So we're gearing up for Martinmas tomorrow. (By the time you read this, it will probably be Martinmas! I write my posts last at night...) I love, love, love Martinmas. Somehow it gears me up for winter and snow. The lanterns are just in time for the beginnings of dark nights. I wrote about last Martinmas here and had a mini-tutorial about our papermache lanterns. Now I'd like to share another way to make lanterns! This would be a good project for tomorrow morning with your wee ones, then you can light them at night while you eat hot soup and warm bread. Yum.
Here we go...
You'll need ::
- large piece of thick(ish) watercolor paper (I think our paper was about 20x30. we got three lanters out of this)
- watercolor paints (we used blue, purple, and red for sunset colors)
- paint brushes
- stapler
- glue (we used Elmer's and a glue-stick)
Set your wee one(s) up with the paint and let them cover the entire paper. I like wet-on-wet watercoloring, so I drenched the paper with a wet sponge first. I told the little one we wanted to paint a brilliant winter sunset and didn't want any of the white showing. She did a pretty good job!
Then kiss your little one for being so dang cute.
Tada! All done. Now it needs to dry. Our paper was pretty drenched and thick, so we let it dry overnight.
Okay, once your paper is dry, I cut ours into pieces about 12 inches in length by 10 inches in height. On the bottom (the long side) cut 2 inches up into the paper every 2 inches across the entire length.
Now, join the sides (your cut edge will be at the bottom) and staple. We stapled just 4 times down the length of the side.
Turn your lantern "tube" bottom side up. Fold in the cuts you made. It should make a nice round bottom.
Cut a circle the diameter of the bottom and glue the heck out of it. We tried a glue stick first (purple, of course), then moved on to Elmer's which was a tad stronger.
Place it in the bottom inside of the lantern, on top of all those cut tabs joined together. Put something heavy on it and let it sit to dry for a while. (We used a pumpkin!)
Now get ready for your handle. Cut a long strip about 2 inches by 20 inches or so. (You could just punch holes in the side and use yarn if you are out of paper at this point.)
Fold the paper into itself to create a nice, strong handle.
Staple each end to the sides.
Tada! Finished lanterns! Yay!
You can also cut out shapes and fill them with tissue paper. We didn't opt to do this because we liked our watercolors. We put tea lights on the bottom and taped the bottoms down. So pretty.
But it's such a fun project and I love this little celebration. More on our Martinmas celebration tomorrow...happy lantern making!!
xoxo.
