How to Make Inexpensive Ice Lanterns

Lighten up winter's dark nights by making a set of ice lanterns for your front porch or garden pathways. These beautiful lanterns create a lovely glow when you place a candle inside-and they couldn't be easier (or cheaper) to make. All you need are tin cans of various sizes, water and cold weather. Here's what to do.

Things You'll Need

• One large coffee can (or commercial-sized vegetable can) per lantern
• One 25- to 28-oz. tin can per lantern
• Gravel
• Can opener
• One small pillar candle per lantern
• Evergreen boughs, berries, holly (optional)

Instructions

1. Collect several large coffee can-sized tin cans and an equal amount of 25-oz. tin cans. Open the cans and reserve the food inside. Then, remove the wrappers from the cans and wash them out.

2. For each lantern, center a 25-oz. can inside a coffee can (the inside can should be the same height or slightly shorter than the outside can). Weigh down the inside can by filling it up halfway with gravel.

3. Fill the space between the two cans with cold water. Keep the water level slightly below the top of the inside can. Place the cans outside on a level surface if the temperature outside is below freezing. If the outdoor temperature is above freezing, you can place the lanterns in a freezer.

4. Bring the lanterns indoors (or take them out of the freezer) when the water inside the coffee can has frozen completely solid. Pour the gravel out of the inside can. Then, flip the lantern upside down. Using a can opener, remove the bottom of the coffee can.

5. To unmold the lantern, run warm water over the outside of the coffee can. When the ice begins to loosen up, carefully push the lantern out of the coffee can. Then, fill the inside can with water. After a minute or two, you should be able to jiggle it up and out of the lantern.

6. Bring the ice lanterns outdoors. Place a small pillar candle inside each lantern and light them. The lanterns last longest in cold climates where temperatures stay below freezing for days or weeks, but they will stay frozen-and look lovely-for several hours in temperatures that are above freezing.

Tips & Warnings

• If you like, prior to pouring in the water, you can arrange holly, berries and pinecones in the space between the cans.

• Wear rubber gloves when you unmold the lanterns. The gloves will help you keep a grip on the lanterns and protect your hands from the ice.

• The lanterns will eventually melt-so be sure to place them on a surface that can get wet.

Resources

• DigginFood