DIY Paper Lanterns

My apartment is looking a little dreary, mostly because I moved in a couple months ago and during the summer I have had trouble getting motivated to decorate! Anyway, I wanted to make some cute lanterns to hang in the archway between the living room and dining room.

First I chose a color scheme that I liked. Choosing a color scheme would have been much easier if I had gone to the craft store first. But I wanted to get into my project right away, and I made due with what I had. Which ended up perfect! I wanted all my lanterns to have a similar look without being the same colors. I chose green and grays for the outside paper. And pinks, blues, and orange patterns for the inside.
 

I would recommend using paper from a pack. It's easy to mix and match and they all have a common theme that will allow the colors to flow. Otherwise you need to be cognizant of your colors or you might get a messy look. After you have your papers, cut off any end pieces you have.

Then start to cut one inch or 1/2 inch flaps across the paper. Make sure to cut vertically on your design. It does not matter the size of your flaps as long as they are pretty even. Leave about an inch at the top without any cuts. You do not want twenty strips just a paper with a bunch of flaps.

Oliver wanted to help too.

Next tape the bottom of the paper together. You could skip this step if you folded the paper in half and then begun to cut strips; however, I did not want to have a crease in my lantern.

Choose the lantern you want on the outside. Then make a circle with your paper and hot glue the top of one flap to the top of the other flap on both sides. You want their to be a slit between the sides you are gluing together. You will then make a circle!

Take the paper that you want on the inside of the lantern. Make a circle and glue one flap on top of the other flap. You want this one to be smaller so you are gluing flaps together without a slit. You could also cut off one slit completely and just attach the tops like you did on the outside paper.

Slide the smaller paper inside the larger paper.

Push both sides together to make them plump up. You can get them to stay by attaching strings on opposite sides of the lantern to create the correct height and bounce.

Add some ribbon on the top to hang and some ribbon along the top and bottom, and you have a beautiful paper lantern!

Still in the process of hanging and making lanterns. I'll be sure to post my finished project!

A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it. - Michelangelo

When you're little, you're exposed to see so many art mediums. From macaroni pictures to washable markers and stickers -- I swear, teachers will offer anything to keep little kids busy. I suppose that's why I've always adored art, not to mention the reason behind the countless pastels and oil painting classes I made my mom sign me up for at the mere age of five. Not to say I'm some sort of prodigy, I was really good when I started. But then I stopped, who knows what other mediums I could have dabbled in.

But that's beside the point, the point is that there are real prodigies out there, artists that put the amaze in amazing. One such painter is the magnificent Michelangelo, a spectacular Renaissance painter. (Today is actually the anniversary of his birth).

There are three works that you probably know him best for.

Michelangelo's David is a beautiful piece of artwork. Not only has it lasted for hundreds of years in pristine condition, but it's splendor has only grown with age. The bottom half of the sculpture is slightly graphic, I just do not want to have to mark my whole blog as mature.

The sculpture captures the biblical story of David and Goliath. In Samuel, chapter 17, Saul and the Israelites are being threatened by the Philistines. Goliath, the strongest and greatest of the Philistines challenges the Israelites to find someone who can defeat him. If they can, the Israelites will be declared victorious over the Philistines. Saul and the Israelites are weary, but David accepts the challenge (hearing that there is a reward for him if he wins). All he takes with him is his sling and five stones, and declines the armor that Saul offered.

With all of his might, David slings a stone into the center of Goliath's forehead. The Israelites were victorious.

 

Another famous piece of art by Michaelangelo, is the fresco on the top of the Sistine Chapel. It depicts different scenes from Genesis. It's quite beautiful, and I'm sure you've seen the famous "Creation of Adam" with Adam touching G-d. It's so spectacular, in fact, that when I went to Vatican for the first time - my mom was so exhausted from the trip, she fell asleep. Yep, that's my family for you

 

Another sculpture by Michelangelo is The Pieta in St. Peter's Basilica, also in Vatican City. It depicts the body of Jesus on his mother's lap (Mary) after the Crucifixion.

It's been 536 years, yet Michelangelo stays a house-hold name whose impact in Renaissance art is un-fathomable.