Q: I love spending time on our back patio, but there just isn't enough light out there. Is there something that I can make that is both illuminating and decorative to add some flair to my back patio?A: There's just something so peaceful about sitting on our back patio, either watching the kids play or just relaxing and watching the sun go down. So, to shed a little light on this viewer's dilemma, I've come up with a really fun and bright idea: hanging decorative paper lanterns.
These lanterns are great for small outdoor patios that need just a little added light and a nice touch of ambiance. And if you're planning an outdoor party anytime soon, these should definitely be on your to-do list.
We picked up individual plain paper lanterns at a home store, but you can also find them at crafts stores or even online. Before you start assembling your lanterns, it's a good idea to go ahead and measure the area where you want to hang them. There's no real formula to how these should be spaced out: it's really what you think looks best. (I like to have my lanterns spaced out about every couple of inches.) That way you'll know how many lanterns you'll need to fill in the space properly.
1. Lightly spray the entire lantern with a coat of clear polyurethane (this will help paint to go on smoothly and not bleed); let dry
2. Lightly spray the entire lantern with floral spray paint to create the desired opacity (you may eliminate this step if you would prefer the natural color as the background).
3. Use acrylic paints to paint your chosen design on the lantern. You could create freeform shapes or use the natural pattern of the lantern to make concentric circles.
4. Seal with another coat of polyurethane.
5. Use craft glue and ribbon or bias tape to trim out the top and bottom of the lantern.
6. You can use lengths of ribbon or strings of beads to hang around the bottom of the lantern. It looks nice if you alternate lengths of ribbon and beads, or even ribbons with larger beads on the end of each.
Each lantern comes with a light kit; follow the manufacturer's instructions to install it.
Let's go back now and recap how we created these fun lanterns:
1. Coat the lanterns with polyurethane and let dry.
2. Paint the lanterns and let dry.
3. Add fringe or other embellishments.
4. Hook up the light kit.
One other nice thing about this project is that these don't necessarily have to be used outside. These would be a lot of fun to have as a decoration for a party, or maybe you just want to have them hanging in your kitchen or dining room for a little added pizzazz.
