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Zombie Toss: Create A Plants VS Zombies Inspired Halloween Game + Links to FREE Printables!

This year, for some fun this Halloween season, I made this game that me and Lauren played inspired and involving characters from the popular tower defense game "Plants VS Zombies". I call this game "zombie toss", I use a small empty cardboard box to create a zombie head that will be used to toss onto the plant characters. I used small disposable cups as stand of the plant characters. The cups hold prizes inside them that anyone can get from knocking down any of the plant characters. DISCLOSURE:   T his blog and post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you chose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link. It’s okay – I love all of these companies and you will too! ABOUT THIS GAME I was thinking about Halloween themes for a DIY I could do this year just to enjoy the Halloween season and I remember "Plants VS Zombies", I have been playing this game on the computer in the past and it's one of the games I reall

Empty Plastic Bottle Cat | Easy Halloween Candy Holder & Decoration + Links To FREE Printable

Halloween season is here. In this post, I'm going to share a simple Halloween candy holder or decoration using empty plastic bottles. I've made a spooky but cute black cat using small empty plastic cola bottles. You can use it to decorate anywhere in your house on Halloween or even on a Halloween party table. Try creating a large or bigger cat using large empty plastic bottles.


DISCLOSURE: This blog and post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you chose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link. It’s okay – I love all of these companies and you will too!

I made all my cat details by hand but in this post I'll be sharing how you can finish your cat easily without going through the process of drawing the details yourself by using a cat eyes, nose, whiskers and tail printable I made. This is a very simple DIY using recycled and easily accessible materials such as empty plastic bottles, cardboard from an empty box, papers & masking tapes.



CREATING THE CAT + LINK TO FREE PRINTABLE

To be able to paint the bottle, I cover the whole thing with white masking tape. Since the masking tape is of a paper type material which allows the paint to stick to it. I use black "playdoh" gouache paint in painting my cat, you can use any black paint aside from gouache paint, it's also good to use acrylic paint since I noticed the difference in my other DIYs between using poster paint & acrylic paint, acrylic won't smudge when totally dry especially when you will glue any additional details on it using glue especially the liquid one.


Get Craft & Hobby Supplies Online @ orientaltrading.com

I love this "playdoh gouache paint", because it's high quality paint, when it dries the colors are really vivid and it seems like you didn't paint the material at all, it looks like you just cover the whole thing with black paper or like it's the actual color of the plastic itself. I'm sure an acrylic type of paint can give the same effect if you don't have gouache paint. I used my black cat as both a candy holder and decoration in the middle of some monster cupcakes on a Halloween table. It looks cute, fun and a spooky addition there. 



I'm using a (500 ml) sized bottle for my sample black cat using the printables (as seen in the image below). Check out the tutorial below how to print them in the size that will fit just right for a cat made from 500 ml bottles. You can scale the printables to your desired size before printing to fit any size of bottles you will use. 

PRINTING THE CAT EYES & NOSE

1. 
Click Here For The Cat Eyes & Nose

2. After download, open the PDF file and click on the "printer" icon to open the printing dialog box.

3. Scroll down to the "scale" settings and type "30" in the box then click on "print"

4. Cut the pieces and set aside.

PRINTING THE WHISKERS

1. Click Here For The Whiskers

2. After download, open the PDF file and click on the "printer" icon to open the printing dialog box.

3. Scroll down to the "scale" settings and type "55" in the box then click on "print"

4. Cut the pieces and set aside.

PRINTING THE TAIL

1. Click Here For The Tail

2. After download, open the PDF file and click on the "printer" icon to open the printing dialog box.

3. Scroll down to the "scale" settings and type "70" in the box then click on "print"

4. Cut and set aside.

HOW TO CREATE AN EMPTY PLASTIC BOTTLE CAT

1. Print out the cat eyes & nose, whiskers and tail printables, check out the links above to download the pieces. Cut and set aside.


2. Take 2 identical empty plastic bottles. Make a small slice on one bottle from the middle area using a utility knife, continue cutting the whole thing with scissors. Take the upper part with the mouth (make sure to take off the cap or cover), discard the bottom part. Invert and make a cut shaping the cat's head and ears using scissors. Set aside.


3. Next, make a small slice on the other bottle from the bottom  area using a utility knife, continue cutting the whole thing with scissors. Discard the bottom part and take the top part with the bottle's mouth. Create a small slice just below the neck of the bottle's mouth using  utility knife, continue cutting the whole thing with scissors to create a hole where the cat's head will be inserted later.


4. Next, cover the two bottles with white masking tape. After the whole thing is covered, paint them with black paint. Set aside to dry.


5. Once all painted pieces are dry, glue eyes, nose & whiskers onto the cat's head using dry glue stick or liquid glue. If the cat ears on the bottle are too narrow, you may add an extension to make it a bit wider by gluing from the back of the cat's ears, a piece of triangle in a similar size as the cut on the bottle using black construction paper. If you don't have heavy weight paper and have printed the tail on a bond paper, you may glue the tail to a piece of cardboard from an empty box to make it sturdy. Skip this process, if you have printed the tail on a heavy weight paper.


6. Next, attach the head onto the body using hot melt glue. Add the tail from the back to complete your cat. Your black cat is DONE, fill the hollow head of your cat with some candies or chocolates. 


Place it anywhere you like as a Halloween decoration and candy holder in one! Try creating a bunch or group of black cats in various sizes this Halloween! 

MATERIALS FOR THIS DIY

Shop for materials used in this craft online @ shopee.ph by clicking on the materials highlighted in BOLD below.

printer ; * empty plastic bottles (any size) ; * cardboard from an empty box or heavy weight paper ; * utility knife ; * scissors ; * masking tapes * black acrylic paint ; * paint brush ; * paint mixing tray ; * black construction paper ; * solid glue stick or liquid glue * hot melt glue ; * glue gun ; * candies or chocolates

GET A LOW-COST AND QUALITY PRINTER FOR HOME PRINTING

I'm using "HP Ink Tank 115" single function inkjet printer in printing the sample patterns in this DIY. I bought it online at shopee.ph. It is a quality and low-cost printer for home printing that uses tank for the ink. It needs a total of 4 ink bottles (CMYK) to refill the tank, you can save even more by refilling with universal ink. Just make sure the ink is compatible with the printer model before deciding on a purchase.


I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you got any reactions and thoughts regarding this DIY Halloween craft or topic, feel free to interact and write it down in the comment box below. Thank you so much for viewing and reading.

POST UPDATED: October 2023

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