When I saw this in the March, 2011 issue of Family Fun magazine I thought it was such a great idea! Best magazine! The website does not provide a picture to go along with the directions... I took a photo of the page to go along with it. (I always find it more helpful to have a picture when doing a craft.) You can color coordinate them to go with family celebrations, birthdays or even school functions. If you didn't want to use the lamp-cord kit, just use a styrofoam ball and a good glue to use them as a hanging decoration. Kids will have a lot of fun with this version...
Materials
12-inch-diameter paper lantern
Wide mixing bowl
170 standard-size pleated paper cupcake liners (match the colors of the lantern and the liners closely)
Paintbrush
Tacky glue (check the label to be sure it dries clear)
170 mini pleated paper cupcake liners
Lamp-cord kit and bulb (follow wattage guidelines for your lantern)
Instructions
Assemble the lantern according to the package directions, then set it upside down in the bowl. If you're using cupcake liners with color or pattern only on the outside, fl ip them inside out (speed up the process by keeping them stacked and turning a few at a time).
Working in batches of ten, brush the bottoms of the standard-size liners with a light, even layer of tacky glue (thin it with water, if needed).
Quicky press the cups onto the lantern, applying them in evenly spaced rows around the circumference. (Spacing out the rows allows the liners to expand as they dry.)
When the glue is dry, add more standard-size liners to fi ll in the gaps and let dry.
Brush glue on the bases of the mini liners and adhere them inside the standard-size ones. For an even fuller-looking lantern, such as the white one above, substitute standard-size "flowers" for some of the mini liners (see the instructions at right).
Flip the lantern and repeat the process on its top section. Plug in the lamp cord, hold the illuminated bulb inside the lantern, and check for bare spots. Fill them with mini or standard-size liners as needed.
When it's dry, hang the lantern following the instructions on the packaging of the lamp-cord kit.
Variations: TO MAKE FLOWERS Scrunch a standard-size liner toward its center, then press the bottom flat. Brush glue onto the flattened surface, then stick the flower in place.
