How To: Make a Beautiful Paper Lantern

Continuing with our theme this week of  the Chinese New Year on the Creative EdVentures Network here is another tutorial I hope you enjoy.
The traditional Chinese lantern is usually a bright red, but why not crack open those beautiful scrapbook stacks and choose something a little extravagant??

The important thing to remember about the lantern is that your piece of paper can NOT be square. If it is, cut a strip, roughly 1 or so inches wide from the sheet and set it aside.  We need to fold the paper into a rectangle. If the the paper is square, well, you'll never get that rectangle!!

Pretty, pretty lanterns all in a row!!! I placed them on fishing wire and strung them up behind my workarea!

A lovely piece of Martha Stewart double sided paper needs to be cut down because it is square.  The strip of paper that is left will be used as a handle for the lantern.

Once you have a rectangle, fold the piece long-wise, so you have a long rectangle.

  Why not grab your favourite Fiskars scissor or other fancy scissor instead of a regular pair?

You will need to cut about 10 to 12 slits into the paper starting from the FOLDED side, but not cutting all the way through.

 

All the cutting is complete! Now you will open up the page and bring both sides of the page together.

Staple or glue the ends.

Grab the extra strip of paper attach it to the inside of the top of the lantern to form a handle.  Hang up your pretty lantern and ENJOY!!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  Please let me know if you did! If you decide to make your own lantern, please send me a picture!!