Fire and Ice, the Perfect Candle Holder

Ice candle holders are an exquisite addition to any special occasion display. They work well in wedding displays, on buffet lines, outdoor decorations, and romantic bedroom additions. These are just a few of the possible applications. The way the light is reflected through the ice can truly be unique and beautiful and you can make 1000's of 100 percents recyclable candle holders.

The idea a first sounds like a bit of a mess mixing fire and ice, but there are wonderful ways to make, burn, catch and recycle these great candle holders.

Making the ice candle holders

Start small with a simple tea light holder. There isn't even a need to add embellishments until the crafter feels comfortable with the process. A flared cup with a narrow bottom and wide mouth serves as an effective mold. Put approximately 1/2 inch of water in the base of the glass and freeze until it becomes a hard enough surface to hold the inner mold. The inner mold must be big enough so the tea light candle can be inserted and lit. Some possible molds are tall shot glasses, cordial drinking glasses or weighted pill bottles. All of these work well because they are larger than the tea light candle, can be filled with hot water for easy removal and most people have at least one of these items around the house.

Place the insert in the glass on top of the frozen service. Fill the glass to the desired level and freeze. Remember to leave enough space so the candle doesn't drown out.

To remove the hold from the most use a turkey baster to fill the insert with hot water. Let sit for a minute or so and then work the insert out.

Dip the glass in a bowl of hot water until the ice can be loosened.

Insert candle. Place in a shallow saucer and light.

Molds can be anything that can hold water and freeze. Buckets, bowels, glasses and all sorts of objects that can hold water will work. It if fun to use buckets and line the walk way in Christmas Eve with large candler ice lanterns.

Embellishments

Many things can be added to the ice to create different effects. Pine branches are favorite. Gem stones and other crafting items can be frozen into the holders and retrieved for another purpose or time from the water. Let the imagination run wild.

Displaying the holders

Remember to have a saucer or container of some kind to catch any melt. Most of them will last a few hours if the ice is made thick enough.

These are really fun to experiment with as the cost is virtually zero. Fire and ice can be an exciting combination.