Cardinal lantern....

I've seen birdhouses and so many cute little things made using the Milk Carton Die.  The other day I got the idea to make a lantern with the die.  I rushed to the stamp room to make sure one of the little flameless tea lights would fit inside and it would, so this little lantern was born to go along with the cardinal card and goodie box shared earlier.

 

 I am so pleased with the outcome and my customers just love it.    The lantern itself is cut from Soft Suede cardstone using the milk carton die.  Fold and score all the lines really well before punching the windows.  I used the 1-1/4" square punch to cut out the windows.  You have to cut the two outer ones first--the ones near the open sides of the carton.  Then fold those two sides in and punch another window on each side, punching THROUGH the first windows and  making sure to line them all up. 

Inside I put tape along the edges of the windows and between each window.  Then put in a strip of vellum cardstock, 1-3/4" wide by about 7" long (you will trim off the end you don't need).  Now fold on the lines again and score really well, so  the vellum is scored as well as the cardstock.  Put sticky tape on the sides of the milk carton and fold it up to make the lantern.  Fold up and glue the bottom, too.

The top of the lantern is made from Crumb Cake cardstock, cut 2" x 4".  I attached the roof to the front of the lantern using sticky tape.  You want to be able to open the lantern for the light, so I used a Velcro dot on the back of the roof to hold it closed but also allow for opening. 

I punched holes using the Crop-a-dile on the sides of the top of the carton/lantern (under the roof) to run the 1/8" Real Red taffeta ribbon through.  This is for hanging it on the tree.  Insert the tea light and you are finished with the lantern itself.  I did use the Scallop Trim Border Punch to add a red border to the front and back edge of the roof.
                                             
 To decorate the lantern., make a cardinal and holly leaves and berries and attach to the front of the lantern.  Shown below are three lanterns, with the back of one showing.  I just put holly leaves and berries on the back roof  to decorate it.

Can't you just see a small tree full of these cute lanterns on a foyer table or in a guest bath? They would also be great at each place on a holiday table.   I think they'd be the hit of the season!

Thanks for letting me share!  Email me if you have any questions.  Smiles, Laura