Hanging Vellum Ramadan Lantern

We've made little table lanterns on this blog before, but today we wanted to make a really big one that hangs next to our front door.  We wanted to welcome Eid in a big way!

Supplies

Scissors
Heavy black paper

Ruler

Yellow vellum

Double-sided tape

Wire cutters

Wire
Round nose pliers
White pencil

You will be cutting out the middle of the lantern templete in the next step, so for this step, put a little bit of double sided tape in the middle section of your lantern templete to help hold it down as you cut.  We found our lantern templete on Martha Stewart, but you can also make your own.  Make sure you draw a tab on the side.  Cut all four lanterns out of the black paper at the same time.

Cut out the middle of the lantern templete and lay it down on your black lantern that you've cut out.  Using your whie pencil, draw out the middle section of your lantern.

Cut out the middle section on the black lanterns.

Print out Eid Mubarak on your vellum and lay it out underneath your lantern opening.  When you are happy with the placement, use double sided table to hold your vellum onto the lantern in the inside.  Then cut off the excess vellum.

Using the ruler, fold over the tab on the inside of your lantern. 

Place some double sided tape on the tab and stick the next lantern side to it.  Continue to do this with all four sides.

Cut off some 20 gauge wire.  We just guessed on the size.  You just want it long enough to go from side to side, but also long enough to have a loop on the top.  It's more stabel to hang the lantern from a loop then just leaving a big arch. 

Use your scissor tip to cut a little hole through one of the sides.  On the inside of the lantern, you might want to add a little piece of tape so that you have a little extra security for the wire.  Poke the wire through the hole and with the round nose pliers, make a little circle on the end.  Do the same to the other side.

Your lantern is now ready!  If you'd like to add a little light in there, you can use the wire on top to hold it in your lantern.  We decided we just wanted our lantern unlit so that we can hang it anywhere.