Ages 5 to 8
Every year Rapunzel spent locked away in the tower, her parents sent beautiful floating lamps into the night sky in hopes that their daughter was out there somewhere to see them. Fashioned from pretty scrapbook papers and covered with stick-on gems, these paper lanterns are fun to fold and decorate, and will add a glittery flare to your child's bedroom. Hang them in front of a window to catch the light, or string them together for a wall-to-wall garland.
by Cindy Littlefield
What you'll need
- Assorted scrapbook papers
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Glue dots
- Faux gems
- Thin beading cord or decorative thread
- Buttons (2 per lantern)
How to make it
1. For each lantern, cut a paper rectangle from scrapbook paper. It should measure 24 inches wide and between 6.5 to 8.5 inches high (depending on how tall a lantern you want).
2. Set the rectangle down with the long edges at the top and bottom. Fold the top down half an inch and use the ruler to smooth the crease. Then fold the top a second time (another half an inch) to create a paper "hem." Do the same with the bottom edge of the paper.
3. Next, fold the left side over half an inch (do not fold it a second time).
4. Fold the paper sideways so that the right edge just meets the fold you made in step 3. Press this new fold to create a sharp crease.
5. Unfold the paper and refold it, this time bringing the left edge to the crease you made in step 4.
6. Fold the left side of the paper toward the crease, as you did the right side. At this point, you should end up with four equal-size lantern panels.
7. Now form the lantern box by tucking the half-inch fold on the far left panel between the top and bottom hems of the far right panel, as shown.
8. Use glue dots to secure the connections in the corners.
9. It's time to add some sparkle. Let your kids adorn the lantern with lots of faux gems.
10. Finally, fashion a hanger for the lantern by tying a button on each end of an 8-inch length of thin beading cord or decorative thread. Use glue dots to attach the beads to opposite sides of the lantern top
Crafts
