I took my inspiration from the Beachy Head lighthouse, which is local to me in East Sussex. It is a really fun project, but can be a little fiddly in places. Stick with it though, because not only will it function as a light, it will also serve as a unique storage container or gift box!
To make one, you will need:
- An empty Pringles tube with lid (cleaned inside)
- A4 sheet of white paper
- A4 sheet of red paper
- Cereal box card
- Red acrylic paint
- Soft paintbrushes
- Glue stick
- Super glue / hot glue gun
- Craft knife
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Clear plastic food packaging
- Acrylic gloss varnish
- Battery operated tealight
Watch my video tutorial to see how I made it, or scroll down for more detailed instructions.
First, cut 5 strips of paper (3 red and 2 white) approximately 55mm x 260mm.
Remove the lid of the Pringles tube and apply a thin layer of glue (glue stick) around the tube, starting at the base. Align a strip of red paper to the bottom edge of the tube and wrap it around firmly, making sure there are no gaps or air bubbles. Glue the end securely.
Take a white strip next and glue this to the tube, overlapping the red strip by about 5mm.
Continue the pattern - red, white, red - until the tube is covered.
For the lid, cut two 10mm strips of cereal box card, approximately 290mm long. Using super glue or a hot glue gun, stick one strip to the outside of the lid (making sure that the plain side is showing through inside), and trim to size.
Stick the second strip around the first strip (making sure that the plain side is on the outside), and trim to size. I used a bit of masking tape to hold it in place whilst it dried.
Stick the second strip around the first strip (making sure that the plain side is on the outside), and trim to size. I used a bit of masking tape to hold it in place whilst it dried.
Draw around the top of the lid twice onto cereal box card and cut out. Using super glue or a hot glue gun, stick one circle to the top of the lid (making sure that the plain side is showing through inside), then stick the other circle on top (making sure that the plain side is on the outside). When dry, trim off any excess and sand the edges.
Next, cut a rectangle out of cereal box card, 70mm x 210mm and cut out a window section 50mm x 120mm in the centre. This will form the top of the lighthouse, where the tealight goes.
Glue some white paper on the printed side of the card, or paint it white.
Before the glue dries, roll the card into shape (around a glue stick) and glue the end sections together securely. The white side should now be inside.
Draw around the top of it twice onto cereal box card and cut the circles out. Glue them to the top (plain sides facing outwards). When dry, trim off any excess and sand the edges.
Before the glue dries, roll the card into shape (around a glue stick) and glue the end sections together securely. The white side should now be inside.
Draw around the top of it twice onto cereal box card and cut the circles out. Glue them to the top (plain sides facing outwards). When dry, trim off any excess and sand the edges.
Draw around the lid of a glue stick onto cereal box card and cut it out. Cut a strip of card 10mm wide and long enough to wrap around the glue stick. Glue the ends of the strip together using super glue or a hot glue gun, and glue the circle on top (plain side facing outwards).
Cut two more strips of cereal box card 10mm x 150mm and wrap one of them LOOSELY around the base of the tube that you have just made. Trim it to size and glue the ends together. Glue the other strip around it (plain sides facing outwards) and glue this to the centre of the lid. This will hold the top in place and will give easy access to the tealight.
Cover the lid and the card tube in two layers of red acrylic paint, and when dry, cover in a thin layer of acrylic varnish.
Cut a rectangle of clear plastic food packaging (I used a pie tray) to fit the window section of the card tube. Use super glue or a hot glue gun to carefully hold this in place.
Finally, cut out a door and some windows from white paper, draw on some details and glue them to the lighthouse.
And there it is!
Simply remove the top tube to add a battery operated tealight and your lighthouse is complete! PLEASE DO NOT use a candle, or a tealight with a real flame, as this is a fire risk.
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