DIY Holiday Ice Lanterns

I have always wanted to make these beautiful Ice Lanterns for fun decor on our balcony…so this was my chance to figure out how!  With all of this Minnesota snow, I thought I would provide the how-to so you all can try your DIY hands at this fun and easy winter project...and they will look gorgeous lining the walkway up to your home, in the back yard, or on a porch or balcony.

So here is the how-to:

Use a 2 liter plastic soda bottle and a 24 oz plastic bottle for the inside – cut tops off.

1. Fill the 2 liter bottle with about 1 1/2 inches of water and freeze.

2. Remove from freezer and place 24 oz bottle inside resting on the ice. Center the 24 oz bottle in the 2 liter bottle and use masking tape to secure in place. Make sure space between bottles is even all the way around.

3. Cut greens from the yard or buy greens (these are Boxwood) and cranberries to fill the sides. Cranberries float, so place some in the bottom first and then add green on top. Add a few additional cranberries on the sides. When you fill the container with water the cranberries will rise to the top.

Fill with water leaving at least 1 in of space from the top for the water to rise as it freezes.

When frozen, remove from freezer. Lift tape and add hot water into the center of the bottle. As the ice melts a little, pull out center bottle. This gets a little tricky as the plastic bottles have larger bottoms than the sides. You have to work it! Run hot water over the outside of the bottle to loosen the large bottle. It is difficult to pull the ice lantern out of the 2 liter bottle due to the larger bottom. I recommend cutting it down the sides to remove it. Be careful - the plastic can be sharp! I also recommend having a set of bottles for each ice lantern you wish to make.

I highly recommend using a battery operated candle inside – the flame melts the ice! Make a couple of days ahead and store in the freezer.

And, voila...a beautiful holiday ice lantern!

You could also make smaller lanterns using cottage cheese containers and small disposable food storage containers. They are much easier to separate as the cottage cheese containers have a smaller bottom and the ice will slid right out.

Good luck, and Happy Holidays!

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The story of { Belle Noelle }

Welcome to the Blog of Belle Noelle Events + Design.  This blog is dedicated to my love of event planning, interior design, handmade projects and anything inspiring.  I am a Minnesota born gal with a creative mind and eye for special details...as my interior design instructor once told me, God is in the details!

My name is Casey Noelle Bahl...wife, friend, bad cook, wannabe rockstar, interior designer and event planning fanatic!  After many fun years of singing with a Minneapolis based band, I had an itch to find and define my true life's carrer path...and decided to pursue a degree in Interior Design.  It was during my studies in Interior Design that I gained a firm foundation in color, space planning, design scheduling, pricing, and organization.  Although I worked in the design field for many years, I somehow knew that life had something a little different in store for me.

I started Belle Noelle with the goal of combining my creative background in Interior Design and love for event planning to create unique, one-of-a-kind events.  I bring a true designer eye to each and every event and will help create a truly unforgettable day...down to the smallest detail.  

I feel blessed to be doing something I am so passionate about, and am lucky to have such an amazing and supportive husband, friends, and family.  This passion and gratitude carries through each project I work on, and it's my intention that the love for my work shines bright in all of my events.

Thank you for reading my first blog entry, and my hope is that you will continue to check back for beautiful and inspiring ideas.