Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Autumn Lanterns {tutorial}

These Autumn lanterns are pretty and easy to make. And perfect for Thanksgiving!

First you need to gather some pretty colorful fall leaves.


Make sure they are dried well and not damp from being outside on the ground.


Lay them between pieces of newspaper and stack heavy books on top of them for a few days to press them flat and help dry them out.




Once the leaves are dried a few days later, you can start the work on your lanterns. Gather up your supplies: glass mason jars, mod podge, leaves, paintbrush and candles. (I used Yankee Candle- Harvest for my candles.) You may also want newspaper to protect your table and rubber bands for stubborn leaves.


Coat your jar with a layer of mod podge.


Place your leaves on top and coat with another layer of mod podge.
I broke off the hard stem of my leaves before using them on the jars.


Layer leaves around on the glass, overlapping slightly in a pretty pattern.



Let your jars dry overnight. If needed to back over stubborn edges that want to pop up with mod podge 
and help hold them down tight to the jar using rubber bands. I let my jars dry about 24 hours.

Place candles inside and light them for a pretty autumn lantern.



Happy Early Thanksgiving everyone!


23 comments:

  1. LOVE these! We don't have any cool leaves in Arizona, but I'm headed to California next week and I'm planning to collect some now! :) Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I bet you could use silk ones from the craft store.

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    2. Put them in a plastic sealable bag. So bugs like ants tics don't get onto your clothing.

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  2. Wow! I love these. I better get on this project before the leaves are all gone!

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  3. oh wow Cat these are beautiful!!!

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  4. So pretty, i am going to do it too!

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  5. I know its an older post but do you think silk leaves would work?

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    1. I haven't tried it with silk leaves but I bet they would work. Let me know if they do!

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  6. Thank you for sharing your idea. I save and dry leaves all year long. I just love the way they look. My family used to laugh at me when I would stop to pick up leaves until they have seen some of the things I have made with them. I'm going to make some of your beautiful leaf covered candleholders. Thanks again. : )

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  7. This is bitter sweet for me because we did something similar for our wedding reception 14 yrs ago but unfortunately are now going through a divorce but it was a happy day the day we made these-we used votive size jars and the technique is a little different but the end result is the same-they were so popular that everyone wanted 1 at the reception-we made a lot of them but not enough for everyone so once I saw them leaving the tables, I snatched up like 10 of them and still have them to this day thank you for helping me to remember a happy day

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  8. Don't the leaves eventually dry and break even when held on the jar by the mod podge? Do they keep their original color? (the leaves)

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  9. What an awesome idea, and inexpensive. I am going to do this next fall for my Red Hat and use them as centerpieces.

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  10. Would love to hear an answer from those who tried the silk leaves and from the post from anonymous on Oct. 8th 2013.
    I, too, am curious about whether the real leaves would keep their original color and/or dry and break.
    Hope someone can help with answers. Thanks.

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  11. They do eventually fade and dry out, especially if you have them burning for a long time. But that's OK. Just wash them off when you're done, save the jars and do something like this is the spring, then the summer and again next fall!

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  12. Can't find "mod podge" on the web. Where can I find it or what can I use as an alternative?
    Jim, Santa Cruz

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    1. Any craft store should have it. Michaels does for sure!

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  13. I found the leaves difficult to stay in place. The rubber bands definitely help.

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  14. I found the leaves were difficult to stay in place. You definitely need to use the rubber bands

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  15. Do you think the silk leaves or flowers will be as transparent the real ones?

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  16. Very nice look .Some thing different i will try .

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  17. Very nice look .Some thing different i will try it.

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  18. I Adore this idea!!! I love the floweing leaf look and it is so easy with mason jars. I bet pasta jars would work too! I just had to include this in my round up of fall centerpiece ideas! http://blovelyevents.com/2014/09/25/fully-falling-leaf-centerpieces/

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