DIY Paper Lanterns with Beautiful 3D Flowers Design

DIY paper lanterns are some of my favorite things! They are simple to make, and can add ambiance to any space instantly.

You can download the free DIY paper lantern templates at the end!

( Update: After I published this tutorial, many people have told me that they used these DIY paper lanterns for their weddings! It is so rewarding to hear that! )

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These 3-dimensional flower DIY paper lanterns with lights are made with very simple materials:

old drinking glasses or vases, paper, and LED lights or candles! ( Some of the helpful resources are affiliate links. Full disclosure here. )

*Some resources in article are affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

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You may also love these new improved DIY paper lanterns: this new set of paper lanterns are made with plastic bottles and LED string lights!

Make these stunning Dandelion paper lanterns with up-cycled plastic bottles and paper! Free printable download in this easy and fun paper craft tutorial! | A Piece Of Rainbow

Materials and tools for the DIY paper lanterns:

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You can download the free DIY paper lantern templates at the end!

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Step 1: Print and cut paper lanterns designs

Print the template on paper, I used  sturdy 110lb index card stock such as these.

Cut out the leaves and stems, and cut along the lines of the petals, be careful not to cut too much and cut them off. 

Next, measure the size of your glass and cut the excess paper away.

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Step 2: Attach paper lanterns to glass vase

Now the fun part! Gently fold those petals up so the blossoms become three dimensional!

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Use double sided tape to tape the paper onto the outside of the glasses. You will have a beautiful paper lantern!

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Now we can patiently waiting for sunset to light up the candles and appreciate the beauty and magic of these DIY paper lanterns!

Although it is nice to have a bright candle flickering inside the paper lantern, I highly recommend using LED candles or these LED Warm White String Lights  which are very bright, and are safer than real candles!

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DIY-Paper-Lantern | A piece of Rainbow

Download the free paper lantern templates here

Love paper and art? You need no art experience to make this watercolor in 10 minutes, but you do need a toothbrush, wha?!?

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Another set of paper lanterns are here! With colored glow!

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Happy crafting!

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136 Comments

  1. Hi Ananda!
    I used these paper lanterns to decorate tables at the rehearsal dinner for my son’s wedding. They were beautiful!! Everyone were amazed that these were paper & since I had to ship decor out of state, I used plastic water bottles with river pebbles in the bottom. I’d love to share those pictures if I could figure out how, here. Thanks for sharing this beautiful art work!!!

    • hi Kim! congratulations!! and thank you for sharing your beautiful experience! we are looking at ways for readers to post pictures hopefully soon! 🙂

  2. Hi, I am trying to get the paper lantern template I subscribed but no email has been sent to download the template . Please help .

  3. Why can I not download the houses? I subscribed to the letter. There is no link to be able to print or download these

      • Hi Ananda! These lanterns are gorgeous!! Have you done these paper lanterns using colored paper? If so, how does it turn out? My wedding colors are sapphire blue and copper/rose gold. Love the lanterns but would like to incorporate my colors. Any suggestions? Thank you!

        • hi Leah! congrats!! 🙂 i think colored paper would be lovely! regular thickness paper is probably better than thick card stock. definitely test one first! 🙂

  4. Those look amazing. But I could not download it. I have tried all ways you said, do you think you could send it to my email, please? I am looking forward to seeing it.
    Thanks

  6. Hi Ananda,

    I just signed up for a subscription, and the downloads link in my confirmation email took me to a page with all of the projects with the “download” listed beneath each one. When I click on them, nothing happens. When I try to open it in a different tab, it tells me to register all over again. Can you please help me?

  10. HI, Is this website still alive? I have clicked and clicked and subscribe but I can’t find any link for the download. Is it on this page or we have to wait for the email to come? How long does it take for the email/ newsletter to be sent? sorry, I have opened more than 10 pages and I’m getting frustrated. Checked my spam folder too, nothing there.

