I wanted to share this little tutorial on how I made my bat lantern from this post. It’s nice because it’s a bit like a jack-o’-lantern, but it’s never going to rot, smell weird, and/or attract fruit flies. I’ve attached the template I made for mine, but you really can make any shape or pattern you can imagine.
You will need…
1. The template.
2. A sharp nail. The bigger the nail the bigger the holes.
3. A clean tin can. The template is made for a 4.5 inch tall can.
4. Scissors.
5. An old rag. You really only need this if you’re working on cement. It helps keep your can from getting scratched up.
6. A hammer.
7. Tape.
Cut out your template with the scissors and tape it around the can. Be careful to not tape over the dots.
With the can flat on a hard surface (I was working on my front steps), hammer the nail into the side of the can, going through a dot on the template. When the widest part of the nail passes through the side of the can, pull the nail out and move on to the next dot. Work around the can until you’ve made a hole through each dot.
Remove the template and hammer around the edges of the can lightly if it has become misshapen. It doesn’t look like much right now, but wait until dark.
Carefully place a tea light or a short candle in the can. The can will be full of sharp edges so be careful! Light the candle with a long match or a long wand lighter.
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