From 12 Jan
Getting excited to start the first pinata... What will it be? If you have any suggestions, throw them in here. I am still thinking Ethan Hunt. Jack Sparrow would be a good one too. Cosette maybe? Or Catwoman.
From 11 Jan
One of my earliest pinatas was of Cookie Monster. I don't even think I have any pictures of it. Before the days of digital cameras. That was a good one. Kind of simple in some ways, but it turned out good.
I realize that not posting pictures would drive people crazy. I am romanticizing these artistic pinatas. I will post pictures on the website once it is up and running. I am currently working on that.
For now, just know that it is cool...
From 10 Jan
Art is a funny thing. I am a big fan of The Who and in their early days they would smash their instruments as part of their show. Usually, it was the end. It made a really cool statement, but it was not very economical and once the statement was made, they had to do something new.
Only one of my pinatas exists today. 6 foot tall red M&M. Other than that, I have kept a few heads. I have the heads of Homer Simpson, Darth Vader, Iron Man and Tinker Bell. Basically, they all end up totally destroyed. But when I make them I hold nothing back. Each time, I treat them as if they are ultimate works of art. I am a sculptor of sorts and I want these things to look as close to what the pictures show them to be.
Sometimes, the medium is unforgiving. I can't get it to conform to just how I want it. I have had to come up with tricks to get it there. But, shipping time is shipping time. The party is not going to wait. I have been pleased with most of what I have created. Some are better than others of course. Jar-Jar Binks was a little rushed. But M & M, Woody from Toy Story, and the 3 foot tall Apple logo were solid.
What I love about it though is the idea of having a life-size pinata at your party. People can interact with it, pose with it. And then, they get to destroy it. With a bat. Blindfolded. Candy comes out!
I make these things indestructible. I want everyone to get a chance to do this. All ages! It is fun to swing at a pinata and connect. Get that batter stance, tuck that chin into your shoulder, get those elbows up, and then swing away using your hips.
And then it is destroyed. Throw it away. It does not have to burden your house. You have pictures of it. It brought people joy. You captured the memories. It is a great party event with something out of the ordinary. It is not from an assembly line. It is art.
From 9 Jan
I am trying to decide what my first monthly pinata should be. I am thinking of starting off with Ethan Hunt. Tom Cruise would certainly be a challenge as he is not only iconic, but does not have many facial faults. I could do the black outfit and his black hair. Getting that just right will be a monumental challenge.
What I want to show people is just how cool something like this is. My friends and I have gotten to enjoy the pinatas that are made by Sidecrunch. We have traditionally been fairly comfortable with beating up Homer Simpson, Darth Vader or Miss Piggy.
One concern I have is that when I get these looking real enough, it will be construed as some sort of violent thing. And that is not what I want at all. So, some of my precautions will be making sure that the pinata is of a certain character and not targeting a specific actor. And maybe people that get these will understand that or maybe they will not beat it up.
My uncle once told me that you could make anything out of cardboard. I was probably 14 or 15 at that time and have continued living up to that idea over the years. I think that this is something people in the world could appreciate. It's a form of art and it's a fun thing. Who doesn't enjoy beating up a pinata?
Anyway, I am working on my website for now. When I get that up and running, I can start on this initial pinata.
From 8 Jan
I just finished Linchpin by Seth Godin. It is a great book, inspiring, a new way of thinking. I am not even sure if it is the way people actually think or if they will reward linchpins in such a way. I just know that I want to be a linchpin and Hollywood Cardboard Museum is the way to do it. Well, it is a start anyway. I build lifesize pinatas.
