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DIY Lanterns Tutorial
Crafts

DIY Metal Can Lanterns

By Cindy Hopper

Set your yard aglow with DIY metal can lanterns!

This a great project to upcycle metal cans! For this project we used tomato cans, a hammer and a nail. If you want to hang the can lanterns you will also need a coat hanger or piece of wire. Just make a hole at the top on each side for hanging, and fasten on the wire.

Instructions for Metal Can Lantern

First, fill the cans with water and freeze. This will keep the cans from collapsing when hammering.

Metal cans
My eight year old was quite a pro at hammering! She randomly placed holes all over the can by hammering the nail into the side of the can.

making holes in a metal can using a nail and hammer

If you are worried about fingers getting smashed, a pair of vice grips or pliers can hold the nail. (obviously, adult supervision and common sense judgment should be used here.)

Pounding holes into metal can with a hammer and nail

She was so proud of her hammering skills!

A girl holding a hammer

Sitting on a table or hanging from a tree these lanterns will give your backyard a beautiful glow. (The safest choice is always battery-operated lights.)

DIY Metal can lantern

Find More Summer Crafts Here:

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About the Author

Cindy Hopper

Cindy Hopper was fortunate to be raised in a family who appreciated the arts. This background led to a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education. With a keen eye for design and color, Cindy has cont...

Cindy Hopper was fortunate to be raised in a family who appreciated the arts. This background led to a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education. With a keen eye for design and color, Cindy has continued her love of art and is now passing her creative skills on to her three children. Cindy’s family and friends are the beneficiaries of her passion for fun and meaningful creative projects.

Cindy’s personal blog, Skip to My Lou, has taken her love of a project to new levels. Postings keep the family busy -– from testing new recipes for holiday treats to designing and building floats for a neighborhood parade to making fabric rolls to hold crayons to creating themed parties. Cindy seems to have an unending supply of ideas for gifts, parties and rainy days.

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