Saturday, December 18, 2010

Ice Candles

If it's cold where you are, then you are in luck! You can make ice candles. This is a project that really makes a statement, but is super easy and costs next to nothing.




I made these on the morning of a gathering at my house, so I made them fairly small. I needed them to freeze by evening. But you can get creative with the size and shape. Big chunky ones would be fabulous! Just fill a waterproof container with water. Add a second smaller container also filled with water for weight. The smaller container should float so that there is space for ice to form under it. The space created by the smaller container creates a cavity for a candle.




Filling the outside edges with cranberries helped to center the smaller container. Again, get creative. Orange or lemon slices and some greenery and pinecones would look really good with the cranberries too.



I put the containers in my freezer to help them freeze faster, but this will work outside as long as the temperature is below freezing. Once they were frozen, I just ran some warm water over the larger container and they popped right out.





I added candles and nestled them in a basket of greenery and pinecones.






Warm and welcoming, don't you think?







And they will last outside as long as the temperature stays below freezing or you can pop them in your freezer to keep them from melting on a warm day. You can even use them indoors for a special occasion. Just be sure to put them in a container that allows room for the melting water. And even indoors, they will melt fairly slowly.



Is it cold where you are? Make some warm and welcoming ice candles!



I'm linking to...



The Lettered Cottage

{Junk in their Trunk}PhotobucketChic on a Shoestring Decorating



HookingupwithHoH


holiday open house button Cherry World 1



12 giveawaysThe Boardwalk BragfestBeyond The Picket Fence


Photobucket  http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/The DIY Show Off







MakingFunky Junk's Sat Nite Special


UndertheTableandDreaming Photobucket


49 comments:

Unknown said...

These look beautiful Elizabeth! I would love to make some of these. Unfortunately these would melt in about 5 minutes in Australia!

Funky Junk Interiors said...

I LOVE these! The cranberries and ice are such a wonderful combination. I had to feature you this weekend on the SNS #61 sidebar. HAD to. :)

Donna
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

Kim @ A Brush of Whimsy said...

How darling! They are so festive and fun!

Cassie Bustamante said...

these are awesome, sharon!

Anonymous said...

These are so pretty! I'm going to try this for a party I am going to be having soon!!

time worn interiors said...

How cute is that! These are adorable! Have a Merry Christmas!
Theresa
aka:tot

Simply Bungalow said...

Love these. They are simply beautiful.
~Heidi

Unknown said...

Those are beautiful! I am featuring them at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com. Grab my "featured" button.

cleverlyinspired said...

Sharing with my facebook fans! Love it!

Michele {The Scrap Shoppe} said...

I **LOVE** this idea!! Perfect for around here these days. I can't believe how cold it is already! Thank you SO much for linking up to Homemade Christmas!

Brandi said...

This is such a beautiful idea!

ClassyGal said...

They are just beautiful,LOVE THEM!

Anonymous said...

This would also be a great house gift if you can be among one of the first to arrive. Any hostess would welcome one to put on her front porch to welcome guests.

Kristin @ Daydream Designs said...

These are so neat and so easy! I think I'm going to have to try them!

Chris at Red Gate Farm said...

Love these, and the little metal tray you put them in! This is the kind of thing I miss in our part of the world, although we do get cold and snow SOME winters, our winters are actually pretty mild with most of our temps hovering around 40 degrees. These kinds of cute holiday touches don't last too long!

Enjoy the holidays,
Chris

Maureen said...

What a beautiful (and affordable!) decoration!

muralimanohar said...

While it *IS* cold here, for us, they would also melt in five minutes here (Hawaii). Too bad, cause they are AWFULLY cute! :D

Anonymous said...

Those candles are so pretty and I love the glow of them! But you have to make sure that it is cold enough or all you'll have is puddles!

Lisa said...

These are gorgeous! I've never seen anything like this. Thanks so much for sharing!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

What a clever idea! I'm going to make some for my mother-in-law {we spend Christmas there}.They will be beautiful on her front porch.
Thanks for sharing.
Found you over at C.R.A.F.T.
Cheers!
Theresa

Marilyn Holeman said...

I found your blog on BNOP. Very pretty idea! Thanks for sharing. Wouldn't last too long in Southern California, but long enough for a party. Merry Christmas!

GwendolynKay said...

