I love string lights and their endless possibilities. I wanted a little something special to drape over our headboard, and a row of glowing paper cubes turned out to be just the thing!
First get a string of 20 lights (use LED lights if you are worried about this being a fire hazard) and 20 square pieces of paper (I used 8.5″ x 8.5″).
Then fold 20 cubes like this. (Click the image to zoom.)
Then poke each light into a paper cube. No glue necessary!
Easy and lovely! What more could you want?
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What a fantastic idea! Thanks for sharing the detailed how-to.
Incredible and beautiful. I love them.
Wow, these are pretty awesome!
Love It!
I was just trying to remember how to make an oragami box this afternoon!
this is a great idea!
Dear Wit and Whistle,
I have featured this DIY project on my blog as I loved it so much and wanted to share it with my friends! I hope this is ok with you. Please contact me if it is not, and I will gladly remove the post. :)
x Emmy
No problem Emmy, share all you want! :)
I am the editor-in-chief of the monthly art newsletter, Balch Springs Unbound {http://balchspringsartsalliance.org/unbound.html} and I would love to feature this tutorial in our April issue. I hope that is ok? :)
Wow! Magnifique! Thank you for sharing this great project.
What a clear and exciting demo – very very good and such fun. I lov ethese atmospheric yet simple lights! So bewitching! Alison
Thanks. What a great DIY. I followed your great instructions and this is the result: http://mirtilocrafts.blogspot.com/2011/05/cube-lights.html
Looks great Claudia!
a must on my DIY day tomorrow, hope that’s okay! so sweet!
cheers!
Sure! :)
these are so cute! i really want to make them for my apartment. I was wondering though if there is any danger of the paper burning?
Mine haven’t caught on fire, but I don’t leave them on for very long, and I don’t leave them unattended. You can always use LED lights to cut down on the fire risk, since LED lights don’t put off as much heat.
i love it,but i can´t do step 15!! can someone help me??
To get to step 15 you just unfold what you have for step 14 a little bit. Essentially step 14 is just a squished version of step 15. You could probably just find the hole in step 14, blow in it, and skip 15 all together. Hopefully that helps!
thanks for the help, it really works
beautiful! I’ve linked to this post on my blog.
http://jolifetoday.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/10-bits-of-awesomeness-diy-wishlist/
I can’t seem to get my flaps to fit neatly in the folds like 13 and 14. What am I doing wrong?
Hey! I love this! Thank you so much. I’m doing a bunch at the moment but I can’t seem to understand step 13. Anybody? Could you help me? Thanks!
It’s kind of hard to describe how to fold things aside from showing a picture, so for those of you that are having trouble try Googling “origami balloon” for more tutorials. Maybe looking at a different set of instructions will help clarify the steps you’re stuck on.
Did it! Thanks a lot!
I put these on my patio lights and the turned out awesome! thanks! the instructions were easy to follow as well :)
These are so lovely! I made a bunch tonight and shared them and this tutorial on my blog. Thank you!
http://morenumerousthansand.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/31-diy-projects-in-31-days-day-twenty-one/
Loving this creative diy idea using normal string lights. Curious to know what other origmi shapes could be used – dragons, roses, endless possibilities. Such a versatile idea.
I shared your tutorial on my blog here:
http://www.lightsandlights.com/diy-lighting-paper-origami-and-outdoor-string-lights/
When I fly home I am definitely going to be trying your other string light diy project, the one with the wine bottle. With so many different wine bottle shapes and colors, there will be a nice variety of lighting effects.
You’re very creative! It’s very easy. and It’s perfect because Christmas is coming! I love it.
Awesome idea! Can’t wait to share this with our friends on the JICC, Embassy of Japan’s Facebook page (>_<)Arigatou, ne!
Thanks for the idea & easy instructions! I followed them and got nice christmas lights: http://prime-time-anytime.blogspot.com/2011/12/diy-paper-string-lights.html (I added a link to your blog in the text).
Wow. Perfect thing to discover on a Sunday – going to make them today! And I normally dislike little fairly lights. Thank you :)
Amazing!!! Thank you :)
i love these… im in the process of making them now… but will they set on fire??? xx
Mine haven’t, but if you are worried just use LED lights since they don’t get hot.
Hi, we’d love to do this with origami cranes as part of our upcoming wedding (my fiance’s family is Japanese-Hawaiian. Any chance you could make a tutorial for that? I’m wondering how they’d fit on the light.
Unfortunately I don’t think this would work with paper cranes since they aren’t hollow.
I think cranes would be amazing also – I bet a crane could be designed that was hollow. in addition to or instead of a sting of lights you could make a swirling chandelier / mobile – whatever shape – and whatever colors -
I love this idea and I would love to try it but I don’t get steps 11- 13 could you please explain?
It’s kind of hard to describe how to fold things aside from showing a picture, so you might try Googling “origami balloon” for more tutorials. Maybe looking at a different set of instructions will help clarify the steps you’re stuck on. :)
Hey! I just loved the simplicity of this project so I did that for my room :D http://oi49.tinypic.com/2dvn9ti.jpg hugs from Brazil
For those who are having a bit of trouble with the ‘flat pics’ like I did, here is a great how to on successful completion of the lantern cubes.
http://origami.wonderhowto.com/how-to/origami-lighted-party-cubes-241301/
Thank you wit & whistle for posting this cute light lantern.
Thanks to Wit & Whistle I made this for our Mantel over the weekend however I made a Video Tutorial for those who got a wee bit confused {as I did}. HOPE THIS HELP!
http://www.littlemissmama.com/2012/11/diy-paper-cube-garland.html
what do you do with 11 and 12??
LOVE THIS…. so much so that I re-created my own version and posted about it on Little Miss Mama. COME SEE <3 Thanks so much for the idea. YOU'RE a Genius!
http://www.littlemissmama.com/2012/11/diy-paper-cube-garland.html
Xo
Tairalyn
LOVE! Just shared on my blog as NYE inspiration! Thank you!
Hi, I can´t do steps 11 – 13. Can you help mi with it please?
love your DIY. I’ve just made one for my daughter and shared your great DIY on my blog. Hope that’s okay: o)
Best regards
Ann