Saturday, December 22, 2012

Scandinavian Christmas: Day 10



Day 10! Welcome back to Scandinavian Christmas! Today we get to hear from another Astrid from the blog Fab and Thrifty-Something.  Her blog is super creative and tells of all her awesome thrifty finds.  AstridYou can find Astrid on Pinterest here and her blog here. This is Astrid's very first year participating in the series and I am so glad she joined in the fun!



God dag, I am Astrid and I live in Ottawa, Canada.  I post about my thrifty, thrift store finds over at Fab and Thrifty-Something.


My father’s family is Norwegian and in 2010 I had the opportunity to visit Norway and Iceland. I like to include Scandinavian traditions in my family’s Christmas celebrations. Ice lanterns are very popular in Scandinavia to bring light to the darkness of winter. 



Last Christmas, I received two Lee Valley ice lantern molds from my mother-in-law as a gift (the price is cheaper if you buy 2 or more!). The star molds are made in Norway. I was excited to try it out and cast a light on my dark porch.

First, I filled my lantern mold halfway with water. Then I added some frozen cranberries and pine branches for some festive colour. I then left my mold outside to freeze overnight.


If you plan on adding greenery, I recommend using a two step approach.  First, freeze the water only halfway to avoid your greens floating to the top. 


Once frozen, you can fill the remainder of the mold with water and leave outside overnight to ensure it's completely frozen.


To release the ice, run some hot water over the mold and slide the ice out very carefully.




Add a tealight or candle and viola! 
The warm glow will light any porch or front entrance.


  
Want to make your holiday guests feel welcomed during the Christmas season? Why not try making one of these star-shaped Ice Lanterns from Lee Valley Tools. 

  God Jul! 

Another huge thanks to Astrid! Come back tomorrow for Day 11!

4 comments:

  1. How great to know there are actually special molds for these!! Loving the star shape!

    Thank you Astrid for the tips for success! Now all that is needed here in the Pacific Northwest is a freezing night!!!

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  2. Using a two stage process is a good one, I did not know how to stop the greenery from floating to the top. We now have freezing temperatures so I will be able to try this.

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  3. I had no idea there were special molds for making these ice creations! I have used a Bundt pan and plastic round containers to make a wreath and candle holder. Your star shaped ice creations are fabulous and are the perfect outdoor decorations to greet guests.
    There will be no problem making these right now in our frozen winter wonderland here in Minnesota, I think I'll try making one today :)
    It was nice meeting you Atrid ~ I have known your sister for some time now :)

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  4. These are awesome, I've already begun hunting around for things I could make into a makeshift mold. Thanks again for sharing Astrid!

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