Papier-mâché lantern

Mix the papier-mâché mixture with water and wood glue or make it yourself. You can do this by tearing paper into strips and leaving them in water for the night. After this, you can blend the dissolved paper in a food processor. If you choose to use coloured paper or newspaper scraps, the mixture will be coloured. The mixture should be sticky from the wood glue and quite smooth. If it seems too wet, you can press some of the water out before using it.

Blow the balloons to the desired size. And place them on short drinking glasses. “The taller the glass, the bigger is the risk that your work will fall off the glass,” Anna says.

Spread the papier-mâché mixture evenly onto the balloons. The sisters recommend letting some of the mixture settle on the top before you continue spreading more of the mixture further down on the balloon. Now let the balloons dry at room temperature or warmer for up to two days.

When the papier-mâché is dry, you can pop the balloons and remove them from the inside.

Use decoupage glue to add flowers or other light decorations. Let this dry.

Make a small hole with a needle on each side of the papier-mâché shells and put a metal wire through the hole. Twist the metal wire so it is secured on one side and assess how long your handle should be, before you put the wire through the hole on the opposite side.

Turn on an LED tealight and put it in the lantern. The sisters kindly note to only use LED light and not lit candles for these lanterns.