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!
These look beautiful Elizabeth! I would love to make some of these. Unfortunately these would melt in about 5 minutes in Australia!
ReplyDeleteI 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. :)
ReplyDeleteDonna
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
How darling! They are so festive and fun!
ReplyDeletethese are awesome, sharon!
ReplyDeleteThese are so pretty! I'm going to try this for a party I am going to be having soon!!
ReplyDeleteHow cute is that! These are adorable! Have a Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteTheresa
aka:tot
Love these. They are simply beautiful.
ReplyDelete~Heidi
Those are beautiful! I am featuring them at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com. Grab my "featured" button.
ReplyDeleteSharing with my facebook fans! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI **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!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful idea!
ReplyDeleteThey are just beautiful,LOVE THEM!
ReplyDeleteThis 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.
ReplyDeleteThese are so neat and so easy! I think I'm going to have to try them!
ReplyDeleteLove 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!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the holidays,
Chris
What a beautiful (and affordable!) decoration!
ReplyDeleteWhile it *IS* cold here, for us, they would also melt in five minutes here (Hawaii). Too bad, cause they are AWFULLY cute! :D
ReplyDeleteThose 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!
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous! I've never seen anything like this. Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat 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.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Found you over at C.R.A.F.T.
Cheers!
Theresa
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!
ReplyDeleteI really love this! Thanks so much for sharing. I think I will make some for Christmas day , when the company comes.
ReplyDeleteBlessings~
Gwenny
These are beautiful, Sharon...thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea, it's so festive! Have a Merry Christmas! Mary
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun idea that the children could do too. Very festive. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThose look absolutely stunning! We aren't staying consistently cold enough yet, but they would look killer on my porch when it does!
ReplyDeleteAlicia {ProtoDoom.com}
Those are gorgeous, I just love them!
ReplyDeleteHappy Rednesday and Merry Christmas,
Sally
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.
ReplyDeleteWhat 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!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing with us on Rednesday.
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.
ReplyDeleteSoooo 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
ReplyDeleteEven 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!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
bunny
Wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing. I'll be using this on Christmas eve.
ReplyDeleteI'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!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy REDnesday!
Carol
Very nice...they are so festive!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!!!
ReplyDeleteYour ice candles add a warm touch to your decor.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
How pretty! I wish we could do this but our temps in S. FL just wouldn't allow it. :)
ReplyDeleteI 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!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Theresa
http://alliswellathome.blogspot.com/2010/12/5-crafts-til-christmas-frozen-wreaths.html
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).
ReplyDeleteHannah
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! ;)
ReplyDeletePlease 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/
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
ReplyDeleteThese 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!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat 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!
ReplyDeleteThese look fabulous! I have always wanted to try some of these and just have never attempted it.
ReplyDeleteI'm just now catching up on my links at my last Holiday Open House party... so thanks for linking these up!
I am a new follower. These candles are so nice and such a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI 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!
ReplyDeleteLove this. I never thought of making ice candles before. Wicked idea.
ReplyDelete-zane