Use Clothespins To Turn Toilet Paper Rolls Into DIY Hanging Bat Decor For Your Backyard

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As cozy, cooler Autumn days settle in, it's fun to work on crafts –– especially handmade decor for spooky season, all set to welcome little witches, ghosts, and ghouls who might arrive for trick-or-treating or backyard parties. When a craft is upcycled, it's all the better because you probably already have what you need to make fun and budget-friendly Halloween decor. A colorful colony of bats is just one of many adorable fall DIYs you can make using toilet paper rolls. With little clothespin feet, each bat can hang upside down from a string to form garland or clip individually around your patio, in the backyard, or indoors.

This craft is simple enough that kids can help with the painting and clipping, although the hot glue may be best handled by an adult. You'll need to gather the following items: toilet paper tubes, corrugated cardboard, small clothespins, jute twine, acrylic craft paint, hot glue and paintbrushes. A pack of these Mr. Pen Mini Wooden Clothespins would be the perfect size to help them hang from their feet. To make these batty friends sturdy enough to last a while outdoors, consider painting with several layers of outdoor-rated Mod Podge, and when your project is finished, spray on a layer of sealant like Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating aerosol spray.

Start creating the bat bodies by slightly flattening one end of a toilet paper tube and rounding it with scissors. Save the trimmings because they'll become the bat's feet. Push the tube open again, then cut a triangular notch in one rounded side to create pointed ears. On the side opposite the ears, snip about a ¾-inch slit, creating two flaps. Fold the flaps inward and hot glue them so the top of the bat's head covers the tube's opening. The point of that fold will become the bat's nose. Cut small rectangles with rounded ends for the feet and glue them inside the front of the body. Next, fold a piece of corrugated cardboard paper and cut out wings: rounded at the top with small arcs cut into the base to resemble a bat wing. Use the first wing as a template for the other wing. Hot glue the wings to the sides of the body. If you don't have cardboard on hand, you could also use construction paper or stiff felt. 

Now it's time to paint, so get out some acrylic paints and brushes in colors that feel fall-like. Think about shades of black, purples, browns, tans, and oranges. This is where kids can grab a paint brush and put their own spin on these cheap and easy Halloween decorations. Paint the bodies, wings, and feet, adding a lighter, contrasting color for the bats' bellies, then add tiny hashes or dots to mimic fur. Use a touch of light pink on the tips of the noses. Black crescent eyes are perfect for cute and sleepy bats, or you can glue on googly eyes for a silly look. Two vampire fangs can add a spooky touch.

When the acrylic paint is dry, hot glue one clothespin behind each foot, positioned with the clamping end toward the toes so that you can easily hang the bats upside-down. Lastly, coat the bats entirely with the acrylic coating spray in a well-ventilated area and let them dry. Adding a layer of sealant will help the bats withstand some humidity and moisture, but they'll probably still fare best under a covered patio, awning, or porch, especially if you plan to leave them up for weeks.

Clip your bats to the jute string like a garland or hang them individually from patio plants, tree branches, or along a row of potted plants. Alternatively, you could clip them to a string of lights, alternating the bats with the bulbs to give your patio string lights some spooky charm. If you plan to use them indoors, string them above your reading nook or a party food table just like you would with streamers. These could also be used as favors for guests to take home after the party, stuffed with little goodie bags of treats as they flutter off to their new homes. There are so many possibilities!