Looking for a fun, easy, and thrifty Halloween craft you can make with your little one? Look no further! This easy ‘Day of the Dead’ skull-themed night light is simple and made from an upcycled protein shake bottle, aka Edgar’s current favorite DIY craft item. This ‘Day of the Dead’ skull night light is easily customizable and can range from as whimsical as the Coco movie to as spooky as a haunted house centerpiece.
What You’ll Need
- Protein shake bottle. This is the exact bottle Edgar uses for all of his upcycled protein shake bottle DIYs. They are less expensive at the grocery store or Costco.
- Temporary tattoos (recommended) OR paint. We only used tattoos for this craft, so we cannot guarantee how the light will shine through the paint. Acrylic paint worked best for Edgar’s bottle-rina and flamingo wind spinner.
- Outlet night lights for the wall night light version. Edgar specifically chose these because they are LED lights and low wattage.
- Battery-powered tea lights for the “off the wall” version. I mean centerpiece version!
- X-acto knife if you plan to make intricate holes
- Permanent marker
- Power Drill OR a means for creating a hole into the bottle lid.
- Sponge, rag, towel, or anything you can dampen to transfer the temporary tattoos. We used a sponge brush, which worked great.
Process for the ‘Day of the Dead’ Skull Night Light
To begin, ensure your protein shake bottle has been thoroughly cleaned on the inside and remove the label. Then, sketch your skull template. Edgar included eyes, a nose, and a mouth opening, but these features are optional. However, if you decide not to incorporate them, create vent holes somewhere on the bottle for safety precautions if you use the outlet night light. If you’re using LED tea lights instead, vent holes are not necessary.
After drawing your template, carefully cut out the areas with the X-acto knife.
To add temporary tattoos to your ‘Day of the Dead’ skull night light, cut out the separate sections you want to use. Edgar also used an X-acto knife for this step since the tattoos are close together and he wanted to apply the pieces separately. Remove the plastic covering and place the tattoo (colored side down) on the area you want to decorate. Dampen it with water, apply pressure for approximately 10 seconds, and gently peel the paper back to reveal the image. These tattoos are easier to apply to these bottles than to skin.
Continue following these steps until you have decorated the bottle to your liking. For extra embellishment, apply stick-on rhinestones. Of course, these specific steps are ideal for involving your little one, as you do not need a sharp blade for this part.
Alternatively, you can use paint instead of temporary tattoos if you’d prefer to showcase your or your kiddo’s artistic abilities.
Next, remove the clear cover and white cylindrical piece from the outlet night light to access the LED light.
Then, drill a slightly off-center hole in the bottle lid and no larger than the cylindrical cover to ensure a tight fit and prevent the bottle from falling.
Then attach the lid to the night light, then the white cover, and finally screw on the bottle. You may need to use extra force when attaching the lid since we want a tight fit around the LED light. Voilà! Your whimsical OR spooky ‘Day of the Dead’ skull night light is complete!
For a clear and detailed guide, you can watch Edgar’s DIY video which provides visual step-by-step instructions.
I took on Edgar’s Halloween craft project and found it quite enjoyable. Besides, there was an empty protein shake bottle just waiting to be decorated (hopefully, he wasn’t saving it for anything specific). We all know he loves DIYs involving these Core Power bottles. Edgar quickly pointed out that the facial features were too far apart. Although I agree, I still think it came out nice, especially since I didn’t cut out any facial holes. What do you think?
Final Thoughts
As can be seen, this DIY night light seamlessly blends Halloween spirit with artistic expression. It also offers a whimsical yet spooky addition to your holiday decor. The process can be as simple as applying temporary tattoos or as intricate as painting your very own design. Either way, your little one will enjoy participating and displaying their glowing creation.
We hope you enjoyed this idea and found these instructions helpful. Please share your thoughts, questions, or experience with this ‘Day of the Dead’ skull night light in the comment section below. We would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful creations! What DIY night lights or upcycled bottle projects would you like to see next? Edgar thrives on your input! Are you interested in more upcycled crafts? Take a look for more ideas and inspiration!
