DIY Lantern Made With Picture Frames and Paint Sticks

This grand lantern was made with two wood picture frames and a few free paint sticks from the hardware store!

I decorated mine with starfish for a beachy look but add any embellishments you like or just go clean and simple without decorations.

If you're making one as a table decoration for a wedding, greenery or faux flowers at the base would look stunning too.

I found these beautiful frames at my local antique store. Use any frames you like (square or rectangle) for this DIY.

To give you an idea of size, my frames measure about 7" x 8" and the paint sticks here are 14" long. The finished size of my lantern is about 15-inches tall.

How to Make The Lantern

To get started, you'll first need to paint (or stain) your paint sticks, wood knob feet, and picture frame (if needed).

I used white latex wall paint, to use it up, but chalk paint would work well too.

Next, use short, thin tack nails to nail the paint sticks to the sides/corners as shown above.

Tip: Pre-drill a hole into the paint sticks before nailing them to the picture frame. This will keep the wood from cracking. And, add a dab of wood glue for extra hold.

Last, glue the feet to the base with wood glue.

Here's a photo of my lantern assembled.

For more details on this DIY, visit: https://www.craftidly.com/diy-lantern/

Next, cut the remaining four paint sticks down to size with a hand-held hack saw for the sides. Paint them if needed.

Use wood glue to attach them to the sides and clamps to hold them in place.

Let everything dry before continuing.

To finish, hot glue any decorative elements to the sides that you like. Just make sure you can fit a candle through one of the sides.

Note: Make sure to use a flameless battery-operated candle since the lantern is wood and flammable. Do not use an open-flame candle!

Here's another photo of my finished lantern!

For more on this project and other DIY ideas, visit   Craftidly.com