Freaky Friday Date Night Lantern | A Fun New Twist on Date Night

We are back again with the Movie Monday Challenge and I have to admit, this one was trickier for me. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day coming up we decided to go with the theme “Luck” and I really struggled to think of movies. Even Google searches didn’t pull up a lot of results. Finally, I landed on Freaky Friday (the newer one) and from there that led to this awesome Freaky Friday date night lantern.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

Collage of Chinese Lanterns with gold garland and polka dot background and text: Freaky Friday Date Night Lantern

 

[bctt tweet=”Shake up date nights at home with this Freaky Friday #datenight lantern! #MovieMonday” username=”diyadulation”]

In case you haven’t seen it, Freaky Friday is about a mother and daughter who switch bodies. They cannot switch back until they are selfless for the other person. Of course, hijinks ensue which are hilarious but the concept got me thinking. When is the last time you did something with your husband simply because he liked it (even though you don’t) and vice-versa?

Think about how much your relationship would grow if you both did things for each other on a regular basis that the other person knew was exclusively for them. That would be pretty powerful.

That is where this Freaky Friday date night lantern comes in. After you’ve made it, fill it with date night ideas that you each love even if the other person doesn’t. Not only will this bring the two of you closer, it will also make weekly date nights at home easier.

 

Chinese Lantern with gold garland and polka dot background

Materials

 

Clean red coffee can without label

Step 1

Start by removing the label from your coffee can and cleaning the can thoroughly.

Tip:

  • The label will come off easier if you fill the can with hot water first and shake it with the lid on. This loosens the glue that holds the label on.

 

Strip of gold ribbon on coffee can

Step 2

Next, begin gluing strips of gold ribbon to the sides of the can with hot glue.

 

Coffee can with gold ribbon on it

Step 3

Continue until the can has a strip of ribbon every 1 inch or so.

 

Coffee can with gold ribbon on it

Step 4

Then add another strip of ribbon around the base of the can with hot glue. Make sure to overlap the ends to make it more secure.

 

Coffee can with gold ribbon on it

Step 5

Repeat step four at the top of your coffee can. Be sure to do this on the bumped out part and not on the very top. You still need to be able to attach the lid.

 

Red and Yellow DMC floss

Step 6

Now, unwrap your DMC floss and lay it out so that you can pull from it easily.

 

Piece of Cardboard and red DMC floss

Red and yellow DMC floss wrapped around cardboard

Step 7

Begin wrapping your floss around the piece of cardboard as pictured. Continue until you think you have enough for your tassel. I lost count of how many times I wrapped it. That is how many layers I made.

 

Red and yellow DMC floss wrapped around cardboard

Step 8

After you have finished wrapping your floss, wrap the excess around the top to secure it temporarily.

Tip:

  • You can bend the cardboard if needed to get the floss through the center.

 

Cut ends of red and yellow DMC floss wrapped around cardboard

Step 9

Next, cut the bottom end of your wrapped floss.

 

Red and yellow DMC floss tied with piece of yellow floss

Step 10

Carefully pull the floss off of the cardboard and permanently secure the folded end with a long piece of yellow floss. Knot it multiple times for best results.

 

Red and Yellow Tassel

Step 11

Next, wrap a piece of red floss around the top as pictured and secured with a double knot.

 

Red and Yellow Tassel

Step 12

Trim any excess red floss from the knots.

 

Red and Yellow Tassel

Step 13

Now trim the loose ends of the tassel to make them even.

 

Lid with a hole in the center next to red and yellow tassel

Step 14

Then cut a hole in the center of your coffee can lid with scissors. I simply poked mine through. I didn’t try to get a perfect hole.

 

Yellow floss threaded through hole in lid

Step 15

Next, thread the long yellow floss through the hole in the lid from the top down.

 

Knotted Red and Yellow Floss

Step 16

Tie a small piece of floss to the end of your threaded yellow floss. It doesn’t matter what color it is. Mine is red because I used the excess I trimmed from the knot around the tassel.

 

Knotted floss on underside of lid

Step 17

Finally, tie the new piece of floss in a bow with the yellow floss and double knot. This will keep it from pulling out. Be sure to check the length at which you want your tassel to hang before committing to the knots. The knot placement will determine this.

