Stuck at home? Are you spending each day wondering what to do to kill time? Well, don’t despair, as you stay at home just like a third of the entire world. Yet, we have an idea that will help you create something unique for your home!
What about a magical fairy lantern? Improve the look of your porch or garden, or add some magic to a corner inside the house, and get the feeling that fairies are your roommates!
The lantern has a magical frosted effect, and behind the fairy cutouts, there are whimsical orange and yellow flames!
What’s more, this project is suitable for DIY beginners as well!
The tutorial was shared by Nichola Battilana of the Pixie Hill blog, who defined herself as “a Maker of Messes, Believer in Faeries.”
She explains:
“I’m a mess maker that moved from the big city into a 100+-year-old crooked farmhouse that sits at neither the top or bottom of a rather large hill. Our two rolling acres are brimming with faerie life. Frogs sing with more gusto and the stars shine brighter from this particular spot.
My creations are a mish-mash of mediums, inspired by magic and folklore, infused with a dash of oddity, and made with absolute enthusiasm.”
She adds that she creates things “with absolute joy”:
“My little objects are a happy reflection of the wonders that surround me. These silly things are visual sonnets to nature, to wonderment and enchantment. They are a celebration of the goodness and magic that exist in the world.”
Here is what you need to make these stunning lanterns:
- Fairy cutouts (make your own or buy online)
- Some glass jam jars
- Tissue paper
- Glue
- Glitter
- Twine
- Little accessories and decorations
- Some battery-powered tealights or fairy lights
Let’s get started!
Put the fairy cutouts into the jars, bend them a bit to break up the fibers, and add glue. Stick them on the inside of the jar and hold firmly until the figure is dry and set.
Cover the outside of a jar with a layer of white, school-style glue and put a layer of tissue paper on top.
Note that the more layers you add, the less light will pass through the paper.
If the paper tears or creases, you can cover it up with glitter later.
Place the jar upside down and leave it to dry.
Next, apply some glue to the top and bottom of the glass jar, and add clear glitter. Add more on areas where it is needed, but don’t exaggerate, as you might ruin the effect of the fairy.
When dry, wrap some twine around the rim of the jar, tie it up and stick it in place with some instant glue.
Now, we leave to your imagination!
Decorate the romantic lantern and secure the decorations using instant glue.
Nichola here suggests adding battery-powered tealights or LED fairy lights in the jar.
When you turn the lantern on, the light will create a silhouette effect around the cutout, just like a fairy sitting inside the jar.
Here are some additional tips from Pixie Hill :
- For better effects, stick the figures directly on the glass
- More light will give a stronger silhouette effect, so use two or three battery-powered tea lights.
- Avoid much overlap of the paper layers
- Use thinner school glue for the paper and thicker tacky glue for the glitter
- Don’t use real candles inside
These fairy lanterns are enchanting!
