Make a paper lantern with only 3 supplies!

Here's how to make a fun paper lantern. It's easy enough that my 3 year old helped make it! Here are the three things you'll need:

12 pieces of 1x6 cardstock (I used double sided but it won't make any difference if you don't)
about 12" of ribbon or string
a hole punch


1. Punch a hole near the end of each strip. You may need to use the first punch as a guide to line up the rest. If needed to fit ribbon, make a series of holes in a line. Repeat on opposite ends so that each strip now has a hole at both ends.


2. Thread the ribbon through one set of holes so that all 12 paper strips are lined up. (If you use double sided paper and want to flip every other one for variation, now is the time to do it.)


3. Tie a knot in the ribbon on the side that you want facing out when the lantern is finished.


4. Bring the ribbon up to the other end of the stack and thread it back through to the opposite side. Be careful not to twist your ribbon.


5.Carefully bend paper into a "U" shape and secure with one hand while you tie a knot where you want the paper to stay.



6. Start to fan out the paper strips evenly to form the lantern shape. If you think it needs to be more round or more oblong you can adjust your knot accordingly.


7. Ta-dah! A paper lantern!

Make a gift box with card stock

Here are instructions on how to make a box using cardstock. It may seem confusing at first, but after you've done it once or twice you may not need instructions anymore. This makes a great gift box for small thoughtful items! You'll need:

2 sheets of 12x12 cardstock (I used SU Very Vanilla & SU Designer Series paper)
Paper cutter
Scissors
Hole punch
Brad
Adhesive
Pencil & ruler (or anything with a straight edge to draw a line)


1. Using the piece of 12x12 cardstock that will become your lid, draw lines from point to point, diagonally, so that the two lines intersect at the center.


2. Starting at one corner, fold point up and into the center point, crease. Repeat on all four corners so that all points are in the center.



3. Unfold the paper so that it is flat again. Now fold a point up to meet the previous score line above it, crease. Unfold. Reapeat on all corners. (Yeah, the picture is crummy, deal with it.)


4. Your paper should look like this now. Lots of squares w/ a few triangles around the edge.


5. Now, take a point and fold it to the first score line it meets. Crease. Repeat on all sides.


6. Starting at one point, cut with the scissors until you meet the center four squares of your box. STOP AT THE FOUR CENTER SQUARES. You will cut a depth of one triangle and two squares. Repeat on the other side of the same point so that this part is independant of the rest of the cardstock.


7. It should leave a section like this on each side of the cut portion.


8. Repeat on the point opposite the one already cut. You should get a mirror image of the first cut. Your cardstock should look like this.


9. Taking one of the uncut points,


10. fold the point into the center of the cardstock. At this point you may wish to put a small amount of adhesive in each of the center squares. When a point meets the center of the cardstock, the adhesive will hold it in place.


11. Repeat on the opposite side. It will leave "tails" sticking out on either side.


12. Bring two of the tails together.


13. Lift the point that rests behind them and bring it up and over, securing the point in the center of the box. Your box now has three sides.



14. Repeat on opposite side. This completes the box lid.


15. To make the bottom: take the remaining sheet of cardstock and trim 1/2" off of two adjoining sides. Reserve these pieces.


16. Repeat steps 1 through 14. Your box will now have a top and a bottom.


17. To make the bow you will need the two pieces of paper cut off of your box bottom. Cut the 12" piece into two 6" pieces. Cut the 11 1/2" piece into one 6" piece and one 5 1/2" piece.


18. Fold the three 6" pieces in half to find the center. Fold one side up to the center and one side down to the center, overlapping slightly. (Think of a figure 8.)Punch a hole where the overlap is. The hole should be through 3 paper layers. This will be the loops of the bow.


19. Cut the 5" strip in half. Punch a hole in one end of both pieces. Cut tails in the opposite ends. These will be your ribbon tails.


20. Insert the brad into one of the loops, follow with the remaining two pieces, then the two ribbon tails. Open brad to secure paper. Adjust loops evenly.


21. Your bow is done and can now be applied to the box top for a finishing touch!



I've found other ways to make this box online but this is the one I prefer. One of the other styles has creases that will show on the finished box top where your pencil lines are hidden. I know it seems complicated, but it's really not.