Tag: chicago mom

Fintastic Birthday Party at Goldfish Swim School

Featured ~ conlimonplease ~ 1 Comment

Robbie turned 6 years old! We wanted to celebrate with his friends at an indoor spot this year. We couldn’t have found a better venue for his party. It was a blast!

Goldfish Swim Schools are the perfect spot to experience a tropical environment. Their locations are colorful, spacious, and welcoming. Their swimming pool area is heated to 90° and their shiver-free pool is the perfect spot to swim with friends.

We had his party at Goldfish Swim School in Evanston, IL. We chose the smallest party package since it was perfect for us. You get to have 1 to 24 little ones as guests. Adults don’t count against the attendee number, which is amazing! You don’t have to worry about how many parents will join. Grandma and grandpa can enjoy the fun, too!

Robbie was so excited to know we’d do an ocean theme for his party. He really wanted to focus on manatees, but it’s really hard to find anything manatee. We had so much fun gathering the few things we needed to bring for decor. Robbie was so excited to work on choosing the names for all the snacks we had for our guests.

What’s included?

When you book a birthday party at Goldfish Swim School you get:

– Two hours of private access
– Certified lifeguards & party coordinator
– Invitations and envelopes
– Table coverings, plates, cups, napkins, and forks
– Balloons, tropical decorations, and centerpieces
– Cupcakes & beverages for children
– Goodie bags
– T-shirt for the guest of honor

We booked the venue 6 weeks before the party. It was so easy! If you’re a Goldfish member you can do it through the Goldfish app, or the member portal on their website. Goldfish Evanston offers two different party times, either from 2-4pm or 4:30-6:30 on Saturdays. Check with your local Goldfish on what times they offer their birthday parties as times and days vary by location.

The allotted time for the party was perfect! Once you’re signed in with the front desk, you and your little ones will have a brief water safety demonstration, and you proceed to spend the first hour in the pool. There’s comfy changing rooms and showers for your guests. Shampoo is available, as well as hair dryers. When everyone moves to dry land, everyone gathers and shares food. We opted for an additional coffee package for a small fee. It was a hit with the adults!

One of our guests is getting a certified life vest after having received safety procedure from certified lifeguard

I loved having all the help from Goldfish staff. It’s definitely a plus to arrive at a birthday venue where everything is already beautiful! The staff work on setting up the tables, plates, and décor! The staff served our guests pizza, and the cupcakes. Also, you don’t have to worry about cleaning up! As a parent this is definitely a win! Not having to worry about setting up and cleaning up is awesome!

One of our guests, Ben, receives a cupcake from Goldfish Staff

This is the first birthday party I host that I’m actually the most relaxed! All the help we received from the staff was awesome! 

I definitely recommend hosting birthday parties at Goldfish Swim School. You get a lot of value, there’s parking for your guests, and all your guests will get a free family swim pass in the goodie bags! Some of our guests booked free trials after the party was over! Having a birthday party at Goldfish Swim School is not just about fun, but it’s also about learning water safety with friends!

If you’re not ready to book a party yet, start with a FREE trial at any Goldfish Swim School. Click here for Chicago locations!

Thank you Goldfish Swim School for sponsoring this post!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

Pasta with Roasted Chile Verde Peppers Cream

Featured ~ conlimonplease ~ 6 Comments

Chile verde has such a special taste for my palate. This green pepper is also known as Anaheim or California pepper. It has such an exquisite flavour and it’s not spicy. Chile verde adds a ton of flavour to food, specially when it’s roasted! They’re green, a lighter shade than jalapeños, and they can be twice as long. In my Sonoran land we refer to it as chile verde. In order to prepare this pasta, I roasted some chile verdes, and I prepared a cream. You can use any type of pasta you prefer or have at hand, or you can even use this cream to add to some chicken or meat.

Here’s what you’ll need:

– 5-6 chile verde peppers
– 1/2 medium white or yellow onion
– 2 garlic cloves
– cooking oil
– 8oz softened cream cheese (1 bar)
– 1/3c Greek yogurt
– 2tsp bouillon
– 6c cooked pasta (about 12oz of uncooked pasta)
– Cilantro to garnish

Start by roasting the peppers either on your stove top, or by broiling them in your oven. Place them in a sealed container or bag, and set them aside to cool down. Then, remove the skin and seeds of the ppeppers.

