Wednesday, March 6, 2013

More Snow Love - Slice 7 of 31

The March Slice of Life Challenge-hosted by Ruth and Stacey,
Two Writing Teachers,
Great Stuff!
Tweet at #Slice2013

        This is a how-to post for all those who still celebrate winter, or even who are still surviving it.   I read so many posts yesterday about snow, snow days, along with wanting the sunshine back that I had to share this old memory of a very cold stretch of days we had in Denver years ago.  I have this habit of saving interesting magazine articles, some heartwarming stories, a few recipes, and those with good ideas.  Just in case I need them someday, they lie in a large folder waiting.  Once in a while I clean it out, knowing that some will only be useful for someone else.  But some I keep, for a long time.  
           This year, the weather people predicted cold, and days of it!  It happened; the temperature stayed below zero for over a week.  And I remembered the article that I had saved about how to make Ice Lanterns.



                                                                   The Recipe

       Needed for each one:  
one five gallon bucket
one liter plastic soda bottle
sharp craft knife and scissors
a weight that will fit inside the bottle-to hold it down (I think I used a        
         rock)
                                         
       Directions:
·      fill the bucket with about 4 inches of water and put outside 
·      on a level surface outdoors, let freeze
·      cut off the top of the bottle about an inch above the label
·      set the soda bottle in the center of the bucket on the  
·      frozen bottom layer of ice
·      put the weight in the bottle
·      add about two inches of water, careful not to get any in the bottle
·      when this 2nd layer is frozen hard, add water to come 
·      within an inch of the top of the bottle
·      allow all to freeze hard-you'll know it's done when you tilt the bucket &  don't hear any slosh
·      remove the weight-peel the flexible bottle away from the ice-remove
·      run warm or hot water (not too much) over the bucket to free the ice         
     lantern
·      place a wide candle in the lantern or use some snow to support a taper 
           
Here is my photo of that time.  Icy glowing lanterns.  It sometimes pays well to save things.


38 comments:

  1. What a lovely idea for dark winter days and nights. I'm going to save our summer soda bottles and do this next year!

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    1. I hope it doesn't get cold enough this year! Best for next year! Thanks Katie!

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  2. Ok that is very cool ... it might even make me "like" winter a tiny bit ;-) Thanks for sharing and making me think I can appreciate cold cold weather a bit!

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    1. Thanks Lynn. It was very fun to do, & did make the cold a little better! That & the fact that my car started!

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  3. Very cool to see, but oh my that's a lot of waiting for the water to freeze.

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    1. As cold as it was, just overnight really. Thanks Elsie!

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  4. And you are crafty, too, Linda! What a great idea or a Christmas/New Year celebration!

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    1. And that's usually when the cold can come, Tam. I think this was in January, however. And if one has a large freezer, I guess it could be done in it!

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  5. Love this idea...I'll have to remember it for next winter, Linda (I am, you see, making a decision that winter is over!).

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    1. Yes, I understand perfectly, but we have a big snowstorm coming in tomorrow night! March is our snowiest month!

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  6. A woman of action. You tried out an ice lantern recipe when you saw one. I pinned a colored ice balls instruction (balloons filled with different colored water) but have not tried it yet. I wish winter was over, but I know that we have cold coming this weekend. I hope to get from dreaming to action with ice art.

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    1. The ice balls sound wonderful. Do you put string through them then hang them?

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  7. Linda, such a fun idea! Something I will probably never get to do here in the Northwest, but with son & wife on the east coast, and daughter and husband probably headed that same direction, I may have to save this.

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    1. Thanks Ramona-definitely they will have colder weather. You would need to do it in a freezer, headed for a cold night for display.

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  8. Thank you, thank you...we are going up to 50 and back down again. Those lanterns look so pretty. xo

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    1. Yep! We had 60s today & tomorrow night it's supposed to snow. I really have liked wearing fewer clothes!

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  9. It's a very beautiful lantern. Fortunately it doesn't get cold enough long enough to try that here in the Ozarks. Besides that cold temps are not my cup of tea. Thanks for sharing it with all of our cold weather friends!

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    1. I guess I'm also showing all of you in southern areas what you're missing (te he). Thanks Judy!

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  10. How beautiful! I have been enjoying other people's posts about the snow. We never have any here in the south. I have to appreciate it in pictures.

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    1. Thanks Margaret. Pictures may be the very way to go. But since it's March, I know spring is coming! Little green things are coming up!

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  11. They are beautiful! I have done something similar, but with ice and wax and a milk carton.
    I save articles too - my file cabinet is bulging! I really must weed them out some time.

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    1. Isn't it amazing, the old-fashioned way to 'bookmark', only now we have those files and bookmarks, both! Thanks Beverley! And yes, I've made candles with the ice, etc. I think they're beautiful too.

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  12. What fun, Linda! I saved this in Evernote so we can try it out sometime! (Hopefully next winter, as I'm hoping this one is about over!) The picture is beautiful. I've always been entranced by light in the wintertime -- Christmas lights, lights in windows, our little light-up Christmas village... they just give the perfect feeling of coziness and hope in the dark dreariness of winter!

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    1. Yes, like those above said, we all want winter to be over as soon as possible, but maybe next year! I love those battery lights in windows that look like candles! Thanks Jennifer!

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  13. Oh, love these ice lanterns! Something I will pin now and save for later too!

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    1. Thanks Michelle-something for your girls to do next year!

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  14. LOVE! Looks like we are missing the March White!

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    1. I think that's good news! We have snow coming tomorrow night, into the weekend.

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  15. These look so fun to make and even better to watch glow in the night I bet. My kids would love this!

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    1. Hope you'll be able to do it sometime, Betsy! They were really pretty.

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  16. Love it, Linda! Way to celebrate the cold! We are teaching how-to writing in our kindergarten classes right now. Can I share your post with them? They'd love the mentor text.

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    1. Sure you can, Melanie. What fun to do the 'how-tos'. I bet they're teaching lots of things to you all.

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  17. I think my kids would enjoy making these. My seven year old is all about making projects...I'll need to save this idea! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks Robin! I know it would be fun to do with kids!

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  18. Linda, I love these. I want to try them someday! And congrats on selling the house! So quick!

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    1. Thanks Carol. I hope you will be able to try the lanterns. They were so pretty!

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