DIY Network

Paper and Photo Lanterns Let your photos and papers shine—literally. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-134

Show off your fanciest papers—or favorite photos—with these paper lanterns.

One of the best ways to highlight anything is to shine a light on it—or, in this case, through it.

Michele Beschen and guest Barb Niccum put their paper crafting skills to work to create a quick-and-easy lamp project that shows off your favorite papers and photos by using them as a lampshade.

Handmade papers lend themselves well to this project because the light picks up the paper's color and shows off the fibers that make handmade paper so special. Photos also are a natural—simply print them out in black and white on a heavy vellum paper, and they'll shine beautifully.

Scroll down to learn more about this enlightening project.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Paper and Photo Lanterns

Materials:

four picture frames
photos printed on heavy vellum paper
handmade or hand-dyed papers
glue
double-sided tape or nails and brackets
light kit
low-wattage bulb

• Print your photos out on heavy vellum paper. For the project seen on B. Original, Michele Beschen and guest Barb Niccum simply ran the vellum through an inkjet printer and printed the photos in black and white.

• Disassemble the picture frames. Set aside all parts except the frames themselves and the paper from the inside of the frame. If your frames are not identical, keep the paper from all frames.

• Using the paper from inside the frame as a template, cut the vellum photos and/or handmade papers to size.

• Apply a small amount of glue inside the lip of the frame (figure A).

• Gently fit the photo or paper into the frame, making sure it adheres to the glue on all edges.

• Repeat for the other three frames. Let the glue dry completely before moving to the next step.

• Attach the frames to each other to make a box (figure B). If your light will sit on a table, offset two frames opposite each other to provide a space for the cord to pass through (figure C).

• If the frames are very lightweight, use double-sided tape to stick them together. If the frames are heavier, or if you want a more industrial look, use brackets and either nails or screws to attach them.

• Install the light kit according to the manufacturer's instructions (figure D), or simply place the frame structure over an electric candle.

• Only use low-wattage bulbs with the photo light. Never leave burning unattended.

• If you want to burn a candle inside the photo light, it must be covered with a hurricane lamp globe.

GUESTS :

Barb Niccum
Pure Paper
Website: www.pure-paper.com
E-mail: barb@pure-paper.com