My scientist brother makes ice lanterns, a useful skill for lighting friends to your door in a cold Wisconsin winter.
Here’s how. “Large 9” water balloons are frozen out on my deck, then emptied of liquid water, candled, & lit.
“The only tricky part is knowing when they are ‘done.’ Ice should be not too thin, and not too thick. Also, you need to blow air into the balloon after you fill it with H2O, so there will be a nice flat surface on top. That’s where you punch a hole in the ice to empty the liquid H2O & place the candle.”
You gotta grab all the gusto and try to enjoy the cold weather we have been having. I remember that when we lived in Minneapolis, it was a hoot to pour water off the balcony and watch it freeze in flight.
You might also want to check out how Asakiyume makes her frozen soap bubbles, here.
Neat idea…I’ll have to try something like this next cold snap.
My brother says it’s easy, but, knowing me, it would take a few tries to develop a good sense of when the lantern is frozen enough but not too frozen.
How lovely ❤
I’m going to try both this and your frozen soap bubbles as soon as I can get a 3-year-old I know to join me.
I’m sharing this on facebook for all my Minnesota & Wisconsin friends/family. It’s sort of like making lemonade when life gives you lemons. 🙂
Thanks, Tracy. Even some warm-weather devotees might feel the urge to visit cold country just to make ice lanterns!
These almost (but not quite) make me wish it would get colder here more often…
Yeah. Mixed feelings.
And you really did the thing of watching the water freeze midair? I tried that several years ago when we had a very cold snap, but it wasn’t quite cold enough.
You have to be high up, I think.
Ice lanterns have been popular during decades in Finland!
I’m going to try to make them this winter. We are in the middle of a big storm now, and we expect the weather to stay cold long enough for lanterns.
We also put candles inside of ice / snow lanterns. I have one photo in my About me page.
I have heard about that big storm here. I hope that You do not have big problems.
Have a nice day!
Lots of wonderful photos on your About page.
Adding this in January 2018: I think it takes as much as 8 hours to freeze the right amount, depending on things like how warm the water was, how much you put in the balloon, how cold the temperature outside is. You can see it’s an art. Don’t put it in the sun.
Reblogged this on Suzanne's Mom's Blog and commented:
We just tried this again. Such a great way to make the best of freezing weather! Try blowing bubbles, too.