Build Your Own Luminary Globe

DIY Luminary Globe Instructions:

Materials:

• 1 -paper cup
• 1 -balloon
• 2 1-inch pieces of tape
• Tracing paper torn into ~ 4″ squares
• Elmer’s glue + water
• Paintbrush
• Colored tissue paper or markers to decorate
• Hole puncher
• 12″ string
• Bamboo Stake
• LED light

Video Tutorial:

Instructions:

1. Blow up balloon to ~ 5-8″ in diameter and tie a knot.
2. Tape balloon into cup, knot side down.
3. Paint thin layer of glue and water mixture on one side of a piece of tracing paper, stick paper glue side down onto balloon.
4. Repeat step 3 with each piece of tracing paper, overlapping the placement of the paper by about 50%, make sure to place some of the papers half on the balloon and half on the cup.
5. Paint glue mixture over any seams of tracing paper that are not laying flat and fully glued down.
6. Let dry.
7. Decorate globe with colored tissue paper and minimal glue or markers. Your globe will hang with the cup part up – decorate your globe accordingly.
8. Let dry.
9. Cut bottom of cup off, turning the cup into a ring that is 1.5″+ wide.
10. Pop balloon with scissors and carefully peel balloon off of the globe.
11. Punch two holes in the cup, opposite of eachother
12. Tie string through each hole to make a hanging globe
13. Attach globe to bamboo stake by taping or tying the string to the end of the stake.
14. Place LED tea light in the globe and admire your work!

*Bamboo Stakes and LED Tea Lights available for free at Illuminight Winter Walk

Photo Credit: Jessamyn Tuttle

Trouble Shooting:

• Not enough tracing paper to cover balloon – You can use parchment paper, just tear off edges and then tear into pieces about the size of your hand.
• The globe collapsed – Is it still wet from glue? If so, then blow up a new balloon inside the globe. Let the globe fully dry before you pop the balloon again. Is the globe dry? If so, then reach in and gently push the collapsed parts of the globe outward to reshape the globe.