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat up some cooking oil in a pot, and fry the onion and garlic. When they change color, and they look a bit transparent, add the peppers. Fry for several minutes, remove from heat, and let them cool down.

Place the peppers with garlic and onion in a blender. Add a bar of softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and the bouillon. I used chicken bouillon. Heat up some more cooking oil in the pot you used before. Add the cream and cook for a few minutes in medium heat. When it’s about to boil, add the cooked pasta, mix well, and it’s ready!

Puedes usar chiles poblanos o pimiento morón si no encuentras los chiles verdes en tu localidad

NOTE:
You can use low fat cream cheese and yogurt
You can substitute the Greek yogurt for cream
You can use any type of pasta. You could also make this cream to go over some chicken or meat
If you like spicy food, you can add a roasted jalapeño or Serrano pepper to the mix!
Enjoy this delicious pasta as a side dish. Enjoy it with anything! I hope you prepare it!

¡Buen provecho!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

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My blogger friends also shared their favourite pasta recipe!

Easy Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles by Nicole

A Valentine’s Pasta Dish by Traci

Quick & Easy Vodka Cream Pasta Sauce by Stephanie

Pasta con crema de chile verde tatemado

Featured ~ conlimonplease ~ Leave a comment

El chile verde es súper especial para mi paladar. Este chile tiene un sabor exquisito, no es picante, y da muy buen sabor a la comida especialmente cuando está tatemado. A este chile también se le conoce como chile Anaheim o California. Allá en mi tierra sonorense se le conoce como chile verde. Para preparar esta crema para mi pasta, tatemé unos chiles, y preparé una crema. Puedes usar el tipo de pasta que desees, e incluso puedes usar la crema y cubrir pollo o carne.

Esto es lo que necesitas:

– 5-6 piezas de chile verde
– 1/2 cebolla amarilla o blanca mediana
– 2 dientes de ajo
– aceite de cocina
– 8oz queso crema (1 barra)
– 1/3t yogurt griego
– 2cdta consomé
– 6c pasta cocida (about 350g)
– Cilantro para servir

Tatema los chiles verdes en la estufa, o usa el horno de tu estufa en la opción para asar (broil). Ponlos en una bolsa o contenedor y déjalos enfriar. Quita la piel de los chiles y las semillas también. Prepara la pasta, y saca el queso crema del refrgerador para suavizarlo.

Pica la cebolla y el ajo finamente. Los dientes de ajo los puedes triturar. Calienta aceite de cocina de tu preferencia y fríe la cebolla y el ajo hasta que se tornen algo transparente. Agrega los chiles. Fríe por un par de minutos y reserva para dejar enfriar.

Licúa los chiles con cebolla y ajo, agregando una barra de queso crema, el yogurt griego, y el consomé. Yo usé consomé de pollo. Fríe esta crema en la misma olla que habías utilizado con un poco más de aceite. Cuando esté a punto de hervir, agrega la pasta cocida, revuelve bien, y listo.

Este día quería hacer spaghetti pero sólo tenía penne. Puedes usar realmente la que tengas a la mano.

NOTA:
Puedes usar chiles poblanos o pimiento morón si no encuentras los chiles verdes en tu localidad
El queso crema puede ser descremado
Puedes sustituir el yogurt griego por crema
Puedes usar cualquier tipo de pasta, e incluso puedes hacer esta crema para cubrir pollo o algún otro tipo de carne
Si te gusta lo picante, tatema un jalapeño o un chile serrano y agrega a la mezcla

Disfruta de esta deliciosa pasta en crema de chile verde para acompañar cualquier platillo. ¡Espero que la prepares!

¡Buen provecho!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

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Más recetas que te puedan gustar:

Sopita de fideos mexicana estilo Sonora
Tacos de barbacoa auténtica en olla de lento cocimiento / crockpot

Halloween | Totopos horneados espeluznantes

~ conlimonplease ~ Leave a comment

Me encantan las tortillas en cualquiera de sus formas, y por supuesto que me encantan los totopos. Así les llamamos en México a la tortilla en trozos que es frita u horneada. ¡Lo mejor de los totopos en que pueden estar hechos de maíz o de trigo! Para estos totopos espeluznantes usé tortillas de trigo para los fantasmas, y tortillas de maíz para las lunas. Necesitas sólo 3 ingredientes, y los puedes comer con tu salsa favorita o guacamole. ¡Yum!

