Skip to Content

DIY Paper Halloween Lanterns

Share the fun!

It’s time for another fun Silhouette Challenge. I had so much fun last month with my first challenge that I happily jumped at the opportunity to do it again.

This month’s challenge is Fall-o-ween and since we are busy decorating our home for Halloween, I decided to use my Silhouette to make some more Halloween decor. What did I end up making? These fun and easy DIY paper Halloween lanterns.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Sadly, today I came down with a head cold. I am such a baby for things like that. Since this cold is making my head feel like mush, I can’t for the life of me think of anything to write.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

So instead of boring you with mindless words, or even worse, writing something that makes no sense, I am going to show you pretty pictures of these fun DIY paper Halloween lanterns then give you a tutorial. Short and sweet!

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

And while you enjoy the pictures and tutorial, I am going to drink some OJ and go to bed. Maybe in the morning I will be able to form complete sentences again.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com
These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com
These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com
These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Well, are you totally convinced you need to make some lanterns for yourself? Hopefully the tutorial will make sense, if not, there are lots of pictures so you should be good. Enjoy!

How to make DIY Paper Halloween Lanterns

Supplies:

  • Black and orange cardstock
  • Vellum paper
  • Cut files for the lanterns
    • I am sharing the cut files & PDF for these Halloween lanterns ornaments in my subscriber library until 09/13/2021, then they will move to the shop. Click here to subscribe to my newsletter and gain access to all the freebies. If you already have your password, click here to go to the library download them.
  • Silhouette electronic cutting machine 
    • If you don’t have a Silhouette, I also included PDFs of the files in the library of free downloads if you want to cut them by hand
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun with glue sticks
  • School glue sticks
  • Flameless tea lights
These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Cut the lanterns out of cardstock. For the small Boo lantern, cut 2 of the lantern side pieces and 1 of the top piece.

For the larger pumpkin lantern, the top is in 2 pieces so you will need to cut 2 of the side pieces and 2 of the top pieces.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Cut 4 pieces of vellum paper just smaller than the side of the lantern. For this I just used a ruler and scissors since you just need 4 rectangular pieces that don’t need to be perfect.

Using the school glue, coat the back of the lantern and press a piece of vellum onto it. Rub it well so the glue sticks well to the vellum. Repeat on all 4 sides of the lantern.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Assemble the sides of the lantern by folding along the dotted lines, then glueing the tabs at the corners until you have a rectangle.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Fold along the dotted lines of the top piece so that there is a little lip around the bottom of the piece as shown in the picture below.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Add a bead of hot glue in the lip and press it firmly until it dries to secure it. Repeat on all 4 sides of the top piece.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Finish assembling the top by glueing the flaps to create a triangle on top of the lip you just created

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

For the larger lantern, the top piece is cut into 2 pieces, so after you secure the triangle top closed with glue, use a piece of tape to hold the bottom of the piece together.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Now glue the top to the lantern sides by putting some hot glue on the flaps on the top of the sides then pressing the top on them. Hold until it hardens.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Use flameless tea lights (please, please, please do not put real candles inside your paper lanterns, no one needs a fire this Halloween!) inside your lanterns and watch them glow.

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

My kids are loving these lanterns so much, we will have to replace the batteries in our tea lights many times before Halloween. Or maybe I just need to hide the tea lights so they don’t keep turning them on. It would be okay if they didn’t only turn them on in the daytime when you can’t really see the glow anyway!

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Don’t forget to sign up for access to my library of freebies today. Inside you will have access to the cut files (and PDFs) for these DIY paper Halloween lanterns and much, much more. If you already have your password, click here to access the library. 

Thanks for stopping by!

These are the perfect decorations for a Halloween buffet table or in a dark window. Make these DIY paper Halloween lanterns easily with the free digital cut file or PDF to decorate your home this Halloween. | Housefulofhandmade.com

Share the fun!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Katie

Wednesday 22nd of September 2021

The SVG file only has the BOO lantern and not the pumpkin.

Katie

Wednesday 22nd of September 2021

Nevermind it showed up when I loaded into Cricut Design Space.

Shelley Bell

Wednesday 1st of November 2017

i cant get access to file

Kati

Thursday 2nd of November 2017

I'm so sorry about that Shelley. The files are free to my email subscribers. After you sign up you should get an email with a password. You can download the files by going to https://housefulofhandmade.com/subscriber-library/ and entering your password. If you need any additional help, please email me and I can make sure you can get access!

Laura

Thursday 28th of September 2017

Hi Kati ~ I love your lanterns. Absolutely adorable!! Thank you for sharing. Would you happen to have the Pumpkin and Boo cut outs in SVG cut files?

Kati

Friday 6th of October 2017

Hello Laura, I just updated the library so the SVG files are there. Happy crafting!

Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh

Monday 24th of October 2016

Oh my goodness these are so great!!

Kati

Friday 28th of October 2016

Thanks Joanna, I'm excited to light them in my windows this weekend.

Loretta

Sunday 23rd of October 2016

So simple and just darn cute :) I need to remember to pick up the little LED tealights for $1 a pack next time I'm at the store, they'd be perfect for these.

Kati

Friday 28th of October 2016

I just got me some little LED lights and they are awesome, so bright. I can't wait to use them this Christmas too.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.