Rapunzel-Inspired Lantern
She’s ambitious, adventurous, empathetic, charismatic, independent — and above all, brave and determined. A true Gryffindor! Everything she stands for is everything I aspire to be. She reminds us to never give up on our dreams, no matter how hard — or even impossible — they might seem.
So, in her honor, I’m going to show you how to create a beautiful lantern inspired by the Corona flag, the symbol of Rapunzel’s kingdom.
You’ll need:
- A glass jar (any size you like — I recommend at least 15 cm tall)
- White glue (that dries clear)
- Purple food coloring (make sure it’s food coloring — using acrylic paint, for example, won’t give you the right result because it dries opaque)
- Glitter (preferably purple, but I used pink!)
- Sticker paper
- Gold paint (optional)
- Yellow LED fairy lights
- For decorating:
- Sisal rope
- Flowers
A quick (honest) note before we begin: This DIY was not smooth sailing.
I actually tried making this lantern twice before the final version you see in the video — and both times it failed for totally different reasons.
The first time, I used an old glue that was already drying up in the bottle, and the final effect was… let’s just say, not cute. The glue went on lumpy, dried weirdly, and I ended up tossing that attempt altogether.
The second time, I was so excited — I had a new glass jar, fresh glue, everything looked perfect. But when I went to peel off the sticker… the entire layer of dried glue came off with it. Like, the whole thing. The sticker didn’t hold the space clean like it was supposed to — it actually lifted the glue right off the jar.
So now, before jumping into the step-by-step, here are a few lessons learned (the hard way!) that might help you avoid the same struggles:
DIY Survival Tips from Attempt #3:
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Clean your jar really well before painting — wash it with soap and water, wipe it down with alcohol or vinegar, and don’t touch it with your fingers after that. Any oil or residue can stop the glue from sticking properly.
Use the right type of glue. I realized that the second glue I tried dried differently from the first one. It seemed to create an even layer, and when peeling the stickers off, the whole layer would come off. I can’t really say which glue works best, but the first white glue I used was wood glue, while the second was a school-type glue.
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Use thinner glue layers instead of thick ones — if the glue dries too thick, it can lift like a plastic sheet when you remove the sticker. I recommend applying 2–3 very thin coats instead of one heavy one.
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Avoid painting directly over the sticker — instead, paint around it. Don’t worry about being super precise — just don’t glob a thick layer of glue right on top of the sticker, or you might accidentally seal it in and make it impossible to remove.
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Remove the sticker slowly and gently, using a craft knife to carefully cut the glue around it if necessary. Don’t rush — this part takes patience. This is how I managed to pull off this DIY, even with the school-type glue.
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And finally: don’t give up if it doesn’t work the first time.
Sometimes even magical lanterns need a few failed spells before they glow the way they should.
1. Cut out Corona’s sun symbol on sticker paper
Start by cutting out the Corona sun shape on the sticker paper.
You can download the image I used with the button below:
Click here to download the image
Note: When you click the download button, you might see a redirect message from Blogger. Don’t worry, the link is safe and will take you straight to the image I used for this DIY.
Print it to fit your jar — measure the height of the area you’ll paint and print the image 1.5 cm shorter than that.
I used the classic school trick: shading the back of the image with pencil, placing it over the sticker paper, and tracing the outline on top to transfer the shape.
2. Stick the sun onto the jar
Place the center of the sun in the middle of the jar and then position the rays one by one, using the original image as a guide. Make sure it’s well stuck.
3. Mix and paint
Mix some white glue with the purple dye and add glitter if you’re feeling fancy (totally optional, but it adds such a magical touch). Stir everything really well.
Using a wide brush, paint the jar with the mixture. Try to keep the layers thin to avoid the glue from dripping all over the place (not ideal). Just take your time and build up the color with as many layers as you need (I did three).
4. Remove the sticker
Once everything is fully dry, carefully remove the sticker using a craft knife.
5. Paint the jar edges gold (optional)
To add a little extra sparkle to my lantern, I painted the top edge gold — a lovely nod to Rapunzel’s golden hair.
6. Decorate and light it up!
I wrapped sisal rope around the neck of the lantern, placed a yellow LED string light inside, and decorated it with colorful Gypsophila flowers.
The final result? Pure magic — fit for the skies of Corona.
And just like that, a glowing enchanted lantern is born — ready to float above the kingdom of Corona! I hope this DIY inspires you to bring your dreams to life with your own hands, just like Rapunzel did when she left the tower to discover the world.
Remember: your inner light is one of a kind — never stop letting it shine.
If you recreate this lantern, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Pinterest or drop a comment on the blog. And if you’re looking for more magical DIYs like this one, don’t forget to explore the rest of the kingdom — I mean, blog!
See you next time! Ladybug out!
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