DIY Dollar Tree Lantern

DIY Dollar Tree Lantern

This DIY Dollar Tree lantern is made entirely of $1 picture frames. Armed with $7 and a bit of glue, you can put this together in less than an hour. A lantern (or terrarium) of this size could easily sell for $30 in a home goods store. So, you get lots of glam for a little effort, and even less cash.

I saw this all over youtube, and I just had to try it for myself to see if it was too good to be true. It works! This is how I did it:

Here is what you’ll need:

  • 6 Dollar Tree frames (I used the gold frames for a 4×6 photo), plus 1 more in case something goes wrong.
  • FastGrab Tacky Glue (better than a glue gun! It’s non-toxic, dries quickly, and won’t burn your fingers or your children)
  • wood glue
  • Painter’s tape
  • Some pliers or tweezers may come in handy

DIY Dollar Tree Lantern Instructions:

  1. Remove and all the papers from 4 of the frames. Keep the glass in the frames (just press the metal clips down to hold the glass tightly in place).
Dollar Tree Frames with papers removed
The papers and matte in the frame have been removed (on the right).

2. Apply a strip of fast drying glue and a strip of wood glue to the back of the frame, and press it to the side of another frame. Keep the frames upright while you do this, applying painter’s tape to hold each side together. Working your way around, so you have glued all 4 frames to each other.

I applied 2 strips of glue.

3. Take 2 of the remaining frames and remove both the glass and the papers. Then pull them apart so that each of the sides are separate; each frame should now be in 4 pieces. You will use only the 2 shortest sides for each frame (4 total). Measure and note the width of the face (or front) of the frame.

This frame has been pulled apart. I removed the metal clips that held the frame together with pliers.

4. Glue 2 of the sides to the corners of the lantern at one end, and to each other at the other end (so it forms a point above the lantern at the center).

5. For the remaining 2 short sides, cut each one by 1/2 of the frame width. For example, if the width of the gold face of the frame is 1/2 inch, cut 1/4 inch off each of the 2 remaining pieces of frame.

I used a sharp knife to ‘saw’ about 1/4 inch off two of the short pieces of the frames that I pulled apart.

6. Glue the 2 cut pieces to opposite corners of the lantern. At the other end, glue them to either side of the point you made at the top of the lantern (in step 4).

Note how the 2 cut pieces are attached to either side of the point in the middle.

7. Use the painter’s tape to hold everything in place while the glue is drying overnight. Remove the tape the next day, and…

All taped up and nowhere to go.

…You’re done!

Use this on the mantle (with a candle in it), as a terrarium (with a small planter in it), or both. This would also make a beautiful centerpiece for a party or formal event.

DIY Dollar Tree Lantern

You can see this lantern on the desk in my re-organized, decluttered storage area.

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Please drop us line if you’ve made the lantern – or better yet, post a pic to our instagram or facebook pages! 🙂

Tips:

  • When pulling the frames apart in step 3, be as gentle as possible. I broke 2 of them and had to glue them back together. Try sliding them out from the metal clip that is holding them together, rather than just pulling them apart. If you do break one – well that’s why I suggested you buy 7 frames instead of 6.
  • Each frame should only have another frame glued to one of its sides (see gallery photos- no matter what side you are facing, there is only ever 1 frame glued to the left side. This allows it to be a perfect square.