Winter Farmhouse Lantern Decor: DIY Winter Terrarium Home Decor Idea

How to Make a Winter Farmhouse Lantern

I purchased the supplies to make my winter farmhouse lantern decor before the holiday. Therefore you may not be able to find the exact list of materials and supplies to make your own winter lanterns. Don’t get discouraged, however, if this is the case. Finding substitutions works just as well and makes your winter decor unique to you. You can also add additional elements to create a theme for your winter terrarium that fits your own creative style. 

Supplies and Material to Make a Winter Farmhouse Lantern:

Here are the supplies I used to make my winter lantern decor. When learning how to make a terrarium, you'll probably find a majority of the elements needed at Hobby Lobby and Michael’s. However, don’t feel like you have to shop with these suppliers. Every craft store should have similar items for you to choose from. 

• Lantern
• Blue Spruce Tree Figure
• Buck and Doe Ornaments
• LED Fairy Lights
• Batting
• Faux Snow
• Faux Greenery
• Pinecone Bird Ornament
• Let It Snow Tag or Ornament
• Styrofoam

For further details on where I sourced my supplies, visit the original post on how to make winter lantern decor here. (You'll also find additional details and tips for making this winter home decor.)

Tools for Making a DIY Winter Lantern:

• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
• Dowel or Pencil

How to Make Winter Farmhouse Lantern Decor

To make this decorative farmhouse lantern your winter wonderland home decor, first cut out a piece of styrofoam into a square so that it fits inside the bottom of the lantern. Then place the styrofoam inside the lantern base.

Next, position the deer and tree figurines how you’d like them to appear inside the lantern. Then use hot glue to adhere the deer and tree figurines to the styrofoam base.

Now over the entire bottom of the lantern with batting material. You can use a small wooden dowel (or even a pen or pencil) to push the batting material under the deer and into the corners of the lantern.

Once you’ve arranged the batting to act as snow, add the LED fairy lights to the lantern. To do this, first, push the battery pack up through the lantern and out the top opening on the backside of the lantern. If your lantern isn’t open at the top, place the battery pack behind the lantern and thread the wire under the door.

Once the string lights are positioned as desired, cut the snowflake garland into various lengths. Cut the garland into 3 longer strands and approximately 4 shorter strands.

Now add hot glue to the end of a strand and press it to the top of the lantern. Continue with this process until you’ve glued all the strands of snowflake garland into your terrarium.

Next, sprinkle several pinches of Faux Frosty Snow on top of the batting material to give the faux snow some depth and sparkle. The glittery snow will also add charm and help the light from the fairy lights reflect more inside the lantern.

Once you’ve decorated the batting for the snow, add the greenery. To do this, make two bundles of greenery. Layer the sprigs of greenery on top of each other. Then take one of the stems and wrap it around all the stems to hold the bundle together.

For the next step, hot glue the two bundles to the top of the lantern. The bundles need to face in the opposite direction of each other. In addition, the stems should overlap in the middle between them.

Now that the the greenery is attached to the top of the lantern, use hot glue to glue the pinecone bird ornament (or ornament of choice) to the center area between the two greenery bundles.

Finally, hang an additional ornament off to one side of the lantern, if desired. Simply glue the hanger up under one of the greenery bundles.

Your winter lantern decor is now complete and ready to display in your home. All that’s left to do is turn on the fairy lights and enjoy!

Ways to Decorate with Winter Lanterns

Need ideas on how to decorate your home with winter lanterns? This winter lantern decor looks beautiful displayed on fireplace mantel along with my DIY winter wreath here.

For a smaller display, you make this winter terrarium the centerpiece for your mantel and surround it with faux snow and pinecones, along with floral picks or the greenery of your choice as a winter home decor idea.If you don’t have a fireplace, the same concept can be used as a table centerpiece.

These winter lanterns make especially beautiful winter lantern centerpieces for wedding tables as well. An even easier way to decorate your home with this winter decor idea is to simply set your lantern on a side table or bookshelf.

If your winter lantern has a handle at the top, you can also hang your winter terrarium on a hook indoors. Or hang it outdoors in an enclosed or covered porch.