DIY Winter Solstice paper lantern

On the shortest day of the year, the perfect way to celebrate the return of the sun
is with the lighting of a paper lantern! This step-by-step tutorial  for a winter solstice luminary uses natural materials, some of which are as close as a trip to your pantry.

For the Wheat Paint Base:

• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 6 tablespoons of water

For the Paint Thinner:

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon of water
• 1 teaspoon of the wheat paint base

For the Paint Pigment:

• One stick of soft vine or willow charcoal

Tools needed for this project:

• Small saucepan
• Whisk
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Pair of scissors
• Small paintbrush
• Small shallow bowl
• Cereal spoon
• Tablespoon measure
• Teaspoon measure
• A votive candle (preferably beeswax)
• A wide-mouth jar to fit the candle

Make the wheat paint base:

1. Combine a tablespoon of wheat flour and a tablespoon of water in a small
   saucepan and whisk until a smooth paste forms, then add another tablespoon
   of water until it looks like skim milk.
2. Add four tablespoons of water (a total of six tablespoons) to the runny mixture
   and cook over low heat until it begins to thicken and cling to the whisk, about
   1 - 2 minutes.
   (It's better to have it a little thinner - it will thicken significantly as it cools.
   If it gets too thick, it will clump and be hard to work with.)

Thinning the paint base:

1. In the small shallow bowl, combine the 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon
   of water. Add a teaspoon of the wheat paint base and mix with a cereal spoon
   until smooth. (It's okay if you see particles of flour, but there should be no lumps.
   If there are lumps, you will need to push the mixture through muslin cloth or a
   fine mesh sieve.)

Designing the Luminary:

1. With your ruler, measure four inches from the top of your paper bag
   (open end) and draw a line across the bag. Take the scissors and cut the
   top four inches off of the bag.
2. Turn the bag over so it is seam-side down, and make sure the bottom part
   of the bag is folded back. Lay the bag flat on the table - this is the surface
   you are drawing on.
3. Now for the fun part! Create a design that you feel will honor the coming
   of brighter, warmer days, like evergreens, holly leaves, or whatever strikes
   you as attractive. You can work it out on scratch paper before drawing it
   onto your bag.
4. Using your pencil, draw your design onto the bag. (I used sharpie to make
   it easier to see in the photo.)

Painting the Luminary:

1. Then, take your stick of charcoal and color in the parts of the design you don't
   want light to show through. Don't be afraid if the charcoal starts to pile up!
   It will spread out when we apply our thinned paint base.
2. Once your design is filled in with charcoal, take your paint base that we
   prepared earlier and dip your paintbrush in. Start gently stroking the base
   over the charcoal - it will initially ball up, but keep spreading and it will combine.
3. Paint over all the charcoal areas on your design, making sure it is spread
   evenly. This wheat base will help it adhere to the paper bag.
4. Once it has been painted, let it dry. It will take about 30 minutes to an hour
   to dry, depending on how much paint you used.

 
Lighting the Luminary:

1. Place the wide-mouth jar inside your dry paper bag luminary. Put the candle
   inside the jar, and use a long-wand lighter (the kind you use for grills) to light
   the candle.
2. Turn out the lights and enjoy your luminary!
   May it light the way for brighter and warmer days.