How to DIY a Hanging Bat Planter for Halloween

Get creepy-crafty to give your houseplants a haunted home for Halloween.

Step 12: HERO Add a vining plant, soil and some pebbles for drainage to the bat bottles and hang!

Photo by: Best Wishes Studio

Best Wishes Studio

By: Kamron Sanders

From: Jennifer Perkins

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Break out the black paint because it’s time to get crafting. Okay, okay — you may need a little more than black paint to craft this creepy-cute bat planter, but it’s as fun to make as it is to look at. Once finished, hang it up on your porch to greet unsuspecting trick-or-treaters or place it inside to usher in all sorts of toil and trouble.

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3 Eerie Planters

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Dress up your favorite houseplants for Halloween in one of these easy DIY planters.

Materials Needed

2-liter bottle
black craft paint
pink craft paint
white craft paint
foam paintbrush
round foam stippler brush
white paint pen

green paint pen
black paint pen
scissors
single hole punch
black cording
stick-back black felt

Paint Bottle

Start by painting an empty, clean 2-liter bottle with black paint and let dry (Image 1). If necessary, paint multiple coats until you achieve a solid black color (Image 2).

Step 1: Paint the bottles using multi-surface black paint. More than one coat may be necessary, allow drying time in between.

Best Wishes Studio

Step 1: Paint the bottles using multi-surface black paint. More than one coat may be necessary, allow drying time in between.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 1: Paint the bottles using multi-surface black paint. More than one coat may be necessary, allow drying time in between.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Draw and Cut Bat Outline

Once the bottle is fully coated and dry, use a white paint pen to draw a simple bat outline (think rounded head and pointy ears) near the top before the bottle starts to taper, then cut off the top portion using scissors and discard (Images 1-3).

Step 2: Trace the shape of a bat head onto the bottle. The ears should point up towards the top of the bottle.

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Step 3: Using scissors, cut away the top portion of the bottle. Discard into recycling bin.

Best Wishes Studio

Step 2: Trace the shape of a bat head onto the bottle. The ears should point up towards the top of the bottle.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 3: Using scissors, cut away the top portion of the bottle. Discard into recycling bin.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 3: Using scissors, cut away the top portion of the bottle. Discard into recycling bin.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Draw Bat Face

Use a round foam stippler to stamp two white eye circles and two pink cheeks below the bat’s ears (Image 1). Once dry, add details with paint pens. We chose green for eyelids and black for the pupils and eyelashes (Images 2-4). Don’t forget to add a cute little white glint in the eyes. Last but not least, use a white paint pen to finish off this frightening face with a smile and a couple of vicious vampire teeth (Image 5).

Step 4: Use a round sponge with white paint for the eyes and pink paint to add the cheeks. Allow paint to dry completely.

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Step 5: Using paint pens, to draw two eyes with eyelashes and eyeshadow.

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Step 6: Use a white paint pen to draw in the fangs.

Best Wishes Studio

Step 4: Use a round sponge with white paint for the eyes and pink paint to add the cheeks. Allow paint to dry completely.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 5: Using paint pens, to draw two eyes with eyelashes and eyeshadow.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 5: Using paint pens, to draw two eyes with eyelashes and eyeshadow.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 5: Using paint pens, to draw two eyes with eyelashes and eyeshadow.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 6: Use a white paint pen to draw in the fangs.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Draw and Cut Bat Wings

To help this bat take flight, it will need some wings. Create them by drawing bat wings onto adhesive black felt and cutting the shapes out with scissors (Images 1 & 2). Repeat four times so that you have two left wings and two rights.

Step 7: Draw two wing shapes onto the craft felt and repeat again on the sparkly foam. Make sure that the fronts of both wings will be the glitter foam.

Best Wishes Studio

Best Wishes Studio

Step 7: Draw two wing shapes onto the craft felt and repeat again on the sparkly foam. Make sure that the fronts of both wings will be the glitter foam.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 8: Cut out the wings

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Attach Bat Wings

Connect the coordinating bat wings using the sticky backing. To aid in attaching each wing to the planter, leave about a 3/4-inch section of the paper backing on when sticking the wings to each other (Image 1). Then, remove the paper backing and stick the loose portions of the wings to the sides of the planter (Image 2).

Step 9: Peel the backing off one of the foam wings and attach the coordinating black felt wint. Take care not to peel of backing entirely leaving a 1" space at the thicker end. When ready, remove the last inch and stick to the body of the bottle bat. Repeat on the other side.

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Step 9: Peel the backing off one of the foam wings and attach the coordinating black felt wint. Take care not to peel of backing entirely leaving a 1" space at the thicker end. When ready, remove the last inch and stick to the body of the bottle bat. Repeat on the other side.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Finishing Touches

If you plan to place the planter on a shelf or table, then all that’s left to do is fill it with your plant of choice. If you’d rather hang it up, use a single hole punch to punch a hole beside each ear and one at the back (Image 1). Insert black cording through each hole and tie them off in a single knot at the top (Image 2). Add your favorite plant and some rocks for drainage, then hang (Image 3).

Step 10: Using a hole punch, add 3 holes to the top edge of the bat. One behind each ear and the third in the center of the back.: Using a hole punch, add 3 holes to the top edge of the bat. One behind each ear and the third in the center of the back.

Best Wishes Studio

Step 11: Measure out 3 equal lengths of black cording. Run twine through each hole joining in the top and tying into a knot so that the bat hangs level.

Best Wishes Studio

Step 10: Using a hole punch, add 3 holes to the top edge of the bat. One behind each ear and the third in the center of the back.: Using a hole punch, add 3 holes to the top edge of the bat. One behind each ear and the third in the center of the back.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 11: Measure out 3 equal lengths of black cording. Run twine through each hole joining in the top and tying into a knot so that the bat hangs level.

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Step 12: HERO Add a vining plant, soil and some pebbles for drainage to the bat bottles and hang!

Photo By: Best Wishes Studio

Jennifer Perkins is a creative content designer, author and kitsch enthusiast from Austin, TX. When Jennifer is not creating content for HGTV, writing craft books or teaching workshops around the country she is most likely at a thrift store or flea market.

How to DIY a Hanging Bat Planter for Halloween

Related To:

3 Eerie Planters

Paint Bottle

Draw and Cut Bat Outline

Draw Bat Face

Draw and Cut Bat Wings

Attach Bat Wings

Finishing Touches

Related Pages