Dimensional DIY Paper Lanterns

Here comes another set of DIY paper lanterns with a new floral design. This time they are glowing colored light!

DIY-Paper-Lantern | A piece of Rainbow

( Some of the helpful resources are affiliate links. Full disclosure here. ) 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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*Some resources in article are affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

In case you missed the first set of DIY paper lanterns, here they are.

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I will list all the materials below again to make thing easier. ( Some of the helpful resources are affiliate links. Full disclosure here. )

Materials and tools:

  • glass with straight sides, such as cylinders or cubes
  •  LED candles or these LED Warm White String Lights  which are very bright, and are safer than real candles!
  • white paper : I used  this great quality index card stock , which worked beautifully to get more of the dimensional effect. There’s a lot of confusion between index vs cover (heavier) card stock, and the ways paper weight is labeled. This paper is the perfect weight, not too flimsy like text paper, not too heavy yet hold its shape nicely.
  • Colored Vellum Paper
  • you can use a Silhouette Portrait or Cameo, but it’s easy enough to cut with an X-acto knife. And free templates which you can download at the end
  • scotch tape

I made these free templates, you can download at the end!

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The process is the same as the first tutorial– after cutting them by hand or on your Silhouette, fold those petals up so the blossoms become three dimensional.

This pattern is a little more intricate, so use a spatula or butter knife to help lift them off the cutting mat!

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Tape some colored vellum before taping the paper, so we can have colored light shining through.

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Now light the LED candles or LED Warm White String Lights and enjoy your new set of lanterns! What I noticed is that the candle light has a warm golden glow to it, so the velum takes on a warm color, and the yellow is enhanced, the purple turns into a rose color, and the light pink take on more of the gold / orange. I hope you will try some different colors and let me know how they turn out!

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Download the free templates.

Here is the first set of paper lantern!

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And here is another set : dreamy Dandelion paper lanterns plus a new discovery on using plastic bottles!

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

Happy creating! xo

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135 Comments

  2. Hi Ananda,
    Wondering if you can give me any help downloading the 3D Dimensional Lantern Templates?
    I have tried downloading it from several different places and buttons but it just takes you back to the page to sign up…..which I have already done.
    Thanks for your help.
    Frances.

  3. I can’t get this one to download or save. I got the first ok but it says the file is not safe and will not download it. or it takes me to the one have already downloaded. This is the one that I really wanted. The first one on top, Help!!

    • hi! some browsers block zip or svg files. maybe try using firefox or chrome and or ask someone who use these browsers to try it? we know it works because many have downloaded the files! 🙂

  4. I’ve tried the downloads from the link you posted and all it does is like refresh the page. The download doesn’t start. But the lanterns are cute. Thanks for sharing anyway. Stay safe.

    • hi Yvonne! sometimes it’s a zip file and a window pops up to prompt saving the file. some browsers could have blocked the pop up! just reply to our newsletter and let us know which download you were trying to get! 🙂

  5. Hi, I have been trying to download the dimentional flower paper lantern patterns but I have only been able to download one. I changed my pop-up setting to allow pop-ups but they will not open. Is there somewhere else I can obtain the patterns?

    Thank you!
    Rebecca

  6. I have been unable to download these files. I use Cricut Design Space, but when I go to upload them I don’t seem to know how to change from a PDF file to a SVG file. I have followed your instructions but must be doing something wrong. Could you help me or advise me as to what I’m going wrong? Respectfully, Pat McCoy

  7. Hi, I have tried several times to download the patterns for the lights but have had no luck, are they still available please. I have been a subscriber for ages and love many of your ideas.

      • Hello Ananda,
        These are so pretty. I am trying to download the files for this lantern and cannot get them to download Everytime I click download, it looks like something opens but nothing does. I read through comments and tried all of the suggestions in the comments but none of them work. Is there another way I can download the files? Thank you in advance 🙂

        • hi Leah! some of these are zip files, and as soon as you click download, they could be already saved in your download folder. maybe look in there? 🙂

  10. I have tried nine times to download these templates. The other similar lantern templates downloaded just fine, but this one keeps taking me to the “sign up” yellow button….which I have done nine times and NOTHING! Please tell me what I am doing wrong.