Vas a necesitar:
– tortillas (de maíz o trigo)
– aceite de cocina
– sal
– cortadores de galletas de Halloween
– bandeja para hornear

Precalienta el horno a 380° F (190° C). Comienza poniendo las tortillas en una tabla para cortar. Usa el cortador de galleta que elijas, y corta las tortillas una a la vez. Usé ambos tipos de tortillas. Puedes únicamente usar tortillas de maíz si quieres que tus totopos espeluznantes no tengan gluten.

Pon las tortillas en una bandeja para hornear. Le puse papel pergamino para el horno en la mía. Ligeramente agrega aceite en spray, o usa un cepillo de cocina y agrega aceite a cada forma. Yo usé aceite de oliva en spray. Si prefieres un aceite con sabor más neutro, puedes usar aceite de aguacate. Agrega un poco de sal a las tortillas.

Agrega aceite ligeramente
Agrega sal

Pon la bandeja en el horno precalentado. Los totopos de harina de trigo estarán listos en 10 minutos. Los totopos de harina de maíz estarán listos y doraditos en 20 minutos.

10 minutos para los totopos de trigo| 20 minutos para los totopos de maíz

Mientras los totopos se estaban horneando, preparé un rico guacamole. Puedes comer estos ricos totopos con cualquier salsa que elijas, ¡o haz un guacamole como el mío!

En nuestra casa los totopos siempre son populares. ¡Tuve que apurarme a tomar estas fotos porque estaban desapareciendo! Mi hijo Robbie ama el guacamole con totopos. ¡Estos totopos espeluznantes definitivamente fueron aún más deseasos!

¡Ahora ya sabes cómo hacer totopos! Puedes hacerlo de cualquier forma, y tal vez hagas unos de corazones para el Día de San Valentín. Recuerda que puedes usar tortillas de trigo o de maíz, pero pon atención a los diferentes tiempos de cocción.

NOTA:
No te preocupes por el desperdicio porque en realidad no hay. Corta los trozos que sobraron en tiritas y ¡también hornéalas! Sigue el mismo proceso, agrega aceite y sal, y al horno. Úsalas como ingrediente final en tu sopa favorita.

¡Espero que los prepares!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

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¿Necesitas ideas para cómo comer tus totopos? ¡Aquí están algunas de mis favoritas!

Red Tomatillo Salsa
Guacamole, anyone?

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Checa más cosas de Halloween aquí:

Dentaduras Espeluznantes de manzana

Momias de galleta

Murciélagos para envolver dulces

DIY Decoración para Halloween fácil: guirnalda de fantasmas de borlas de estambre

Halloween Munchies | Spooky Scary Baked Tortilla Chips

~ conlimonplease ~ 5 Comments

I’m a tortilla lover in all its forms, and of course tortilla chips. In Mexico we call them totopos. The best thing about tortilla chips is that they can be either wheat or corn! For these spooky scary baked tortilla chips I used both. Ghosts are made of wheat tortillas and moons are made of corn tortillas. You only need 3 ingredients, and you can pair them with whatever your favorite salsa, or with guacamole. Yum!

Here’s what you’ll need:

– tortillas (wheat or corn)

– cooking oil

– salt

– Halloween cookie cutters

Preheat oven to 380° F. Start by placing a tortilla on a cutting board. Use the cookie cutter of your choice and start cutting the tortillas, one at a time. I used both wheat and corn tortillas. Go with corn tortillas if you want your spooky chips to be gluten free!

Place the tortillas on a baking tray. I lined mine with parchment paper. Lightly spray or brush the tortillas with oil. If you don’t have oil in spray, lightly brush the tortillas with oil of your choice. I used olive oil in spray. If you prefer a more neutral tasting oil, you can use avocado oil. Sprinkle the tortillas with salt.

Lightly spray with oil
Sprinkle with salt

Place the tray in the oven. Wheat tortilla chips will be done and crispy in 10 minutes. Corn tortilla chips will be ready and crispy in 20 minutes.

10 minutes for wheat tortillas | 20 minutes for corn tortillas

While the chips were in the oven, I prepared a guacamole. You can pair these chips with any salsa of your choice, or you can make guacamole just like I did!

At our home, chips are always a hit. I had to be super fast to take these photos, because they were flying! My son Robbie loves guacamole with tortilla chips. Spooky tortilla chips were definitely even more wanted!

