Hi, I love your website, thanks. My daughter is having an octonauts party and wants a Captain Barnacles pinata. I have started following the instructions and covered a large balloon in newspaper and 1 layer of paper mache. It has been sat for 24 hours and is still really soft, even the bits that have dried are bending and not stiff, is this right or have I done something wrong? I wonder if I may have put too much flour paste on? Thanks, Rachel
Answer from Piñata Boy
The piñata will still be soft after the first layer of papier mâché dries. You’ll be able to push in on the surface and feel the balloon underneath squish as you press in on it. It usually takes two layers of papier mâché before the shell begins to feel stiff, and even then you’ll still be able to push it inward. Normally three layers will give you a nice solid shell. If you’re making a piñata for younger kids and three layers feels too sturdy for them, just weaken it by stabbing holes through the shell before you decorate. You can weaken the piñata a little bit all over, or just in a few spots where you’d like to see it break.