😂 The official verdict…
Will It Lantern?
Nope. And honestly? I think that’s a perfectly valid outcome for an art challenge.
This project started after I watched someone make a lantern using ribbon, a balloon, and Mod Podge. Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that the ribbon I had was completely wrong for the job. Rather than giving up, I pivoted and decided to tear up a book instead.
The process was definitely messy, which I always enjoy. Somewhere along the way the balloon started shrinking, leaving parts of the project soft and flimsy. I ended up adding another layer of paper mache all around the outside to try to make it sturdier.
It helped… sort of.
The top is still a little fragile, and the paper strips I tore from the book turned out to be much thicker than I expected. Instead of creating something that light could shine through, it became more like a paper bowl.
For a while I considered keeping it as a Halloween candy dish because it actually has a fun creepy look to it. But in the end, it isn’t sturdy enough for that either, and I’m just not happy with how it turned out.
Not every art challenge ends in a masterpiece, and honestly, I think that’s part of the fun. Sometimes you discover what doesn’t work, get ridiculously messy in the process, and end up with a good story to tell.
Would I make this again? No.
Would I still call it a successful art challenge? Absolutely.
Sometimes the biggest win is learning what not to do next time. 😂
Step 1 shows the ribbon attempt. Step 2 shows the in progress with torn up pages from a book. Step 3 shows the final product.
