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You will also find links to great things!

Mexican Piñata

To make a piñata, you'll need the following supplies: white glue, newspaper, tissue paper, white paper, candies or small treats and toys, a balloon, and paint.

Blow the balloon up and tie it shut. Pour about a cup of white glue into a bowl and add enough water to make it the consistency of cream. Now you will need to take your newspaper and tear it up into strips that are about 1 inch or less in width and about 6-8 inches long. Drag them through the past and plaster the balloon with the gluey strips. You will need to build up about five or six layers of paper. To make sure each layer is complete, use regular black and white print for one layer and then color comics for the next. You'll see where the previous layer shows through and it will be easy to cover it over.

Once the layers are done, let the piñata dry overnight. Take a pin and push it through the paper mache to pop the balloon inside. Now you'll need a way to get the candy in. Using a craft knife, cut a small circle out of one end of the piñata and pour in the candy. You will now apply another layer of glue and paper, but this time use white paper. It provides a neutral surface for painting on. Let it dry overnight before decorating with tissue paper and paint.

Use a needle and thread to string up the piñata and hang it from the ceiling. When you're ready, have people take turns whacking it while blindfolded, with a stick. When the piñata breaks, everyone scrambles for the prizes!

A plain oval piñata is not very interesting. You can easily enhance it by turning it into an animal or something else. Here are some fun ideas.

STAR: Cut five triangles out of cardboard and tape them to the balloon. They will be floppy, so prop them up with newspaper-covered books while you paste newspaper strips to the balloon. With each layer, cover the triangles as well. Once it's all dry, paint yellow and sprinkle with gold glitter, or cover in yellow tissue paper.

DOG: Tape four cardboard toilet paper tubes to the bottom of your balloon, positioned as legs. Cut a fifth tube in half for a neck and tape to the top and front of the piñata. Now add a styrofoam egg for a head on top of the neck and continue pasting as usual. When it's all dry, cut two inch strips of brown tissue paper and cut slits one inch in all along the edge of them. Overlap the strips so the fringe shows. Add googly eyes and tissue paper ears and twist a tissue paper tail.

EASTER EGG: Finish the piñata as mentioned in the article. Now paint it in stripes and add sparkles to some strips, fake flowers and gemstones to the others.

FISH: For a fish, cut a cardboard head out and tape it to one end of the balloon. Cut a fish tail out and stick it to the other end. Proceed as usual, covering the cutouts thoroughly. Finish it off with paint or tissue paper scales and add floaty tissue fins.

source: http://nh.essortment.com/pinatamexican_rzfa.htm

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Decorating Ideas

Click an image below to enlarge!

Have your guests arrive at your front door once you have turned in into a hotel or cafe storefront. Use your own name. ex. Hotel Smith. Cafe Jones. The door is paper. Notice the centerpiece on the door. This is a festive paper plate with colored ribbons hanging from it. (Simple) I love the street light, but this takes a real crafty person.. I like easy.. so might not attempt it, but you go for it!

This life-like cactus is made using panty hose filled with shredded paper. Use Rubber bands or ties to create the shape of the cactus. Spray paint green and make small red veins with a paint brush. Paper or artificial flowers can be glued on for a realistic look.

The Tile Roof is made from Styrofoam cups, cut in half lengthwise, placed one inside another, glued to a lightweight piece of wood or cardboard and painted in a terra cotta color. They look so real.

Fake windows. These are almost all paper. The side flourish is made from colorful material cut like a table runner.

For more dimension make a pocket at the bottom and use artificial flowers to create your window box.

For the less adventuresome decorator. Make a smaller version of the "Prickly Pear Cactus" and put it in a basket with small paper flowers.

Turn your Living room into a village with these adorable door fronts.

"Decorating ideas shared by the talented ladies of Central Christian Church from their "Fiesta" VBS.

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Need delicious shrimp delivered to your door? www.TexShrimp.com

Nina’s Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Ingredients:
24 jumbo shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
8 oz. cream cheese (with chives works well)
Several fresh jalapenos peppers (Seeded and sliced lengthwise.) *
12 slices bacon (cut in half, again lengthwise)
Dash oregano
2 T. onion, minced
1 tsp. Garlic powder
2 small Mexican limes

Mix cream cheese, garlic powder, oregano & onions. Set aside.

Wash the shrimp, pat dry, butterfly. Fill the shrimp with a little of the cream cheese mixture and a slice of the jalapeño. Close tight and wrap in bacon. (the bacon works better if you slightly cook it first in the microwave). Don’t over cook, because it will be difficult to wrap. Secure with toothpicks.

Squeeze the lime juice over the top of the shrimp.

Grill on hot coals or broil in the oven until they turn pink and the bacon is pretty well cooked.

About 3 minutes a side is plenty, if you use smaller shrimp, cut the cooking time.

This is great dipped in clarified butter or

Serve it as part of a meal with Spanish Rice and salsa (on the side)

*wear gloves when working with fresh jalapeños.

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Score Cards
Run out of score cards?

Download a PDF of the score cards and print them on your own printer,
Click image below to download:

This will load 2 sheets on one page,
then print & cut the page in half, and you are ready to go!

Invitations

Run out of invitations?

Download a PDF of the invitations and print them on your own printer,
Click image below to download:

This will load 2 sheets on one page,
then print & cut the page in half, and you are ready to go!

NOTE: We suggest printing on thick card stock for the invitations.

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