Winter Wonder: Ice Votives

What I miss the most during the winter is sunlight. Short days, long dark nights and sometimes, long stretches of gray, cloudy days are the conditions of winter here and I don’t particularly care for it.

But, there is one benefit that I can think of – the darkness give me a chance to enjoy the soft light of white string lights and candles.

I have had this magazine tear since, well, whenever it was printed. Thought it was BHG but I can’t find it.

Loved the concept, loved the look. Just really adored it. I changed it up a little bit, made it super simple but the end result is still beautiful. As you can see, they are far from perfect. But I like them anyway.

This project doesn’t require much:

-water
-glitter (optional – use large flake glitter for more visibility)
-disposable cups* – large outer ones and smaller inner ones but big enough to fit a votive in
-rocks, small heavy object for weight
-tape
-lack of perfectionism – this is essential. Haha!

*I think using plastic cups for both the inner and outer cups would be best. I used what I had so had to deal with peeling the paper cups away. It still worked but did require some work.

Mix some glitter in with the water. It honestly doesn’t mix that well so just stir and pretend it’s working. :) I used the small flake glitter I had but definitely recommend the large flake stuff. It will show a lot better.

Pour the glittery water into the large cups. Not all the way though. When the smaller cup is put inside, the water will rise on the outside so adjust accordingly. Place the smaller cup inside the water-filled larger cup. To keep it down, add a couple little weights. The tape is necessary to anchor it in place. Make sure to adjust the little cup to keep it away from any of the edges.

Once it is set, give a good freeze.

You can decide whether to remove the outer or inner cup first. Here’s how I did it:

I found the easiest way to release the iced votives is to turn the cup over and run some warm water over the bottom until it loosens a bit. Don’t keep it under the warm water for too long though, it will melt. However, if it melts too much, toss it and try again. The materials are pretty cheap for this one. :)

Removing the inner cup takes some finesse. I tried straight up tearing it out. I used warm water and a knife. Both worked. Maybe you will find a better way. Like using a plastic cup? :) A few might have looked like this on the inside but it didn’t affect the look.

I threw them all back in the freezer for a bit to freeze up again. Then I took them outside, plopped in a few votives and enjoyed the wintery glow.

It was very peaceful taking these photos. I really enjoyed it.

Take care.

Find more Winter Wonder here.