Now you know how to make tortilla chips! You can make them any shape, and maybe go with heart shaped tortilla chips for Valentine’s Day! Remember, you can use either wheat or corn tortillas, but pay attention to the cooking times.

NOTE:

Do not worry about waste, because there really isn’t. You can cut the leftovers in strips and bake them as well! Use the same process, add oil & salt, and into the oven. Use them to top your favorite soup or just to munch!

I hope you prepare them!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

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Do you need ideas to pair your chips? Here are some of my favorite ones!

Red Tomatillo Salsa
Guacamole, anyone?

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Go check out more Halloween things here:

Halloween Fun in Denver by my blogger friend Kimberly | missionmami.com

Preschool Halloween Printables by the awesome Alexis | alexisamom.com

Spooky Apple Dentures

Mummy Cookies

Bat Candy Wrappers

DIY Decoración para Halloween fácil: guirnalda de fantasmas de borlas de estambre

~ conlimonplease ~ 1 Comment

Tengo bolsas y bolsas de estambre en mi closet. Si le preguntas a mi esposo, él probablemente te dirá que es demasiado. Sin embargo, cuando te gusta el estambre, ¡nunca tienes suficiente! Me encanta hacer manualidades con estambre, aunque no hago tan seguido como quisiera. He hecho guirnaldas de estambre con borlas, de calabacitas, y por supuesto, de pompones. Para nuestra decoración de Halloween este año, ¡hice esta hermosa guirnalda de borlas de estambre convertidas en pequeños fantasmas!

Esto es lo que necesitas:
– estambre del color(es) de tu preferencia
– papel negro para ojos y bocas
– pegamento
– aguja o gancho para estambre
– tijeras

Si necesitas comprar estambre, ve a la tienda del dólar Dollar Tree. Usualmente tienen estambre en madejas pequeñas, además de que es barato y tienen mucha variedad de colores. ¡Podría definitivamente compartirte del mío, para ser honesta, jaja! El “molde” de un necesitas depende de lo que tengas a la mano. Voy a usar un pequeño cuaderno ya que las borlas que voy a hacer son pequeñas. Si quisieras hacer borlas más largas puedes usar un cuaderno, libro, caja delgada, cartón, etc.

Primero, piensa en dónde quieres poner tu guirnalda, y mide el espacio. Ahora que ya sabes qué tan ancha será, divide la distancia en segmentos de 3 pulgadas, y cuenta aproximadamente cuántas borlas necesitarás. Usualmente hago unas pocas borlas y las voy enhebrando para ver cómo se ve. Esto me ayuda a saber si estoy haciendo suficientes para que se vea linda.

Envuelve el estambre alrededor del cartón o tu molde alrededor de 50 veces (si tu estambre es del delgado, envuelve algunas veces las). Desliza el cartón hacia afuera del estambre manteniendo el lazo unido. Corta una pequeña pieza de estambre y átalo en la parte de arriba del lazo para unirlos con un nudo.

Después, corta otra pieza de estambre y átala alrededor de una pulgada, o unos 3cm debajo de la parte de arriba. Esto será la cabecita del fantasma. Corta la parte de abajo donde está el estambre enlazado, y empareja las puntas si quieres que se vea más parejo. ¡Yay! ¡Ya hiciste tu primera borla de estambre!

Sigue así y haz algunas borlas más. Enhébralas en el hilo que sostiene la guirnalda usando un gancho o una aguja para estambre. Agrega ya sea ojitos de plástico movibles, o círculos de papel negro en cada fantasma. Yo usé una perforadora de papel. Usa pegamento para pegarlos en cada borla. El pegamento líquido funciona bien, pero podrías usar silicona caliente si así lo prefieres.

Ata la guirnalda en donde deseas decorar, et voilà! ¡Ya terminaste! 👻👻👻

¡Espero que hagas esta linda decoración de fantasmas! Puedes además hacer la guirnalda solamente de borlas sin convertirlas en fantasmas. ¡Las guirnaldas de borlas son una linda decoración para cualquier temporada o celebración!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

Aquí puedes ver otros proyectos con estambre en los que he trabajado. Tengo una pequeña obsesión por el estambre.

