An Ice Lantern Adds a Wintry Glow

Ice lanterns were created by inhabitants of cold countries to bring some warm light to the cold winter darkness. Ice luminaries are a stunning way to combine the cold ice with the warm fire.

Within the ice lantern the light bounce off of the ice cracks and imperfections reflecting the light to creates a luminous, mesmerizing and magical glow.

Ice lanterns and ice luminaries can be used to add a special candlelight to winter decorations, events and activities.

Create and use ice lanterns to decorate your winter yard, by adding ice luminaries to the porch or to illuminate a pathway.

Ice globes can also be used to create beautiful, glowing centerpieces for winter weddings, celebrations, events or to set a romantic mood.

See how to create beautiful ice lanterns using starter kits and for the adventurous how to follow some simple directions to create your own glowing ice luminaries to give your home or event a special winter glow.

Ice Globe Lantern Kit available on Amazon

Ice Lanterns available on Amazon

Listen to Jennifer Hedberg discuss her luminary art created with ice lanterns and the fun that people can have making ice lanterns.

There are many different ways to use an Ice Lantern or Ice Luminary for decorating:

1. Decorate a winter yard, add ice luminaries to porches and paths.
2. Light up a pathway for a winter outdoor celebration, event or memorial.
3. Create a luminous centerpiece for holiday parties, winter parties, events, exhibits
4. Add unique candle light and ice sculptures to a winter wedding.
5. Create a romantic glow with ice lanterns.
6. Use an ice lantern to chill wine.

In it's simplest form an ice lantern or an ice luminary is a lantern created from ice, used to hold a candle or a shell of ice with a candle inside.

Jennifer Shea Hedberg of Wintercraft describes Ice lanterns as the following:

• "Imagine a tray of ice cubes taken out too soon. What do you find? Crusts of ice with water inside. Release the water, and voilà, miniature ice lanterns.
• So, now the trick is to do the same thing, but on a much larger scale..."

I like the description from Wintercraft of an ice lantern as an ephemeral (temporary or transient) gift from nature.

Ice Lantern Kit available on Amazon

In this informative video from Wintercraft discover how to display the Wintercraft Globe Ice Lantern Kits, celebrate winter and enjoy the glow.

Jennifer Hedberg developed the Ice Lantern Starter Kits so people could easily make their own ice lanterns to use at home, at parties and at exhibits.

The kit comes with everything needed to make 3 soccer ball-sized ice lanterns at home including heavyweight balloons, clean burning candles, a clip, freezing base and insulating disc.

All you need to add is water, a place to freeze the balloon and a pair of gloves so you can handle the finished ice lantern.

The ice lanterns can be frozen outsize during the winter or in a home freezer, if there isn't enough winter cold, or you live in warmer climates.

Ice Lantern Starter Kit available on Amazon

The same kits supplied by different suppliers.

Ice Lanterns Used for a Holiday Centerpiece Amazon

Ice Lanterns Lining a Walkway by Onthewhiteline

Used under a Creative Commons License

See how to make an ice lantern using the Arctic Ice Lantern Mold from arcticiceman02.

Ice Luminary in the Snow at City of Lakes Loppet, Luminary Loppet event by Rengber

Used under a Creative Commons License

This is just one of the many ways to make an ice lantern.

This ice lantern can be made with any kind of available mold or bucket that will hold water for freezing.

For the extras:

To color the ice lantern, add in different colors of Koolaid and mix to disperse the color.

To freeze objects in the ice, add in fruit, berries, pine cones, twigs or other decorative objects that can be frozen within the ice to make more festive.

Videos on making ice lanterns from RogerMoenBreckCO, cooking4dads and arcticsun2011.

To make your own you can use a punch ball for the ice and led tea light to illuminate your ice lantern.

More ways of decorating with ice, using reusable ice sculpture molds.

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What do you think about decorating with ice lanterns?