How to Create Colorful Snow Sculptures

When winter comes, there are two types of people in the Northern parts of the United States: those that hate the cold and those that love it. If you're one that embraces the chill of the wind and the winter wonderland scenes, then take a few extra decorating steps to create the most colorful yard around.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pots, bottles, cookie cutters and anything else you can use as forms
• Enough spray bottles for all the colors you want
• Food coloring
• Old jackets and gloves that you don't mind staining

1. Imagine what you would like as your winter sculpture. You can make almost any sort of image out of snow. Lay out your ideas on paper and either find a picture as a guide or draw one. Simple designs can be quite effective.

2. Prepare the equipment that you will need. If you're going to use difficult shapes in your sculpture, see if there are some aids in your cupboard. Bundt pans, bowls and plastic bottles with the end cut off are just a few of the items that could be of use.

3. Decide what colors you will need for your sculpture. Collect enough empty household spray bottles to hold all of the colors that you will be using.

4. Fill the spray bottles with enough water to complete each color on your sculpture. If you need more green, fill the bottle to the top. If you need just a little, then, of course add just a little.

5. Add food coloring to the water in the spray bottles. The more food coloring the darker the shade. To blend shades, check the back of the food coloring box for ideas. For example, 14 drops of yellow to 6 drops of red makes orange. To get a peach tone, add 4 more drops of yellow. Turquoise is 3 blue drops to 1 green, and rose is 3 red to 1 blue drop. Try different variations of mixes to get the colors you want.

6. Dress warmly and attack the snow. Build the form that you conjured, but remember you don't have to be an artist. You could make a modern design.

7. Use the bottles of colored water to spray on your color. If you don't like how something turned out, scoop out the snow in that area an bring in new snow.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're doing something like an American flag, use a cookie cutter to pack the snow for the stars. Color in your blue background first, and then add on the stars after you have given the blue a chance to freeze.
• McCormick Foods has a vast selection of colors, premixed. Check at your local store.
• This could get messy. Wear old gloves and clothing to create your sculpture. A thin plastic glove, like the type used for hair coloring, can be worn under regular gloves to protect your hands from stains.