DIY Easy Halloween Décor: Yarn Tassel Ghost Garland

~ conlimonplease ~ 19 Comments

I have bags and bags of yarn in my closet. If you ask my husband, he’ll probably tell you it’s way too much. However, when you love yarn, it’s never enough! I love making crafts with yarn, even though I don’t do them as often as I would like. I’ve made yarn garlands made with tassels, pumpkins, and of course, pompoms. For our Halloween décor this year, I made this beautiful garland made of yarn tassels turned into little ghosts!

Here’s what you’ll need
– yarn of color(s) of your choice
– black paper for eyes and mouths
– glue
– yarn needle or hook
– scissors

If you need to buy some yarn, you should go to a Dollar Tree store. They usually have yarn in smaller skeins, plus it’s cheap, and they usually have a ton of colors available. I could definitely share some of mine, to be honest, haha! The “mold” you’ll need depends on what you have at hand. I’m going to use a small notepad since the tassels I’m making are small. If you’d like longer tassels, you could use a book, a notebook, a thin box, cardboard, etc.

First, think about where you’d like to place your garland, and measure the length. Now that you know how long it’ll be, divide the length in segments of 3 inches each, and count how many tassels you’ll need approximately. I usually make a few tassels and start hanging them to see how the garland looks. This helps me make sure I’m making enough for it to look cute.

Wrap the yarn around the cardboard about 50 times (if you think the yarn you’re using is too thin, try wrapping it around a few more times). Slide out the piece of cardboard and keep the loops together. Cut another piece of yarn and tie it around the top part, and make a knot.

Then, cut another piece of yarn and tie it about an inch below the top. This would be the little head of the ghost. Cut the bottom part of the looped yarn, and even the ends if you’d like a neater look. Yay! You have made a little tassel!

Keep going and make a few. Thread them in the garland holder (which is just more yarn) using a yarn needle or a hook. Add either googly eyes to each ghost, or just cut out black paper circles. I used a whole puncher. Use glue to place them on yarn. Tacky glue works well, but you could also use a hot glue gun carefully.

Tie the garland where you’d like to decorate, et voilà! You’re done! 👻👻👻

I hope you make this cute ghost décor! You can switch it up and just keep the tassels without turning them into ghosts. Tassel garlands make great décor for any season or holiday!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

Here you can see other yarn projects I’ve worked on. I have a thing for yarn.

For more things Halloween and Fall inspiration, go check out what my blogger babe friends are making:

3 Amazing Fall Tree Crafts for Toddlers
DIY Coffee Filter Bats 🦇
Fall Inspo
https://thelifestylepassport.com/2022/09/12/decor-create-a-fall-porch-in-3-easy-steps/
https://www.stylesimpler.com/upcycled-pumpkins/
https://alexisamom.com/fall-preschool-resources-week-5/

Cómo hacer una piñata en 5 pasos

~ conlimonplease ~ 1 Comment

¡Las fiestas están completas cuando hay una piñata! Soy de México, y crecí yendo a fiestas o alguna otra celebración donde había piñatas. Durante una celebración de cumpleaños después de que todos cantan feliz cumpleaños, todos nos juntamos para quebrar la piñata. Tradicionalmente se llena de dulces, pero le puedes poner lo que sea que pueda sobrevivir la caída cuando la piñata se quiebre y caigan volando.

Piñata de Antonio número 2. El tema era verano.

Mi familia y yo vivimos en Chicago. Trato de enseñar a mis hijos mi cultura en nuestra vida diaria. Cuando he sido anfitriona de sus fiestas de cumpleaños, me gusta hacerles piñatas para ellos y sus amigos. Las piñatas son parte de nuestra cultura y herencia mexicana, y ¡puedes hacer una piñata de lo que sea que a tus peques les guste, y lo que tu creatividad te diga!

Ponte creativo si no encuentras un palo para piñata. Cualquier palo de escoba funciona, o como aquí que estamos usando la macana de mi suegro

He hecho piñatas formadas de números mayormente, pero estas instrucciones te pueden ayudar a hacer lo que sea que estes en tu mente, o cual sea el tema de la fiesta. Usualmente uso bandejas de cartón donde vienen los 24 de latas de LaCroix (o latas de lo que sea) cuando se acerca un cumpleaños. La mayoría del resto de los materiales los compro en el Dollar Tree.