 

Chinese Lantern with gold garland and polka dot background

Date Nights

Now that your Freaky Friday date night lantern is finished, it is time to fill it with date nights. We are currently trying to have one date night a week so we need a lot of ideas. Each of you should try to come up with at least 10-15 date night ideas. The catch is that you should pick things that you love that your spouse has maybe never tried or doesn’t enjoy quite as much. For example, I love Scattergories but my husband doesn’t really enjoy playing it. On the flip side of that, he loves playing video games and I have never really been a big gamer. These would both make perfect date night ideas for the lantern.

Fill It Up

Cut a piece of white printer paper into small strips (like fortunes from the movie) and fill them out with date ideas. Then toss them into the lantern and take turns blindly drawing one on date nights each week. Keep in mind that these should be dates that can be completed at home and in 1-2 hours ideally. You want to be able to whip them out after the kids go to bed and enjoy a fun date without being up until the wee hours of the morning.

Chinese Lantern with gold garland and polka dot background with text overlay: Freaky Friday Date Night Lantern

If you want to add even more suspense to your Freaky Friday date night lantern don’t share your date ideas with each other. Let it be a complete surprise when you pull them out each week. If your husband isn’t a big chick flick or family movie guy, then you could totally put Freaky Friday movie night on one of the dates. Now it’s time to see what other lucky ideas the girls came up with for this month’s Movie Monday Challenge. I expect to feel lucky and inspired in no time!

See where I’m linking up!

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Collage of Chinese Lanterns with gold garland and polka dot background and text: Freaky Friday Date Night Lantern


On the last (or fourth) Monday of each month, a group of bloggers participate in a #MovieMondayChallenge, hosted by C’mon Get Crafty! We decide on a topic, genre, or specific movie to use for inspiration and everyone gets free reign to create something wonderful!

 

This month’s challenge was. . . . “LUCK! Everyone was allowed to choose their own favorite film so long as it was inspired by the challenge word.

Now let’s see what everyone else was inspired to create for this month’s #MovieMondayChallenge!! If you’d like to join our Facebook group, you can request an invite here.


Romantic Black and Gold Valentines Table

Text: This post is sponsored by Oriental Trading. All projects, ideas, and opinions are my own. Thanks!

When is the last time you and your husband celebrated a romantic Valentine’s Day together? I don’t even remember the last date night my husband and I pulled off on Valentine’s Day. At this stage in our life the kiddos are simply too young to make it feasible. By the time we add up the cost of hiring a sitter for the evening, pay for dinner, and seeing a movie we have easily entered hundreds of dollars. That is not in the budget this year but I still want to enjoy a romantic night together. We owe it to ourselves and so do you and your husband. That’s why I’m showing you how to create this romantic black and gold Valentines table.

4 place settings on a black and white striped table with gold table accents

 

[bctt tweet=”Set the mood with this romantic black and gold #Valentines table for an elegant at-home dinner date! #ad” username=”diyadulation”]

Set the mood with a gorgeous table and enjoy a romantic dinner together after the kids go to bed this Valentine’s Day. Take time to remember what it is like to enjoy each other’s company and conversation. Also, since the last thing you want to do after an amazing date night with your husband is more chores, all of the dishes are disposable. Clean up will take minutes.

Romantic Black and Gold Valentines Table Elements

Step 1

Measure your dining room table and cut a length off of your tablecloth roll to fit it.

Step 2

Next, unfold your tablecloth and place it on the table.

 

2 Black and Gold place setting on a romantic valentines table

Step 3

Then place your garland down the center of the table. Do this in a serpentine style so that you can place your next elements in the rounds.

 

Gold word Love surrounded by gold garland and red candies

Step 4

Now set up your “Love is Sweet” table decor down the garland runner you created above.

Step 5

Next, add your battery-operated tea light candles throughout the garland. At night, the garland catches the light and it’s beautiful.

 

Gold Garland on Black and White Striped Tablecloth scattered with gold tea light candles and red candies

Step 6

Lastly, scatter caramels throughout the centerpiece. This adds a sweet pop of red to your table setting and provides a sweet treat for after dinner.

Step 7

Set each place setting starting with the large dinner plate and placing the black dessert plate on top. Next, place one napkin on the table to the left of your plates and set with cutlery.

 

Black and Gold Place Setting and Wine Glass

Step 8

Finish off each place setting with a wine glass.

