While away a snow day creating a light and lovely lantern inspired by Japanese art. Just like snowflakes, no two lanterns are alike. Artists can elaborate, adding their own fancy designs.
What you need:
- Sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 white paper
- Duct tape
- Hole punch
- 2-ft. length of cord or string
- Scissors
- Battery-powered tea light
What you do:
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1. Fold paper in half, length-wise, hotdog style. |
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2. Make another fold along the top of your hotdog about an inch wide, then crease and unfold the top. |
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3. Starting about an inch from the side, cut a slit from the fold toward the opening of the paper. Stop when you reach the crease.4. Cut 8 to 12 more slits or strips about one inch wide. |
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5. Cut designs along the thicker strips.6. Unfold your paper. Notice the mirrored symmetry in the strips. |
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 7. Cut a piece of duct tape the length of your paper. Tape along the top edge of the lantern, overlapping the inside and outside to give it a durable border.8. Repeat step 7 on the base of your lantern. |
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9. Bring the sides of your paper together and watch your lantern begin to take shape. Secure with tape. |
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10. Cut a piece of duct tape, a little longer than the diameter of the bottom of the lantern. Attach the tape across the bottom, sticky side up. Insert the battery-powered tea light and secure it to the sticky tape. |
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11. Punch two holes at the top, opposite from each other. |
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12. Thread the string through both holes and tie the ends together. |
