Ice Globes - #TheCraft

                              

A couple Christmases ago my husband bought me this book on making ice sculptures. I had seen the author on a local morning tv news show and I decided right then and there, I too needed to be an ice wrangler. 

I'll be honest, I was pretty much only interested in making ice globes. You don't need to buy the book. There are other projects in it, but globes are so easy and I love them. I did try one failed experiment to make like panes of ice glass, with oranges and pine needles in them. I was going to prop them up like four squares and put a candle in the middle like a lantern, but yeah - they didn't work out so hot. So back to globes!

You don't need the "fancy" items she sells on her website (i.e the plastic trays to hold your globes), however, they do make the process pretty easy. The jist for ice globes is you need balloons, and a tray, possibly some styrofoam.

You just need big balloons for bigger globes. The ones she sells on her site are similar to the punching balloons you used to get as a kid with the rubber band? Am I aging myself here? But as replacements, I just bought some large-sized balloons on Amazon. Just don't buy pink. Trust me.

Boobs. They look like boobs. Don't buy pink balloons!

So fill your balloon with water. She also sells little clips to pinch the balloons off. Slick for just snapping on, but not needed. You can just knot them up like you normally would. You can put your globes in a freezer. I've done this, and the globes take on a very opaque effect. This year I went for the good old standard method of outside and they did come out more "clear". You have less control of how long it takes to freeze with the outdoor method, but generally, it can take anywhere from 12-48 hours (I've never needed 48 hours in Minnesota - take that Elsa!).

The plastic trays keep them from rolling around, but if you wanted you could probably just stick them in any kind of tray to support/hold them while they set-up. You may want to put some styrofoam under them to keep them from freezing to the surface they are on, but it's not required if you keep your eyes on them in my experience. These for example did not have anything under them.

Then you wait. Check them starting at the 12-hour mark. You should find they have a spongey core (that's good - you want a cavity to put your candle or led light under so a solid orb isn't need -- unless that's what you're going for) and if you pinch the sides you can feel the thickness of the ice globe as it's taking shape. When you feel like they have a thick enough layer you crack those babies open and shazam! ICE GLOBE!

You can put a candle under them, but they recommend making a chimney to let the heat out (it will melt your globe a little and make one naturally - or you could drill it). I opt for little color-changing tealight led candles so I don't have to mess with that part. I think I got them in a four-pack at Michaels. You could also flip them up like bowls and put floating candles and water in them. I've never tried that, not sure if you then have to worry about melt/re-freeze?

I love them. And they take on a life of their own over time. I just leave them on my deck with no light and just watch how they change in the weather. Even with no lights I think they are beautiful. As you can see, it becomes less clear after being in the sun and snow for a couple days, but I still think they are lovely. 

I like to make them for Imbolc because to me there is no other perfect symbol of the season than glowing light coming from within the heart of a frozen orb. Also makes a Minnesota winter more fun. Eat your heart out Elsa, I'm an ice wrangler now too.