Upcycle Paper Towels & Skewers Into A Stunning DIY Lantern

If you're in need of a new nightlight that won't destroy your home's aesthetic, consider something classic like a lantern. Whether you're resolving your child's fears of the dark or your own fear of stubbing a toe in the middle of the night, lanterns have been guiding people and making them feel safe for centuries. And, as a plus, they're super pretty. You can even craft your own out of household supplies that you have lying around. This means you can fully control designs to match your own aesthetic.

Originating in China during the Han Dynasty, paper lanterns gained popularity through celebrations. Today, lanterns are still used in celebration, as decor and in traditions across many cultures. In modern Chinese tradition, the Lantern Festival marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations. Lanterns generally signify hope for a brighter future, with different colors and symbols representing different wishes.

When it comes to crafting your own lantern, you can, of course, decorate it however you choose: be it with vibrant colors, pressed flowers, or any mural or design that suits you. Decorating a lantern is up to your interpretation when it comes to use and aesthetics. Just have fun with it.

When it comes to building a DIY lantern, it can be as simple or complicated as you make it. In its simplest form, you really only need four half-sized paper towels, skewers, glue, and a light source – fairy lights or an artificial tea light.

You'll begin by designing the four sides of your lantern. Use markers to design and color each paper towel. Consider using water to bloom or expand your designs once drawn. This technique creates semi-abstract art, similar to painting with watercolors. Once dry, glue your skewers down, forming a border around the rectangle. You'll repeat this process four times and then glue all four together, forming a prism. At the bottom of your rectangular prism, glue the skewers from corner to corner, forming an X – this will either support your fairy lights, or you can glue your tea light into place at the center. Do not use real fire with paper lanterns.

Perhaps you would like to utilize some three-dimensional aspects to accent your piece. To add some whimsy, you can glue pop-up designs, like rhinestones or flowers, to your lantern. Furthermore, instead of using paper towels on all sides, utilizing teabags allows you to press flower petals for a more realistic look. For this technique, you would empty, flatten, and rinse two standard teabags per side. On a nonstick surface, lay the first tea sheet and brush a one part glue to one part water solution across its surface. Place your flower petals and enclose them with the other tea sheet. Brush again with the solution to secure the two teabags into one sheet and allow it to dry.

Paper lanterns are a charming way to add light to your home. You can add strings to hang your lantern or find a place for it to sit and accent your space — even somewhere subtle as a beautiful nightlight.