Making paper lanterns...

I found this really great How To (on Pinterest) for these really CUTE paper lanterns.  I'm always looking for ways to decorate the store and thought these might be fun.  We're not just about making your own jewelry or being a super awesome Denver bead store, we're full on craft masters!  Craft.  Masters. 

We changed up the directions a little.  First, this project called for 8x8 paper, cut in half, so the lanterns would have been 4" high.  We wanted ours a little bigger, so we started with 12x12 paper, and didn't cut it in half.  

We did cut the "contrasting" strips from the original papers though.  So our final size ended up being 10x12.  We don't have a lot of scrapbook paper laying around, we should though, it's fun... and handy.

We drew a box an inch in from all sides.  Can I mention that we don't apparently have ANY rulers here.  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!

"I'm having so much fun right now!  This is the best ever," a direct quote from Aimee.

We drew lines an inch apart and cut them into strips (don't cut all the way down, or else it doesn't work) We used baby razor knives.  Aimee did.  I'm not allowed to have sharp things...  :)

 

Glue the ends together and voila! 

Add the contrasting paper to each end and there you have it!  We did hole punch the ends to add ribbons so we could hang them.

I don't think they're as cute as they are in the tutorial.  Why does that always happen!  Maybe it's because they're bigger.  Or not attached to that really cute purse.  It could be that we changed the dimensions too.  So instead of being 10x12, they should have been 6x12?  Who knows.