Summer is the time for fun and of course, we think crafting should absolutely be part of the summertime adventures while the kids are out of school.
In one of our featured crafting segments with Alex Worstell a few years ago, I came up with a great idea using items around the house to light up the summer nights for the kids. Parents and children of all ages will enjoy making these fun, creative, DIY Summer Lanterns.
This craft can be done for a simple day of at-home entertainment with the kids, but they also have a practical use as well. They can be used as decorations around the house to show off your child's imagination, in your tent or cabin while on a camping trip, evening fun in the backyard, or they will make the perfect night light for your little ones.
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My inspired idea came from the The Craft Train. If you are looking for other fun crafts and creative activities, I highly recommend checking out their website.
We did a few different versions on the show with Alex using a clear plastic container, Mod Podge, and tissue paper. The other version of the summer lantern was done with acrylic paints on a small glass jar. You can use an old mayonnaise jar, plastic snack containers, wine bottles, or any other items you would normally discard after using. Watch our clip below from the show with Alex:
These crafts can be made using items around the house with a quick run to the dollar store for flameless LED tea light candles or a strand of LED cluster lights. All in all, this craft makes for an inexpensive way to create a practical craft that the kids will love to create.
Beginning to create our Summer Lanterns Image by Tracie Ysaguire |
Summer Lanterns Image by Tracie Ysaguire |
Summer Lanterns
What you'll need:
- Paint and paintbrushes
- Clear plastic container (can be any size but mid-size will work best)
- Small to mid-size glass jar (if you are just painting your lantern)
- Tissue Paper
- Mod Podge
- Stickers, pom-poms, glitter, or other decorative crafting items
- Small tea light flameless LED candle and/or strand of LED cluster lights
- Clean up supplies
Instructions:
First, decide which one you want to create. If you are simply looking to paint a whimsical scene, then a mid-size glass jar or container will work best. We used an empty olive oil bottle and a small glass pickle jar. These are items you more than likely have in your kitchen right now. Make sure to clean them out and let them dry thoroughly before beginning any project.
To decorate your plastic lantern with tissue paper, there are really only a few steps you need to take to create your masterpiece. Make sure it's clean, dry, and you have removed any tags or stickers as much as you can. You can remove them with a good soak in warm, soapy water.
Next, cut up your tissue paper into different shapes and sizes. Be creative! The idea is to leave some space between each piece that you place on your lantern so the light from the flameless candle shines through with ease. Using Mod Podge will also create a stained-glass look on the plastic container once it dries.
We grabbed a stack of tissue paper from our closet and began cutting it into different shapes and sizes. I also found some tissue paper at the dollar store with words on them, so we cut out a few of the words to make a party-themed version of our Summer Lantern.
It's best to do one section at a time. Paint one area of your plastic container with Mod Podge and then place your cut pieces of tissue paper directly on the container. You can give it a slight press and then paint a little more Mod Podge over the tissue paper. You will simply repeat this process over and over on each section of the entire container. Let it dry. When your lantern is dry, you can add some other decorative items like stickers, sequins, glitter glue, or whatever you decide!
Depending on the type of container you use, you will place your flameless LED candle at the bottom of your container. Use some tape to hold it in place on the underside of your lid as we did. Flip the switch on, and let your lantern shine!
 Image by Tracie Ysaguire | Canva |
Looking for more craft inspiration or at-home fun?
Watch our past crafting segments with Alex Worstell on Good Day Acadiana on their YouTube Channel.
Happy Crafting Acadiana! |
