Light up the night! Shim is easy to fold and cut.


These copper-shim lanterns look gorgeous hanging from large shrubs or grouped together in an outdoor entertaining area. Shim won't heat up like metal and it's as easy to cut as paper.

You'll need:
Roll of copper shim
Tarzan 450 adhesive (or a similar quick-drying glue)
Round container or cardboard tube
Old scissors
Decorative paper punch
Ruler
Tealight candles

Step 1
Measure the circumference of the round container or paper tube. Cut a rectangle of shim 15cm high and long enough to wrap around the container with a 15mm overlap.

Step 2
Use a decorative paper punch to make a pattern along the top and bottom edges of the shim (paper punches cost from $6 at craft stores). Fold the shim in half widthways, aligning the top and bottom edges.

Step 3
Mark 2cm intervals across the shim along the fold line and 5mm beneath the punched design. Rule a line between the top and bottom marks.

Step 4
Use old scissors to cut the shim along the marked lines. Gently open out the folded shim and carefully separate the cut edges.

Step 5
Wrap shim around the container, lapping one side over the other. Smooth the top and bottom edges with your fingertips. Run a line of glue along one vertical edge and press the two sides together with your fingertips until the glue 'grabs'.

Step 6
Remove the lantern from the container. Stand the lantern on a worktop and press down very gently on the top edge to make the slits open - this will make the lantern take shape.

Step 7
To make the base for the lantern, trace around the bottom of the container or tube onto a piece of shim. Cut about 8mm outside the traced circle. Make scissor snips around the perimeter of the circle, snipping up to the traced line and spacing snips about 7mm apart. Lay the circle over the bottom of the container and smooth the snipped edge down the sides to form a shallow cup.

Step 8
Run a line of glue around the inside bottom edge of the lantern. Insert the base inside the lantern and very gently press around the outside of the bottom edge with your fingertips.

Step 9
Cut a 15 x 1cm strip of shim, put a drop of glue on each end and glue inside the top edge to form a handle.

Pop a tealight candle inside the lantern and light with a long matchstick.

Stockists
Copper shim is available through S&S Wholesale. Call them on (02) 9875 1155 or 1300 731 529 for your nearest stockist