How to Make a Cardboard Christmas Lamppost

by thecraftiestcat in Living > Christmas

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How to Make a Cardboard Christmas Lamppost

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You can bring the outdoors in by making a lamppost out of cardboard.

Supplies

You will need:

Materials

  • Cardboard (sizes provided in image below)
  • Cardboard tube (mine was from cling film)
  • Thick plastic sheet (mine was from old food packaging)
  • Optional: Tissue paper or a paper candle

Tools

  • Brush
  • Paint
  • Glue (PVA or hot glue gun)
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Scissors
  • Cutting mat
  • Cutting knife

Make the Base

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For a wider tube such as a kitchen roll tube, cut out a square from cardboard that is 22cm by 22cm. The rest of the measurements are in the image above.

For a tube that is 2.5cm wide, cut out a cardboard square that is 20cm by 20cm.

Mark the centre of the edge and then mark 2cm both sides of the centre.

Repeat this on the other sides.

Join up the marks with the opposite marks but not the centre ones.

You should now have a cross shape.

Trace around the tube in the centre of the square that is in the centre of the cross.


On both sides of the 4cm wide strip in the middle, make a mark 2.5cm on both sides.
Join up these marks with the corners of the square.
Repeat on all four sides.
Cut out the square and the the corner sections.
Glue the base together with either a hot glue gun or paper strips and glue.

Cut out a 14cm cardboard square and stick the base in the middle with a hot glue gun or paper strips and glue.

Make the Lamppost

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At the end of the tube, draw a line around the tube that is 2cm in.
Cut tabs around the tube up to the 2cm mark.
Fold them down and out so that they lie flat.
Apply glue on the other end of the tube and place it inside the hole of the base.

Apply small strips of glued paper around the tube where it meets the base to provide it with extra support.
Paint the tube and the base.
Cut a 9cm square paint it and let it dry. Alight the edges with the square base and stick it to the top of the post.

Making the Lantern

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On the large piece of card, draw a vertical line 12cm in from the left edge..

Draw a horizontal line 12cm in from the bottom edge in between the left edge and the line previously drawn.

Directly underneath this line, in the middle, draw a 9cm square.
Draw another line 13cm above the horizontal line.
From the top corners, drawn a diagonal line down to the top corners of the 9cm square.
Draw a vertical line 7.5cm long in the middle from the top line.
Draw a diagonal line from the top of the line to the corners on the left and right.
To draw the window measure in 1.5cm from the top, left and right sides of the lantern and draw a parallel line to each side.
For the bottom line of the window, measure up 3cm up from the bottom edge of the lantern and draw the line.

Repeat the lantern template three more times without the square.

Cut out the frames and the windows. Score along the roof for the door and square and fold.

Joining the Lantern Together

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Cut the roof off one of the frames but not the frame with the 9cm square attached.
You should now have a roof and door.
Make a handle for the door.
I cut and glued together 1cm squares but you can make any handle that you want to.


Make a cap for the lantern:
Draw five 2cm squares in the shape of a cross. Score along the line of the centre square and cut out the cross. Fold the cap together. Cut small strips of paper and stick them over the edges of the cap. Paint the cap.

Paint the lantern frames on one side and around the edges. Once dry, paint the other side a bright colour.

Stick the plastic sheet around the inside of the window frames. You can stick tissue paper behind the plastic or stick a paper candle.

Joining the Lantern Together

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Glue the two full lantern frames around the square and join the sides and bottom edges together either using a hot glue gun or paper strips and glue. Glue the strips over the edges of the sides and bottom edges.

Fold the roof together and stick it together as well the individual roof piece using the paper strips or hot glue. Glue a paper strip to the edge of the door that is on the opposite side of the handle. Glue this to the side of the frame. It should form a hinge so the door can open and close. Glue paper strips around the roof edges so that it looks neat.

Paint over the paper strips.

Glue the cap on top of the lantern.

Assemble the Whole Lampost

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Glue the lantern onto the post.
You can tie a bow around the post to make it look more festive.
Place a light inside.

Enjoy!