Everything is just cuter in miniature – including these paper lanterns, don’t you think? Sized down to decorate a cake, they can be made in an endless combination of colors. You can make regular sized ones to match the party using the DIY here!

Materials needed: crepe paper, craft glue, thin wire, scissors, washi tape, bamboo skewers, tissue paper, gold string, small hole punch or large needle.

Step 1: Cut a 2” x 3” piece of crepe paper.
Step 2: Fold it in half long ways.
Step 3: Fringe the folded side, leaving about ¼” to ½” uncut at the top.
Step 4: Open the fold, and make a tube by meeting the crepe paper ends together.
Step 5: Apply a thin line of craft glue to secure the tube.
Step 6: Gently squeeze the top and bottom to get the middle of the tube to pop outwards.
Step 7: Decorate the top and bottom of the tube with washi tape or a small bit of tissue paper fringe, if desired. (Use a scalloped scissors to get the scalloped detail you see on the white lantern).
Step 8: Using a small whole punch (1/8” or smaller) or a large needle, poke two holes in the top side of the tube, directly across from each other.
Step 9: Take 1 ½” of thin wire and loop it through the top of the lantern. Twist to close.
Step 10: Repeat Steps 1 – 9 until you have the number of lanterns you want.
Step 11: Tie approx. 9” of gold string to the top of one bamboo skewer.
Step 12: Slide the lanterns onto the open end of the string. Twist the thin wire to keep lanterns in place, and tie the remaining end of the gold string to the other skewer.
Step 13: Cut out two layers of tissue paper 3” x 1 ½” in size.
Step 14: Cut into thin strips.
Step 15: Gather the strips, twist together in the center, and fold over. Attach to the top of each bamboo skewer.
Step 16: Place in your cake and enjoy!

Photography by Tim Gibson