How stoked was I when my daughter asked for a Mermaid Birthday Party? Let’s just say I answered her by singing the entire soundtrack of “Little Mermaid”.

This is the simplest DIY, but it adds SO MUCH to the adorable mermaid lanterns that Just Artifacts already offers.

Materials needed:
– 8″ Paper Lanterns (You can use bigger or smaller ones!)
– Scissors
– Crepe Paper in colors of your choice
– Hot glue gun
– Googly eyes (you really only need one per fish, unless you are hanging it in a spot where both sides of the fish are seen)

1. Cut a small strip of crepe paper and fold it in half (You need two of everything, so this is a good way to save time.)
2. Cut the tail on the side of the fold. Cut out the dorsal fin, pectoral fin, and the pelvic fin out like so:
3. Unfold the tail and loop it through the top of the lantern. Fold it over the hook and glue it, so the fin covers the hook.
4. Create a small fold along the base of the dorsal and pelvic fin so that you have a spot to put the glue. Glue them on the sides of the lantern (or the top and bottom of your fish)
5. Glue the pectoral fin and googly eye to the other side of the lantern. And now you have a paper lantern fish!

I strung different paper lanterns on a ribbon and hung it in place. I added tissue pom poms and round accordian paper lanterns for texture. I then hot glued the fish to the lanterns adjacent to them to keep them in place.

Look how magical:

Other Mermaid Party Ideas:
– Add twisted green strips of crepe paper to hang down and look like seaweed.
– Clear balloons look like bubbles!
– Blue metallic foil confetti looks like water!