Add a splash of color to your winter!
As winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, a new playground emerges. Creating winter globes is a fun cold-weather project to keep us generating Vitamin D long after the sun-soaked days of summer have passed. This is a great project to get the whole family outdoors, though I made these on my own as an adult and had lots of fun.
These colorful spheres can bring smiles to any winter day. With the help of balloons, water, food coloring and the chill of winter, you can create beautiful pieces of ephemeral art, each one unique like a snowflake.
This project can be a messy one, so don’t forget to wear warm clothes that you don’t mind staining. And make sure your gloves are adequate to keep your hands warm in the winter chill. The coldest part is peeling away the balloons around your frozen masterpieces. And the best part is seeing what emerges!
For obvious reasons, winter is the best season for this one. But if you have a freezer and don’t mind a finished product that fades into the front lawn as quickly as it delights, try this one in the warmer months too.
Enjoy some colorful fun!
Lisa
MOLD THESE WINTER GLOBES
MATERIALS
- Balloons
- Food Coloring
- Water
- Freezing temperatures
INSTRUCTIONS
This is a messy one, so work on this project over a large sink or outdoors.
Open the top of a balloon and pour in food coloring – the more color, the greater the saturation. You can use the colors individually, or you can experiment by mixing colors. Fill the balloons with water from the faucet or hose and allow them to expand. Don’t make them too large so that the skin of the balloons becomes too thin and fragile; the balloons must stay in tact through the freezing process. Holding the tops closed, shake the balloons gently to ensure the dye and water mix completely. Tie each balloon off as you would normally to seal.
Place the balloons outside in freezing weather to harden. Use your freezer as an alternative if the temperature outside is above freezing. If you use your freezer, put each balloon in a bowl in case they leak or burst during freezing. Leave them overnight to freeze.
In the morning, check to make sure each water balloon is fully frozen. Again, make sure you’re not wearing your favorite mittens – you may get dye on them. When ready, go outside (if you’re not already) and peel back the balloons to reveal your winter globes! Are some colors brighter than others? Do certain hues highlight the delicate patterns of fractures and bubbles frozen in time inside your globes? Watch as your globes reveal themselves in the sunlight. Beautiful!
Finally, display your winter globes in your yard for all to admire and enjoy. Or surprise a home-bound neighbor with a sparkle of color on their very own front lawn. And don’t forget to take photos before these masterpieces melt away and share them with Ecopsyched! on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (#ecopsyched).
Resources:
Balloons*
Plant-Based Food Coloring*
*(paid link) You will not be charged additional fees for purchasing products through affiliate links.
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I can’t wait to make these again! Thanks for refreshing my memory! I tried this year’s ago and they came out so pretty… They’ll make a great project to do with the grandkids! You always have such creative ideas! Thanks Lisa!! How do I upload a picture of my colorful globes?
Hi, Rose. This is a favorite of mine too. I would love for you to share your winter globes with the ecopsyched! community. If you’re on Facebook, you can post them at https://www.facebook.com/ecopsyched. Or you can tweet them and include #ecopsyched. Or you can email them to me ( LisaB @ ecopsyched dot com – I spelled this out to avoid spammers, but type as you normally would an email address.), and I’ll share them on your behalf. Thanks! – Lisa B