MERMAID QUEEN - ALTERED LANTERN

Last summer, I purchased a set of two lanterns.  One of the lanterns arrived with the glass broken.  The company I purchased them from (Wayfair) was great, and they immediately replaced the broken lantern, and they didn't want the broken one back.  I hated throwing it away, so I created a mermaid scene.

The sides of the lantern were great for adding aquatic plants and creating the illusion that the seahorses and other creatures are swimming.

The columns stand in the center of the piece, with the mermaid queen sitting on her shell throne.  It provides a place to attach the thrown image, sea creatures, and aquatic plants.

All the images you see come from my Mermaid Garden Collage Sheet series.  These sheets are packed with all kinds of images to create a magical underwater world.

MERMAID GARDEN COLLAGE SHEET #1


MERMAID GARDEN COLLAGE SHEET #2

MERMAID GARDEN COLLAGE SHEET #3

MERMAID GARDEN COLLAGE SHEET #4

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF MY MERMAID AND BEACH-THEMED COLLAGE SHEETS & DIGITAL IMAGE SETS ON ETSY

CONSTRUCTION

I first wrapped the wire around the top piece to keep it from sliding down.  Without the glass, there is nothing to hold the top piece in place.  I painted the wire to blend in with the lantern.

Next, I cut the bottom off of a Styrofoam cone to create a base. 

I applied glue to the Styrofoam and coated it in the sand.  I inserted a wooden skewer in the Styrofoam so I could lift it to sprinkle the sand on the sides.

To make the columns that are the centerpiece of the scene stand up, I added wooden skewers to the back side.  The bottom of the skewers sticks into the Styrofoam.  The column image comes from the mermaid garden collage sheet and is backed with thick printed cardstock.

In addition to the Asparagus Fern Garland, I found some cheap plastic greenery at the craft store, which I painted and glittered.

I glued various colors of sea glass around the Styrofoam base.  Tip:  you can use alcohol ink to change the color of the glass or to add more colors.  I used lots of pebbles and marbles from my stash on the top of the Styrofoam base.

On the base of the lantern, I added a mermaid pendant charm painted with Patina Paints.