Large Hanging Lantern

Stained Glass Effect Christmas Paper Lantern

To make the stained glass effect paper lantern you will need...

A ball shaped paper lamp shade/lantern in any size you wish. Felt tip pens, black paint.

You need to create a design for the lantern. Draw the design on a sheet of paper. You could draw the nativity scene, a Christmas tree, Santa Claus or maybe 'Merry Christmas'. The design needs to be simple and bold.

Once you are happy with the design you can start work on the lantern itself. First you will need to erect the paper lantern. It should have assembly instructions with it. Unfold the lantern and insert a wire expander inside the lantern, this slots into place and keeps the lantern erect and taught.

Take a black felt tip pen or a marker and draw the design on to the paper lantern. Be careful when you are doing this because the lantern is made of paper and the wet ink makes the paper fragile. If your pen does accidentally 'go through' stick a small piece of paper on the hole to patch it up and leave it to dry.

Once your design is complete, paint the background of the lantern black. This is so that the lantern blocks out some of the light. Again you need to take care not to puncture the paper. Use two brushes to paint the lantern, a thin brush for small and detailed areas, and a thick brush for large areas.

Top Tip - Paint from the top of the lantern to half way down, and leave to dry. Then turn upside down and paint the other half. Use a dish to stand the lantern on, it stops it from moving and raises it up from the work surface.

For best results, give the lantern two coats of black paint.

Once the paintwork is dry, you're ready to apply the stained glass effect. With coloured felt tip pens, colour in the white areas of your design on the paper lantern. Again take care.

Now hang the lantern up from a ceiling light in your home. Every time the light is turned on your delightful design will glow like a stained glass window in a church on a sunny day. The lantern is a fun and unusual Christmas decoration.

Do not use a higher wattage bulb in the lantern than indicated with the lantern instructions and packaging.

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