  13. Hi Ananda, excellent work…
    but unfortunately can’t download the paper templates of “Dimensional DIY Paper Lanterns” would you please mail me the templates.
    Thanks..

  14. Hi Ananda,

    Your dimensional paper lantern looks great!!! however it seems that i have problem downloading the templates… would you send me the templates to my email?

    Many thanks!!!

    Anthony

  15. I am unable to download the template for the second lantern, It keeps telling me the site cannot be reached.

    • hi babara, a download link will be sent to you. if you don’t get it, share the post link with friends and let them download for you. sometimes pacbell emails can reject our emais 🙂

  20. My daughter and I think these are great! In two weeks we will be using them as the centre pieces for her wedding! I downloaded your pattern and cut them out with my Full Spectrum hobby laser. most of the materials came from the dollar store. The glass vases were wrapped in a single layer of green tissue paper. I used sketch pad paper for a more organic texture. Colour was added to the paper using a water colour wash sparingly applied horizontally with a kitchen sponge. It was fun to make sure each sheet was a little different. Battery tea lights will provide illumination. I would love to send you a photo or two.

    P.S. During our experimental phase we learned that baking parchment makes a budget friendly substitute for white vellum.

    • congratulations kelly and thank you for sharing!! please feel free to email me photos at apieceofrainbow at gmail.com , i would love to see them! =)

  22. These paper lanterns are really lovely – too bad I don’t have a silhouette-cutter… I have a Zing and I use Make-the-Cut … importing the pdfs doesn’t give me the perfect result as the studio3 in Silhouette.
    Tips on how to solve this ?

  23. Hi I have just seen your fantastic paper lanterns and would love to make these . I have a silhouette portrait but am new to using this machine . Can you tell me what I put in to silhouette store to get these fab flower designs thank you for your he

  26. Love this idea… BRAVA! I would really like to make one for the holidays using navy blue vellum and a snowflake design… perhaps even embellish with a few small clear rhinestones… thoughts?

  27. Is it possible to use a plastic bottle instead of the glass and still have the same lighting effect?

    Love it!!

      • How do you do it with plastic bottles? I would love to do that for my wedding centerpieces so I can assemble them all together and transport them easier. What kind of bottles would you recommend? I’d love to have the 3 different heights.

  34. I only have one container that fits the requirements – it is basically a cube but I have a squat drinking glass with 8 sides that I might try, as well. I will use tissue paper instead of vellum since I have lots of that, including a funky one. It is white but has little coloured stars. Today is Victoria Day here in Canada, usually celebrated with fireworks. I will make a couple of these, and maybe some tin cans with punched holes, and put them in the window after dark.
    Thanks for the beautiful project.

  43. These candle covers are so beautiful! Can you suggest that would have some Christmas patterns? Thank you for sharing and your time.

  45. These lanterns are so beautiful yet simple. I can’t wait to give them a go. Thanks for the tutorial xx

  48. Wow these are beautiful! My fiance and I watched Disney’s Tangled on our first date and when he proposed to me he had some lanterns like in the movie. We are now looking into making some for our wedding and these are absolutely awesome for that. Thanks for sharing!

    • congratulations jess! i LOVE tangled and that’s my favorite scene! so magical! wish you a beautiful and magical wedding!!

  53. Thank you for sharing. I also have a Silhouette (which I love) and appreciate the downloads. I’m going to make these today.

  56. These are GORGEOUS!!! I am going to use them as centerpieces for my parents 50th Anniversary Party! Thank You so much for the tutorial AND the template!

  67. These are so pretty and intricate!! 🙂 i don’t know how i would do with paper and an exacto knife. my husband would probably be much better at making this than me. hehe

  75. I love these!! I’m always looking for fun new ways to decorate my house that don’t cost a ton of money. I’m definitely going to try this.

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