Ice Ornament Recipe

Last year, I discovered a beautiful craft perfect for cold weathered days — ice ornaments. After I made my first batch, my mom and I spent many an hour gushing over them. This is no exaggeration. Combining the best of what winter has to offer, these ornaments are simply breathtaking. If you have the opportunity to make some, I highly recommend it.

As soon as the thermometer dipped below freezing, I pulled out my ice ornament supplies and got to work. Because I knew I was going to make some this year, I began gathering a few supplies in the months leading up to winter. However, the first and probably most important ingredient to this recipe is below freezing temperatures. If it doesn’t fall below freezing in your neck of the woods, I’m afraid this craft isn’t going to work so well for you! But if you regularly experience consecutive days below freezing, you’re in luck!

SUPPPLIES:

• Circular cake pans or baking dishes
• Boxwood or pine tree clippings
• Citrus fruit slices
• Pine cones, sticks, dried flowers, berries
• Twine
• Water

STEP ONE:
Gather all of your ornament decorations. I like to use boxwood cuttings as the green part, offset with a few lemon slices, berry branches, and pine cones. But really, you can use anything you want. Last year, I didn’t gather anything before winter struck, so I used dried flowers from the preceding spring and summer and it worked really well!

STEP TWO:
Arrange the gathered items in the cake pan or round dish. I kind of move things around to get them balanced, although they will shift a bit after you add the water.

STEP THREE:
You’re going to need to hang it somehow, so get a strip of twine, create a loop and secure it with a knot. Add this to what will be the top of your ornament.

STEP FOUR:
Pour water over the collected item in your dishes. I only add water half way and then fill it up to the tippy-top once it’s outside. If you want a full ornament, it’s important to make sure to fill the dish completely with water. I boiled my water in an attempt to achieve a clearer ornament, but it still came out a bit cloudy, so I don’t think the temperature matters much.

STEP FIVE:
Allow your ornament to sit out overnight to freeze completely. When you are ready to take it out, you may have to warm it up a bit to dislodge it. Last year I had to do this every time, but this year it slipped right out. Hang and enjoy! If the temperature rises above freezing for a few hours, it’s inevitable your ice ornament is going to melt, but I just take this opportunity to make more.

I love looking outside and seeing them on the tree. You can also watch a video of me making two ice ornaments here:

Till next time,