For many years now I have been making piñatas for my students for Halloween. I think I have gotten better at making them and developing my skill to try and better create what I see in my head.
Hope you enjoy them!
This year's theme was Harry Potter
This year has been the first in seven years I have not been dressed as a princess. My wife says I look and sound like Professor Snape
It's almost like they know what's coming...
I also like to make balloon models
Poor Hedwig
It's a weird feeling seeing all the hard work that goes into making a piñata get destroyed and the joy that brings
I am always too busy making sure my students understand the rules and that other students are not in the way, to take decent photos
How I feel after it's all done and now I have to clean up before I can go home
Decorations for outside one of my classrooms: my students playing quidditch
My other class. I got them to colour in a witch on a broom and also a witch's hat and cut them out. I did the rest during my lunch breaks and in between classes
Every piñata has coloured tissue paper and lots of candy because I am nice. Also lots of toy bugs because I am not so nice
I had a break for a week and when I returned to work forgetting my progress had a little fright when I opened the door to the office
Day one
This was also my first year making piñatas where I wasn't smoking so needed a different fuel
I was given my own little office to make them in because this year what was my arts and crafts room at home has become my son's bedroom so my wife didn't want me making a mess at home and also when I am home I am parenting. Or trying my best to.
As I always tell my students a good worker always tidies up after themselves
Why is teacher so beautiful?
Last year's theme was the wizard of oz
Dorothy, the wicked witch of the west, scarecrow, tinman, lion and the hot air balloon
Cthulhu, Dagon and me covered in spiders
Previously I always used to make a piñata in my likeness because I know my students would love to bash my head in. Also lots of lovecraft characters
I am terribly arachnophobic
I feel part of my job is also making happy memories for my students. They have so much pressure placed on them that sometimes it's heartbreaking so I try in my own way to provide moments of sunshine.
That year if kids didn't win any candy I let them use facepaint on me
Jack o'lantern, me, pennywise, and cthulhu
These wooden swords were not as durable as the nerf light saber I went on to use
For a long time I would just make jack o'lantern piñatas because they were simple
"Always two there are"
My very first attempt at making piñatas. Due to the humidity the paper mache kept collapsing and the balloons kept popping. Here I ended up using small bin bags. Sad thing is I never got to see my students smash these because about a day after I took this photo I spent the next ten days in icu.