Thanks so much for stopping by Week 2 in my Fall DIY Series for my Paper Bat Tutorial. I thought this would be a good time to start thinking about not just fall, but specifically Halloween. It will be here before we know it. Do you all decorate for this spooky holiday?
Paper Bats
I don’t do a lot for Halloween decor, especially since my kids are no longer at home, but the last couple of years I have seen these cute paper bats flying all over Pinterest and I was excited to try them. They are a fun, quick project that seemingly make your bats look like they are floating through the air. For those of you that know me by now, you know I’m all about projects that are quick and easy and this one is just that. If you do have little ones around, this project is kid-friendly. It’s fun to get them involved. Grab your supplies and let’s get started.
SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED
- Black construction paper or card stock
- Scissors
- Tape
- Bat template
The first thing you need to do is print out your bat template. I like to use two different sizes and then mix them together. You can find the smaller bat template right here and the bigger template can be downloaded right here. By resizing them when you print, you can vary the size of your bats or just use them as is. You might also want to check out this template from Martha Stewart. These are great for hanging or for attaching to the wall, also.
Once you get those in your hands and have them cut out, you’ve got your template.
Now grab your construction paper or your card stock, trace your template and let’s get to cutting. Cut as many as your heart desires. I like to cut more than I’ll use.
Now that your bats have been cut and you have them in hand, it’s time to start folding. This is what gives them that three-dimensional look that makes them come to life.
Fold Away
You can see by the dotted lines where I fold my bats.
I like to fold them all ahead of time
before I start attaching them to the wall.
To actually attach them to the wall, I wanted to use the least invasive method as I could and for me, that was tape. I tried using Scotch tape but found it wasn’t sticky enough to hold them on the wall, or maybe the finish on my wall paint was too glossy. Regardless, I ended up using clear packing tape and that seemed to work better. A couple of them fell initially, but after I re-taped, they seemed to hold. If you’re still having trouble with them sticking, you could always use small push pins if you don’t mind small pin holes in your wall, but I didn’t want to go that route.
Go Batty
This is the fun part! Start attaching your bats to the wall and in no time, it will look like these creatures are flying through your space. I like to even add them up and onto the ceiling. I recommend attaching a few and then take a step back and examine your space. Add more as desired. Go Batty.
There you go. Pat yourself on the back. That is quite possibly the easiest DIY I have ever done and I’m sure for you too. These bats are sure to welcome in the season in hair-raising style. It makes your Halloween decor fright done just right!!
Product sources:
White clock – Aimee Weaver Design
Dead and Breakfast Sign – Oh Sweet Skye
Pumpkin Patch Pillow – Our Rustic Home Decor
Chunky Throw – Artizen Home
