Hot Air Balloon decoration Tutorial

By The Style Sisters - Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Hot air balloon decoration tutorial! Made by my friend Valerie Pickard

Items needed - paper lanterns I think these were 12" lanterns (found online, craft stores or Asian markets)

12" square Scrapbook paper, black edging ink, Elmer's glue, hot glue gun, bakers string, chip wood boxes (Michaels .99 cents), hole punch, paint.

Step 1 cut out 4 pieces of scrapbook paper to fit the shape of lantern...smaller at top and bottom..as wide as you would like (she did not give the dimensions)

Step 2 -Really crinkle the paper to make it soft and pliable..get kids to help! Ink the edges if desired to make them stand out.

Step 3 use Elmer's glue to attach all 4 pieces to the lantern...evenly spaced.

Step 4- String- take two long pieces of bakers twine or other sturdy string place together and fold them in half. Hold in the middle (where it's folded) in one hand, take the end of the string and put under the metal bar on top of the balloon and loop it through the middle of the string and pull the ends so it is like a little slip knot. Then divide the string and put one string down each white panel of lantern. Hot glue each string to the metal circle edge covered in white paper around the top of lantern. Pull strings straight down and add another dab of glue about 3/4 the way down to hold each string in place.

Step 5 -After you tie these strings onto your "basket" (directions below) Add another small piece of string around all four to pull them in a bit so as to make it look more authentic.

Step 6- Paint your chip wood baskets in your desired color let dry

Step 7- Punch 4 small holes into the basket using a small hole punch.

Step 8- Tie the ends of string to the basket and add the small circle of string around all four.

Step 9- Cut mini triangles out of scrapbook paper..approx 1" - 1 1/2" Make mini triangle banners by glueing the triangles to pieces of twine. Attach one to the basket and one long one around the the lantern.