Friday, July 24, 2009

How to make a Saint Paul Pinata


From start to finish this project took about 2 weeks because I let the children add a few layers during their Vacation Bible School week - it could be completed in 1 week if time was short.

Items needed - Time, imagination, recyclable items (listed below), newspaper, flour, water, paint

Step 1: I found a picture online to use as my reference of what St. Paul looked like and then assembled random recyclable items to make the basic shape...I used a cereal box(it will hold the candy), some water bottles/ a pine sol bottle & a milk jug & a hanger I stuck them together with masking tape. It's important that you put a hanger in at the beginning and make sure it will hold the finished pinata.


Step 2: Get the Paper Mache ready - you need flour, water, & newspaper. Tear the paper into strips (it's easier to tear with the grain) & mix 2 parts water to 1 part flour (I always estimate).


Step 3: Prepare the workspace with newspaper & place the strips in the flour/water mixture & then smooth onto the pinata. Make sure to use long strips to secure loose parts - when it dries it will be very strong.

Step 4: Cover the entire front of the pinata and let dry (on a hot summers day, it was ready to move in a couple of hours but it can take a lot more time in cool weather.) As soon as the pinata is dry to the touch, you can turn it over & cover the back. On the same day, I was able to hang my pinata to dry.






Step 5: When the 1st coat on the Pinata is dry, cut a hole and add candy. After it was full, I covered the hole with masking tape & we put two more layers(the 1st 2 days of VBS). I also added a book by "paper mache" ing over a folded newspapar. The more layers you put on the stronger the pinata will be.

Step 6: Paint the Pinata - I just used craft paint from Michael's.

Step 7: I added a sword with Masking tape & then the kids had fun hitting him with a foam covered bat. (see 1st picture)





Thursday, July 23, 2009

July Project

The big project for me in July was our Parish Vacation Bible School. For the past 4 years we've been writing our own curriculum - I generally do the teaching points & then one of our very musically talented parishoners does the music, other volunteers teach & Phil handles all of the nitty gritty tasks & the actual directing and coordinating during that week. The overall theme was "In the Footsteps of St. Paul" in honor of the recently concluded Year of St. Paul. Each day followed the life of Saint Paul from his conversion and the focussing on the adventures he had while on the Missionary Journeys. Each day always has a Saint or Saints & Prayer that the kids learn. Everything went really well this year! I wasn't able to stop with just writing the teaching points this year though but ended up organizing the crafts and a skit - thus the kids & I were exhausted by the end of the week but I think everyone had fun. Here's some pictures of our crafts. I'd upload the Curriculum but I'm not sure how to post a pdf file.













Fourth of July Weekend

4th of July weekend in review...
Grandma Lawson visited
We set off Fireworks
We saw the Stevens Point Parade

Mom had a birthday


May God bless our Country and grant that our nation may foster Life from conception to natural death.