Star Wars and Dollar Tree are both pretty common phrases around this house. When you can put them together, it’s just that much better. Here’s a great idea for a birthday party or just to surprise the Star Wars fan in your household. This DIY Paper Lantern Death Star Nightlight is cheap, easy, and fast to make, but it looks great. Perfect for birthday parties or just room décor. So let’s get to it, cause who doesn’t love the Death Star? Alderaanians, I guess.
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Supplies
You can get all these supplies for this project from Dollar Tree. Grab some paper lanterns. My store had gray ones, but white would work if you can’t find the gray. They come in pack of twos, one big and one smaller. You will also need flameless tea lights, string, duct tape, and a marker. I had string, duct tape, and a marker around the house so the project only ended up costing me $2.
How to Make a DIY Paper Lantern Death Star Nightlight
Take your paper lantern and assemble the frame, so it’s a ball Death Star shape. Begin by using your marker to draw the superlaser circle. I used a lid to trace around and then the tea light to trace around for the smaller circle in the middle. Draw a center line all the way around. (Important, you can’t just follow the wire frame around, since it’s a spiral. Wrap a rubber band around the middle if you need a guide.) Then begin to draw the box shapes all around. Make them different sizes and shapes. I also put small dots in various places. Don’t worry about being perfect. Sure, you could analyze every detail of the death star to recreate yours, but we ain’t about that. So if you are not worried about perfection, just have fun with it.
Adding the Light
Tie the string around your tea light and use duct tape to secure it. Place it down in your paper lantern and tie it off so that it is hanging in the center. Leave some excess string so you can hang it from your favorite spot. To turn the light on and off, just turn the lantern upside down so the light falls to the opening.
Hang and Enjoy
Hang from a spot where you can easily reach so you can turn the light on and off. And you are done! Just think, Jyn Erso and Princess Leia went to all that trouble, when they could have just read this blog.
Watch out for Rebels
They tend to be hard on Death Stars.