DIY Network

Tapas Party: Rustic Handmade Lanterns From "Weekend Entertaining" episode WKE-203

These Rustic Handmade Lanterns provide a warm glow that will help set a special mood for your party.

This party is rated 3 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most difficult, and is geared toward the skills of a frequent entertainer.

Hourly Breakdown

Total Prep Time -- 12 hours
Rustic Handmade Lanterns -- 5 hours to make 5

Materials for Lanterns --

10" x 20" piece of aluminum flashing per lantern
6" circle cut from same kind of flashing per lantern
Metal snips
Leather work gloves
Copper spray paint
Black stencil creme (oil-based)
Paper towels
Pencil
Tracing paper (light and dark)
Waxed paper (to draw pattern)
Metal ruler or T-square
Hammer
Nails
Scrap wood plank
Copper wire
Thin gauge wire
Wire cutter/pliers
Candle

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G
	PDF Download the Lantern Template pattern.

Rustic Handmade Lanterns

1. You begin with the flashing. Flashing is a rooftop type material that is used to divert water. On the right side, lightly mist flashing with copper spray paint. (The piece of flashing on the show was brown on one side and white on the other side.)

2. Draw a line, along one long edge of the wrong side, measuring 2" from the edge. This is the fold line for the bottom of the lantern. Draw a line along the other long edge measuring about 1/2" from the edge. Gently hammer edge to create a clean folded edge (figure A).

   Safety Tip: The edges of the flashing are sharp, so be sure and wear your gloves when you are working with the flashing.

3. Draw or copy a design onto tracing paper. On the wrong side of the flashing, trace diamond shape for the opening in the center of the flashing (figure B). You want a lot of light to shine through. You will need to press hard in order to leave the design shape on the flashing.

   Expert Tip: If you are not a very artistic person, try using tracing paper to trace your design rather than drawing freehand.

4. Place a block of wood under the flashing to prevent damage to your work surface, and then hammer a nail hole in the center of the diamond. Work the tip of the snips into the hole and cut a straight line from the center to each point of the diamond.

   Expert Tip: When cutting hard-to-cut items, be sure and wear heavy duty gloves to protect your hands.

5. Place metal ruler along one edge of the diamond. Fold the cut triangle over the ruler to get a clean folded edge (figure C). Repeat with remaining three triangles.

6. Turn the flashing over (now right side up) and gently hammer the edges of the diamond to clean up the folded edges.

7. Mark the nail holes with tracing paper and then hammer through all the traced hole marks.

8. Along each short edge of flashing, hammer five equally spaced holes. (The lanterns will be held together by placing wires in these five holes.) Hammer a hole 5" from each short end, approximately 1" from the top edge of the flashing (for hanger).

9. Use snips to cut slits about 1" apart along the bottom edge of the lantern, cutting up to but not over the fold line (step 2). This will make it possible to fold up the bottom and allow it to curve toward the inside.

10. Place the metal ruler along the fold line and fold triangles to create 90-degree angles (figure D).

11. Curve the flashing to form a circle.

12. Use 3-4" pieces of thin gauge wire to thread through each of the five sets of holes. It is easier to make a little hook at the end of the wire (figure E). Loop the hook through the hole in the lantern (starting at the top) and give it a twist to secure.

13. Once you have the wires in the holes, cut off the extra wide ends (figure F).

14. Place 6" flashing circle into the bottom of the lantern.

15. Create the hanger by twisting two pieces of copper wire together, and inserting the wire into the top side holes (figure G).

16. Using a paper towel, rub the stencil creme over the punched holes and around the rim of the diamond shape to give the lantern an aged look.

17. Place candle in lantern and hang.

Note: These lantern's were made to hang on shepherd's hooks in the yard. It rained, so the party had to moved inside. They looked just as great by sitting them on some tables around the room.

For a PDF file of the Lantern Template, click on the hot link, above right. Note that the PDF is only "half" the size of the actual pattern. You can take the printout to your local photocopy center and have it enlarged.

RESOURCES :

Sophisticated Entertaining: Spirited Food for Grown-Up Parties
1557883459
Jeanne Benedict
(October, 2000)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Whole Foods Market
Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Hillcrest Party Rentals
3507 Motor Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Phone: 310-837-9009
Website: www.hillcrestparty.com

The Sophisticated Cookie: Baking with Spirits: The World's Best Cookies Made with Alcoholic Beverages
1557882940
Jeanne Benedict
(September, 1998)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Celebrations: A Joyous Guide to the Holidays from Past to Present
1557883734
Jim McCann and Jeanne Benedict
(November, 2001)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Cesar: Recipes from a Tapas Bar
1580084834
Olivier Said and James Mellgren
(September, 2003)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Ten Speed Press

GUESTS :

Harry Schwartz
Culinary Expert
PO Box 1320
Yarmouth, ME 04096
Phone: 207-846-8881
E-mail: chefharry@chefharry.com
Website: www.chefharry.com

Cheryl Evanoff
Vice President, Regal Rents
6612 Shenandoah
Los Angeles, CA 90056
Phone: 310-529-0312
E-mail: Cheryl@regalrents.com