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A-Maize-ing Autumn Lanterns

Transform plastic bottles into sweet corncob luminaries that can light the way to your family’s feast!

Materials

  • 2 plastic bottles: a 1-liter and a slightly smaller 24-oz
  • Yellow tissue paper
  • Green tissue paper
  • Paintbrush
  • Decoupage glue (Mod Podge)
  • Plate
  • Yellow paint
  • White paint
  • Bubble packaging
  • Tape
  • Glue stick
  • 1/2 cup of rice or sand
  • Battery-operated tea light

Directions

Total Time: 2 to 3 hours Ages: school-age

  1. For the corncob top, cut the bottom inch from the 24-oz bottle (an adult’s job), and retain the top section.
  2. Cut a sheet of yellow tissue paper to wrap around the top section with some overlap and with about 3 inches of excess at the top. Use a paintbrush to cover the bottle with decoupage glue; then carefully roll the bottle in the tissue paper. You may need to add more decoupage glue to the neck. When the glue is dry, fringe the excess paper at the top to resemble corn silk.
  3. On a plate, stir a bit of yellow paint into a puddle of white paint. Make a hand-size loop of bubble packaging and tape it together. Pat the bubble wrap into the paint, then onto the bottle to create rows of kernels.
  4. For the base, cut the bottom 2 inches from the 1-liter bottle (an adult’s job). Discard the top. Use decoupage glue and a paintbrush to cover the base with small, overlapping pieces of green tissue paper. Cut 4 green tissue paper husks about 4 inches wide and 8 inches tall. Adhere them to the base with a glue stick.
  5. Pour about 1/2 cup of rice or sand into the base and add a battery-operated tea light. Set the corncob top into the base.

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4