Dodecahedron Star Lanterns

Create Your Own Star Lanterns

These geometric star lanterns are perfect for lantern walks and celebrating the Festival of Compassion. They are a little tricky, so may be better suited for older children, grade 4 and up.

Materials

• 11" x 14" watercoloured painting
• Watercolour paints if your paper isn't already painted
• This template
• Glue Sticks
• Candle
• Patience

Step 1
​Start by painting an 11″x14″ wet-on-wet watercolour painting with a basic colour wash or use a previously painted watercolour painting. 

Step 2
Print the template and cut out the preferred pentagon size you want to make. Trace the template onto the backside of your watercolour paper 11 times. Include the lines that are at the halfway point of each side. Then cut our all 11 pentagons.

Step 3
Fold each point of each pentagon using the lines at the halfway mark along each side as guides. Continue until all the points are folded down on all 11 pentagons.

Step 4
Make two rows of five pentagons and set the 11th pentagon aside to be used later as the bottom of the lantern. Open the flaps on the side where the pentagons are touching and glue the flap from the pentagon on one side to the inside of the next pentagon. Turn the pentagon over and glue the flap on the outside down. Make sure to align the creases of the folds.

Step 5
Join the ends together by gluing both sides of the end flaps and pressing firmly. Now you have two "bowls." And ours magically turned a different colour at this step, as you can see. There is always magic in the air ;-) 

Step 6
Attach the "bowls" together by placing the wide ends of the bowls on top of one another. Continue to glue all the flaps together on both sides of each flap until you have a sphere. This step is tricky and difficult to photograph, but it's very intuitive, and we have every faith you can figure it out.

Step 7
Glue the final hexagon to one end of your sphere.​ This is now the base of your lantern.

Step 8
Glue down the flaps around the inside edge of the opening of your lantern.

Step 9
Place a candle inside and bask in the warm glow of your hard work. If you so desire, you can tie a string at the top to be used as a handle.

Optional step
After completing your lantern, you can rub a thin layer of olive oil on the outside. This will make your already gorgeous lanterns translucent, which is a neat effect.

You did it! Now, you have a stunning geometric work of art to display on your winter nature table or to use in a lantern walk.

​In this time of turning inward, may you find your light shining brightly and remember that even the tiniest flame can dispel the darkness.

Through the darkness, we shall go
With our candles all aglow
Hearts grow warm, 
Our way grows bright
As we journey through the night.

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