# DIY Paper Table Lantern
When you are putting together a backyard party for your family and friends, make the party more decorative and elegant by setting out subtle lighting that will give the yard a soft glow. One way to do this is to use paper lanterns, which can be placed on tables or ledges or along walkways. Instead of buying paper lanterns from a department store, save money by making the paper lanterns by hand using a few basic materials that can be purchased from an art store.
Things You'll Need
- Hot glue stick
- Hot glue gun
- 12 wooden dowels, 12 inches long, 1/4 inch wide
- Vellum paper sheets, cream colored
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Tea light candle
Instructions
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1
Push a hot glue stick into a hot glue gun. Plug the hot glue gun into a wall outlet to heat up for five minutes.
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2
Apply hot glue to the corners of four wooden dowels to glue them together into a square. Allow the hot glue to cool for one minute. Repeat to create a second wooden dowel square.
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3
Place one of the squares flat on a table top, and squeeze a pea-sized dollop of hot glue onto one corner of the square. Hold another wooden dowel upright onto the hot glue dollop, and hold it in place for one minute to allow the hot glue to cool. Repeat to glue a wooden dowel upright onto each corner of the square.
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4
Squeeze a pea-sized hot glue dollop onto the top of each upright wooden dowel, then lay the second square on top of the form. Allow the hot glue to cool for one minute.
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5
Cut out five vellum paper squares, using scissors, each measuring 12 inches square.
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6
Squeeze a line of hot glue around the wooden dowels on the bottom of the square, placing the glue on the inside. Lay one of the vellum squares into the bottom of the form. Allow the hot glue to cool for one minute. Repeat this process to hot glue a vellum square around the sides on the inside of the dowel form.
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7
Squeeze a dime-sized dollop of hot glue onto the center of the bottom vellum square. Press a tea light candle onto the hot glue dollop, then allow it to cool for one minute before using the paper lantern.
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8
Repeat this process to create as many paper lanterns as you need for your yard party.
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