Aquí está lo que necesitas:
2 o más bandejas de cartón (usualmente guardo las de 24 de LaCroix)
Pegamento en barra
Cinta gruesa para empacar (duct tape)
Tijeras filosas
Tiras de papel crepé en colores de tu elección

NOTA: la manera tradicional de hacer una piñata en México incluye la técnica de papier-mâché. Esta mezcla de hace con harina y agua tibia creando una pasta un poco líquida que se usa como pegamento. Aquí puedes encontrar un tutorial.

Las bandejas de cartón donde viene los 24 de latas hacen una piñata fácil. La altura de la caja de convierte en el grueso de la piñata.

1. Usa tachuelas para sostener el papel en el cartón. Traza el número o la forma que deseas.

2. Corta el diseño dejando el mayor número de solapas que puedas (orilla de la caja). Usa el mismo molde para el otro lado de la piñata, pero voltéalo. Traza y corta, o salta el trazado y corta la caja. Recuerda dejar tantas solapas como puedas ya que estás te ayudarán a conectar las dos piezas de tu piñata.

También puedes guardar los lados que te sobren de la caja para completar los lados de tu piñata

3. Utiliza cinta adhesiva para unir ambos lados. Usualmente no hago la técnica de papier-mâché cuando sé que quienes van a romper la piñata son peques. Cuando lxs niñxs se van haciendo más grandes, entonces sí no lo debes evitar. De lo contrario no todos van a alcanzar a golpear la piñata.

NOTA: no olvides dejar una abertura para poder rellenar la piñata

4. Cuando la piñata esté lista para decorar, corta las tiras de papel crepé como fleco casi llegando hasta el otro lado. Deja 1.5-2cm en la parte de arriba, ya que esta será la sección en donde se pone el pegamento y se pega a la piñata.

5. Comienza de la parte de abajo. Usa pegamento en barra para pegar el papel crepé. Repite cuántas veces sea necesario yendo alrededor de tu piñata siguiendo el patrón que deseas. Cuando hago números usualmente los hago de un solo color, aunque la última que hice le puse colores pastel de arcoíris.

Puedes agregar una capa de color a la piñata antes de agregar el papel crepé para evitar transparencias
Usé papel negro para agregar líneas a un lado de la piñata
Agregué recortes de camiones para decorar

Usualmente le pongo varios cinchos en la parte de arriba de la piñata para que sea por donde pases la cuerda para colgarla y que los peques la golpeen.

A esta le puse más cinchos después de asegurar el área con varias capas de cinta adhesiva

¡Puedes ir tan lejos como desees cuando hagas una piñata! Deja que tu imaginación, el tema de la fiesta, y el tiempo que tengas te guíen.

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

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Aquí puedes encontrar algunas de mis ideas para hacer que tu fiesta de cumpleaños sea especial. Puedes hacer tus propios cake pops, bolsitas de regalo inspiradas en piñatas, o una opción de piñata equitativa.

5 Steps: How to Make Your Own Piñata

~ conlimonplease ~ 6 Comments

Fiestas are complete when you have a piñata! I’m from Mexico, and I grew up going to fiestas or other holiday celebrations where there was a piñata. During a birthday celebration just after everybody sings happy birthday, we all gather to hit the piñata and break it. Traditionally it’s filled with candy, but you can fill it up with just about anything that can survive going flying to the ground after the piñata is broken.

Antonio’s piñata for his second birthday party. The theme was summer!

My family and I live in Chicago. I try to teach my kids about my culture in our everyday lives. When I host their birthday parties I like to make piñatas for them and their friends. Piñatas are part of our Mexican culture and heritage, and you can make a piñata about anything your little ones like, and what your creativity tells you!

Get creative if you don’t have a piñata stick at hand. Here we’re using my father in law’s cane and baton

I have made piñatas shaped like numbers mostly, but these instructions can help you do whatever it’s in your mind or theme of your celebration! I usually save the cardboard trays of LaCroix when a birthday is approaching. Most of the rest of the materials I get them from the Dollar Tree!

Here’s what you’ll need:
2 or more cardboard trays or (I usually save the ones where the LaCroix comes)
Glue stick
Duct tape
Sharp scissors
Crepe paper streamers in color of your choice

If you want to papier-mâché your piñata you’ll need:
White glue diluted 50% with water
Newspaper

NOTE: the traditional way to make papier-mâché in Mexico is done with a flour mix. Mix flour and warm water until you create a runny paste. Here you can find a tutorial.

