Manifest Spring with These Cozy Flower Lanterns

Give your home a glow-up with a simple craft reminiscent of warm summer days. Cozy floral lanterns are a darling way to spruce up your backyard, patio, or even kitchen table. String them up to welcome guests to your front porch or arrange them on your fireplace mantel to add winter mood lighting.

How to Make a Dried Flower Lantern

Start with a few of your favorite dried florals and an old jar. If you don’t have dried flowers on hand, grabbing a simple grocery store flower arrangement and drying it at home is easy. Roses, eucalyptus, and baby’s breath are year-round staples that you can probably find near you. Alternatively, you can purchase packs of pre-dried botanicals; dried statice, lavender, sunflowers, or wheat are all options that will stay stunning for years to come. 

1. Pick your lantern. For this project, any clean upcycled jar will do. Jam jars, peanut butter jars, mason jars, and square jars are all great options—whichever jar you pick, be sure that it has a wide mouth and a secure lid. 
2. Place an assortment of dried flowers into your jar, arranging them however you please. Layer different flowers on top of one another until the jar is full; each bloom should face outward for the best results.
3. Attach a light to the underside of your jar’s lid. A soft, warm-toned, battery-powered button light is a good option here; glue or tape it to the lid so that it’s secure. Twist the lid back onto your jar full of flowers, and you have a beautiful, glowing lantern. 

Dressing Up Your Flower Lantern

Want to use pressed flowers for your floral lantern? You can adhere them to the sides of your jar with glue or paste; choose thin flowers that will allow the light to shine through. If there’s text on your jar lid that you want to cover up, paint over it with acrylic paint, and seal it for a glossy finish. You can even cover the lid with a piece of fabric, jam jar-style. 

For easier control over your lanterns, try opting for button lights that come with a remote control. This makes it easy to adjust the lighting inside multiple lanterns at once, which is especially useful if you want to hang yours in your yard. These types of lights might even offer different colored lighting—pretty pink lanterns look warm and inviting with matching flowers inside, while soft blue bulbs will add an otherworldly sheen to your flower arrangements. 

Hanging Your Flower Lantern

To hang your flower lantern, simply poke two holes through the lid. Run a single piece of twine through each hole and tie it together to create a loop from which your jar can be hung when the lid is closed. To add extra security, you can poke two more holes and thread an additional string through. Be sure to choose a jar that twists shut; otherwise, the lid might pop off while being strung up.

If you’re hanging your jars outside, check on them after harsh weather. You’ll want to attach them to a sheltered area securely, so that the glass doesn’t fall and break. Also, be sure that the lid is tight and that the holes you poked for your string are sealed with glue or tape; this will prevent water from seeping in and ruining your dried flowers. Swap out your dried flowers with each season if you wish. Over time, your flowers will lose a bit of their color as they’re exposed to sunlight. They’re still likely to last for years to come, but these lantern flowers are also easy to remove and replace as needed.