Project: Halloween Tin Lanterns

Halloween tin lanterns – the perfect way to light up your porch for the little trick-or-treaters. This project is easy and although it takes a bit of time, it’s fun. Try it…all you need to do is eat a lot of corn and have a lot of coffee!

What You Need

tins (I used cans of corn and pumpkin can)
nail
hammer
sharpie
paint
candle

First – wash out your tins and take the labels off.

Fill the tin cans with water and freeze them. Doing this will prevent the can from pushing in on itself when you nail out your pattern. Grab a black sharpie and draw out your words. I’m making ‘BOO’ and then the picture of a pumpkin (in the tin can that was filled with pumpkin filling) – how fitting.

Hammer in the nail every 1/4 inch or so. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just the general shape.

Now that you’ve got your word or shape all nailed out, melt the ice.

You’ll notice that the bottom of the tin can is a bit wonky, that’s because of the ice. Simply hammer it back down.

See, all flat and ready to go.

Time for paint. I liked using spray paint because it was easy. Minimal clean up – no brush washing – and it covered the can well. Also, I picked black paint to make the lantern pop more in the dark. Be sure to give them time to dry and then check the lanterns again, just to be sure you’ve got paint in all the ripples on the can. You’ll want the inside covered, too. Well, at least I did – makes the light more spooky!