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Homemade Halloween lanterns can provide your Halloween decor with a funny or sinister atmosphere, depending on the kind of lanterns you choose to display in the yard, the backyard or even inside de home. The best way to get the Halloween lights you really want to show is to make them yourself. This will allow you to plan some Halloween crafts to make with the kids and at the same time, save you money on your Halloween decor.
Here we are going to cover the steps that you’ll take in order to create wonderful homemade Halloween lanterns to display on your next Halloween party; whether inside or outside. Best of all is that you can copy the project and create as many Halloween lanterns as you want.
How to Make Canister Halloween Lanterns
Materials to prepare in advance:
- A pair of metal scissors or rotary cutter
- Paint
- Candle lights or tea lights
- A black marker
- A few paint canisters
- A few Halloween character patterns
Instructions to make Halloween canister lanterns:
- Use the patterns to guide you through the drawing of a character on the canister
- Cut out a few holes using the rotary cutter – eyes, mouth, etc.
- Paint the character Halloween themed colors (black, orange, red, gray, dark green, etc.)
- Once it dries, place a candle inside the canister – or a tea light if you used a small can.
- That’s it. You’ve just made your first Halloween lantern!
Repeat the same operations to make more lanterns and use various Halloween characters.
A great idea is to create a few pumpkin themed lanterns in different sizes; this will make you a fantastic Halloween pumpkin lantern family!
For a better exposure, you can line them up together by using some string and hang them on your trees if you have some in the yard or garden. Alternatively, you can place the entire pumpkin lantern family on your window support.
How to Make Pumpkin Halloween Lanterns
Do you prefer to create some pumpkin Halloween lanterns instead of canister lights? No problem. Here is how to proceed for those homemade Halloween lanterns.
Materials you’ll need:
- A few small pumpkins or okaido pumpkins
- A knife
- Tea lights
- A black marker
Instructions to make pumpkin Halloween lanterns:
- Use the knife to cut the fruit and remove the flesh
- With the black marker, draw the eyes, the nose and the mouth so that you have a pattern to work on.
- Cut out the nose, eyes and mouth
- Clean your new lantern and place a tea light inside
- On Halloween night, light the tea light or the candle.
The advantage of such Halloween lanterns is that you can make some soup or pumpkin pie with the fruit flesh. Okaido pumpkins are known for their fantastic sweet taste and will work wonders on your Halloween table costumed in a cute pie 😉
Because of their nature, it’s better to light those homemade Halloween lanterns during the night.
Where getting free Halloween patterns?
- Enchanted Learning
- Halloween Crafts, Costumes, Pumpkins, Games…
- FamilyFun Crafts, Activities, Recipes & Other Ideas for Kids & Parents
- Crafts – free, easy, homemade craft projects; patterns, ideas
How to Make Papier Maché Halloween Lanterns
Papier maché homemade Halloween lanterns are an all time favorite among craft amateurs. Here’s how to proceed to create your own papier maché Halloween lanterns.
Materials you need:
- Cutter or scissors
- Water
- Flour
- Craft glue
- A balloon
- Old newspapers cut into strips
- Paint
- Battery operated light bulbs (no candle light for such a decoration!)
Instructions to make Halloween papier maché lanterns:
- Inflate the balloon to the size you want your Halloween lantern to be
- Mix water, flour and glue
- Dip the newspaper strips into the mixture and place around the balloon
- Let dry for an entire night
- When dry, pop the balloon
- Cut a small portion of the bottom of your new lantern so that it stands on its own
- Draw a figure on your lantern
- Use scissors or a cutter to cut out the mouth, nose and eyes of your character
- Paint it whatever color you best like – you can use a spray can for such purpose
- Place a light bulb into the lantern and that’s it.
How to Make Glass Halloween Lanterns
Another way to create Halloween lanterns at home is by using glass jars that you would be about to throw away. Instead of sending them to trash, recycle them into lovely Halloween decorative lanterns.
Materials you need:
- A few glass jars cleaned and dried
- Some Halloween themed character patterns
- Paint
- A black marker
- Some tea lights or candle lights depending on the height of your glass jars
Directions to make Halloween jar lanterns:
- Paint each glass jar a different Halloween related color
- Use the character patterns to guide you through drawing your characters on the painted jars
- Decorate them, color their clothes whenever they have some, sprinkle some glitter for a glamorous effect…
- Place a tea light or candle inside each jar, light and put your new Halloween lanterns all around the home.
As you can see, making Halloween lanterns yourself is as simple as a pie and you don’t need to be an artist to make your own. Get the needed materials and follow the instructions – who knows, you might end up finding a new alternative for making Halloween lighted decorations. Just use your imagination…
