Cuttlebug Challenge Blog--Festival of lights!!!

...a riddle for You:

What is over 15 inches long
made of paper, vellum, & Cuttlebug folders
& hopes to light up your creativity?

This thinger!

heeheehee :o)

Here's a pictorial for how to make this large lantern
out of paper and heat-embossed vellum:




Please click the photos to visit the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog

This is a tutorial for a BIG hanging lantern with mosaic tiles of Cuttlebug embossing. You might not be able to tell from the photos but it's over 15 inches (or 38.1 cm) long! --Let's just say it is the largest thing I've ever made from paper.

The template for this lantern (created by Martha Stewart) uses a fair bit of paper (3 large sheets to construct it & 6 standard sheets to embellish it) but the scale of it is ever so impressive. (All the template links are at the bottom of this post.)

This pictorial... has a lot of steps, but despite all my rambling, ;o)
the steps are really easy & fun because...

• You don't need to make perfect cuts--the style is playful.
• No complicated embossing--just small tile-like pieces.
• and You can use all of your embossing folders on one project!

Project Summary:

1) Make one master template piece.
2) Trace the template 3 times, score & cut the 3 panels.
3) Print, cut & Emboss 3 more panels with embossing folders to decorate it.
4) Adhere the embossed pieces to the panels & embellish however you like.
5) Add sheer panels & Assemble the lantern.
6) Add a hanger (string or whatever you have to hang it with).

Materials:

--Various embossing folders

--Large paper (measuring approximately 10 inches x 16 inches or longer--or 25.4 cm x 40.6 cm.) Watercolour paper or bristol or any other "art" paper is good for this. 100lb is lovely. Art papers are great because they are acid/lignin free...but if you can't find them, you can just recycle cardboard or other packaging.

--6 sheets of standard cardstock [A4 sheets measuring 8.5 x 11 inches (or 21.6 cm x 27.9 cm)] The colour of this cardstock should be the colour you want your finished lantern to be. I used white.

--2 sheets of any old spare colour at all (to use as a template you will trace & discard).

Miscellaneous:
--Paper trimmer and/or scissors
--Adhesive (Tombow Monomulti & Oh so Sticky tape)
--Pencil, Ruler, Eraser
--1/8" Hole punch & String (to hang it)
--Paper piercer, needle, thread, & bugle beads
--Heavy weight vellum cardstock & Background stamp
--white pigment ink, embossing powder, heat gun



Step 1) Print the template, cut it & stick it together:

1 A) Print the two parts of the template on any spare cardstock.

1B) Cut the 2 templates out along the solid line (leaving the area where the page continues beyond the template intact so you can use it to overlap when you put them together in the next step).

1C) Line the 2 sheets up with each other & adhere them.
TIP: You can use a light table or a bright window if you want to line them up precisely.



Step 2A) Trace the template onto a cardstock of your choice. Relatively heavyweight cardstock is nice for a sturdy lantern. 80-100lb is ideal.



Step 2B) You might want to use a ruler to straighten out the traced lines (in case the two template parts were not totally straight).



Step 3) Cut the 3 panels out & score (Score where the dotted line indicates to make the long tab on the side of each one).

To embellish:

Embossing the tile pieces to make a mosaic look:



Step 1) Make the Cuttlebug embossed tile pieces for a mosaic look:

1A) Print the two parts of the template 3 times...on 6 standard sheets of cardstock. The colour of this should be the colour you want your finished paper lantern to be. I chose white.

1B) Trim off exactly where the solid black line of the template ends--Using a paper trimmer (or making a straight cut however you like).

1C) Cut all the pieces out (so that there is none of the black template lines left on them.) For each template part, cut the section marked TAB off completely (or cut along the dotted line & discard that tab piece.

1D) Divide the panels into random tile-like sections for Cuttlebug embossing--Mark random lines on each template to show where to cut them up. Then, index by marking very lightly with a pencil, numbering each section, so you'll have a quick reference guide for putting them back together easily.

1E) Cut them apart. Lay them on the template and/or the other panels for easy reference.

TIPS:
Doing one panel/side at a time makes it easiest. You can label your pieces and even take a photo of them laid out for a handy reference on how to puzzle them together when you glue.

You can ink or distress the pieces before or after Cuttlebug embossing if you like



Step 2) Cuttlebug emboss the random sections/pieces.

2A) You can use all the same folder if you like; I used many different ones.



2B) Lay the embossed pieces back on the template/panels for reference (the side with the pencil marks up).



Step 3) Adhere the embossed tile pieces to the outside of each panel (Glue on the side with the pencil marks).

Create the sheer panels for the windows:



Step 1) Cut 3 triangles (of sheer material) that will fit behind the windows of each side.



Step 2) Decorate the sheer panels before adhering them into the windows: I embossed a very large stamp from Paper Garden Projects (called Cover-a-card Tapestry).



Step 3) Embellish (if you like): the front panel on this was pierced & stitching was added with bugle beads around the frame.



Step 4) Adhere the sheer panels inside the window.

The possibilities for styling your sheer panels are as limitless as your imagination:

Stamp or emboss on vellum, printable acetate etc...
Print a digital image, photograph, clip art, or anything.
Use rub-ons on a clear/sheer paper of any kind.
Embroider a heavy weight vellum or acetate panel.
Make a faux stained glass panel.
Tissue on acetate or any other semi sheer technique.
Use any of the store-bought printed acetate sheets.
Use any die-cut/cut-out sheets.
Use sheer fabric adhered to acetate or vellum for stability.

Assemble the finished panels:



Put strong double-sided tape along the tabs & attach the panels to each other.

Add a hanger:



Punch holes in the top middle of each panel & add string (or wire, or fishing line).

and then light it up! :o)

The Template:

A tutorial for the original style of this lantern is here on Martha Stewart

The templates and clipart PDFs can be found here: witch, owl, moon, cat 1, or cat 2. The first of each PDF page has a Halloween image, but the last two pages have the templates (part one & two) that you'll need if you'd like to make one of these.

Hope you have a day glowing with mojo!