 

Single Black and Gold Place Setting on Valentines Table

4 place settings on a black and white striped table with gold table accents with text on right: Romantic Black and Gold Valentines Table

Set the scene for an intimate at-home date night with this romantic black and gold Valentines table. Spend some time reconnecting with each other. If you need ideas to get the conversation flowing, check out these Free Marriage Conversation Cards and don’t forgot the golden rule of date night: No talking about the kids, work, or chores. This is a night to replenish your marriage. When the night is done, you can clean up in no time and continue to relax. Who says romantic date nights with your husband can’t be do-it-yourself? This easy set up lets you have your cake and eat it too! You can grab it all at Oriental Trading right now.

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4 place settings on a black and white striped table with gold table accents with text on right: Romantic Black and Gold Valentines Table

 

More Ideas You Will Love:

Valentine Gifts to Strengthen Your Marriage

Valentine gifts are a sweet way to express your love for your husband. This year I made this DIY Seven Evil Exes Frame to commemorate one of our favorite dates. Then I started thinking. What if we use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to strengthen our marriage instead of only a cards and candy holiday? That doesn’t have to mean no gifts and no fun. Instead, these Valentine gifts to strengthen your marriage are fun and practical. Start a new tradition with your husband this year that helps your relationship grow while you have fun together.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

Couple Holding Hands with text overlay: Valentine Gifts to Strengthen Your Marriage

[bctt tweet=”Use this Valentine’s Day as the springboard for a deeper relationship throughout the year with these #Valentinegifts to strengthen your #marriage are fun and practical. ” username=”diyadulation”]

Personalized Hearts Four-Across Game

Personalized Hearts Four-Across Game

This romantic take on a classic game is perfect for date nights at home. How can you see your love story on this game and not smile? It is easy to pull out when you have free time after the kiddos go to bed.

Build Your Marriage Journal Laying on a Table

Build Your Marriage Journal

This journal (written by yours, truly) is the perfect way to be intentional with your marriage. Every week you will find a new conversation topic designed to bring you closer as a couple and an accompanying date night idea that builds on it!

Truffles and Ingredients with Deluxe Chocolate Truffle Making Kit in Background

Make Your Own Chocolate Truffles Kit

Get in the kitchen and cook up some love together with this truffles kit. Learning how to make something cooperatively will help you learn to work together and have fun doing it. The best part, even if it’s a disaster you can laugh and enjoy the chocolate after.

Source: AlwaysFits.com

What I Love About You Today

This may seem like a silly gift but it is really helping you be purposeful in complimenting your husband. Too often we get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to point out the wonderful ways we love our spouse. This little notepad is a great reminder to be intentional with your compliments. 

Custom Love is Art Kit

Have you ever considered adding a spicy new element in the bedroom? I love this kit because it is a great way to be a little adventurous without diving too deep. My recommendation? After you’ve created your new work of love, hang it in your bedroom as hot reminder of your passion. It might lead to a little more excitement down the road.

Source: AlwaysFits.com

What I Love About Us Fill In the Love Journal

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a big fan of journals. The prompts guide you while still encouraging your individual love story. These are especially great when your husband is deployed. My husband and I have traded gifts like this through multiple tours.

Source: Amazon.com

The Discovery Game: for a Married Couple

Full disclosure, I haven’t tried this one yet. It is going on the list for this Valentine’s Day because it has great reviews and looks awesome. I love that it helps you explore multiple facets of your relationship. (If you’ve tried it, I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!)

Source: Amazon.com

The Big Activity Book for Couples

Last, but not least, what could be better than a fun activity book for you and your husband to enjoy together? This is so much fun for a low-key date night anywhere. You will learn more about how your husband thinks, solves problems, and more with this super fun book!

Couple Holding Hands with text overlay: Valentine Gifts to Strengthen Your Marriage

Are you ready to fall in love all over again? It is amazing how a simple game of four-across can bring you closer while laughing together in the living room. All of these Valentine gifts to strengthen your marriage are a great way to start a fun new tradition with your husband this year. Try to push outside of your comfort zone to grow and strengthen your marriage even more. You could even check out rings from this website to remind your partner of you. Many of these gifts can turn into a regular date night for you and your husband. Use this Valentine’s Day as the springboard for a deeper relationship throughout the year!

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Couple Holding Hands with text overlay: Valentine Gifts to Strengthen Your Marriage

More Ideas You’ll Love: