I came across some heart-shaped painted tin lanterns at a Mexican import store and knew I had to buy them and… repaint them! That’s exactly what I did! That’s the beauty of having a well-stocked paint cart, along with the desire to remake anything and everything!
I bought the last three tin lantern hearts in stock and base coated them primer white. Then I went to it and gave them my own Crafty Chica makeover!
You can do this with ANYTHING! Visit a discount store, a thrift store, and of course the dollar and craft store to find boxes, wall art and more.
Once I finished the three, I became obsessed with painting more. So I ask the owner of the store if he could buy me some unpainted tin lanterns on his next buying trip. A few months later – and look what he surprised me with?
Oh man, be careful what you ask for! I’m super excited to get going on these!
How to make painted tin lanterns
Start by sanding off the paint to give the surface a rough texture. This will help your paint grip the surface.
You can use craft paint, multi-surface paint or even spray paint.
Once the paint is dry, add a spray sealer.
So what happens if you don’t have access to tin lanterns like this? Well, you can make your own! Here is a video I made showing how to use cardboard. I made shrines, but you can use the same idea to make these heart lanterns (use only-battery-operated lights)
You can’t tell from the photos, but these lanterns have double layers and then you can insert a battery operated light in the back. The sides have holes all the way around so the light shines out in rays.
Again, as a way to suffice, I made my own versions using cardboard.
The main message os for you to keep an open mind as you look for items to paint. And here is my post on Painted Tin Cans!
Love & light,
