How-To: Ice Globe Lanterns

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By Goli Mohammadi
Posted 2013/01/23 @ 6:27 pm
Category Home, Fun & Games

Tired of making snowmen and looking for other creative ways to embrace the cold temperatures? Mix a little fire and ice by making your own ice globe lanterns. The instructions couldn’t really be simpler: basically you fill up a balloon with water, let it freeze, cut the balloon off, drill a candle hole, pop in a candle, and revel in the sweet glow. Instructables member Browncoat has a good tutorial, as does Rob Barrett, complete with video:

They look great outside lighting the deck, as Rob has done.

Alternately, you can add food coloring to add a festive tint, like in this pic shared on Facebook by Jolly Learning.

In the Maker Shed

11 Responses to How-To: Ice Globe Lanterns

cookingfordads on January 23rd, 2013 at 8:47 pm said:

I’ve updated some techniques in this Ice Globe video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92AW5oMItn8
Rob Barrett

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- Goli Mohammadi on January 24th, 2013 at 11:46 am said:
  
  Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Rob! Cheers!
  
  Reply ↓
  
  rob barrett on January 24th, 2013 at 12:56 pm said:
  
  Thanks for the mention.
  
  Reply ↓
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shubham gupta on January 24th, 2013 at 9:06 am said:

Wow colored balls are eye catching.

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- rob barrett on January 24th, 2013 at 11:05 am said:
  
  Colored is cool although they tend to melt faster. You can also put in pine leaves and other colorations although they also tend to melt faster. Check me out on twitter @iceglobes for lots of ideas.
  
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John Maliga on January 26th, 2013 at 2:37 pm said:

Maybe you’re in Northern MN, but, when we lived in Minneapolis, a few hours of freezing at 10F or lower would result in a sphere with a solid surface and liquid core (like your update YouTube video). Crack a hole (we’ll call it the “top”), empty the liquid, and insert your candle or other illumination. No need for power tools or propane torches.

A neighbor created these every xmas eve and left one glowing at every house on the block. It was magical. In SoCal (Los Angeles) where I now live, the paper bag luminarias perform similar magic during celebrations.

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- rob barrett on January 26th, 2013 at 9:18 pm said:
  
  John, I’m in Minneapolis and you are right, I almost always make the not frozen solid ones now. I turn them upside down and stick them in the snow or get them to stick to an ice pole or frozen Ice bucket. (although it takes a really cold night to get it halfway frozen through in one night. We’ve had a great winter for freezing this year. I even started a Fb page Ice for it. What fun. I hope you’re enjoying LA. Rob
  
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