How to make a Lantern for Waldorf Festivals or Waldorf-Inspired Gifts
On Saturday afternoon we made a lantern each. I couldn’t face the paper ones this year. I saw what happened to them last year. They just got crumpled and ended up in a toy box. So we went with glass. Another reason being we live in a seriously windy area and the candle will continue to burn, if it is protected within a glass jar. These lanterns can be made for any festival, just change the colour of the tissue paper and stick different things on the side.
We’ll be making them again for advent in red, green and white. But then we’ll be gluing
beads, and glittery goodies on the outside.
Here’s a pic of the Martinmas lanterns in the light of day…
I’d like to share with you how we made them. They make beautiful Waldorf-Inspired gifts as well, not only for the Festival of Martinmas.
For the Lantern You’ll need:
A clean,dry glass jar per person.
Cold Glue/Wood/craft glue
Glue/paint brush
3 different colours of Tissue paper (we use yellow,gold and light gold (not metallic) )
For the handle you’ll need:
Baling or Florists wire
(we use baling as we’ve always got it lying around for fences and stuff)
Wool (we use a cream colour)
I used a square jam jar (250ml) for mine, and 2 Mayonnaise jars (750ml) for Jules and Sin. I then mixed decoupage glue, being 1/2 cold glue (that white wood glue) and 1/2 water.
Then you’re ready to go. Start tearing small pieces of tissue paper off. I tore them about
2cm x 2 cm. You can cut them but then the lanterns take on a bit of a Picasso Cubism look, which doesn’t appeal to me.
Paint the jar little bit, little bit and stick your tissue paper on. If the tissue paper stands up, just paint over it, it them sticks back down. Don’t forget to mix all the different colours as you go, and to overlay them.
When the entire jar is covered with paper, then give the whole outside of the jar a light
paint with the glue. Then allow it to dry.
I left ours overnight and then John put the handles on for us. You just take a piece of
wire, tie it around the rim, really tight. Tie it off using pliers. Then make a handle, a
semi-circle with a hook at each end. Hook the hooks under the wire attached around the rim. And again tie off with the pliers.
Then you wrap the entire wire handle and around the rim with wool.
Place a small piece of tic-tac/prestik at the bottom of the jar on the inside, Push a
tea-light candle onto the tic-tac and you’re good to go!
Here’s a pic of the lanterns in the dark last night. They stood up to the high wind, and a
lantern walk. We came back with the candles still burning.
There is a beautiful story on Melisa’s blog, which I told the kids as we made our lanterns, it’s all about Brother Sun and how he gives you a tiny golden spark to keep safe inside your lantern.
Enjoy making them, they become treasures that will always remind you of a beautiful day.
Blessings to you as you craft,
Sue.xx
We’ll be making them again for advent in red, green and white. But then we’ll be gluing
beads, and glittery goodies on the outside.
Here’s a pic of the Martinmas lanterns in the light of day…
For the Lantern You’ll need:
A clean,dry glass jar per person.
Cold Glue/Wood/craft glue
Glue/paint brush
3 different colours of Tissue paper (we use yellow,gold and light gold (not metallic) )
For the handle you’ll need:
Baling or Florists wire
(we use baling as we’ve always got it lying around for fences and stuff)
Wool (we use a cream colour)
I used a square jam jar (250ml) for mine, and 2 Mayonnaise jars (750ml) for Jules and Sin. I then mixed decoupage glue, being 1/2 cold glue (that white wood glue) and 1/2 water.
Then you’re ready to go. Start tearing small pieces of tissue paper off. I tore them about
2cm x 2 cm. You can cut them but then the lanterns take on a bit of a Picasso Cubism look, which doesn’t appeal to me.
Paint the jar little bit, little bit and stick your tissue paper on. If the tissue paper stands up, just paint over it, it them sticks back down. Don’t forget to mix all the different colours as you go, and to overlay them.
When the entire jar is covered with paper, then give the whole outside of the jar a light
paint with the glue. Then allow it to dry.
I left ours overnight and then John put the handles on for us. You just take a piece of
wire, tie it around the rim, really tight. Tie it off using pliers. Then make a handle, a
semi-circle with a hook at each end. Hook the hooks under the wire attached around the rim. And again tie off with the pliers.
Then you wrap the entire wire handle and around the rim with wool.
Place a small piece of tic-tac/prestik at the bottom of the jar on the inside, Push a
tea-light candle onto the tic-tac and you’re good to go!
Here’s a pic of the lanterns in the dark last night. They stood up to the high wind, and a
lantern walk. We came back with the candles still burning.
Enjoy making them, they become treasures that will always remind you of a beautiful day.
Blessings to you as you craft,
Sue.xx
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