. Do this across the top of the body and most of the bottom – but make sure to leave room for the legs.
- To make the legs I used 1 paper towel roll and 3 toilet paper rolls. Place the straight paper towel roll in between the two layers of the body and glue it down with hot glue. To make the bent leg place 1 toilet paper roll in between the two layers of the body and glue it there. Slightly bend another toilet roll and glue it to the first toilet paper roll. Add a third toilet paper roll to the bottom.
- For the neck of the bird glue 1 paper towel roll to the body.
- For the head, glue each of the two layers to the top of the paper towel roll. Then take another cereal box strip and glue it between the two head layers.
- Glue the feet to the bottom of the two legs.
- Now you should have a full flamingo body and can start adding the streamers. To do this start at the bottom of the flamingo (so the legs) and wrap the streamer around the area you are going to put it then cut it to that size.
- Add small cuts to one side of the streamer to create the fringe.
- Add glue to the top part of the streamer where you didn’t add the fringe. Then carefully glue it onto the bird
- Continue doing this all the way to the top.
- To do the back and top of the head (the cereal boxes) just cut small strips and layer them like you did for the body. Before you do the top of the head make sure to hot glue on a string so it can hang.
Now your flamingo is ready to mingle! 
Peace out 24 and hellooo 25! Now I’m taking this flamingo and adding it to my piñata collection. If you have any suggestions as to another piñata I should attempt – leave them below! Also, if you have any good names to give this pretty lady comment them below! Happy crafting!
Click here for some more piñata ideas! May I suggest a cactus?
As you make your way down the list you will see that this was the year of free printables. Since they seem to do so well we will definitely incorporate lots more in 2017! Behind the scenes: I sent this picture to Rose of me using our printable to plan my Thanksgiving. Double behind the scenes: my Thanksgiving was delicious (thanks for asking), Rose’s was a disaster as her thermometer exploded in the oven and ruined her whole turkey. 
I’m so glad you all loved these costumes as much as I did! They were a hoot to make and looked ridiculous on, which is a sure sign of a good costume. Behind the scenes: What you didn’t see with these pictures is us attempting to take them. I kept laughing at Rose behind the camera. I’m pretty sure she still has these costumes floating around her house…
Again, so glad you guys liked these silly candy cane flamingos! Behind the scenes: When I was making these my mom kept laughing at me every time I went outside to spray paint them. Then I left them drying propped up in our wheelbarrow in the garage so everyone saw them whenever they went in out of the garage. This was me on the day I photographed them – red nose and all. It was cold. 
Behind the scenes: these baskets were super easy to make but the hard part was finding the actual basket. We were at my house in NH and my mom had Easter baskets she was getting rid of so we were going to take them but forgot them so we scrambled all over Allston trying to find some cheap but decent looking baskets. We ended up finding these at the dollar store and they seemed to get the job done. Also, fun fact, we were in 
This is one of our most popular DIY’s on 
This was one of my all time favorite crafts to make. I mean, it’s a cactus piñata, what isn’t to love? I was smitten with it. Behind the scenes: See how proud I am of my piñatas? I made that Aries ram for Rose’s birthday and promptly named her Lucinda and the cactus Señor. I convinced myself that I had a hidden talent of piñata making… perhaps we shall see if this holds true in 2017??
This was another one I loved to make (and play)! It involved us going to the beach to take pictures, which is always a win in my book. Behind the scenes: the one problem with taking pictures at the beach is that it can be windyyy. Everything kept blowing around so we had to strategically place rocks and bags onto the towels. Unfortunately we couldn’t do the same with my hat… 
Another printable for the top! Behind the scenes: This ballot came out great but what you didn’t see were the countless hours we took to make sure everything was aligned nicely and that the colors were bold enough. Not to mention having to look up most of these movies as we hadn’t seen any of them… eek.
I am not even surprised that this is the number 1 post of 2016. These bingo boards got us so much traffic, we were tootin’ our little horns we were so excited. You best believe we will be doing them again this year. It’s our little tradition since college so we gotta stick with it. Behind the scenes: Our other tradition is to make so.much.food. and eat it all through the whole game – just the two of us. Here was our spread: lots of veggies and apples(?), pretzel bites, a faux chicken tender (we thought we should have some protein), chips, and a huuuge bowl of a vegan cauliflower cheese dip. Sooo good. I think I eventually got up for dessert too. No shame. 
And, also, just because I couldn’t leave without sharing this little New Years behind the scene fail. Here is what I wrote without thinking when I was trying out the 2017