Four Sided “Stained Glass” Tealight Lantern

Simple four sided lantern with "stained glass" tissue paper detailing.

Step 1: Supplies

4 sheets 8.5X11 black cardstock 60lb weight or heavier

8 or 9 different colors of tissue paper

scissors

x-acto knife

pencil

ruler

Glue (I like this 3-in-1 by Beacon because it grips almost instantly and doesn’t require holding pieces together while waiting to dry.)

NOTE: Leave the glue bottle lying on its side for most efficient use.

Tea Light (not shown)

Step 2: Print Then Cut Out the Stencil. Make 4.

Print out stencil, cut on the black cut lines. The cyan colored lines indicate where the lantern needs to be scored. This should just fit onto an 8.5X11 paper

(or upload file: BBlantern.svg to your cutter software. Be sure to set the cyan colored lines to score and NOT cut.)

Cut out the 4 sides, and bunny detail. 4 panels made.

Step 3: Scoring the Corner Flaps.

Score the vertical body score line, and the top diagonal score line towards the back. To score the paper, just drag back of the tip of your knife along the line. Use a ruler to guarantee straightness. Fold the flap towards the back on the vertical and diagonal score lines.

Step 4: Make Stencil for the "glass" Inserts

Place a piece of paper behind the cut outs to create stencil for the tissue paper.

Place the paper for the bunny body behind the bunny cutout and trace both the inner and outer edges of his body.

Step 5: Preparing to Cut

I have gone over my trace with colored marker your clarification. The dark blue marks the inner and outer perimeter of the shape to be filled (bunny body). The pink lines are where you need to cut the tissue paper. These can be eyeballed instead of drawn if you are careful.

Stack up 4 sheets and carefully between the trace lines (where indicated by pink line) cut through all 4.

Step 6: Glue Tissue to Inside of Each Lantern Side

Keeping the side gluing flaps to left glue the tissue to the inside of the bunny's body.

Step 7: More Tracing and Cutting

Continue to trace and cut, then carefully glue tissue pieces to the inside of the lantern panels.

Shown: tracing, then gluing in the grass area.

Step 8: Progress!

Bunny, sky and grass as seen from back.

And Front with Bunny, sky and grass tissue glued in place.

Step 9: Filling in the Eggs!

Partially filled in - back view

All done, Front view.

Step 10: Assemble Lantern

Place glue on long vertical flap of panel 1 and adhere to the side of panel 2. Repeat until all 4 panels are attached in a long strip.

Bring panel 4 around and glue to panel 1, creating an enclosed shape.

After gluing, pinch the corners to make them more square.

Step 11: Fasten Together the Top

Fold the score lines that connect the lantern top to the base.

Lower score line folds towards the front, the upper score line folds back.

Apply glue to gluing flap of first top section.

Continue to adhere top panels until fastened all around.

Step 12: Other Possibilities

Now just because I picked an Easter theme, doesn’t mean you need too! Any silhouette can be cut from the center of the side panels – Christmas, other Easter, Patriotic, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Birthday, or any other holiday theme!

Here are some other possible centers for your lantern panels. The stars could have yellow tissue for Christmas; or Red, White, and Blue for a Memorial Day, Flag Day, or Labor Day theme!