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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

Sunflower Birthday Banner

8-25-2016 -- Lauren's 8th birthday is coming and I was thinking about possible themes for her upcoming birthday. I thought about Lauren's personality and what a happy and smiling kid she is. I'll be basing the theme and colors of her birthday this year with her personality. I thought about smiley faces, sun, and sunflower. I like the idea of "sunflower" and the color yellow for her birthday this year. I'm not sure if "sunflower" is used as a birthday theme before, so I did a search online and found several birthday ideas using "sunflower". I thought about doing a birthday banner for her and this is what I came up with. At first, I'm not sure if it's gonna work or come out right but I'm glad I went ahead with it and it's great that this idea came out right and a lot of people think it's a nice and creative idea when I share some photos on social media.


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MATERIALS FOR THIS DIY PAPER TARPUALIN BANNER:
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* one whole cartolina papers (any color or choice)

* construction papers

* patterned papers

* scissors

* scotch tape

* glue sticks

* matte sticker papers

* hole or leaf shape puncher

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This is just like a small tarpaulin banner like the ones you can buy in the store but the difference is that it is made of paper and it is hand made and a personal one. You need to prepare and do this like 2 or a week ahead of the actual birthday. So you have more time to prepare and can make it one piece at a time. Here, I use yellow, white, and blue cartolina paper to create this sunflower themed paper birthday banner. You can cut the cartolina in a size just enough for a birthday banner that people can clearly see or read the design and texts that will be put into it. I used both cartolina and construction papers and sticker paper to create the designs. 


Or you can also measure the size of a ready made or store bought birthday tarpaulin banner if you have any previous one that you kept or stored in cutting your cartolina paper. To create the sunflowers. I took a round object (a bigger and smaller one) and traced it on a brown cartolina or construction paper or you can use a brown patterned paper with white dots in it. I draw a large and small petal pattern and traced it on a yellow and golden yellow construction paper. I create 2 layers of sunflower petals around a circle and use alternate colors (yellow on top and golden yellow below or golden yellow on top and yellow below). Next, I punched white sticker papers and stick the small dot of stickers all around the brown paper since I don't have patterned paper, so this is my alternative. It's good to put together plain papers with patterned papers, so your creations don't look all plain at all but also that will make a certain design or object a little more fun and creative as well.


For the lettering to be used in our banner. I searched for letter patterns and adjust it to a desired size that will fit and is just right for our banner, I print the patterns and traced it on cartolina or construction paper. I took a different font and adjust a smaller size for the letters and numbers for the birthday date in the banner. I used blue cartolina for the number and name letters so the colors will not look boring with the same colors altogether but that it will also have some contrasting colors to spice up the words in our banner a bit. 


Before putting the whole banner together, I first stick together the cartolina papers I cut a yellow cartolina for the base, then glued the white cartolina paper in the middle. I use glue stick in sticking the papers, this way the glue is dry and will not create a messy or wet effect on the paper. I spread the glue evenly and properly to make sure the paper will truly and neatly stick together. Next, I cut a thin strip of blue cartolina paper and glue them on top and below the edges of the white cartolina. Then I taped it as well as the edges of the banner together to neatly seal them up. 


Before gluing the designs into the banner, I estimate and measure how I would arrange and put them altogether to make sure they would all fit in properly especially the letters. Then I glue them one by one. First I glue the sunflowers on the side, then the letterings in the middle. To spice up the background of the banner, I added falling sunflower petals and some small dots of punched brown and blue construction papers. I also added a bee hovering above holding some birthday balloons in our theme colors (yellow, golden yellow, and brown), the color of sunflowers. I took a bee and balloon cliparts and print them on a matte sticker paper then cut and stick them to the banner. I created and draw the balloon strings using a ruler.


To hang up the banner I sew a thick white thread from the back and hang the banner in front of our crepe paper backdrop or curtain. I taped the threads tightly above and cover the top with different smiley faces of sunflowers.


You can display this banner in any way by hanging it up or taping it depending on where you will post it. Here, I hang it up since I cannot tape it to our crepe paper backdrop. Try creating your own version of a sunflower or any theme of your choice paper birthday tarpaulin banner tailored to the theme of your kid's birthday. For that personal and unique birthday banner that is not seen or is the same as anyone else.

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If you got any reactions and thoughts regarding this DIY birthday topic, feel free to interact and write it down in the comment box below. I'd be happy to hear from you. Thank you so much for viewing and reading.

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