How to make a teddy bear lantern

Step 1:

Blow up enough small water bomb balloons to make 4 legs and a head. Also inflate a larger balloon to approx. 6” in diameter. Tear an adequate amount of tissue strips to paper all of them with 3 complete layers. For this bear I kept the torn strips to about 1/2 to 1” wide and max. 6” in length. The narrower the strips the smoother the end finish. (This takes patience but represents the bulk of the required work for this project.) Hang them all to dry overnight. 

Step 2:

Pop the balloons. Because I didn’t want a round tummy I cut the body balloon longitudinally around the middle and took approx. 1/2” off each half. It made a more pleasing toy bear body shape but meant making a seam to rejoin the halves. 

Step 3:

With an exacto knife cut openings for arms and legs in the body. Also trim the narrow ends of the limb balloons so they can be joined with good sized openings to allow for light transfer. Attach them firmly with masking tape. 

Step 4:

Using matching tissue strips paper over the joints. Let dry completely before proceeding. 

Step 5:

Make ears and trim the head balloon to match an opening cut for a neck in the body balloon. Let dry. 

Step 6:

Attach the head in the same manner as the limbs. First I added two mini light strings to the cavity with the batteries left hanging outside.  Because I anticipated adding a ribbon and bow I built a 1/2” collar and attached it between the body and the head. Paper over the joint and let dry. 

Step 7:

To make the bow tie first prepare a 6” wide strip long enough to wrap the neck and leave tails. Fold a string of mini lights into it laying them out along the length as it is folded in towards the centre and repeat once more so there are approx. 3 parallel lines of lights in what is now roughly an inch and a half wide strip. Use the dilute glue and brush to lightly make the layers adhere.  Once wrapped around the neck like a scarf apply more of the glue mixture gently with the brush to stiffen it in place. Let dry. 

Step 8:

Make a matching bow and glue it lightly together. Attach it with full strength white glue. 

Step 9:

To house the batteries while having the switches accessible fashion a pouch from card stock papered to match the bear. Let dry and attach with masking tape and then paper over. 

Step 10:

Step 10: Using a curved needle pierce the crown and attach fishing line from which the bear will hang. I added a fishing swivel so he can rotate gently. 

Look it over carefully and make necessary minor adjustments. I find the fine wire of the mini lights breaks through wet tissue so patch any of those. 

These directions would transfer readily to any sort of 2 or 4 legged creature. Let your imagination run wild. Eeyore anyone?