Pumpkin decorations and Halloween go together like… pumpkin pie and whipped cream. Or pumpkin spice and lattes. You get the picture — this season is all about pumpkin everything! But if you’re looking for a twist on the standard orange decor, we have a spooky and clever DIY solution. Let your creativity take flight with these adorable and easy-to-make pumpkin bats!
What You’ll Need
- Several small white or orange pumpkins (or artificial pumpkins)
- Black paint
- A paintbrush
- Newspaper
- Scissors
- Thin black and white craft foam or thick felt
- A sharp knife
- Toothpicks
- Tape
- A dime
- Chalk or a pencil
- Cardboard (optional)
- Wooden skewers (optional)
Step One: Paint Your Pumpkins
Before you begin, prep your crafting station with newspaper to catch any accidental spills. Paint the entire surface of each pumpkin with black paint and then allow the paint to dry. Feel free to use spray paint if you prefer. For optimal results, use two coats.
Step Two: Create the Eyes
Using a pencil or a piece of chalk, trace dime-shaped circles on the black felt or craft foam in order to create the black portion of the eyes. Cut out each one and then set them all to the side.
Next, lightly draw the white part of the eyes onto the white felt or foam. These can be oblong, triangular, u-shaped or circular, depending on your personal preference. Just make sure they’re larger in size than your black cut-outs.
Finally, glue the black dots to the white cut-outs to create any eye shape you want. Make them creepy, scary, goofy, cross-eyed — anything goes!
Step Three: Build the Wings and Ears
Using your chalk or pencil, draw one bat wing and one triangular ear by hand onto the felt or craft foam. If you prefer to trace the wing, feel free to use a printable template instead. Cut both the wing and ear out and use them to trace the other wing and ear so both sides to match.
Step Four: Tape It Up
??Take out two toothpicks, and break each one completely in half. Next, tape one half of a toothpick to the bottom portion of each ear and wing with the sharp side facing down. For extra stability, you can also attach wooden skewers and cardboard to the backside of the wings and ears to strengthen them against the wind or other outdoor elements.
Step Five: Build Your Bat
Use a sharp knife to carefully cut a small slot on the left and right sides of each pumpkin in order to insert the wings. Do the same for the ears by cutting slits on the upper left and right sides below the top stem. Each slot should be a little larger than the size of the toothpick. (Artificial foam pumpkins can make this step easier and safer if you intend to make these with the kiddos.)
Finally, attach the ears and wings to the pumpkin by inserting the toothpicks into the slots.
And voila! The finished product will look something like this:
Naturally, we couldn’t resist the temptation of accessorizing ours with a stylish pair of Zenni frames. We couldn’t have this little guy feeling “blind as a bat,” after all!
These are such a fun and festive alternative to the traditional front-porch pumpkin decor, and making them is easy as pumpkin pie. So what do you think of these pumpkin bat creations? Share your DIY photos and ideas with us in the comments section below!
