Handmade Candle Lanterns

Adorable and decorative, these little lanterns can be made in six easy steps

Brighten your garden with a personal touch through this simple handmade project

The short damp days of spring are perfect inspiration to set your garden aglow. Enjoy the soft flicker of candlelight and warm amber ambience throughout your landscape by crafting and arranging a collection of vintage globes and votive glass candle holders.

All you need is a bit of imagination, some inexpensive glass vessels and simple wire hangers.

Instructions:

Step One
Collect vintage glass orbs, votive candle holders, small baskets and carriers. Almost any fire-safe lamp or candle holder will do, as long as it has a sturdy rim or place to attach a suitable hanger. Dismantled glass-lamp fixtures make ideal hanging lanterns and may be picked up inexpensively at thrift stores or secondhand building-supply stores. Votive holders may be purchased at dollar stores. Recycled baby-food containers or small canning jars make excellent lanterns too.
 

Step Two
Collect an assortment of sturdy wire, chain and string to make the hangers. Wire cutters and pliers will also come in handy.

Step Three
Cut and assemble custom dimensions so that the hanging support fits snugly around the rim of your container. Then attach a loop of wire or a length of chain as a hanger. Be sure to create both long and short lanterns for a pleasing and varied display in the garden. Craft multiple duplicate lanterns for extra impact.

Step Four
Add decorative touches such as curlicues, beads or knots, if desired.

Step Five
A variety of long and short S-hooks are a great accessory for your garden lanterns, enabling you to hang them easily on branches or brackets. You can purchase S-hooks at a hardware store or make your own by shaping heavy-gauge wire with pliers.

Step Six
Place a tea light or votive candle in your lantern, hang it, set it alight and enjoy the glow!