I really love this! Thanks so much for sharing. I think I will make some for Christmas day , when the company comes.
Blessings~
Gwenny

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

These are beautiful, Sharon...thanks for sharing!!

Mary said...

I love this idea, it's so festive! Have a Merry Christmas! Mary

Donnie said...

What a fun idea that the children could do too. Very festive. Merry Christmas.

{ProtoDoom} said...

Those look absolutely stunning! We aren't staying consistently cold enough yet, but they would look killer on my porch when it does!

Alicia {ProtoDoom.com}

Sally Annie Magundy said...

Those are gorgeous, I just love them!

Happy Rednesday and Merry Christmas,
Sally

JunqueMagnet said...

So nice.It's been so cold around OH that I've been making to make a bunch of these as well.Thanks for sharing.Enjoy the season.

Cherry Chick said...

What a clever and beautiful idea Sharon. It's been cold already in FL but not cold enough to freeze something like that outside. Thank goodness!
Thanks for sharing with us on Rednesday.

LV said...

You are just so smart. What a great idea and yours looks nice. No, the entire United States is not cold. Here in Texas today it was 87 degrees and so terribly dry.

Dena E's Blog said...

Soooo very Delightful Sweetie..Fun idea, thanks for the How to's...Its really cold here in Iowa too. Blessings from our Sweet Lord on you and yours this CHRISTmas Season and into the New Year too.~~~Hugs Dena

Bunnym said...

Even though a huge storm is coming in to Cali...it won't be cold enough to keep these beauties from defrosting. Very creative idea though!

Merry Christmas!
bunny

Kelly said...

Wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing. I'll be using this on Christmas eve.

★Carol★ said...

I've wanted to make these for years! Yours turned out so pretty. And by the looks of the forecast, I could make these and they wouldn't melt for a very long time!
Merry Christmas and Happy REDnesday!
Carol

Linda said...

Very nice...they are so festive!

Jorgelina said...

Merry Christmas!!!

Unknown said...

Your ice candles add a warm touch to your decor.
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Yanet @ 3 Sun Kissed Boys said...

How pretty! I wish we could do this but our temps in S. FL just wouldn't allow it. :)

Anonymous said...

I wanted to let you know that I linked to your post today...we created our own version of your ice wreaths. Such a fab idea!
Cheers!
Theresa
http://alliswellathome.blogspot.com/2010/12/5-crafts-til-christmas-frozen-wreaths.html

Turley Times said...

Visiting from House of Hepworths - these are so beautiful! My sister-in-law made something very similar a few years ago and I always wanted to make them myself but never did. Thanks for the reminder! I agree, orange slices and greenery would look awesome with the cranberries (not to mention they would smell really good).

Hannah

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

They do add such a welcoming touch, Sharon. I've admired ice candles for years, but never made them. Next year I need to admire some on my own porch! ;)

Please be sure to come by and enter my fantastic year-end giveaway. Click the picture in my sidebar for details.

By the way, I featured you tonight.

Blessings and a very Merry Christmas!
Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Nany said...

Gorgeous and elegant... Simple.... I got your idea and planning something for a table for 2 in February... Thanks so much.. and Happy Holidays from Puerto Rico

Denise C said...

These turned out so pretty. I saw a large one a while back in a magazine or something, but never thought of making several smaller ones. I love it! But what really makes it so wonderful is the way you presented them - in the metal container with all the boughs around. Perfect!!!

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home said...

What a great tutorial! And they turned out so lovely! I'm featuring you this week for Friday Favorites! Thanks for linking up! Hope you'll link up again!

Allison {A Glimpse Inside} said...

These look fabulous! I have always wanted to try some of these and just have never attempted it.
I'm just now catching up on my links at my last Holiday Open House party... so thanks for linking these up!

Parents of a Dozen said...

I am a new follower. These candles are so nice and such a great idea.

Joanne Fuller said...

I just came from a preschool Winter Solstice party where the children had made a simpler version of these. They gathered pine twigs and other pieces of winter nature and froze them in individual-sized apple sauce containers with a birthday candle in the center (held up by cluster of twigs). They were charming! But I wanted the real thing so thanks for popping up in my Google search. I'm making these!

Zane Wooder said...

Love this. I never thought of making ice candles before. Wicked idea.

-zane