A patch of white snow makes a lovely display stand for colour. In this simple winter craft, water becomes a collection of rounded ice shapes that look a little like oversized marbles. The ingredients are modest; the waiting is the main part of the project.
The original ChoxTheMuse demonstration, uploaded in February 2014, uses balloons, water and food colouring. You can also use suitable flexible freezer moulds if you would rather avoid balloons; the finished shape will depend on the mould.
What you need
- Water and a small amount of food colouring.
- Balloons or flexible moulds suitable for freezing.
- A tray that can catch coloured drips.
- Freezer space, or reliably freezing outdoor conditions.
- Scissors for an adult to remove a balloon once the ice is ready.
Make a small first batch
- Prepare a protected surface. Food colouring can stain. Work over a tray and keep the project away from fabrics or paving you do not want marked.
- Add colour and water. Use only a little colouring to begin with. Avoid filling the balloon or mould to its limit, and keep the first shapes small enough to handle easily.
- Set them down carefully. Arrange them on the tray where they will not roll away. Their resting position can leave a flatter side, which is useful for the final display.
- Give them time. Check that the shape is frozen throughout before removing its covering. A frozen outer shell does not prove the centre is solid; size and temperature affect the wait.
- Unwrap and arrange. An adult can cut and peel away the balloon. Collect every piece immediately and keep balloon material away from young children and pets.
If the result is different from the video
A cloudy centre, uneven colour or a flattened base can be part of the charm. Try changing one thing in the next batch, such as the amount of colouring or the size of the shape. If outdoor temperatures are unreliable, use the freezer instead of assuming one night outside will be enough.
Display the finished orbs away from steps and walking routes, and use a tray where coloured meltwater could cause a mess. They are temporary decorations, so take a picture while the light passes through them.
For another small-scale winter project, explore Chris Ratzlaff’s frozen soap bubbles. For something larger and delightfully playful, see our snowman inspiration collection.
Ice also becomes a playful photographic subject in Yukon’s frozen hair portraits, where the setting helps explain the unusual shapes.
Compare the mould and the light, not just the colour
A balloon produces a rounded shape, while a flexible freezer mould may give a flatter base or a different outline. That affects how the finished ice sits on a tray or in snow. Decide how you want to display the objects before filling the moulds, and leave space to handle them without needing to balance a heavy slippery sphere.
Freezing time depends on the amount of water and the actual conditions. A firm outer shell is not proof that the centre is solid, so the original “next morning” instruction should be understood as one demonstration’s timing rather than a universal deadline. A tray helps contain leaks or coloured meltwater during handling.
For photographs, try the same piece against snow and against a darker background. Light passing through the ice and light reflected from its surface can produce quite different impressions of the same colour. Keep all balloon fragments after removing the covering, and choose a display location where melting will not create a slippery walking surface. The project’s appeal is in a simple change of material, with cleanup and thawing included in the plan.
Sources, photography and further reading
Original feature and image attributions:
- Litlle Things
- They Were Admiring A Iceberg When All Of A Sudden It Collapsed… WOW!
- He Built A Tunnel Through The Snow. Where It Ends? BRILLIANT!
- Blowing Bubbles In The Cold Seems Impossible...But The Results Are Incredible
- Every Year, These 3 Brothers Make A Giant Snow Sculpture In Their Front Yard
- Cryoconite Holes on Glaciers
- Take Any Party To The Next Level With This Cool Trick On How To Flash Freeze Water.
- Original image link
- Chris Ratzlaff’s frozen soap bubbles
- our snowman inspiration collection
- Yukon’s frozen hair portraits
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