This is another idea I got from the recent Argos Garden Party I attended with a number of other bloggers (see also my caterpillar seed heads) and this craft comes from Jen Stanbrook at Love Chic Living. This craft is also suitable for adults, and actually some of the bloggers at the garden party made very beautiful decoupage lanterns.
Little Miss just loves doing anything that involves painting, gluing or drawing, so this was right up her street. She loved picking out the paper and ripping it up and then (the best part according to her) gluing it all over the glass jar. I had to stop her gluing more on once she’d already done one layer!
We used special decoupage paper (available at craft shops and online), but there’d be nothing stopping you using other paper like magazines. The only thing would be that if the paper was too thick, it might not allow so much light to shine through once the candle was lit.
What you will need to make decoupage lanterns
- Clean glass jar
- Florist’s wire (or similar), 24 gauge
- Glue (use Decopatch glue or 1 part PVA to 1 part water)
- Paint brush
- Decoupage paper (or magazines)
- Tea lights
- Using the florist’s wire, make a ‘hanger’ for the glass jar. Wrap the wire around the neck of the jar, creating two little loops parallel to each other. Then thread another piece of wire through both loops to make the ‘hanger’.
- Rip up small pieces of paper, then using a paint brush, cover a small part of the jar in glue and stick the paper to it. Brush glue over each piece of paper after you place it on.
- Continue sticking paper on, remembering to cover in glue each time you place the paper on the jar. The glue dries clear, so don’t worry if it goes on a bit thick. Leave to dry.
Place a tea light in the bottom of each and ‘ta da’! Your very own decoupage lantern. You could use larger jars and place bigger candles inside. You don’t even need to use the wire if you don’t want to hang the lantern up.