  12. Hi Ananda,
    Thank you for sharing this tutorial and tamplate. I wonder if you have the svg version of the template to use with the cricut to be able to cut and score the lines.

    • hi elise, i think cricut can convert the pdf to cut line. no score lines in this project, just curle the petals by hand. hope that helps! 🙂

  13. I thought I was going mad cos I can’t findvtemplates either. HELP PLEASE as I’m desperate to try this. They are gorgeous

  14. Hi, it’s so beautiful. Somehow I can’t find the templates for both lanterns. It says download below and them there’s nothing there. Can you tell me where they are? My daughter and I are really excited to try this! Aya.

  17. HI I have just come across your wonderful post !! I really want to make some of these for he summer. Can I ask is there an issue with health and safety for the paper white and coloured that you use alongside the candle?
    thanks

  19. Hi I just love those luminaries but I have a Cricut. Is it possible to just get the SVG file as I can’t cut Silhouette files They are really beautiful would love to make them, hanks

  22. Hi there, love these candles..I used to be a cardmaker and love doing paper crafts so I know I’d love this but am wondering what I could use for other templates as well, is there somewhere you got your deisgns…or could you share more designs with me?? Thanks,Lisa

    • thank you lisa! there’s another set on this blog if you go to DIY on the top menu. i will create more in 2015. i did try to design one for the holidays but was not 100% satisfied with how they turned out, will keep working on them! =)

  25. So cool and beautiful! I could see one as a gift for a “crafty” friend, but also include your new template and paper as part of the gift. 🙂

  30. Ananda,

    when i pull the file in to the silhouette studio it only has one of the deisgns and i know there are 3 on the first and 2 on the second.

    suggestions? trace?

    thank you they are very beautiful!

    • Hi sam, the studio file has 1 design because i just moved things around to make variations according to the glass sizes. =)

  31. love these! I am trying to download them and they download to my computer but when I try to open the silhouette one I get a message “There is no application set to open the document “dimensional-paper-apieceofrainbow.studio3”. I have a silhouette cameo and updated the software – I know I must be doing something wrong – can you help me out?

  32. I love these! I downloaded template into SIL DE but it did not trace well. Was I supposed to import a different way? TIA

    • hi rose, that’s what i used, & some readers have made them too, not sure why yours are not cutting right, make sure all lines are set at 0 !

  33. I have a Silhouette Cameo and have found the perfect giveaway I’ve been looking for for my son’s wedding. Thanks for sharing!

  36. Oh how delightful! I just love them and looking forward to making them in all shapes and sizes.
    Thanks for sharing and just love your blog site.
    XXOO

  40. Merci de nous faire voir ce très bel ouvrage de décoration , très facile à faire avec un résultat magnifique ,il faut continuer à nous faire de si belles choses ,beaucoup d’imagination , merci encore . Régine

  43. Wow!!! These lanterns are BEAUTIFUL! I love how gorgeous and almost 3-D like they are. I need to make some of these because I love things that glow in the night too! And, I have to laugh – because you and I have the exact same glasses. Hahaha! So, now I know exactly how mine will look provide I can cut them out right! 🙂

  70. Easy and so fabulous! Could be cute to glue thin paper of another color on the back before cutting too…that way when they fold out, there’s a pop of color visible. Just a thought!

    • nice to have ya here tarun! my problem is i have ideas to keep 100 of me busy but there aren’t 100! =)

      • Hello, Im loving all your DIYs! Especially the paper lanterns! I subscribed, got the email, clicked the big confirmation button, looked for the templates to download and it keeps saying I have to sign up, which I did, so it says if you did subscribe there is a button on the news letter, yet on the tutorials it says you can download at the end which is a down right fib cause you or I cant! Not cool! Can you please send me the templates via email or a link to the download, PLEASE! These are so cute and i want to cut them with my cricut. I would like all 3 templates. Please please please help a fellow crafter out! Ill send or post pics later today after im done. …if I get the twmpletes that is.
        Thank you.
        Charley

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