Party Lights with K&S Precision Metals

         Summer is here! Time to think picnics, cookouts and pool parties!       

        On a recent trip to the annual arts & crafts show I was excited to find a new product with amazing craft potential! A colored metal, aluminum foil that was easy to work with and held its shape - believe me, this is not your mother's aluminum foil found in most kitchen drawers. Industry designers were offered samples to work with and a few weeks later these arrived on my doorstep. There are 5 colors on one side of each 12" x 24" roll and silver on the other.

         I love summer and all the fun things that come with sunshine and warm weather.  Living in Texas usually means a house with a pool - the perfect spot for outdoor fun and celebrations. Decorations were a big part of any kind of party of course. We would hang strings of lights and decorate with lanterns, so I was always on the lookout for a sturdy material to make my own......   

            The best thing about making your own lanterns is that they can be any size and you'll probably have most of the other supplies needed in your craft stash and around the house.  

Here's the list of what I used for the basic lantern:

• 12' x 24" Roll of blue K&S Metal Aluminum Foil
• Paper trimmer
• Double sided adhesive tape
• Scissors
• Embossing tool/stylus
• Flameless candle with remote
• Empty plastic/soda bottle cut to the height of the candle (or taller if desired)
• 1/8" Hole punch
• Small brads

  

1.  Cut a custom sized rectangle of metal foil 

    Width = measure around (diameter) the soda bottle 

    Height = height of the bottle plus 1-2".

2.  Starting 1/2" from the edge and 1/2" from the top edge, cut to within 1/2" of the bottom edge.  Make 1/2" wide, top to bottom cuts along the width of the metal foil.

Note: I like using this particular trimmer because of the marks on the blade which show starting and stopping points on the ruler. 

3.  Cut two, 1/2" strips of metal foil the same length as the width of the foil piece PLUS 1"

4.  With one end aligned with one side, use double sided adhesive tape to adhere one strip along the top and the other along the bottom with the silver side facing up.  

5.  Fold the edges upwards along the inside edge of each strip then place over the curve of the candle*, or other round surface. Press the foil gently around the candle to curve.  (*The plastic bottle is too soft.)

 

6. Curve the metal foil around into a circle so the strips at the top and bottom overlap. Use double sided adhesive tape to secure. Place upright on a solid surface then gently press down on the top so the sides curve outward.  Place the plastic bottle inside then adjust the top of the lantern so the top edges are even.

 

7.  Make a Handle:

     Using an embossing tool and the cutting channel in the paper trimmer as a guide, emboss a line about 3/8" from the edge of a 10" piece of metal foil (any width), then a second line 1/2" away from the first line.  Cut the foil about 3/8" from second embossed line to create a 10" x 1 1/4" strip. Using the embossed lines as guides, fold the outer edges inwards and overlap to create a strip for a handle. 

8.   With the top edge of the lantern even with the top edge of the bottle, punch a hole thru the bottle and lantern.  Punch a hole about 1/2" from one end of the handle. Line up the holes then secure the handle to the inside of the bottle with a brad. Trim the length if necessary then secure the other end of the handle at the opposite side.

9. Slide the candle into the plastic bottle then place on a table, or hang from a tree branch. This flameless, flickering candle came with a remote, so it can be switched on and off as needed without having to be removed from the lantern.

        Of course I didn't stop there! With so many kinds of lights and sizes of votives to choose from it was easy to make lanterns in a variety of sizes.  I had small and medium plastic bottles to hold smaller votives and candles, plus tea lights, puck lights and even a solar mason jar lid with fairy lights. The rest was easy. 

Using the basic instructions above I made the following using the solar mason jar lid with fairy lights:

        Cut metal foil 6-8"H x the diameter of the lid. Cut the foil same as above then attach the top of edge around the lid with double sided adhesive tape. Charge in sunlight then use indoors as a night light. 

 

    

        Tea lights with or without small plastic bottles are perfect for small lanterns. Cut the top off the bottle then attach the lantern following instructions in the feature project above, or simply adhere the bottom of the lantern around the tea light with double sided adhesive tape (see photo below).  Since tea lights are so small, I cut the sides of the lantern every 1/4".

        Now that you know how to light up your party with  lanterns I'd be remiss not to add that there is SO MUCH MORE that you can do with this product: 

        I've pictured a few of the  things I have on hand that I've been playing with and have so many more ideas to share.  Add texture with crimpers, cut with a digital cutting machine, dies, punches, decorative scissors, emboss with stencils and a stylus, embossing envelopes and I haven't even started to list the number of things you can use on the surface. 

 

        You can find more inspiration from other designers who received samples of the metal foil. Their projects are featured on the Designer Crafts Connection blog.  Enjoy and party on! 

Yours truly,

Julie 💝

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!