Lanterns are atmospheric, romantic and mysterious. Whether powered by a real flame or an LED tealight, they stand out with a soft glow that works well in the garden and indoors at home.
Paper lanterns are a quick and elegant decoration for special events – such as weddings. They are not difficult to make, not difficult to decorate, and if you involve the youngest members of the family, you will keep them occupied and have a lot of fun helping! In this article we tell you how to make lanterns from DIY paper.
The most common type of lanterns are small paper balloons filled with hot air that lifts them up. The heat source is placed at the bottom of the structure, in a metal frame. The tradition of releasing them on the occasion of various celebrations originates from Asia, where it has been believed for centuries that when they rise up, they take human worries and problems with them
Unfortunately, not many people realize that the lantern does not go up all the time, but at some point it catches fire and starts to fall. Its remains land like garbage on the surface of the ground, and when the fragments are unburned, they can even result in a fire. Lanterns are very popular in small resorts along the Baltic Sea. It is worth knowing that due to the littering of the environment, creating a fire hazard and … violation of aviation regulations, releasing the lanterns may result in serious consequences
Advent lanterns are a safer type of lantern that also comes with a tradition. Children go to the masses before Christmas with lanterns made by themselves, preferably from paper, with which they illuminate the darkness. The part of the Mass when the church is lit only by lanterns is supposed to remind the parable of the prudent virgins who waited with a lantern for the Bridegroom.
Lanterns are also great as decoration. They are most often used on terraces and balconies – it is safer to light a live fire not under the roof of your house and certainly not without supervision. If you are afraid of possible consequences and unfortunate, accidental fire, instead of wax tealights use the led ones, imitating a natural flame.
>> See also Nature inspired posters – 4 themes
The easiest lantern to make is one made from paper breakfast bags. They are slightly out of shape and irregular, but full of mysterious charm. All you need to do is decorate the slightly translucent breakfast sacks with paint of your choice – either totally improvised or with a smattering of patterns. Put tealights in the jars and the jars in the bags. And voila!
Decoupage lanterns are also a very easy way to decorate your patio in a striking way. You just need to buy some round paper lanterns, available at any DIY store, and some napkins with a clear pattern – preferably floral.
First you have to put the paper covers on the metal frame according to the instructions on the package. Then, from one (top) layer of the napkin, cut out the pattern you want and glue it to the surface of the lantern using decoupage glue. For a better decorative effect, you can attach ribbons to the bottom of the lantern, which will look beautiful during windy weather or even gentle gusts.
You will need: dried leaves or flowers, breakfast or baking paper, scissors, ruler, iron, adhesive tape and paper cutter.
The first step is to measure and cut out 4 rectangles from the paper – it is important that they can be folded into a square, so the dimensions must be kept in the ratio 1:2.
Fold each rectangle in half, and in the center of this “sachet” put dried flower or leaf. On a clean cloth, gently iron the resulting panel so that its sides close. Then the 4 panels just need to stick the sides together. You will get a beautiful square paper lantern, decorated with natural motifs. Just put a candle inside and enjoy it on summer evenings.
