A Christmas Make

As if you didn't have enough to do, here is a Christmas Make for you. You need to start it yesterday because you have to wash out a tin, fill it with water and put it in the freezer overnight.

Now draw a simple design on it with a pencil

Next you need a hammer and a nail. Because i am married to a cabinet maker, I have a very posh brass screw, but any old nail works very well.
Hammer it into the tin following your pencil line, which rubs off very annoyingly. This is why your design is simple - you can manage it without a pencil line.
See I am wearing a glove. It's a cold tin full of ice.

resting it on something soft helps stop it rolling around.

This next bit is important....

make two holes near the top opposite one another - this is for the wire to hang it up.

Once you are sure you have all the holes you want you can remove the ice.

and twist some wire into the holes you made for the handle.

This next picture doesn't really show you how pretty your finished lantern will look hanging from a tree in the dark with a night light inside.

And if you are wondering why you need to bother with all that ice nonsense, try making one without!

These are lots of fun to make with kids. Have a few tins ready in the freezer in case you need to do something physical inbetween all the chocolate!

Comments

[Cath]

Thankyou! I shall have a go at some of these in the New Year!

[carolyn]

Lovely idea, always have cans to hand (Having cats) so will try and give this one a go, time permitting.

[Tash]

I love the idea - it'd look lovely on a bare tree, all lit up.

I also liked your last post too - you know, I'm sure one of these days we're going to cross each other's path! I was in Corbridge on Saturday, and we nearly, ever so nearly went into Hexham, but after many hours of perusing shops with the Parents-In-Law (and brother-in-law) we felt it was time to head home!

Anyway, Merry Christmas :)

[amisha]

what a lovely idea... i like the thought of these dangling around in a late-evening picnic outside!

[Julie]

great little lanterns - thanks for the inspiration.

[wendy]

For a minute there I thought you were doing an ice sculpture. I love that lantern. happy Christmas Katie.

[Heather]

Great project!! Thanks for posting this!!

[Katie]

What a lovely idea - thank you for sharing it.

[weirdbunny]

I've always wanted to do one of those. Lucky you told me about the ice!!

[weirdbunny]

Did I tell you I've started posting on the blog again? !! I know lol..