Thanksgiving Paper Lanterns

written by Heather Watterworth

Not only are these paper lanterns incredibly easy to make, they look a little like modern pumpkins and gourds.
Grouped together – as spotted on designer/crafter Elise Blaha – they’re also a perfect way to decorate for a casual Thanksgiving dinner. Use a variety of paper in fall colours, or mix it up with metallic or patterned papers in harvest hues.


I am not sure what to call these guys. I am totally in love with them though.
This fall and holiday season, I am working on bringing a little bit of DIY decorations to our apartment and to this blog. I'm re-channeling my Paper Source days. When I worked there it was like, what do we need? A wedding cake? Make it out of paper. A tree? Make it out of paper. A flower? An owl? A pinwheel? A wreath? A cartwheeling monkey? HURRY, GET THE CARDSTOCK.
And if we could do it there... I can do it here.
Or at least try.
These lanterns are totally inspired by the gourd place card kits that Paper Source sells. They are adorable. Probably my favorite paper kit next to this wreath.
I just blew up the concept & hung them from the ceiling.
Supplies needed : 8.5x11 cardstock in various colors, string or ribbon, a hole puncher, some sort of sticker or tape, a pushpin for tacking them to your ceiling.

Cut your cardstock into strips that are equal in length and width. I did 16 strips of 11" x 1" and 14 strips of 8.5" x .75".

Stack the papers and punch holes through the top and bottom of each strip.

String the strips on your piece of string or ribbon. Seal the string with a piece of tape or sticker.

String through the top holes.

Pull the string tight until the paper bows out. Tie off the top (make sort of a bow/messy knot. It just needs to be big enough that the string doesn't go back through the paper).

Fan out the strips until you have created a sphere shape. (For easy storage, just unfan and box up.)

Hang from your ceiling and secure with a push pin. (note : my string in the images shown ended up being too short. I just added some extra length by tying two pieces together. Your string length will depend on how low you want the lanterns to hang.)


Use different colors, sizes and lengths of string to create a cluster of autumn excitement.
(And p.s. can't you just imagine these in red and green for Christmas? Or yellow and white for a baby's room? Or rainbow for a birthday party? Or orange and gray for a wedding? No? Just me, then?)
Happy crafting!