The cardboard trays where cans come are really good for making an easy piñata. The height of the box turns into the depth of our piñata.

1. Use drawing pins to hold a piece of paper on the cardboard box. Trace the number or whichever shape or object you want your piñata to be.

2. Cut out the design. Use the same mold, but flip it, and hold it in place on the new box using drawing pins. Trace and cut out, or skip the tracing and start cutting. Leave as many flaps as you can from the sides of the tray, as they would help you connect the two pieces together.

Save the sides of the trays, as they will help you put together the piñata

3. Use duct tape to put it together. I usually skip the papier-mâché technique when I know it’s just little ones hitting the piñata. As kids get older, you do need to do it. Otherwise the piñata will get broken so quickly and not everyone would get a turn.

NOTE: don’t forget to leave an opening big enough to fill the piñata!

4. Once your piñata is ready to decorate, fringe like cut the crepe paper streamers almost all the way to the top. Leave a 1/4 inch withouth cutting, as this would be the section where you glue it to the piñata.

5. Start from the bottom. Use a glue stick to paste the paper, and repeat as many times as necessary following the pattern you’re trying to accomplish. When I do numbers, I usually stick to one color. However, the latest piñata I made had a pastel rainbow pattern.

You can add a layer of color to the piñata before adding the crepe paper to prevent transparencies.
I used black paper to add the lines on one side of the piñata
I addded cut outs of truck to decorate

I usually loop a few of zip ties to the top of the piñata which will help hang it for the kids to hit it.

I added more zip ties on this one after securing the cardboard with several layers of duct tape

If you want to do papier-mâché, you need to glue strips or pieces of newspaper using the flour mix or glue mix. Make sure to add glue on top of the paper as well. Let it dry and add another layer.

You can go as far as you want when making a piñata! Let your imagination, theme, and time guide you!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

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For birthday party inspo, visit my friend Nicole Rose’s post Video Game Truck Birthday Party!

Also, here are some of my ideas to make a birthday party special. You can make your own cake pops, a punch piñata, and even Mexican fiesta inspired goodie bags!

How do I do that? No-bake cake pops

~ conlimonplease ~ 15 Comments

I loved making the yummiest and cutest cake-pops! We celebrated Robbie’s birthday twice: once in school, and once more with friends. Robbie loves eating cake pops, but he never finishes a cupcake. This gave me the idea I needed to make them for his birthday celebrations!

It’s so easy to make these pops! You won’t need a mold, or one of those fancy special cake pop makers. However, you’ll need to have a cake. Bake your own cake from scratch, from a box, or you can buy a cake from your favourite bakery.

Here’s what you’ll need:
– cake
– cream cheese
– lollipop sticks
– almond bark for melting (or your choice of chocolate)
– sprinkles (I used nonpareils)

First of all, you have to remove the crust of the cake. Then, put the cake in a big bowl. Mash it with your hands. Add softened cream cheese to the cake and mix it. Mix it well, and make a small ball to make sure it’s sticking. If needed, add more cream cheese.

Once your little pops are done, melt some chocolate in the microwave in 15sec intervals (or instructions for that particular brand you got). Dip each stick in it, and stick it in the cake pop. Once you’re done, refrigerate them for at least 20min before covering them.

Melt more chocolate, enough to dip the cake pops. Dip each cake pop and roll the stick in between your fingers to help with dripping the excess of chocolate. Add sprinkles immediately after. Place the pops in a pop stand for a cleaner look. I bought a few at Walmart, but if crafty, you can try making your own. When done, place them in the fridge. If you don’t mind or it’s hot where you are, start putting them in the fridge as you go.

They’re ready to eat as soon as the cover sets! Enjoy!

NOTES:
– don’t skip removing the crust of the cake, as it will be easier to have a more homogeneous mix
– add more cream cheese if needed
– keep the chocolate or bark runny for better and easier coverage
– make a bread pudding with the scraps!

I hope you make them!

♡ Michelle | con limón, please

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For more yummy recipes, who check out what my friends are doing:

Leftover chicken recipes by Stephanie

Homemade Spaghetti-O’s by Danielle

“MOM! The Meatloaf!” Sandwich by Alexis

Cooking with toddlers! by Annika

Comfort Foods by Kimberly

Planning The Perfect Spring Picnic by Cameron

4 Delicious Fresh Juice Recipes by Nicole